2016 Art Tales’ winners being honored by Cheryl Heitmann.

All participants of the City of Ventura’s 9th annual Art Tales “writing contest inspired by art” and the public are invited to attend a special reception and reading with refreshments at E.P. Foster Library, 2nd floor on Thursday, June 8 at 5:30 pm. Community members are invited and encouraged to hear the winners  read their entries and receive their prizes.

Youth, high school and adult writers, from around the country, submitted a record 123 works of short fiction and poems inspired by City of Ventura’s Municipal Art Collection and public art created by artists Blue McRight & Warren Wagner, Tom McMillin, Leonard Poteshman and Michelle Stevens and team.  Contestants ranged in age from kindergarten to over 80 years old. Most entries came from Ventura County: 33 adults (18 & up); 30 teens (13-17); and 60 youth (12 & under). Many teachers from the Ventura Unified School District encouraged their students to enter.

The five contest judges were Ventura County Poet Laureate Phil Taggart, Ventura County Librarian Irma Morales, Ventura Poet Richard Newsham, Ventura Library Advisory Commissioner Debbie Giles and Community Partnerships Manager Denise Sindelar. The judges received all entries “blind” – identified only by (1) a number, (2) the artwork that inspired it, (3) prose or poetry category and (4) age group of the writer.

The 2017 winners of Art Tales are:

Youth Poetry: 1st  Rachel Patrykus  2nd Gianne Garman     3rd  Katie Trevisan

Youth Fiction: 1st  Sidney Crutz  2nd  Amy Baumgardner 3rd  Sienna Mody

Teen Poetry:   1st  Penelope Duran  2nd  Jolee Niberding-Swanberg 3rd  Sophie Stimer

Teen Fiction:   1st  Nadia Connelly 2nd  Calista Marsh  3rd  Anna Berezovskiy

Adult Poetry:  1st  Melissa Waters 2nd  Andres Rodriquez  3rd  Anabelle Warren

Adult Fiction:  1st  Patty Vickers    2nd  Juan David Cure  3rd  Rick Garcia

“We thank all participants for sending in such beautiful poems or stories,” said Art Tales Curator Tobie Roach. “It is amazing to read the many ways the artworks in our Municipal Art Collection inspire more creativity than anyone could imagine.”

Homeless camps in the Santa Clara riverbed happen overnight.

by City Councilmember Christy Weir

There are a growing number of camps being constructed in the Santa Clara riverbed behind the city’s golf courses.  It is very sad to see people living in these conditions. The City of Ventura and our social service agencies offer help to the homeless who are living there, and we periodically clean up the encampments for environmental reasons. The trash and human waste that accumulate are a source of pollution that cannot be ignored. It is essential that we continue to clean up our river areas so they are free from the pollution that impacts water quality at our beaches.

Last week we ran into several people. The people were known by the VPD as chronically homeless who have been offered help many times over the years, including today. One man is a veteran from Santa Clarita and has declined services and housing. Another woman came to the river bottom after being in jail. She is a meth user, who has refused all help, including transportation to her family in SF. She told us she didn’t like taking “charity” and supports herself by panhandling. The man with her had previously turned down help because he had a dog– but he doesn’t have a dog now and today was not open to receiving services. This is our biggest dilemma with entrenched homeless individuals- how do you give a “hand up” to people who won’t accept it? We need to keep trying. Giving cash to panhandlers is not helpful–it only prolongs their unhealthy lifestyle by enabling them to live on the streets or in the riverbeds, rather than accepting services that permanently improve their lives.

On a positive note, just last week, a chronically homeless woman who has been living on the streets accepted help for her alcoholism, after it being offered to her many times over the past few years. She is now receiving treatment. And our Family Reconnection Program has reunited over 100 homeless individuals with loved ones who are now helping to care for them.