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If You’re Free, Thank A Vet event coming to Ventura

Honoring those who have served our country is something the managers of Cypress Place Senior Living in Ventura care deeply about.  But this year their annual event to honor Veterans has taken on even more significance.

“Our country is divided right now,” said Mike Macke, director of sales and marketing at Cypress Place Senior Living.  “We need to find common ground as citizens, no matter how small.  The one thing we can all agree on is the importance of honoring those who have served our country.”

To do this the senior community has launched their “If You’re Free, Thank A Vet” campaign.  During the month of June, pins with that saying on it will be available at Cypress Place for anyone who would like to stop by and pick one up.

“Maybe you have a neighbor who is a Vet,” said Steve Spira, executive director of Cypress Place.  “We ask that you stop by and get a pin to take to them.  Or wear it so they know you support them.  We are free to express our differences and beliefs because our Veterans stood watch, protected, and served unfailing for all.”

The pins will be available from June 1, 2017 until June 28, 2017 when the senior community hosts their annual “Salute To Our Veteran’s” celebration with a ceremony recognizing residents of Cypress Place, as well as members of the public, who served their country.  The event is free and open to the public.   All Veterans are encouraged to attend, as well as families, friends and neighbors.

A military Color Guard presentation will lead the tribute, followed by a special Veteran recognition, along with recognition of widows and widowers of Veterans.  Special guest speakers include Mike McManus, Veteran’s Service Officer from the County of Ventura, a keynote speaker from Naval Base Ventura County, and other dignitaries.  TAPS will also be played at this touching tribute.

A free BBQ lunch will follow the powerful program.   “Touching History”, a private war memorabilia collection by Tom Weaver will also be displayed, along with memorabilia from residents of the senior community.

“This is an event for the community to come out and show their support for Veterans, whether you know them or not,” said Macke.  “If you have children, bring them to meet someone who has served their country.   Let’s begin the process of uniting our country, one citizen at a time.”

The event begins promptly at 11am on Wednesday, June 28th, 2017 at Cypress Place Senior Living.  Cypress Place Senior Living is located at 1200 Cypress Point Lane in Ventura.  For more information or to RSVP, please call 805-650-8000.

Free shuttle parking will be available at Unitarian Universalist Church of Ventura (corner of Ralston Street and Cypress Point Lane).

To learn more about Cypress Place Senior Living of Ventura, visit their web site at www.cypressplaceseniorliving.com.

Every day is internet security day

“Are you sure that we are not being hacked?”

by Essie Landry Social Security Public Affairs Specialist in Sierra West Area

Being safe online is important every day. There may be days devoted to internet security awareness, but you need to be careful every time you go online.

This includes if you have your own website. You also need to make sure your site is secure as your details can be stolen too. Make sure you look for a penetration testing company that can give an evaluation of the security of the site and what you can do to improve it.

Do you know what it takes to be safe online? You probably connect daily to get information, shop, socialize, or work. Every time you go online, you need to avoid the risk of theft or fraud. Here are some tips to use while visiting the Social Security website and the other websites you use.

Use Strong Passwords–Strong passwords have at least eight characters and include capital letters, numbers, and non-letter characters. These passwords make it harder for someone to hack your account.

Don’t Recycle Passwords–Although it requires effort to think of new passwords constantly, it provides safety when you do. What if you use the same password for every site and you lose your password? If someone finds it, they could get access to all your accounts. Many people choose to reuse — don’t be one of them.

Take Advantage of Multifactor Authentication–Many websites offer the option to use a second factor—or method—in addition to just a username and password to ensure that only you access your information. Using more than one factor to establish identity makes it harder for someone to get into your account and steal your personal information. Beginning June 10, 2017, Social Security requires multifactor authentication to access a my Social Security account. Customers choose whether to receive a one-time security code to either their phone or email in order create a new account or sign into their account. Visit this link to find out more about how to secure your personal my Social Security account: www.socialsecurity.gov/myaccount/verifyandprotectid.html.

Consider using multifactor authentication whenever it’s offered to protect your information.

Read Scam Alerts–For information about fraudulent activities related to Social Security, you can find information at our blog Social Security Matters under the Newsroom section at blog.socialsecurity.gov.

One way to avoid identity theft is to create your own my Social Security account, if you haven’t already. When you have an account, no one else can set up an account using your information. Social Security’s Office of the Inspector General investigates fraud involving Social Security and they publish Fraud Advisories at oig.ssa.gov/newsroom/news-release. The Federal Trade Commission website publishes information about scams that appear in the news at www.consumer.ftc.gov/scam-alerts. You’ll want to be aware of current scams to avoid being tricked.

Review Your Online Accounts and Credit Reports–Just as you review your earnings record with Social Security for accuracy at http://www.socialsecurity.gov/myaccount, you should review your bank and credit card accounts for accuracy. Get a free copy of your credit report available annually from the three credit reporting agencies (Experian, Equifax, and Transunion) at www.annualcreditreport.com/ and check it for incorrect entries.

Protecting your identity can be daunting. Guarding your personal information requires investing some time, but is worth it. Discourage theft and fraud by adopting these security practices when you use the internet.

 

Vol. 10, No. 17 – May 24 – June 6, 2017 – Events

Ventura Poinsettia Dance Club meets every Monday from 7:30 p.m. to 9:45 p.m. at the Poinsettia Pavilion. Ballroom, swing, Latin, mixers and line dancing. Members $10, non-members $12. Call Rick at 415-8842 for more information.

Ventura’s ACBL Duplicate Bridge Club offers games for all levels of play.  Learn the game, play with your peers, and earn master points while you are having fun.  There is a game every day of the week.  Check out www.vcbridge.org   Life is Better with Bridge.

Country Western Line Dancing every Tuesday 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Instruction every night. Mooselodge, 10269 Telephone Road. More information countrylovers.com.

The Ventura County Philatelic Society meets the first and third Mondays each month — 7:30-9:30pm at the Church of the Foothills, 6279 Foothill Road.  Admission and parking are free.
Stamp trading and camaraderie.
Contact [email protected] or 320-1601

May 25: David Deutsch Executive Director of NAMI,  the National Alliance on Mental Illness will speak about what NAMI offers including: Family Support Groups & NAMI Connection support groups, the “Family to Family Education Program,” and the “Mental Health Provider Program.Thursday, at 11 a.m. – 12 p.m.

CAREGIVERS office, 1765 Goodyear Avenue, Suite 205.

May 27: The Ventura Tennis Club, in partnership with the Ventura Recreation and Community Services, is hosting a bi-annual Ventura Tennis Day on Saturday from 9:00 am to 3 pm. The event will be held at the Camino Real Tennis Park.

The event will include clinics for adults and kids from 9 am to 12 noon with pro Scott Burton and staff. After a break for refreshments, raffle and announcements there will be organized doubles play in the afternoon.

The Ventura Tennis Club is a non-profit community based club bringing tennis enthusiasts of all ages and abilities together for social and competitive play.  Information: http://www.venturatennisclub.com

June 1: Ladies Luncheon 8th Anniversary “Celebrate your Inner Goddess” Instead of having a sponsor for June event spend more time networking, playing games and many more surprises! There’s limited seating so sign up today! Wear a flowing skirt or blouse and get an extra raffle ticket! Bring a raffle prize to share!

11:30am – 1:00pm Doors open at 11:15 am | $27 pre-registration  $30 at the door Sit-down Luncheon Buffet  Poinsettia Pavillion. www.theladiesluncheon.com

June 2&3: Gold Coast Concert Chorus presents Good Eats, A Feast of Musical Fun
Be a guest as they sing their way through a gourmet evening of song.
Do you have a favorite song about food? There is a good chance that GCCC will be singing it!
Enjoy the “Food, Glorious Food” on “The Night They Invented Champagne”, because “Life is Just a Bowl of Cherries” in “Strawberry Fields”.
Friday June 2, 2017 at 8:00 pm
Saturday June 3, 2017 at 2:00 pm
St. John’s Lutheran Church – 1500 North C St., Oxnard
Tickets: Adults $15.00, Sr./Student $12.00, Child under 12 $5.00
616-7269 or [email protected].

June 3: On Saturday from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm

Ventura Friends of the Library will hold a Book Sale at the Vons at Victoria and Telegraph  (6040 Telegraph Road) .Quality used books at bargain prices.  All genres, including  special interest, vintage;  fiction, including classics and current hardcover and paperbacks; non-fiction, including biography, science, engineering, religion, travel, cooking, history, California history, art, music, self-help, education, parenting, sports, craft books, children’s books;  dvds, books on cd and tape, puzzles, and more.

June 4: The 1892 Dudley Historic House Museum will be open for docent-led tours by the “Mrs. Dudleys”  from 1 to 4 p.m. accompanied by period music in the parlor and upstairs library landing.  Admission is free.  The museum is located at the corner of Loma Vista and Ashwood.  For information please call  642-3345 or visit www.dudleyhouse.org.

June 4: On Sunday,   3:00 pm – 5:00 pm Citizens for Peaceful Resolutions are holding their Monthly Meeting:   Students’ Dreams for Our Nation, Dreams for Our World at E.P. Foster Library, Topping Room 8th grade students from Oxnard will present their research and the educational products they created as part of their year-long Common Core Project-Based learning. See what 13 and 14 year olds are concerned about locally and globally.

Admission free. Kristin Jensen Storey  889-3650

For more information on Citizens for Peaceful Resolutions and how you can get involved  www.c-p-r.net.

June 4: Old-Time Country Bluegrass Gospel Music Association presents free music concerts on the first Sunday of every month at the Poinsettia Pavilion from 2-4pm. Featuring the authentic “Old Country Grass Band”. 517-1131 for more information.

June 6&20: The Ventura Retired Men’s Group welcomes interested men to their semi-monthly Tuesday lunch ($15) meetings at the Ventura Elks lodge. This regular congenial social event, besides a healthy, satisfying meal, supplies a welcome atmosphere to talk and joke, hear a speaker on a variety of relevant topics and brighten your week. Learn more from Steve at 642-1359

June 8: The Ventura County Professional Women’s Network (VCPWN), one of the county’s long standing organizations supporting the interests of women business owners and professionals, is hosting their monthly dinner meeting..  Dinner meeting is the second Thursday of every month at the Wedgewood Banquet Center, 5:30 PM.  Register for dinner online at www.vcpwn.org

Guest speaker, Heather Moreno, MA, specializes in working with professionals who struggle to squeeze health and weight loss into their busy schedules. Heather loves to see her clients fully enjoy what they eat and how they feel, regain their energy, and get back to being themselves again. http://weightbreakthrough.com/

Ojai painter Kathy Bodycombe and Ventura printmaker and photographer Christina Altfeld featured at Buenaventura Gallery until June 24

Works by Ojai painter Kathy Bodycombe and Ventura printmaker and photographer Christina Altfeld will be featured until June 24 at the Buenaventura Gallery.

Their shows will share wall space in the Clophine Dooley Gallery as the rest of the downtown Ventura gallery is devoted to Buenaventura Art Association’s fifth annual Collage Open Competition. A reception for all three exhibitions will be 5-7 p.m. May 27, at which awards for the collage show will be announced.

Bodycombe’s “Duets” show will have oil-on-canvas landscapes from places she has lived or visited on both U.S. coasts and in Europe, ranging in size from 6 inches square to 24 by 36 inches. She has been painting for 15 years.

Altfeld, a lifelong photographer who’s also been exploring multiple forms of printmaking for 10 years, chose “Ocean Atmosphere” as her title.

The Collage Open Competition will have two- and three-dimensional original glued collage, mixed-media collage or assemblage artworks, of which at least half must be glued collage.

Judging the entries will be Kathy Leader, who grew up and received her art and art education degrees in South Africa and now teaches privately and in workshops in her West Los Angeles studio.

The Buenaventura Gallery, 700 E. Santa Clara St. is open 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesdays through Sundays. For more about the nonprofit Buenaventura Art Association and its programs, visit www.buenaventuragallery.org or call 648-1235 during gallery hours.

Vol. 10, No. 17 – May 24 – June 6, 2017 – Library Events

E.P. Foster Library

A California Native Plant Society Lecture 6/20 Tuesday @ 7-9pm .Tarja Sader “Studies of a National Park Botanist” presented by the California Native Plant Society, Channel Islands Chapter.

E.P. Needlecraft and Fiber Arts Club
6/8 & 22 Thursdays @ 10:30am
Get together with makers from all across the fiber-arts world.

Children’s Events Summer Reading (SR) Show: Luce Puppets!
6/21 Wednesday @ 11am & 3pm

Summer Reading (SR) Show: Silly Science! 6/28 Wednesday @ 3pm Silly Science Ric Morton Science Extraordinaire! Celebrate Summer Reading on the 2nd Floor!

Gaming Daze
6/16, 23, & 30 Fridays @ 2-4pm
Gaming Daze with both plugged and unplugged options! Play the WiiU and board games!

STEAM Boxes
6/20 & 27 Tuesdays @ 3:30-5pm
Join us for creative STEAM projects! Rocket Launch and Necklace Coding!

3D Printing Club
6/22 & 29 Thursdays @ 2-4pm
Our 3D Printing Club inspires individuals to explore this emerging technology through hands-on experiences.

Father’s Day Crafternoon
6/15 Thursday @ 3:30-5pm
Join us for a Father’s Day Crafteroon!

Avenue Library

Gaming @ the Library
6/6, 13, 20, 27  Tuesdays 3:00pm – 5:00pm
Socialize and strategize with Wii games and board games

STEAM  Boxes
6/7, 14, 21, 28 Wednesdays 3:30pm – 4:30pm

6/7 LED Circuit Art , 6/14 Bot Draw 3:30-4:30, 6/21 Gumdrop Bridges 3:30-4:30, 6/28 Lava Lamp 3:30-4:30. Create and build! Use your imagination and engineering skills with these fun STEAM activities! Aimed at children ages 9 and up.

Superbrain Yoga 6/10 Saturday 10:00am – 12:00pm Simple exercises to relieve stress and make you smarter!

Saticoy Library

STEAM Boxes
6/6, 13, 20, 27 Tuesdays 3:30pm – 4:30pm

6/6   LED Circuit Art  6/13 Draw Bot  6/20 Gumdrop Bridges 6/27 Lava Lamp  Create and build! Use your imagination and engineering skills with these fun STEAM activities! Aimed at children ages 9 and up

Gaming @ the Library
6/7, 14, 21, 28  Wednesdays 3:00pm – 5:00pm
Socialize and strategize with Wii games and board games

Summer Reading 2017 “Reading by Design”

6/12 10:30am
Kick Off Show Luce Puppets.  @ ATLAS Elementary School

6/22 3:00pm Silly Science with  Professor Ric Morton @  E.J Harrison Boys & Girls Club 11321 Violeta St, Ventura, CA 93004

6/29 3:00pm Magic with Shawn McMaster @ Saticoy Library

The Museum of Ventura County launches The Secret Paintings, by local artist Michael Pearce, June 2

The Museum of Ventura County launches the summer season with an opening reception for The Secret Paintings, unveiling the works of local artist Michael Pearce, 6-8 p.m., June 2, at the Museum, 100 Main St. Following the opening ceremony, patrons can view the collected works and have the opportunity to meet and speak with the artist in person. Admission to the Museum and reception is free for Free First Friday.

For this exhibit, Pearce has selected 35 works of art, for which he took inspiration from Renaissance and Pre-Raphaelite masters. With The Secret Paintings, Pearce seeks to emulate their ambitiousness and scale, which is reflected in the centerpiece of the exhibition: a monumental four-part work of oil on canvas themed for the summer solstice.

The Secret Paintings will be on display at the Museum through August 6.

Vol. 10, No. 17 – May 24 – June 6, 2017 – Restaurant Review

Spencer Makenzie’s – A family affair
by Jennifer Tipton

John and Jennifer Karayan started out as a fairground concession stand in May 2007 with their giant fish tacos and have now seen their dream come true to own a successful family business.

Located at 806 E. Thompson Blvd.  Spencer Makenzie Fish Co. is named for their two oldest children, their son Spencer and daughter Makenzie. The next two children also have a place in the business as you can choose to have your tacos “Brooklyn style” and they now offer a “Parker burger”.  John stated, “My kids own me!”

Spencer’s is just a walk from the beach, the parking area is small but there are plenty of spots on the street. They offer a covered patio and bench-bar type seating outdoors with heaters on when it’s chilly.  Dogs are always welcome to the outside dining area and even offered water. One employee, Amy says, “My favorite part of working here is going out to see the dogs!”

Inside there are small tables, cozy booths, or you can sit up at the bar where you get a bird’s eye view of the chefs cranking out the food (did I mention this place is always busy?). These guys move at the speed of light and there is something quite nice about an open kitchen if not also entertaining. They have 36” flat screen TVs that feature skateboarding, surfing and other sporting events, for added entertainment.

And about that food – all the fish is sushi grade and there are many selections on the menu. I strongly suggest you order the tacos “Brooklyn style” which consists of adding a sweet chili sauce and the Spencer sauce (a mayo – sour cream base with signature seasoning), but grab plenty of napkins! The Parker burger is another big hit with an ahi steak, marinated red onions and can also be ordered Brooklyn style. I like the ahi salad as a lighter choice but if you were to accompany this with the homemade clam chowder (which has bacon in it and is probably not a lighter choice) … well, maybe you could call it a balanced diet?

Taco Tuesdays are the deal with parmesan crunchy shell tacos for $2.50 either chicken, carne asada or ground beef all loaded with cheddar cheese, lettuce and fresh bell peppers. Here’s a tip though, if you want to add avocado, order it because sometimes they forget to ask. Tuesdays also offer Mexican beers on tap for $4.50 and there is never a charge for bubbly water –  such a deal!

Very clean and very green, consistently good food along with outstanding service and friendly atmosphere that make you feel like one of the family at Spencer Makenzie’s.

 

 

 

 

Vol. 10, No. 17 – May 24 – June 6, 2017 – Movie Review

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2
2.5 Palms trees out of 4
by Manuel Reynoso

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 is a 2017 superhero film based on superhero team Guardians of the Galaxy, produced by Marvel Studios. The film is written and directed by James Gunn and stars an ensemble cast featuring Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, Vin Diesel, Bradley Cooper, Michael Rooker.

When tasked by The Sovereignty to protect an energy source from an intergalactic terror, the team finds themselves being hunted down by the same group when Rocket decides to steal the energy source for himself. After being rescued by a mysterious man, Peter Quill, Drax, and Gamora travel with this man to learn more about Peter’s origins.

School’s out, the days are getting longer, and Hollywood is starting to pump out their quarter of a billion dollar movies again. It’s summer blockbuster time and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 is ready to print money like it’s nobody’s business, but if you were to ask me if it was worth your money, I would say… maybe. The movie checks all the boxes of a good summer blockbuster: huge set pieces, great acting performances, and some genuinely good laughs. But there was also a lot of missteps along the way. From overly expository dialogue, some questionable green screen work, and just way, way too many jokes. However, you are bound to have a great time with GotG 2. It really is one of those movies that makes you want to have Home Cinema Installers in your house so you can sit down and witness this kind of epic action we’ve come to expect from Marvel whenever we please.

Don’t get me wrong, I had lot of genuine laughs throughout the film, I can’t take that away from the film. But Guardians 2 went overboard with the amount of jokes they threw at you. For every good joke, at least 2 fell flat. It’s pretty painful when a movie makes a joke that you can tell they really banked on being funny, and the crowd just stays dead silent from start to finish. But the main issue is how badly it clashes with the rest of the films dialogue.

Guardians 2 was pretty good at poking jabs even at itself, but the film was painfully unaware of how expository it gets. I could feel the movie’s writers really want me to care about the emotional turmoil these characters are experiencing on the inside. But when you have a cast of 6 or 7 characters and every single member just has to have their somber, emotional scene, it gets a little old. I’m sorry wise cracking raccoon, but when I just had to sit through 20 minutes of your friends “opening up”, I kinda stopped caring about all of your feelings and just want to see things blow up.

But I have to say, The Guardians definitely know how to blow stuff up. Huge battles, unique fight scenes, and a great soundtrack did not disappoint. This movie is fun. The action made up for any downtime I felt during the movie’s slower moments. Battles ranged from hand to raccoon-paw combat, huge space battles, and everything in-between. This is what will likely be the deciding factor on whether you think it’s worth your money. If you’re in the mood to start your summer with a bit of action, then I think Guardians is worth the watch in theaters. But if you are looking for something a bit more rounded and well written, you really aren’t missing anything too special. You’ll get some laughs. You’ll have some fun. You won’t get anything more than that.

PG-13 2h 18m

Vol. 10, No. 17 – May 24 – June 6, 2017 – Harbor Patrol Blotter

5-03 3:15pm, while on patrol, officers observed a small inflatable with 3 persons on board disabled near the Barranca.  The vessel was towed to Marina park dock.       
5-04 5:25pm, received a report of an injured sea bird that was captured by a beach comber.  The good Samaritan was given directions to bring the bird to the Port District where it can be housed until bird rescue can pick it up for recuperation.    
  5-05 8:13am, received a dispatch to a traffic collision at the intersection of Spinnaker and Harbor Blvd.  Officers responded and assisted Ventura Fire/PD, AMR and several other agencies with two vehicles that crashed head on.  One vehicle hit and dislodged a fire hydrant; the other was forced into the left turn signal.  Both vehicles were severely damaged.  Both drivers suffered minor injuries from the crash.  No one was transported to local hospitals.

4:10pm, received a report of a dog harassing a sea lion on the South Beach.  Officers responded and contacted an individual with his dog off a leash.  The individual was issued a warning for the violations.  The sea lion retreated back into the ocean according to the dog owner.              
   5-06 11:31am, received a report of a boating accident at Ventura Isle Marina.  Officers responded and found a motor vessel colliding with moored vessels.  The operator was assisted into his slip and the owners of the vessels that were hit were notified along with the marina office.

12:00pm, observed National Weather Service has issued a Gale warning, winds sustained at 39 mph or greater.

4:50pm, received a report of an electric boat unable to navigate against the gale force winds.  Officers responded to the vessel in the keys and towed it back to its slip without issue.

6:15pm, while on patrol in the vehicle, officers observed a wedding commencing at Surfers Knoll in the 44 knot winds.       
  5-07 6:40am, received a report of a sea lion on the small beach has made its way to the street in the keys.  Officers responded and observed the report of the sea lion in the street.  Wildlife rescuers were summoned and the mammal was captured and returned to the wild near the Santa Clara River mouth.

6:05pm, while on patrol in the boat, received a warning from the NWS that a strong cell was headed our way, lighting was possible and that we should not go out on the water. We returned and observed several lightning strikes inland.       
5-08 8:00am, officers preparing for United States Lifeguard Association aquatic rescue response team.   
  5-09 6:00pm, local boy scout troop in the office to learn water safety, boating safety and ridealongs.