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Rubicon Theatre Company concludes 20th anniversary season

Madison Claire Parks stars in South Pacific.

Rubicon Theatre’s 20th Anniversary Season culminates with a two-piano version of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s soaring epic South Pacific, helmed by award-winning director Katharine Farmer and featuring a cast of 28 led by Tony honoree Ben Davis (Baz Luhrmann’s La Bohème) and Madison Claire Parks (Luisa in The Fantasticks Off-Broadway).

Based on James Michener’s Pulitzer Prize-winning masterpiece “Tales of the South Pacific,” the musical is set on an exotic island during World War II. The plot follows two love stories about seeming-opposites brought together by the circumstances of war and torn apart by prejudice and fear.

The timeless score includes beautiful ballads such as “Younger the Springtime” and “Some Enchanted Evening,” exuberant up-tempo songs like “I’m in Love with a Wonderful Guy. Ovation Award-winner Brent Crayon serves as Musical Director and First Keyboard Player, and Lee Martino (multiple Ovation and L.A. Drama Critics Circle Awards) is choreographer.

According to Producing Artistic Director Karyl Lynn Burns, Rubicon’s production of South Pacific will be approached as a play with music, much like Rubicon’s prior productions of Fiddler on the Roof, My Fair Lady and Man of La Mancha. “As a regional theatre company in a small venue, we hope to offer audiences an especially intimate, in-depth connection to the storytelling and the relationships.”

Director Farmer and Mike Billings (Sets, Lights and Multimedia) conceived a set made up of military issue pieces that the ensemble will move to create various locales. “The idea is that we as American military in wartime are trying to maneuver and manage what happens on this little island in a culture that has different values than our own,” says Farmer. “

“The cast members of this South Pacific are also a part of what we believe will make this show different,” says Burns. “Katharine and the team have found artists with gorgeous voices who are also extraordinary actors intent on mining the rich human truths of their characters,” continues Burns.

Ben Davis was a Tony honoree for Baz Luhrmann’s La Bohème, in which he played Marcello. He has also starred on Broadway as Trevor Graydon in Thoroughly Modern Millie, Javert and Enjolras in Les Misérables, the Preacher in Violet, and others.

Madison Claire Parks received critical acclaim this year for her portrayal of Sarah Brown in Guys and Dolls with both Musical Theatre West and Theatre Under the Stars. She is perhaps best known for her more than 400 performances as Luisa in the historic Off-Broadway production of The Fantasticks in

New York.

Rubicon Theatre’s production of South Pacific runs Dec. 5 through 23 at 1006 E. Main Street (the corner of Main and Laurel). The show begins with low-priced previews Wed., Dec. 5 at 7:00 p.m., Thurs., Dec. 6 at 7:00 p.m. and Fri. Dec. 7 at 8:00 p.m. The gala opening is Sat., Dec. 8 at 7:00 p.m., and is followed by a party with the cast and local dignitaries at Aloha Steakhouse For other dates and tickets, go to www.rubicontheatre.org or call 805.667.2900.

Boys & Girls Club of Greater Ventura held “Havana Nights”

On Nov. 10, the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Ventura held “Havana Nights”, at the Four Points Sheraton celebrating 80 years of serving local youth which included a live auction. The auction included “Channel Islands” an oil painting by local artist Tony Jankowski. His paintings have been shown in galleries throughout the United States and the world. He has won many awards and completed numerous private commissions. It sold for $3,700 which was a bargain.

Vol. 12, No. 4 – Nov 21 – Dec 4, 2018 – Harbor Patrol Blotter

10-23

4:16pm, during shift change, received a dispatch to a water rescue, kite surfers in distress near the Ventura Pier. Officers responded in the Fireboat along with Ventura fire, State Parks, VC sheriff helicopter and AMR medics. When officers arrived on scene they found two kite surfers performing self-rescues and making their way to the beach downcoast of the pier.

10-24

10:55pm, received a report of a submerged vessel in the Ventura Keys at 1000 block of Peninsula. Officers responded and found a 17ft center console motor boat sunk to its bimini at the dock. TowBoat US was contacted for the salvage

10-25

9:57pm, while on patrol, officers observing the welfare of a homeless woman screaming while walking towards the beach. She eventually made it to the beach without incident, except for screaming profanities.

10-26

2:40pm, received a request to assist an individual who lost her Ipad. After an exhaustive search, including assistance from the “find my Ipad” application, the lost item was discovered by officers at the Brophy Brothers restaurant in Santa Barbara

10-27

7:10am, received a report of a large disabled dive vessel just outside the Harbor requesting assistance. Officers responded and assisted the dive boat Sprectre safely return to their slip in Ventura Harbor Village.

10-28

11:50pm, received a report of a vessel operating recklessly in the main portion of the harbor from a live aboard. Officers investigated and found a vessel fitting the description of the disturbing party and made contact at the launch ramp. The operator admitted to the violation and was sternly warned to refrain from reckless and negligent operation in the future.

10-29

11:30pm, while on patrol in the vehicle, officers observed several vehicles illegally parked without permits in VHV overflow lot. Parking citations were issued to several vehicles and individual’s camping in their vehicles were asked to leave the area to find appropriate areas to camp/sleep.

10-30

7:25am, while on patrol, officers observed a couple beach camping near Surfers Knoll lot. A written warning was issued to the pair for illegal camping

10-31

5:55pm, while on patrol, received report of an injured seabird, a grebe at the launch ramp. Officers were able to capture the bird and transfer to bird rescue.

11-01

2:15pm, observed 4 swimmers caught in a rip current while on patrol in the fireboat. The swimmers were not in distress and were assisted out of the rip and to shore with suggestions on how to escape a rip current from the boat.

11-03

11:30pm, while on patrol near the Harbor entrance, officers observed a Personal Watercraft engaged in hoop netting. The fisherman’s voyage was terminated due to the illegal night-time operation of a PWC.

11-07

1:20pm, received a dispatch to a traffic accident at Harbor and Olivas Park Dr. Officers responded with AMR, VFD, VPD and VCFD to assist a motorcyclist who collided with a truck at the inter section and suffered a lower leg injury. The patient was treated and transported to local hospital for further evaluation.

11-10

7:43pm, received a request for a jumpstart from the owner of a disabled vehicle near Island Packers. Officers responded and successfully jumpstarted the disabled vehicle.

11-11

1:41pm, received a “Mayday” call for a disabled vessel off of the Mandalay powerplant. Officers responded in the fireboat and towed the vessel to safety. The tow was eventually passed to TowBoat US.

11-13

3:15pm, received a request for a lift assist from a tenant of the Ventura Marina Community. Officers advised dispatched, responded and were assisted by Ventura FD with the fall victim. No medical was involved with the call.

How the Ventura City Council works

There are 7 members of the Ventura City Council. Each member must be a registered voter in the City. In the past they were elected at-large.  Starting with the 2018 Election, four Councilmembers were elected by Districts with the remaining three Councilmembers to be elected by Districts in 2020.  Until a City Councilmember is elected by Districts, they remain “at-large”.

Elections to select Councilmembers are held on the 1st Tuesday after the 1st Monday in November of the even numbered years. The newly elected Councilmembers will assume their seat on the City Council in December and serve for a term of four years.

At the same time, the Council is reorganized and one of its members is selected to be Mayor by the members of the Council. The Mayor serves a term of 2 years and is the presiding officer of the Council. The Mayor has been delegated the responsibility to act as the City Council’s ceremonial representative at public events and functions. The Deputy Mayor is also selected in the same manner and serves a 2-year term.

City Councilmembers serve a term of 4 years with the terms being staggered on a 2-year basis with three (3) members being elected at one election and four (4) at the next. The terms commence the day of the first regular meeting in December following the election.

 

Be a Santa to a homebound senior

“When are the seniors going to give me their toy list?”

Help spread holiday warmth and cheer by adopting one of the 70 homebound seniors that participate in the Ventura Avenue Adult Center (VAAC) Home Delivered Meal Program (HDM).

The VAAC has partnered with Home Instead Senior Care of Thousand Oaks to collect “wish list” items for needy homebound seniors. A tree will be placed in City Hall at the Parks, Recreation & Community Partnerships (PRCP) department (room 226) and will contain paper ornaments reflecting the wishes of these particular seniors. Please purchase the desired item and return it with the ornament attached to PRCP. No need to wrap, Home Instead will be taking care of that!

The Be a Santa to a Senior drive will run until December 6. Gifts will be delivered to our seniors the week of December 17 by our Home Delivered Meal Volunteers.

Thank you in advance for your generous donation and for brightening the lives of lonely or isolated seniors in our community. For more information visit the Adult and Senior Services website or contact Cheryl Bucklin at 805-654-7557 or [email protected].

City of Ventura seeks input on short-term vacation rentals

The City of Ventura is seeking community input on the regulation and enforcement of short-term vacation rentals (STVR) in Ventura through an online survey at https://www.cityofventura.ca.gov/172/Short-Term-Vacation-Rentals. The input will inform staff recommendations that will be presented to the City Council early next year. The survey is open now through November 27, 2018.

Short-term vacation rentals are residential units that are rented for less than 30 consecutive days. These units are currently allowed in the City with a permit and consistent with existing regulations. The City may consider amendments to the existing regulations and enforcement.

Before taking the survey, community members are encouraged to review the STVR information on the City’s website that includes the Municipal Code, performance standards, how to report violations, and other various materials at https://www.cityofventura.ca.gov/172/Short-Term-Vacation-Rentals. Community feedback from previous public meetings is also on the website. For questions please call the Business License Office at (805) 658-4715.

The Ventura City Council directed staff to engage various stakeholders and the community to review and consider possible changes to the short-term vacation rental ordinance and related policies.

Tips for a more sustainable Thanksgiving

Waste in American increases between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day.

Sustainability Now News
by Maryann Ridini Spencer (@MaryannRidiniSpencer)

“I generally go to a friend’s for Thanksgiving, and one of my favorite tricks for keeping it sustainable is to bring my contribution dish in a container that doubles as a leftover box. This saves a dish from being washed and the host from loaning one of theirs,” said Michelle Stevens, Founder, The Refill Shoppe, a bath body home & clean store located in Downtown Ventura that promotes container reuse.

“Whenever I have friends and family over for Thanksgiving, I always use real plates, silverware, and napkins that I can wash and reuse,” said Kim Pagano, radio host of 1590 KVTA AM’s The Kim Pagano Show. “This helps us do our part to save water.”

“One way I keep sustainable at the holidays is to send electronic invites when I’m hosting an event,” said Diane de Mailly, local business owner, President of DDM Metering Systems and NAWBO Ventura. “This saves on paper and other natural resources.”

Waste in American households increases more than 25% between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Below are additional ideas on how you can join local business owners and residents in helping to contribute to the sustainability of our community.

Make a list and check it twice

Take a tip from good ole Santa and always shop your cabinets and make a list before you leave the house for the market. Bring your reusable bags for grocery transport (and keep some extra in your car’s trunk in case you require additional bags).

Enjoy leftovers in soups, casseroles, smoothies, and other dishes

Thanksgiving wouldn’t be Thanksgiving without the leftovers. “To stay sustainable, I think of creative ways to use leftovers. There is nothing worse than throwing out food,” said Ashley Pope, owner of Downtown Ventura’s Spice-Topia, a specialty spice and tea store. “Flavored olive oil and a nice spice blend can turn leftover meat and veggies into something completely new. There is a lot of great ideas on pinterest.com, too.”

To help avoid contributing to our crowded landfills, enjoy leftovers in sandwiches, omelets, smoothies, soups, and other recipes. You can also freeze items to use for a later date. Put single portions or amounts you know you will use in containers for easy use.

Compost your scraps

Since up to 50% of food in the U.S. goes to waste each year, when it becomes trash it releases methane gas and contributes to global warming. That’s why a viable solution for you and the environment is to compost your leftovers and scraps. Composting also increases the nutrient density of your soil. Compost bins are available in all sizes (to use in your kitchen or yard).

Fill your dishwasher and laundry machine

Run your dishwasher and laundry machines only when they are full. Be sure to scrape food residue (vs. rinse) off your plates before loading them in your machine. The EPA states that running the dishwasher when it’s full can eliminate one load of dishes per week and save the average family nearly 320 gallons of water annually.

Purchase organic goods from a local certified farmer’s market

By choosing locally grown organic foods, you are helping to prevent the usage of millions of pounds of poisonous pesticides and fertilizers and emission of greenhouse gas emissions. Eating fresh and local also tastes better.

To know the road ahead, ask those coming back

by Jayson Cohen American Legacy Solutions

“To know the road ahead, ask those coming back” is the famous Chinese proverb although for this article it may be more fitting to say, to know the road ahead, ask those looking back. Everyone has different ideas of what it is like to retire. However, their ideas may be based solely on what they assume or what they have heard. The only way to know for certain is to ask people who have gone through it. Here are several facts and myths that you should learn more about the retirement planning experience.

A lot of people assume that boredom is a common occurrence for people without jobs. This is not an issue for those who have their days planned out. Many retirees claim that they have very few boring days. They say that they simply have more time to invest in things that they enjoy doing. Those who are struggling with boredom are encouraged to create their day-to-day schedules and list the activities that they now have time for.

Many people worry about the high costs of covering a retirement. They automatically assume that without having a steady income, they will run out of money quickly. However, some retirees claim that their lives have become simpler with fewer responsibilities. They have given up the activities that they did during their workdays and now spend more idle time at home.  Of course, retirement expenses are less of a concern when proper planning takes place.

Retirement does not have to mean no work forever. There are numerous retirees who have taken on part time jobs or gigs to make a supplemental income. They do this to add to their current income or to cover costs for vacations or recreational activities. Other people continue working just to remain occupied. For every retiree, there is a work activity that he or she can do to stay active.

Planning is a task that few people look forward to about retiring. Without a well-detailed plan, any retirement is not guaranteed to go smoothly. An injury or accident could happen unexpectedly and cause major losses to a person’s budget. People should plan their retirements carefully like they are planning their careers.

A retirement does not have to be figured out in a short period of time. You could learn more about planning for a retirement while you are retired. For many retirees, the most helpful experiences are faced firsthand. Do not stop learning about the retirement process before you begin it and remain open to gaining more knowledge through your retirement years.

Declining health is an obvious concern for retired seniors. Young retirees in their 30s or 40s also worry about their health because they are more idle after quitting their jobs. We should be so lucky!  Some retirees are less active and more likely to become lazy or overweight than employed workers. Regardless of age, it’s important that they keep track of their health until the last days of retirement.

Retirement is one of the most unpredictable events in life. Many people plan for years but still face challenges that surprise them. While some people may assume that retirement is boring, some retirees claim that it’s the most exciting period of their lives. It’s important to plan well for the retirement planning experience and make the most from this period in your life.

As with most experiences in life, proper planning can help make your retirement more enjoyable.  We are here to take a second look at your retirement plan or create a plan that helps you achieve your goals.