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The office of Inspector General’s Office has been targeted for senior scams. 

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Inspector General (OIG) recently confirmed that the HHS OIG Hotline telephone number is being used as part of a telephone spoofing scam targeting individuals throughout the country. These scammers represent themselves as HHS OIG Hotline employees and can alter the appearance of the caller ID to make it seem as if the call is coming from the HHS OIG Hotline 1-800-HHS-TIPS (1-800-447-8477). The perpetrator may use various tactics to obtain or verify the victim’s personal information, which can then be used to steal money from an individual’s bank account or for other fraudulent activity. HHS OIG takes this matter seriously. We are actively investigating this matter and intend to have the perpetrators prosecuted.

It is important to know that HHS OIG will not use the HHS OIG Hotline telephone number to make outgoing calls and individuals should not answer calls from 1-800-HHS-TIPS (1-800-447-8477). We encourage the public to remain vigilant, protect their personal information, and guard against providing personal information during calls that purport to be from the HHS OIG Hotline telephone number. We also remind the public that it is still safe to call into the HHS OIG Hotline to report fraud.  We particularly encourage those who believe they may have been a victim of the telephone spoofing scam to report that information to us through the HHS OIG Hotline 1-800-HHS-TIPS (1-800-447-8477) or [email protected]. Individuals may also file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357).

What is Altrusa International? 

Altrusa is an acronym.  Amity – Loyalty – Talent – Reciprocity – Unity – Service – Achievement.

Altrusa is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization where all their services, scholarships and fund-raising projects go to the local community.

Fundraising efforts include an annual luncheon and entertainment function; annual member brunch and donations from local businesses. Altrusa’s primary service projects include nursing scholarships at Ventura College and CSUCI, Family to Family, Books for Teens at Blanchard Community Library, Project Understanding Tutor Centers, West Park after school programs, Literacy, Cal-Vet Ventura Library and Khepera House.

Many of the people who benefit have families with young children. Many of the children in the programs Altrusa supports are underprivileged and their efforts make a difference in these children’s’ future successes.

Altrusa is a club first founded by Mamie L. Bass in Nashville Tennessee on April 11, 1917. This means Altrusa International is celebrating 100 years of service and Altrusa  of San Buenaventura is celebrating 69 years.

Altrusa International, Inc. has clubs in eight countries. The clubs in the United States are divided into 12 geographical districts. The Ventura club belongs to District 11.

Altrusa’s mission statement is”Our country is as great as we, it’s citizens make it. Therefore, we pledge our loyalty to its ideas and it’s endeavors for the welfare of mankind. We strive to fulfill our civic obligations.”

Altrusa offers to the business and professional people of the community an opportunity to touch each other’s lives and be broadened by an interchange of interests and by a sympathetic consideration of the viewpoints of others.

If you’d like to make a difference in your community and see what Altrusa is doing and how you can help attend a meeting. Business meetings are held on the second Thursday of each month at 11:30am at Main Street Steakhouse and Restaurant in Ventura. Dinner meetings are held on the fourth Thursday of each month, at 6pm. These locations vary.

For more information please contact Barbara Lindquist at 795-2704 or email her at [email protected].

Be sure to look for the ad in this issue for an upcoming Altrusa fundraiser on April 1st, featuring world renowned magician, Shawn McMaster!

Vol. 10, No. 12 – March 15 – March 28, 2017 – CAPS

You can watch the Parade on CAPS website. Photo by Michael Gordon

Radio classes commence
by Elizabeth Rodeno

CAPS Media held a successful Radio KPPQ Membership Training earlier this month! It was a full studio and an excited group of 12 new radio members on March 1st and 2nd. Staff helped folks find their footing and their radio voice. The first session covers Membership Program Information and Preliminary Training and the second session is a Radio Presentation and Performance Practicum. Classes are being held every month at the CAPS Media Center for Member/Producers to learn how to host their own programs and share the information and stories the public are eager to hear.

Did you miss the St Patrick’s Day Parade? You can see our coverage of it, hosted by Tim O’Neil and Jerry Breiner and filmed by the CAPS staff and Interns, on our website (www.capsmedia.org), where you can find all our other great programs to stream anytime, day or night.

At the beginning of this month, CAPS Media completed a major upgrade of the Digital video studio to full HD capability.  The upgrade includes new cameras, pedestals, teleprompters, monitors and more in the studio and control room. We invite you to stop by and check out all the great new equipment!

Coming up in April we have our regularly scheduled classes. If you become a member this month, you can sign up for our April Orientation Class, happening Thursday, April 6th at 6:00 PM. We will also be offering HD Camera Class on Thursday, April 13th at 6:00 PM and Final Cut X Edit Class on Thursday, April 20th at 6:00 PM. These training classes for CAPS Media Member/Producers to learn how to operate video cameras, edit, run the studio and produce radio programs are scheduled on the CAPS Media website at http://www.capsmedia.org/events. Registration for all classes begins April 1st.

Looking for a place to hold a club or community meeting?  The CAPS Media Center conference room is available for nonprofit and other organizations to hold meetings for up to 30 people. We will include a tour of the CAPS Media Center. Another amazing perk? You’re surrounded by multimedia professionals when that pesky Powerpoint doesn’t work! Call us for availability and scheduling 658-0500.

As always, you can watch Channel 6 to hear what the public has to say and watch Channel 15 to experience the city’s vision to provide the best and clearest information for all. And now you can tune into KPPQ at 104.1 FM to hear some great radio! All programs are also available to the public via streaming service on our website. Go to www.capsmedia.org to see what our members are creating for you and sign up to be part of the story. A full year’s membership is just $25 for a TV membership and $75 for a TV and Radio membership. For more information, contact us at [email protected].

Benefactors’ Ball announces 2017 Cephas Bard Award Honorees

Don and Bonnie Carlton are Community Leaders of the Year.

The Community Memorial Healthcare Foundation is holding its 44th Benefactors’ Ball on Saturday, April 22, with proceeds benefiting the new Community Memorial Hospital.

At this event, four notable individuals will be recognized with the prestigious Cephas Bard Award, named after the founder of the first Community Memorial Hospital. The Cephas Bard award honors those who enhance the reputation and quality of Community Memorial Hospital.

Awardees to be recognized at this event are  Community Leaders of the Year – Don and Bonnie Carlton, CMH Physician of the Year – Dr. Dominic J. Tedesco and  CMH Retired Physician of the Year – Dr. Siegfried O. Storz.

To begin the festivities to celebrate the opening of the new hospital, this year’s Benefactors’ Ball will be held “Under the Stars” at the new Community Memorial Hospital.

Tickets can be bought individually or by table of eight. Sponsorship package opportunities are also available. For ticket or sponsorship information, visit www.benefactorsball.org, or call the Community Memorial Healthcare Foundation at 667-2881.

Vol. 10, No. 12 – March 15 – March 28, 2017 – Ventura Music Scene

Local music and more!
by Pam Baumgardner
VenturaRocks.com

The Wine Rack on California Street has been sold. Darcy is moving on creating a family and taking over is Kristen Shubert who will be rebranding the venue soon as Vintura. She’s cutting back the music to weekends but I don’t think it will be for long as she gets grooved in on Ventura’s music scene.

The Sandbox Coffeehouse is celebrating their five-year anniversary with live music every weekend, which come to think of it, they already do. Congratulations to Todd and the crew and thanks for giving a platform to artists to share their craft.

ARC of Ventura County is working on raising awareness about people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.  They’ve put together a great event for Saturday, March 18th at Bombay’s which will run 5-8 pm called, “Let’s Go Out!” It coincides with March being the National Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month.  Come out and enjoy the music from Fishfry, Seth Pettersen, The Vonettes and Deejay Steph. There is no cover, so bring the entire family!

Grapes and Hops is hosting a special event on Sunday, March 19 to help raise funds for FOOD Share featuring music from Crooked Eye Tommy, Jade Hendrix and Mr. O. Tickets are $25; the affair runs 5-9 pm.

To what was once home to the legendary Beatles that influenced the world with their music, comes a new wave of musicians from the city of Liverpool​. The Falling Doves, Barry Sutton, Cal Ruddy and Sam Rabette (all Liverpool natives) will perform music that inspired American rock n roll. There’ll be music from The Beatles, The La’s,  as well as their own compositions. ​Catch them on their Liverpool Legends Tour at Oxnard’s Copper Blues​​ March 24th.

The Cask Alehouse is offering up music for the East Enders here in Ventura.  They’re located at 5952 Telegraph Road.  You’ll find live music on Thursday nights at 8 pm.  They’ll have Soul 4 II on March 16th, Frank Barajas on the 23rd and Lee Koch on the 30th.

There will be a Nat King Cole birthday celebration at Squashed Grapes on Friday, March 17 with Tilford Jackson and Friends; the Doug Webb group featuring Danny Carey of TOOL returns Saturday March 18; and the Denny Seiwell Trio featuring founding member of Paul McCartney and Wings will be there on Saturday, March 25.

And finally, my radio show, “The Pam Baumgardner Mostly Local Music Hour” on KPPQ-LP 104.1 FM is starting to generate interest.  I’m spinning tunes Tuesdays 5-6 pm with songs from Lee Koch and the Grinders, Bruce Forman, Joaquin Peck, Shelby Figueroa, Jade Hendrix, New Liberty, the Galactic Polecats, Brent Franklin, Dona Oxford and more. The station has been rebroadcasting the show during the week, so be sure to check in often for our local talent.

Do you have any music-related news or upcoming shows you want help publicizing? Or would you like to submit your music for possible inclusion on my radio show? Please send all information short or long to [email protected], and for updated music listings daily, go to www.VenturaRocks.com.

Seniors swing into action to prevent scams

Peggy Younes was asked “Are you the lady of the house?”

by Lori Harasta

Scammed!  “How could I have fallen for it?” Peggy Younes asked herself as she hung up the phone.  The next day she found herself testifying about her experience at the Stop Senior Scams presentation at Cypress Place Senior Living in Ventura.

The Stop Senior Scams Acting Program is a series of skits, cleverly and humorously presented by professional actors that tell tales of one scam after another.  There’s the “Grandparent” scam, the “IRS” scam, and the “Sweetheart” scam.  The latter is when someone reads an obituary, shows up at the door of the surviving spouse and claims he/she knows the deceased, wooing and deceiving the grieving mate.

Then there’s the “Yes” scam.  A cold-caller asks, “Are you the lady of the house?” or “Are you the homeowner?” or “Can you hear me?”  The idea is to get you to say “Yes”. A recording of your “yes” could be used as “proof” that you signed up for a product or service or authorized the use of your credit card.

At the end of the Stop Senior Scams Acting Program, Director Adrienne Omansky encouraged Peggy to stand up and tell her story to the audience.

“It was a cruise scam.  They called and told me I had won a $5,000.00 travel package!  All I needed to do was present a voided check for confirmation. After talking for a while to two very charming ladies, they passed me off to the “certified confirmation officer” who asked what the routing number was on my check, and then kindly requested the nine numbers that followed.  Those guys were good! I’ve never fallen for a scam before!”

Fortunately, with Peggy’s fast thinking, there was a happy ending.  She googled the name of the company and nearly fainted when the word “scam” showed up in the search box.  She quickly called her bank, which immediately closed her account and opened a new one for her.

According to Director Omansky, “It’s nothing to be ashamed of.  We’re all vulnerable. We all need to help each other.”  The actors have all been scammed themselves, a key motivator in their desire to spread the word about how to avoid falling victim.

To report senior scams, call Adult Protective Services (APS) at 654-3200.

 

Market Match and Cal-Fresh (SNAP) programs prove successful

Both shoppers and California farmers are benefitting from the Market Match and the Cal-Fresh (SNAP) food programs offered by the Ventura County Certified Farmers’ Market Association (VCCFM).  Market Match is California’s healthy food incentive program, which uses grant dollars to match or double a portion of the customers’ federal nutrition assistance benefits, like Cal-Fresh (SNAP), for the exclusive purchase of fresh fruits and vegetables at their certified farmers’ market.

The Market Match program is available at three Ventura County Certified Farmers’ Markets:  the Midtown Ventura Certified Farmers’ Market held on Wednesdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Pacific View Mall, the Downtown Ventura Certified Farmers’ Market held on Saturday mornings from 8:30 a.m. to 12 noon held in the City Parking Lot, at Santa Clara & Palm Streets and the Thousand Oaks Certified Farmers’ Market held at The Oaks Shopping Center, east end parking lot at Wilbur Road and Thousand Oaks Blvd. from 1:30pm to 6:00pm.

The VCCFM received their first grant last year which will end in Spring 2017 and is applying for another grant which will begin in July to extend their Market Match program for two more years.  “This is a win-win for both our farmers and shoppers who benefit from this program,” stated Karen Schott, Operations Manager for the Ventura County Certified Farmers’ Market Association.  “We have seen over a 100% increase in program utilization since we started offering Market Match and we are delighted to join together in this public health partnership,” she continued.

According to VCCFM officials, Market Match has helped the VCCFM markets by alerting Cal-Fresh/SNAP recipients that they can utilize their benefits at a farmers’ market while providing greater affordability for their families with the added grant benefits.  VCCFM notes that California farmers are benefitting by the increasing market sales and the opportunity to introduce new customers to the benefits of purchasing fresh, local produce.  All Cal-Fresh/SNAP and Market Match benefits are administered through a token system available at the VCCFM Market Information Booths. The markets also accept the WIC (Women, Infants and Child) food programs at each of their locations, although there is not an established matching grant program for the WIC recipients at this time. “Expanding the WIC program will be our next goal in the process,” added Schott.

For more information on the Market Match Program or on the Ventura County Certified Farmers’ Market Association call 529-6266 or visit www.vccfarmersmarkets.com.

Dabster Arts offers affordable weekly classes, workshops and artist retreats

Dabster Arts offers a variety of affordable weekly classes, workshops and artist retreats. Their programs are designed for individuals to learn diverse artistic processes and subjects from credentialed instructors and master artists. Their master artist instructors and unique venue provide a one of kind learning atmosphere.

Two of the most popular classes are Figure Drawing on the first Saturday of every month and Visual Journaling offered once every other month.

Figure drawing  is a guided instruction figure drawing class. In this life drawing class, students can learn simple and effective drawing figure drawing techniques. Each student will be given ample time to study the shapes, values and edges of the figure and explore different techniques.

Visual journaling is about connecting with your inner you. The beauty of visual journaling is that anything goes. It’s a place where you can express and explore your feelings through images, writing, and just playing with the materials. It’s about rediscovering creativity as play. It’s about expressing your authentic self.

1793 E Main St.  626-8876.