All posts by admin

Ventura Police Department helping keep roadways safe

The Christmas and New Year’s holidays are ways to spend time with family and friends ringing in another year, but also a time when people can make poor choices that put themselves and others at risk on the road.

To help spread the message about the dangers of drunk and drugged driving, the Ventura Police Department is partnering with the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to get impaired drivers off roads.

During the high-visibility enforcement campaign Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over, which runs until Jan. 1, the Ventura Police Department will have more officers on the road conducting saturation patrols looking for drivers suspected of driving under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs.

In addition, a DUI checkpoint will be held on December 28, 2018 between the hours of 8:00 pm and 3:00 am at an undisclosed location within the city limits. Officers will be looking for signs of alcohol and/or drug impairment, as well as checking drivers for proper licensing.

“Whether you are home with family or at the bar, it is important that you find a sober ride home after drinking,” said Corporal Al Gomez. “As an adult, it is up to you to make adult decisions and drive sober or use a ride share service. There are no excuses for driving impaired.”

DUI Doesn’t Just Mean Booze. Marijuana, prescription drugs and over-the-counter medications can also be impairing, especially in combination with alcohol or other drugs.

During the 2017 Christmas (Dec. 22-25) and New Year’s (Dec. 30-Jan. 2) holiday periods, 25 people were killed and 643 injured on California roads, according to data from the California Highway Patrol Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System.

“Drunk driving continues to be a huge problem in this country, and more recently, marijuana and drug- impaired driving,” said Sergeant Michael Brown. “People are out and about shopping for the holidays and going to or hosting parties, so it is important that everyone acts responsibly behind the wheel.”

Funding for impaired driving enforcement operations are provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Vol. 12, No. 6 – Dec 19, 2018 – Jan 2, 2019 – The Pet Page

• A thief was caught on camera stealing thousands of dollars from the CARL Thrift Store. The thief was caught on the store’s surveillance video pulling back a curtain, and going into the manager’s office repeatedly, before he leaves the store with an estimated $2,400. CARL rescues and takes in dogs that need a home, and provides them medical care.

“He basically came in and wiped everything out,” said Mary Saputo, president of the Canine Adoption and Rescue League. Our vet bills last year were in excess of $105,000. We had had a very profitable week so it was a sizeable chunk of change that he stoled” Saputo said. “This is an all-volunteer thrift shop, nobody is paid a penny and we work very hard. For this man to come in and just help himself to around $2400, that makes a difference for some little creature out there.”

This horrible man, who stole from CARL must be caught.

Mary came up with the idea to make up for the stolen money by holding a raffle. Two-dollars for a chance to win a $100 Petco gift card. The winning raffle number will be picked on December 23rd.

How to enter:
CARL Thrift Store 2750 E Main.
Venmo: @loveallanimals
PayPal: [email protected]

“We would much rather be taking a long walk.” Kai, Jafar and Baker.

• “As we completed our trifecta to three Ojai parks, Sarzotti, Soule and Libbey, I felt my usual sense of immense gratitude for the time I get to spend with my two favorite huskies. Kai is seven and his older cousin, Jafar, is twelve. Along with my daughter’s three-year-old border collie mix, named Baker. These dogs have taught, and continue to teach me, some of my life’s most important and cherished lessons. Spending time with any of these wonders of humanity can’t help but rub off on luckypeople … like me!” Marty Kinrose – Dog Walker.

•My Empty Lap- Remembering Buddy
By John Darling

I look at my lap in front of me and
My hands are the only things I see.
The warmth that was there has gone away,
So I cry knowing that the cold is here to stay.
Though many others could fill this space,
No one could ever really take your place.
I still see your eyes showing me the love
That will now only come down from up above.
No longer do I have a friend to go with me
To share in all the things I do and see
The beds you used to have everywhere
Have been given to other dogs to share
No longer do I have to buy your food
Or replace the worn out toys that you chewed
I can walk where I want without looking down
To see if you’re under my feet, dancing around
For such a little dog, you were a lot of work
Yet your kind sweet ways always made me smirk
But you’re gone now so I can do as I please
Supposedly my life will be much more at ease
Yet I will mourn for you each passing day
Wishing that it didn’t have to be this way…

The Buddy Nation Cookbook cover girl, Candy has lost her battle with cancer. Beloved
companion for 9 years of Richard Flores she lost her battle on November 28th. Candy was sweet
and loving right up to the end, wagging her tail and nudging for a pat or scratch.

Start your year end planning now

by Jayson Cohen American Legacy Solutions

It may seem as if the end of the year is very far away and that there is no need to start making end of the year financial plans as of yet. However, the reality is that the end of the year, and the activities which surround it are busy. At times, with all the festivities going on, it becomes close to impossible to do anything sensible where financial planning is concerned. You should consider starting your end of year plans now because early plan may spare you the heavy fines. Here are a few things that you should consider doing right now.

If It’s Time, Get Your RMD

You probably know that you are supposed to start making withdrawals from your IRA or other retirement plans when you reach the age of 70 and a half. If you don’t take your RMD on time, you may be forced to pay a 50 percent excise tax on the amount which you will have failed to distribute. This is another reason why working with a Financial Advisor can help you avoid penalty’s and anxiety.

Making A Charitable Contribution

Did you know that if you make a charitable contribution using a Qualified Charitable Distribution, you will get a tax exemption of the amount and the amount donated could also qualify as RMD? If you have not made any donation this year, perhaps now is the right time to make a meaningful contribution from your IRA. Again, seek professional guidance on this strategy.

Other Tax Mitigating Strategies

This is the perfect time to look into all your accounts and see whether there are tax gains which you can still capitalize on this year. If you do not understand how having investments such as mutual funds could affect your taxes and distribution, talk to a financial expert and have everything straightened out before the year ends and you are left with massive losses in your hands.

Avoid Tax Deferral

Don’t Delay! When the year is coming to an end, some postpone all their tax related items until a later date. Tax deferral may seem like a quick fix to grow your money, but it is important to note that it puts off your taxes as opposed to getting a permanent resolution to the problem. If you are employed, it may be wise to fund your employer sponsored plan as much as possible to get the full match of the company. After all, free money is indeed the best kind that there is, right?

Yes, all of this takes knowledge and effort but can pay off with the proper plan. We are here to help you plan for everything that comes with a successful retirement. Start early, plan ahead and you will have the best shot at a confident retirement

Each year, during the holiday season, Vitalant experiences the “perfect storm”

Most hospitals in Ventura County have one thing in common, they receive blood from Vitalant, formerly United Blood Services. Who donates this much needed blood? Citizens of Ventura County just like you, who have realized the importance of keeping a healthy blood supply in our community. Ready at a moment’s notice, many units of blood are used for emergency situations, but what many people don’t realize is there are units that are transfused to local patients on a daily basis.

Each year, during the holiday season, Vitalant experiences the “perfect storm” where the blood supply declines, but holiday usage increases.

Here are 5 reasons why your holiday blood donation is so important and impactful:

1) It’s cold and flu season. When blood donors get sick, they are unable to donate, leaving a gap in regular donations. During this time of year, anyone who is healthy and is able to donate is needed to help make up for those who are under the weather.

2) So many of us are really busy with travel and holiday plans and regular blood donations get put on the back burner. The blood supply is especially reliant on new donors and those who donate only a couple of times a year to help see it through the holiday slump.

3) Inclement weather. It really is mostly gorgeous here in Ventura County, but when it rains, it tends to change the number of donors we get through the doors this time of year.

4) Local colleges take a break. When Ventura County’s collegiate population decreases, so does the blood supply. Colleges have traditionally been a reliable source for volunteer blood donors, and their absence is truly felt.

5) Traffic. Increased traffic, the hustle and bustle of the holidays can trigger more trauma situations where the number of mass transfusions increases. The blood supply, must always be at ample levels to handle these types of situations, it’s the blood on hospital shelves that saves lives, and during the holidays, keeping those shelves full can be a challenge.

There is no substitute for human blood, and each unit that’s transfused has an awesome blood donor behind it. Imagine waking up to a text saying your blood is on its way to the hospital to be transfused to a patient. What a feeling of awe to be able to participate in transforming another human life.

Give blood Dec. 17 – Jan. 2 in Ventura at 2223 Eastman Ave, STE A and receive a $20 movie certificate through Vitalant’s Donor Rewards Store. Potential donors can search for a convenient blood drive at www.vitalant.org or call 1.805.543.4290. Walk-ins are welcome.

The joys and benefits of bicycle travel

The Executive Director of Adventure Cycling Association (ACA), Jim Sayer, will speak about bicycle travel and tourism; the why, what, where, and how of getting on a bike and exploring. He will share how communities coast-to-coast are attracting more bike tourists and how those bike tourists are revitalizing small town America. Jim Sayer will discuss ACA initiatives to make cycling safer and more accessible for people of all ages and abilities. Sayer will highlight the importance of bicycle-friendly cities and businesses; as well as the current efforts of CIBike, Cycle California Coast, and other local organizations to increasing bicycle tourism in Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties.

Sayer’s visit to Ventura will be the first of more than 40 cities across the United States that ACA staff will visit in 2019. Sayer joined ACA in 2004 and also serves on the board of America Bikes.

ACA is the largest bicycle-travel (touring/camping) organization in North America with more than 40 years of experience and 53,000 members. ACA, a non-profit organization, produces widely-used U.S. cycling maps, offers guided bicycle tours, promotes bike tourism, produces how-to tutorials for beginning cyclists, and supports print and online media featuring the best in bike touring gear and know-how.

All who are interested in bicycle travel, or just want to learn more about cycling, are welcome to attend.

Museum of Ventura County, 100 E. Main St. Wednesday, January 9. Doors open at 6:30pm with refreshments. The program starts at 7:00pm.

The Channel Islands Bicycle Club (CIBike), established in 1990, is Ventura County’s largest recreational cycling club. CIBike shares the benefits of bicycling for health, recreation, sport, and transportation through regularly scheduled group bike rides, events and a free public program on the second Wednesday of each month at the Museum of Ventura County.

Adventure Cycling: adventurecycling.org/

Cycle California Coast: cyclecalcoast.com

Channel Islands Bicycle Club: cibike.org

Contact: Bill Faulkner, Grants Director, [email protected].

6 ways to stay physically active in winter

If you are really active skiing is a great way to stay fit.

by Kathleen Zuke

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services just released the 2018 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans. The guidelines recommend that adults move more and sit less throughout the day by engaging in a combination of aerobic activities, as well as balance training and muscle strengthening.

Exercising during the winter months can be challenging as temperatures drop, roads and sidewalks are slippery, and storms prevent outdoor activities. Here are 6 ways to keep active this season.

1. Explore arthritis-friendly exercise videos

Check out these short videos with exercises focused on reducing joint pain through stretching and building strength. There are options for working out your upper and lower body, as well as trying out Tai Chi, all in your own home.

2. Find an exercise class near you

It can be hard to stay motivated while exercising alone. Find an evidence-based exercise class that can offer different options for activities and provide an opportunity to meet up with friends.

3. Go mall walking

This Mall Walking Resource Guide provides ideas for walking solo or with a group at a local mall. Moving your regular walks inside for the winter provides a warm, safe, and well-lit environment to keep active.

4. Take steps to prevent falls

If you do walk outside, take precautions to avoid slips and trips on icy sidewalks. Check out how you can Winterize to Prevent Falls.

5. Get a workout to go

Go4Life’s Workout to Go guide has several options for exercising in your own home, including hand grips, wall pushups, and arm raises.

6. Find an indoor community pool or track

Many local Parks and Recreation Centers and YMCAs offer physical activity options, such as swimming, walking on indoor tracks, and group exercise for older adults.

Kathleen Zuke is Senior Program Manager for NCOA’s Center for Healthy Aging. Her work focuses on empowering individuals and communities to better manage chronic conditions.

New Ocean Tower at Community Memorial Hospital opened to patients

The new Ocean Tower at Community Memorial Hospital opened to patients on Sunday, Dec. 16, when all the patients were transferred from their rooms in the old Mountain Tower to their new ones in the Ocean Tower.

The transfer of CMH patients to the new building took the bulk of the day on Sunday and was completed without incident. Overall 130 patients were moved.

“The transfer of our patients into their new rooms is a final and much anticipated step in opening our new hospital to the community. We’ve been waiting a long time for this day and are thrilled it arrived and all went well as expected,” said CMH President and CEO Gary Wilde. “We remain grateful for the community’s ongoing support of our new hospital.”

Community Memorial Health System built the new Ocean Tower to meet seismic requirements that the state of California mandated after the 1994 Northridge earthquake, to replace an aging structure built in the 1960s, and to attract the next generation of physicians. The new CMH will better meet today’s needs and expectations for high-quality care and patient privacy. All 250 rooms in the six-story Ocean Tower are private rooms.

The Ocean Tower is adjacent to the current/old hospital, now called the Mountain Tower. The Mountain Tower will remain in use and serve a variety of functions, including housing rehabilitative services, the GI Laboratory, respiratory therapy, laboratory services, nuclear medicine, physiology, nutrition services, the growing Graduate Medical Education Residency Program and administrative offices, among other uses.

Vol. 12, No. 6 – Dec 19, 2018 – Jan 2, 2019 – Ventura Music Scene

by Pam Baumgardner
VenturaRocks.com

Here’s to wishing you holidays filled with love, laughter, and of course, lots of music! With that being said, let’s get going with what’s on everybody’s minds, “How to bring in the New Year!”

The following parties are listed in alphabetical order: The Blue Agave will have a DJ, The Boatyard has Karen Eden with Bill Macpherson, then Troy Edwards celebrating on New York time when the ball drops at 9 pm our time (Midnight New York Time), the party starts at 5:30 and goes until 9:30. Café Fiore has a DJ in the Tree House Lounge and Action Down up front. Casa Bella should be hopping with A.D.D. playing all night. It’s the Estrada Brothers at Copa Cubana at the harbor. The Crystal Method will take over Discovery. It’s DJ Sharp at The Garage where they’re putting on a masquerade ball. Grapes and Hops will have the Brandon Ragan Project in the house. It’s What the Funk at the Keynote Lounge, then another earlier celebration on New York time at Leashless Brewing with FIDO. The Saloon BBQ has an 80’s themed promo with DJ, Arockalypse Now will keep it rockin’ at The Star Lounge, and it’s Mark Masson jammin’ at Vintura at the Wine Rack.

Please be safe this New Year’s, there will be plenty of taxis, Lyft and Uber drivers available, so play it safe and plan on a designated driver or alternative ways of getting around.

Quick Notes: Do note that Oak and Main will reopen soon; Bombay’s will offer bands 1 – 11 pm on Saturday, December 22, including sets from Medicine Hat, Blues Bullet, Brother Earl & the Cousins, and Rose Valley Thorns; Discovery hosts a Holiday Jamboree on Sunday, December 23, including The Rays, Rvrboy, VOC, King’s Revenge and Aaron Pax Taylor; The Bearded Clams with actor Patrick Warburton on vocals will take over the Hong Kong Inn on Thursday, December 20, playing nothing but Pearl Jam cover tunes; The Gentleman’s Blues Club return for another Sunday Blues-filled afternoon at Grapes and Hops on December 23; and finally, the Rubicon will end it’s run of Rodger’s & Hammerstein’s South Pacific on Sunday, December 23, but don’t miss their popular fundraiser, Kids for Kids: The Circle of Life on Saturday, December 29, the musical variety show’s proceeds to providing scholarships for summer camps and other educational activities at the Rubicon.

It turns out the Hong Kong Inn plans to continue to keep their doors open while searching for new tenants and Adam and Josh from Squashed Grapes will continue to help book jazz while waiting to open their new jazz club midtown. Keep in touch on VenturaRocks.com but do note they have Tom Scott scheduled for Friday, December 21.

Do you have any music-related news or upcoming shows you want help publicizing? Please send all information short or long to [email protected], and for updated music listings daily, go to www.VenturaRocks.com.

Vol. 12, No. 6 – Dec 19, 2018 – Jan 2, 2019 – On Vacation

Helpful Honda Holiday Treats Truck

The Helpful Honda guys dispatched their iconic Helpful Honda Holiday Treats Truck to surprise kids of all ages with free treats! The Free Treats Truck visited the Kids & Families Together Holiday Party at 864 E. Santa Clara on Saturday, December 8th to bring extra joy to the kids. Over 280 Kinship, Adoption, and Foster kids came together and got new pajamas, took photos with Santa, and Caregivers picked out gifts for the kids while they watched a movie.

Kids & Families Together, in partnership with Heart 2 Heart, invited Foster/Resource, Kinship, and Adoptive Families for the fun filled day.

Sidebar