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Vol. 11, No. 18 – Jun 6 – June 19, 2018 – Opinion/Editorial

•The new signs at the Promenade stating that it closes at 10:00 PM is causing some confusion. The Promenade is officially a park and can be controlled like any other park in the city.

It does?

Based upon Sec. 20.050.040. – Closing of parks.

“Except as otherwise specified in this chapter, city park properties, as determined or designated by the director of parks and recreation, shall be closed to public use at a time to be determined by the director of parks and recreation and shall remain closed until sunrise the following day (most close at dusk). A park or portions thereof may be closed when it has been determined that: Continued use of the park or portion thereof could create hazardous conditions detrimental to the health or safety of the public or cause an adverse physical impact on the park environment.”

“The city council, director of parks and recreation, fire chief, chief of police or an authorized representative of any of said officials may direct any park or designated portion thereof to be closed to protect public safety, public property or natural resources within said city park, or any private or public property or natural resources in the vicinity of the park, from imminent damage or destruction or where there is a clear and present danger of a breach of the public peace or safety in said park or portion of a park or in the vicinity thereof. “

The ordinance goes on to say what is really the important part of the language. “That City parks and park facilities belong to all of the people of the City. That City parks and park facilities should be open for use and enjoyment by all City residents, businesses, and visitors. That in adopting this Chapter, the City Council has specifically excluded conduct and activities involving the exercise of First Amendment rights from its application and determines that it is not the purpose or the intent of this Chapter to regulate or interfere with the exercise of such rights.”

Obviously, the purpose of this is to control the homeless on the Promenade. But the City needs to be very careful in excluding the homeless from the Promenade and not the folks leaving Aloha or the hotel or those just out for a stroll. Laws can’t apply to just one particular group, or the City could be subject to being sued.

• Per a cover article, we feature the first re-build permit for a house destroyed in the fire. Several more have been issued. I think the City has done a wonderful job in expediting the permit process and should be commended.

• Two City Council candidates have announced their candidacy in the Breeze for the November election. Mike Marostica in district District 4 and Marie Lakin District 5. They are both very qualified, so I hope that further candidates will also be of a high caliber.

•A lot is going on in and around the Harbor. Construction has begun on an expansion of the Holiday Inn Express adding an additional 40 rooms. And the 300 unit mixed use development on the edge of the Harbor is zipping along finally (only after 20 years of first proposing it to the City). Two future wonderful developments in the harbor are in the very preliminary stages of design and approvals, so they will still be several years off but will be great additions.

•By now you should be aware of this area code change, but just in case you are not:

As of 12:01 a.m. Saturday, people in 805 will have to add an area code to every call made, local or long distance. Those using landlines will have to add 1 and the area code. If you fail to dial 1 you should receive an automated recording yelling at you. A new 820 area code will be coming soon in the area but existing 805 will remain.

•I thought that the Thomas Fire had been officially extinguished but officials with the Los Padres National Forest just announced that it is now officially out. I wonder how much longer ashes will be falling from the hills?

Babbling by Brown:

•California’s economy has surpassed that of the United Kingdom and is now the fifth largest in the world, so it is time for us to become a country and elect a king and queen. If we do become our own country we could then manufacture nuclear bombs and the US government would pay us a bunch of money to destroy them.

•Sears keeps closing stores with the one in City Industry shutting down in California. Will ours be next?

•Alcohol and tobacco is found to reshape rat’s brains making them prone to cocaine addiction. So perhaps the “gateway drugs” are not what we thought they were. I have seen several drunk rats lately in my backyard.

•In a paper published recently in Science, researchers report that a rise in just half a degree Celsius could mean the difference between life or death for many species (plants and animals).

•A survey by the American Psychiatric Assn. showed that 39% of Americans are feeling more anxious now than they did a year ago – this is more than double of those feeling this way last year.

•There have been zero U.S. Commercial Airline jets deaths crashes since 2009.

• In the last couple of months, the Commerce Department has put in place duties on producers and exporters of certain paper from Canada used in the production of newspapers. This has increased the price of certain types of paper by almost 30%. Even if this greatly increases our production costs we certainly plan to keep the Ventura Breeze a free newspaper, so it is important that you continue to support our only source of income, which is from our advertisers.

The 21st Annual PAL Golf Tournament

The Ventura Police Community Foundation and Aera Energy, LLC proudly presented the 21st Annual Police Activities League Golf Tournament on June 1, at Olivas Links Golf Course. Proceeds raised at the tournament help to support afterschool programs for local youth.

“Aera has been a huge supporter of PAL since it started in Ventura more than 20 years ago,” explained Michele Newell, Public Affairs Specialist Aera Energy. “The program allows the youth of the community to see law enforcement in a different light and helps them establish a positive relationship with them which can be life changing. So we believe PAL is a worthy investment in the future of this community.”

PAL was founded in 1997 with a primary goal to provide at-risk youth with meaningful recreation, educational, and cultural programs designed to keep youth away from the influence of gangs, drugs and delinquent behaviors.

“It is the support of the sponsors, contributors, golfers, and volunteers who help to make this tournament and the Ventura Police Community Foundation a success” said Police Chief Ken Corney.

Deb Golden, VP of the Ventura Police Community Foundation said “I thought today went very well and was represented by a great group of golfers as well as sponsors. It’s always a good thing for the PAL/VPCF to come together and raise money for our youth programs and support our city. What I appreciate most is those who participate who are residents of Ventura who get to see friends, co-workers , business leaders and police officers enjoy a great day outdoors”

Vol. 11, No. 18 – Jun 6 – June 19, 2018 – Scamp Club

Hi: We are Izzy and Rufus. Izzy rescued, Siamese tabby mix, male, 14 years old, Really enjoys catching spiders and crickets, watching the cursor on the computer monitor and an excellent sleeper.

Rufus, rescued, purebred Bengal, male 15 years old, When he is not relaxing Rufus enjoys opening and exploring all cabinetry in the house, stealing anything in small plastic bags and meeting people.

Wildfire Story Project to educate the public on wildfire risk

Ventura County Library joins StoryCenter and the California State Library at the launch of the California Wildfire Story Project to educate the public on the issues of wildfire risk and prevention across California. The California Wildfire Story Project is a series of public oral history workshops.

The Ventura County Library events are at E.P. Foster Library. Join filmmakers Kevin White and Stephen Most, in viewing their recently released, Wilder Than Wild documentary film, on the issues surrounding megafires, climate change, and fire control and management policy, Friday, June 22 at 6 pm.

Participant interview sessions are Saturday, June 23 at E.P. Foster Library. To apply for interview participation, please visit: https://www.storycenter.org/ventura-fire-stories-june2018. All events are welcome to the general public and free.

The California Wildfire Story Project is part of California Listens, a multi-year program bringing story-based engagement process to libraries throughout California. The California State Library joins with StoryCenter, Ventura County Library, and public libraries in Mendocino, Sonoma, Santa Barbara, and Napa Counties as part of California Wildfire Preparedness Week.

“The stories of those affected by the mega-fires of 2017 are now an important part of California memory, and deserve to be collected and maintained as part of sustaining our awareness of how our state is coping with the intersection of climate change, environmental and land use policy, and managing the resource of our wilderness areas”stated Joe Lambert, Executive Director, StoryCenter

StoryCenter is an internationally recognized hub of story-based educational and community-centered media practices in service of social justice and social change. Best known as the founders of the Digital Storytelling movement, they work with a cross section of civic institutions in developing programs that capture the lives and experiences of ordinary citizens, and teach accessible media engagement practices to working professionals in the fields of education, health, social services, and human rights. For more information about StoryCenter, contact Joe Lambert, [email protected] or call 510-292-6513 #CalFireStoryProject

Event to encourage people to get involved with the issue that is gun violence

On June 9, at noon, members of the community will peacefully gather at Plaza Park to commemorate the anniversary of the Pulse Nightclub shooting and to discuss how gun violence affects people of minorities such as the LGBTQ+ community. The intent is to bring people together and encourage people to get educated and involved with the issue that is gun violence in America. The event will be hosted by the National Association of Students Against Gun Violence. People will gather to have an educated discussion about how gun violence affects people of minorities and how to improve gun detection.

Tuesday, June 12, 2018 marks the 2-year anniversary of the Pulse Nightclub shooting in which 49 people were killed and 53 were injured. People of the LGBTQ+ community were specifically targeted in this shooting, and they continue to be victims of gun violence to this day. This is why citizens of Ventura will gather to talk about gun violence and its effect on minority communities.

Guest speakers will include students, elected officials, and members of organizations that work to protect people of minorities. This will be a peaceful event for the community to discuss gun violence, its causes, and possible solutions. Everyone is welcome.

The National Association of Students Against Gun Violence is working across the U.S. to empower students and advocate for common sense gun laws. The President of the Ventura County chapter is Eric Martinez, the head of the Foothill Technology High School chapter and the organizer of this event is student Hannah Yale.

Cultural Grant Funding and sailing?

Applications and guidelines are now available online for the City of Ventura 2018-19 Cultural Grant Funding Program. The grant program is awarded annually to support Ventura-based cultural non-profits. These funds are unrestricted and may be used for organizational support, programming, and services. The application and guidelines are available online at www.cityofventura.ca.gov/grants; applications must be received by Friday, June 29, 2018, at 5 pm.

Grants will range in size from $1,000-$20,000 and will be awarded on a competitive basis with a total of $90,000 available to grant. For more information, visit the Cultural Grant Funding website or contact Kathryn Dippong Lawson at 658-4720 or [email protected].

Did you know that there is a City of Ventura Parks and Recreation sailing center that teaches residents to sail, kayak and paddleboard and provides seasonal camps for younger residents? Join the staff of the Leo Robbins Community Sailing Center at an Open House and Safe Boating Event on Sat., May 26 from 12-3 pm at Marina Park, 2950 Pierpont Blvd.

Take a free sailboat or kayak ride, and learn more about summer programs! This event is open to the public, and no experience is necessary. For more information visit the Leo Robbins Community Sailing Center website.

“Bad Exhibition: Value in Art

“Bad Exhibition: Value in Art, was held May 19th at Art City Gallery 197 Dubbers. 4 Sichuan artists and 14 California artists showcased artworks culminating decades of avant-garde creative practice in China and the USA. The large crowd of art lovers enjoyed the art, performances and snacks and wine.

Vol. 11, No. 18 – Jun 6 – June 19, 2018 – Tech Today with Ken May

FBI warning people to reset routers

The FBI is warning that a new malware threat has rapidly infected more than a half-million consumer devices. To help arrest the spread of the malware, the FBI and security firms are urging home Internet users to reboot routers and network-attached storage devices made by a range of technology manufacturers.

The growing menace — dubbed VPNFilter — targets Linksys, MikroTik, NETGEAR and TP-Link networking equipment in the small and home office space, as well as QNAP network-attached storage (NAS) devices, according to researchers at Cisco.

Luckily, the FBI has seized the domain it believes is linked to the Russian-run VPNFilter botnet that was poised to launch a massive attack, possibly against the Ukraine.

FBI Special Agent Michael McKeown stated in court documents that evidence exists showing the domain toknowall.com was to be used as part of an attack.

“There is probable cause to believe that the subject domain name constitutes personal property that was used or intended to be used to commit or to facilitate the commission of damage to protected computers.”

The effectively neuters the attack, however, here’s some steps you can take to protect yourself.

Cisco said part of the code used by VPNFilter can still persist until the affected device is reset to its factory-default settings. Most modems and DVRs will have a tiny, recessed button that can only be pressed with something small and pointy, such as a paper clip. Hold this button down for at least 10 seconds (some devices require longer) with the device powered on, and that should be enough to reset the device back to its factory-default settings. In some cases, you may need to hold the tiny button down and keep it down while you plug in the power cord, and then hold it for 30 seconds.

After resetting the device, you’ll need to log in to its administrative page using a Web browser. The administrative page of most commercial routers can be accessed by typing 192.168.1.1, or 192.168.0.1 into a Web browser address bar. If neither of those work, try looking up the documentation at the router maker’s site, or checking to see if the address is listed here. If you still can’t find it, open the command prompt (Start > Run/or Search for “cmd”) and then enter ipconfig. The address you need should be next to Default Gateway under your Local Area Connection. Those with a Linksys brand device can find their Linksys router login instructions and more useful tips for accessing the settings and control panel on the RouterReset website.

Once you’re there, make sure you’ve changed the factory-default password that allows you to log in to the device (pick something strong that you can remember).

You’ll also want to make sure your device has the latest firmware updates. Most router Web interfaces have a link or button you click to check for newer device firmware. If there are any updates available, install those before doing anything else.

CAPS Media summer digital storytelling program

The program provides young videographers and storytellers hands-on training.

CAPS Media’s Digital Storytelling Summer Program kicks off on June 26 at the CAPS Media Center. Designed for students ages 10-15 the program provides young videographers and storytellers hands-on training with cameras, audio, and editing equipment plus teamwork and production skills needed to produce commercials, documentaries, news reporting, comedy shows and more.

Crew members collaborate to create original productions and stories the team want to tell. CAPS Media professional staff direct the activity packed camps utilizing the complete resources of the CAPS Media Center. No prior experience is required for the three-day sessions on June 26 – 28, July 10 – 12 and July 17 – 19. The program runs from 9:30am to 1:30pm each day and the program fee includes use of pro gear, instruction, snacks, a t-shirt and a CAPS Media membership for a year. To learn more about the Digital Storytelling program or to sign up call 658.0500 or go to www.capsmedia.org/events.

CAPS Media recently wrapped production on the City’s Mayor For A Moment 2017-18 season. The inspiring series recognizes outstanding 5th graders throughout the school district’s elementary schools. Each month students submit essays on a theme such as kindness, responsibility or sportsmanship. School principals and staff select the young mayor based on the creative work and other individual criteria.

A video, created by CAPS Media, is shown at the City Council meeting to introduce the young Mayor prior to the student presenting her or his essay, poem or other work. The young mayor is also recognized at a Ventura School Board meeting. The 2017-2018 young mayors were: Braydon Rocco at Portola, Olivia Blomquist at Poinsettia, Vivian Ryan at Will Rogers, Allison Cabeza at Citrus Glen, Isabella Coleman at Sunset, Tlahuy Goitia at Montalvo, Adriana Perez at Sheridan Way and Holland Kemble at Lincoln. The individual video profiles and a compilation video of all the school year’s mayors are posted at capsmedia.org/videos.

The comprehensive Thomas Fire Stories project continues with new first-person stories from firefighters, first responders, officials and members of the public airing every Friday evening at 6pm. The Thomas Fire Stories are produced by CAPS Media in collaboration with the Museum of Ventura County and are supported by photos and videos contributed by the public, firefighters and news agencies. Every Friday evening a new 20-30 minute story premieres at 6pm on Channel 6, on CAPS Radio KPPQ LP 104.1 and online at capsmedia.org.

The extraordinary and inspirational personal accounts repeat throughout the week and can be viewed at any time online at capsmedia.org/videos.

CAPS Media extends congratulations to graduates throughout Ventura. CAPS crews recorded and streamed the Ventura College ceremony and will record and broadcast ceremonies for El Camino High School (June 8) and Foothill Technical High School (June 14).

CAPS Media’s mission is to create an engaged and informed community through participation in electronic media. To learn more about CAPS Media, the public is invited and encouraged to go to capsmedia.org or call 658-0500.

Three common ways your Social Security payment can grow after retirement

by Jackie Zaragoza Social Security Public Affairs Specialist in Sierra West Area

You made the choice and now you are happily retired. You filed online for your Social Security benefits. They arrive each month in the correct amount exactly as expected. But, did you ever wonder if your Social Security check could increase?

Once you begin receiving benefits, there are three common ways benefit checks can increase: a cost of living adjustment (COLA); additional work; or an adjustment at full retirement age if you received reduced benefits and exceeded the earnings limit.

The COLA is the most commonly known increase for Social Security payments. We annually announce a COLA, and there’s usually an increase in the Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefit amount people receive each month. By law, federal benefit rates increase when the cost of living rises, as measured by the Department of Labor’s Consumer Price Index (CPI-W). More than 66 million Americans saw a 2.0 percent increase in their Social Security and SSI benefits in 2018. For more information on the 2018 COLA, visit www.socialsecurity.gov/cola.

Social Security uses your highest thirty-five years of earnings to figure your benefit amount when you sign up for benefits. If you work after you begin receiving benefits, your additional earnings may increase your payment. If you had fewer than 35 years of earnings when we figured your benefit, you will replace a zero earnings year with new earnings. If you had 35 years or more, we will check to see if your new year of earnings is higher than the lowest of the 35 years (after considering indexing). We check additional earnings each year you work while receiving Social Security. If an increase is due, we send a notice and pay a one-time check for the increase and your continuing payment will be higher.

Maybe you chose to receive reduced Social Security retirement benefits while continuing to work. You made the choice to take benefits early, but at a reduced rate. If you exceeded the allowable earnings limit and had some of your benefits withheld, we will adjust your benefit once you reach full retirement age. We will refigure your payment to credit you for any months you did not receive payments. Your monthly benefit will increase based on the crediting months you receive. You can find additional information about working and your benefit at www.socialsecurity.gov/pubs/EN-05-10077.pdf.

Retirement just got more interesting since you learned about potential increases to monthly payments. Social Security has been securing your today and tomorrow for more than 80 years with information and tools to help you achieve a successful retirement.