Events by Ana Baker

The Ventura Senior Men’s Group continues to meet for a social lunch and program at the Poinsettia Pavilion in Ventura on the first and third Tuesday each month. Men of all descriptions are always welcomed to stop in to sample our shenanigans.  Bob Likins at 805-587-1233 or Rick Follenweider at 650-520-1098 can supply details.

April 9: Come blossom with the Turning Point Foundation. Our nursery will be in full bloom during our uplifting Spring Fling event from 10-2 p.m. Blossoming with health and wellness ideas, live music, delicious food, and stunning plants for sale that will all go to a beautiful cause. Our Spring Fling is open to the public of all ages. So, bring your kids, grandkids, neighbors, and friends for an inspirational day at Growing Works Nursery! 1736 S. Lewis, Camarillo. We’re excited to meet some new faces and celebrate our years of caring for homeless populations and veterans!

April 10: Will Olivia the great horned owl return to the Olivas Adobe this Spring?
We may never know for sure, but we can still celebrate her at this free family event.
Docent lead tours of the rancho home are available for a small fee, plus visit our gift shop and small adobe gallery for owl-themed paintings and trinkets to purchase. Sunday 11-3 p.m. Olivas Adobe, 4200 Olivas Park Drive
www.cityofventura.ca.gov/OlivasAdobe or call 805-658-4728 for additional information

April 12: Ventura County Writers Club is glad to announce that Alicia Doyle will be the speaker for the upcoming meeting. With more than two decades of experience, the award-winning journalist will bring her expertise to the industry and her vast knowledge of storytelling. The meeting is a free event open to anyone interested in writing. Located at 1605 Burnley St. in Camarillo at 7 p.m.

April 16: The Ventura County Genealogical Society presents a Free Family History Presentation Online with Zoom. Saturday, 1– 4 p.m., Sara Cochran
will discuss techniques for finding new clues in records we already have and look at several small case studies to see the value of taking the time to go backward in
order to go forwards. https://venturacogensoc.org/this-month/

April 21: Channel Islands Gulls Fundraising Luncheon
Join in the fun at our April luncheon and help raise funds for California Coastal Horse Rescue.  CCHR rescues and re-homes horses and provides educational programs to school and community groups.
11:00 a.m. Social Hour; 12:00 noon Meeting and Lunch
The Greek, 1583 Spinnaker Drive, Ventura Harbor
Cost: $40 per person – Advance reservations and payment required: [email protected] or 805/263-7759

April 22: Join us for an in-person production of Hansel & Gretel on April 22 and 23 at the Ventura College Performing Arts Center. Experience this musical fairy tale with folk-music-inspired themes, including the famous “Evening Prayer” in Engelbert Humperdinck’s opera production. Free admission for children ten and under.
Friday, April 22 at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday, April 23 at 3:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
Purchase Tickets in Advance: https://www.venturacollege.edu/performing-arts

April 27: The College Area Community Council will be holding a Zoom meeting on Wednesday at 7 p.m. An invitation and link to the meeting will be sent to everyone on the CACC mailing list. Council meetings include speakers and discussions on neighborhood and community interest topics, including public safety and economic development. Visit the College Area Community Council website @ https://caccventura.com to learn more, to be added to the mailing list, and access a link to the Zoom meeting

Events by Ana Baker

Many children and teens have experienced the death of a loved one during the pandemic. This is a difficult time for anyone grieving a loss. Livingston’s Grief and Bereavement Program recognizes the value children and teens receive from sharing their grief experience with their peers. Our groups provide support, connection, and validation that they are not alone.

The Good Grief Club meets the 1st and 3rd Tuesday of every month from 5:30 to 6:30 pm

The Young Teen Group meets the 2nd and 4th Tuesday of every month from 5:30 to 6:30 pm

If you would like to register a child or young teen for a support group, please contact Stacia Sickle at 805-389-6870 x452 or at [email protected].

All support groups are free and conducted through Zoom at this time

The Ventura Investment Group has reconvened and is meeting in the rear room of Denny’s Restaurant at the corner of Telegraph and Ashwood each Monday at 10:30 a.m. All people interested in investment are welcome.

March 23: Ventura’s E.P. Foster Library will present a musical program, Lyrical Literature: The Songs and Theater Music of Ross Care, at 2pm on Saturday, March 26, in the Topping Room of Foster Library. Care is both a composer and a published author, and this program will be based on musical literary associations from poetry and theater.

Tyler Carlisle will serve as musical director/pianist with guest instrumentalists from Los Angeles, Ted Nichelson, harp, and Juan Antonio Rivera, flute. The vocal ensemble will include Ventura vocalists Dianna Burdick, Molly Kohler Pei, Steve Perren, and Peter Umipig. Ross Care will be serving as moderator.

This event is free and open to the public. For additional information, contact Karen Cruze, Librarian Specialist, at (805) 648-2716.

The E.P. Foster Library is located at 651 East Main Street. Hours of service are 10-7 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 10-5 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 1-5 p.m. on Sunday.

March 23: “The College Area Community Council in Ventura will be holding a Zoom meeting on Wednesday at 7 p.m. Ventura County District Attorney, Erik Nasarenko, Ventura County Supervisor, Matt LaVere, and City of Ventura Councilperson, Mike Johnson will be addressing major issues affecting all Venturans. Visit the College Area Community Council website @ caccVentura.com to learn more, to be added to the mailing list and to access a link to the Zoom meeting.”

April 3: Old-Time Country Bluegrass Gospel Music Assoc.2 :00-4:00 pm
Poinsettia Pavilion, 3451 Foothill Rd, Ventura.
Live Music on stage. Jamming in the Canada Room. Free Admission. Free parking
Open to Public. For more information
call 805-517-1131 or visit Facebook: OTCBGMA

April 6: Beach Cities Neighbors and Newcomers (BCNN,) organization for women from Oxnard, Ventura and Port Hueneme will feature Chef Amy Tyrrell at its meeting at 9:30 a.m. located at the Ventura Comedy Club in Ventura Harbor. Chef Tyrrell is trained at the Culinary Institute and other well-known programs. Chef’s passion is providing nutrition information and great food to the community and is well known for the outstanding food program she developed and got accredited at our county’s Todd Road Jail, a program profiled in our local newspaper. No charge for newcomers to get to know our group.

April 22: Channel Islands PC User Group (CIPCUG) will have a discussion, tutorial, and Q&A sessions centered around Computers, email and the Internet, social media brokers such as Facebook, LinkedIn, Google, and Yahoo. Events begin at 9:30 a.m. All CIPCUG events are currently being held online and at our temporary location located on 2175 Goodyear Avenue, Unit 117. Details for connecting to our events are emailed prior to the event. To receive connection instructions, please sign up on our website at: cipcug club website.805) 289-3960

Events by Ana Baker

Cheers to 20 years. St. Bonaventure High School Class of 2000 reunion.
Saturday, June 4, at 6 pm. Contact Julia Wouk for further information at 619-888-7956.

The Ventura Investment Group has reconvened and is meeting in the rear room of Denny’s Restaurant at the corner of Telegraph and Ashwood each Monday at 10:30 a.m. All people interested in investment are welcome.

March 13: Olivas Adobe 4200 Olivas Park Drive Sunday from 11- 3 p.m. Spring Flora & Local Landscapes exhibit. Artists Lisa Mahony and Laura Jespersen explore spring flora and local landscapes in this new exhibit coming to the small Adobe. “Meet the Artists” reception from 1-3 p.m. with light refreshments. Any art purchased on opening day is eligible for 10% off the price. Plein-air artists are welcome! The historic Olivas home will be open for docent lead tours, and the alfresco gift shop will be available.
March 13: Do you like to garden? Plan events? Love music? Or dress up to bring history to life? Join us at the Olivas Adobe Historical Park on Sunday at 1 p.m. to learn about all our volunteer opportunities.
March 17: You are invited to a St. Patrick’s Day happy hour from 4- 6 p.m. at the Regency Palms Senior Living at 1020 Bismark way in Oxnard. We will be serving appetizers and refreshments and be raffling a basket, and having goodie bags for each guest RSVP to 805-406-6626.

March 17: In honor of St. Patrick’s Day, Ojai author and native plant guide Lanny Kaufer will lead a Green Full Moon Sunset Nature Hike on Thursday evening, from 5:30 – 7:45 p.m. Returning to the trailhead between 7:45 – 8 p.m. The cost for the hike is $35/person. Senior, student, and child discounts are available by request. HerbWalks.com, by emailing [email protected], or by calling 805-646-6281.
March 17: At the next virtual meeting of the East Ventura Community Council on Thursday, City of Ventura Civil Engineer Cody Stults will present an update on the city’s street paving program. Arepresentative from County Supervisor Matt LaVere’s office will report on the newly formed Saticoy Municipal Advisory Committee. Area crime statistics will be shared by Commander Weeks. Other topics may be added to the agenda, so be sure to check the group’s Facebook page for additions.
The meeting will be held online via the Zoom application at 7 p.m. The Zoom link can also be accessed at the website, www.eastventura.org. For those unable to attend the meeting in real-time, it can be accessed later at the website. For more information, contact EVCC Chairperson, John McNally, at [email protected].
March 19: “Being Richard Greene”, tenth in NAMBA’s Women’s Voices Series written and performed by Lynne Jassem at 7 p.m.; NAMBA Performing Arts Space, 47 S. Oak St. Tickets are $20 and can be purchased at NambaArts.com.  Lynne will also teach a Mime workshop on March 17th at NAMBA.  Tickets are $15 and can be purchased at NambaArts.com

March 19: Dudley House Museum Saturday, 8 – 2 p.m. Plants and collectibles sale. Bromeliads, orchids, and succulents will be on sale along with a variety of collectibles. Vendors, please call Charlie at 805-746-4317 for details. The museum is located at the corner of Loma Vista and Ashwood streets (197 N. Ashwood). Free.

March 23: The Channel Islands Chapter of the Embroiderers’ Guild of America (CICEGA) will meet at 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday, at the United Methodist Church, 291 Anacapa Drive, Camarillo. This month we will be learning Kunihimo Braiding. For more information, e-mail [email protected] or visit our website at https://www.channelislandsega.org.

March 26: Author Book Signing Event – Hannah Nicole Duran “Written on Walls”
Sat. 1-3 pm, Bank of Books, 748 E. Main St.
Throughout Hannah’s path to find justice for herself and heal from trauma, she learns she must live to have her voice be heard. And by being heard, Hannah can begin to recover from anorexia, major depressive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, and anxiety disorder.

April 3: The Ventura County Concert Band will open its 56th season on Sunday, at 3 p.m. at Ventura High School. Plenty of street parking. Dr. Julie Judd is the conductor. The concert is free.

April 3: Open house tours of the 1892 Dudley Historic House Museum will take place on Sunday, from 1 to 4 p.m. along with a celebration of Ventura’s 156th birthday. Special exhibits in the Community Room will include an Historic Photo Timeline of Ventura consisting of 16 panels of photos from the past. Also on display will be a “Celebrate the Century” stamp exhibit including artifacts from each decade. Admission is free. Located at the corner of Loma Vista and Ashwood streets (197 N. Ashwood). For information please call (805) 642-3345 or dudleyhouse.org.

Events by Ana Baker

Livingston’s Grief and Bereavement Program announces a new Men’s Grief Support Group starting this month. The group is for men grieving the death of a loved one. It will meet on the 2nd and 4th Wednesday of every month from 6:30 to 8:00 pm, via Zoom. If interested, please contact us at 805-389-6870. For more information, visit LMVNA.org. Livingston’s Grief and Bereavement Program support groups are committed to maintaining an open, accepting, confidential atmosphere. We also offer individual, couple, and family grief counseling in English and Spanish.

The Ventura Investment Group has reconvened and is meeting in the rear room of Denny’s Restaurant at the corner of Telegraph and Ashwood each Monday at 10:30 a.m. All people interested in investment are welcome.

Feb. 23: “The College Area Community Council in Ventura, which meets the fourth Wednesday of each month, will be holding a Zoom meeting on Wednesday at 7 p.m. An invitation and link to the meeting will be sent to everyone on the CACC mailing list. Council meetings include speakers and discussions on neighborhood and community interest topics, including public safety and economic development. CACC represents citizens in Council District 3, currently neighborhoods north of Hwy. 126 between Dunning/Lemon Grove/Agnus on the west and Hill Road on the east. Visit the College Area Community Council website @ https://caccventura.com to learn more, to be added to the mailing list, and to access a link to the Zoom meeting.”

March 2: Don Price, professional engineer and climate change educator, will be the speaker at the return of BCNN (Beach Neighbors and Newcomers,) a membership group for women from Ventura Oxnard and Port Hueneme. At the Ventura Comedy Club in the Ventura Harbor 2^nd floor next to Brophy Brothers. Socializing with light refreshment begins at 9:30 am. Prospective members may attend free to see if they want to join. The organization has many small activity groups, from wine tasting to book groups to day trips, bridge, mahjong, and other fun offerings.

March 6: Open house tours of the 1892 Dudley Historic House Museum—with COVID protocols—will take place on Sunday, from 1 – 4 p.m. Tour group size will be limited. Admission is free. The museum is located at the corner of Loma Vista and Ashwood streets (197 N. Ashwood). For information, please call 642-3345 or visit the website at dudleyhouse.org.

March 6: Old-Time Country Bluegrass Gospel Music Assoc. Sunday from 2 -4 p.m. Located at the Poinsettia Pavilion 3451 Foothill Rd. Live Music on stage. Jamming in the Canada Room. Free admission and free parking. Open to Public. For more information, call 805-517-1131 or visit Facebook: OTCBGMA. Current Ventura County Covid regulations will apply.

March 14: Kamala Nellen will join the Ventura County Library to lead a Nonviolent Communication Practice Group. This group will practice integrating the process of nonviolent communication into daily life. This event will occur via Zoom on Monday at 6 p.m., and all are welcome. Nonviolent Communication (NVC) was started by psychologist and mediator Marshall Rosenberg. Kamala Nellen has been practicing Nonviolent Communication for twelve years and is a life and performance coach and published author.

This event is free and open to the public. To register for this event, visit bit.ly/VCLNellen. Contact Ron Solórzano, Regional Librarian, at (805) 218-9146 or [email protected]. Instructions for registering for this event are found on our online calendar at www.vencolibrary.org/library-events.

Events by Ana Baker

Many children and teens have experienced the death of a loved one during the pandemic. This is a difficult time for anyone grieving a loss. Livingston’s Grief and Bereavement Program recognizes children and teens’ value from sharing their grief experiences with their peers. The Good Grief Club meets on the 1st and 3rd Tuesday of every month from 5:30 to 6:30 p.The Young Teen Group meets on the 2nd and 4th Tuesday of every month from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.

If you would like to register a child or young teen for a support group, please contact Stacia Sickle at 805-389-6870 x452 or [email protected]. All support groups are free and conducted through Zoom at this time.

The Elite Theatre Company is excited to welcome audiences to our first 2022 main stage production, Picasso at the Lapin Agile, written by Steve Martin, and directed by Christopher Robin Rubin.

The Lapin Agile, beloved watering hole to struggling artists and would-be geniuses, welcomes two soon-to-be legends for one extraordinary night. Pablo Picasso and Albert Einstein, whose egos are as big as their intellects, spar with the regulars.

The play runs through Sunday, February 13, 2022. Showtimes are Friday-Saturday at 8pm and Sundays at 2pm, with a special Thursday night show on February 10, 2022. Info at www.theelite.org. Elite Theater Company is located at 2731 Victoria Ave, Oxnard.

The Ventura Investment Group has reconvened and is meeting in the rear room of Denny’s Restaurant at the corner of Telegraph and Ashwood each Monday at 10:30 a.m. All people interested in investment are welcome.

Feb.17: For the next virtual East Ventura Community Council meeting on Thursday. The Council represents those who live east of Victoria Avenue, and the public is encouraged to attend and participate. A representative from Shea Homes has been invited to speak about the Parklands II Development on Telegraph Road. The agenda will also include continued discussion of road conditions and other issues of concern to East Ventura residents. Area crime statistics will be shared by Commander Weeks of the Ventura Police Department. Other topics may be added to the agenda, so be sure to check the group’s Facebook page for updates.

The meeting will be held online via the Zoom application at 7 p.m. The Zoom link can be accessed at the group’s website, www.eastventura.org. If you miss the meeting, you can always view it later on the website, www.eastventura.org.

For more information, contact EVCC Chairperson, John McNally, at [email protected].

Feb. 19: Author Book Signing Chip Fraser, “Looking for Emerald City” Saturday from 1-3 p.m.

Bank of Books 748 E. Main St. 643-3154 “Looking for Emerald City” is designed to inspire, entertain, and is made up of vignettes predicated on hope, dreams, and positive thinking, challenging yet hopeful. The core message of Looking for Emerald City is for everyone to live in the present, cease criticizing others, eat healthily (mostly), smile regularly, exercise patience, practice prayer and meditation, and volunteer whenever possible.

Feb.23: “The College Area Community Council in Ventura will be holding a Zoom meeting on Wednesday at 7 p.m. An invitation and link to the meeting will be sent to everyone on the CACC mailing list. Council meetings include speakers and discussions on neighborhood and community interest topics, including public safety and economic development. CACC represents citizens in Council District 3, currently neighborhoods north of Hwy. 126 between Dunning/Lemon Grove/Agnus on the west and Hill Road on the east. Visit the College Area Community Council website @ https://caccventura.com to learn more, add to the mailing list, and access a link to the Zoom meeting.

On March 12 Broadway put aside the industry adage “The show must go on,” and suspended all plays in the wake of the spreading coronavirus. At the Ojai Art Center Theater plans for the opening of “Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike” spun into limbo, landing on postponement.

Almost two years later Christopher Durang’s multi-award-winning comedy finally hits the OACT stage through February 13.

In his day job Peter Schreiner, who plays Vanya, works as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker for Ventura County so he knows how people develop this type of interdependence on each other.

Calamity comes in the form of Masha, Vanya and Sonia’s flamboyant movie star sister. Masha, played by Tracey Williams Sutton, blows in to first invite them to a fancy party, then informs them she plans to sell the house.

“This crisis of potentially losing the house has been thrown in their laps and somehow they manage to navigate through the whole thing,” said Peter. “That’s part of the comedy of the brilliant Christopher Durang, showing how Vanya and Sonia weave their way through the problem to make a leap in their personal growth.”

Vanya’s character manifests his transformation through a tirade about the shallowness of today’s world, how so many things exist but come and go so quickly. He mourns a sense of shared experiences, like laughing at an episode of Ozzie and Harriet when televisions only aired three channels, instead of 785 on contemporary TVs. Plus, “We licked postage stamps!”

Plus, for the first time ever patrons get to choose their seats when they buy tickets.

The Ojai Unified School District unanimously voted to give 60 days notice to terminate an agreement with a developer who planned to build a hotel.

Unhappy with how the developer handled relations with Ojai that overwhelmingly objected to a plan to develop on school district property, school trustees said they will end the district’s exclusive pact with SVS Dev LLC to build the hotel.

Events by Ana Baker

The Ventura Investment Group is meeting in the rear room of Denny’s Restaurant at the corner of Telegraph and Ashwood each Monday at 10:30 a.m. All people interested in investment are welcome.

Looking for some outdoor fun? Try Lawn Bowling! It is great fun and terrific low-impact exercise. You get to play on a beautiful green with free club equipment and free lessons. Also included are friendly people and social activities. Located at 350 N. C St. Oxnard 93030. Nine to Noon, Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. All are welcome.

Jan.26: The College Area Community Council will be holding a Zoom meeting on Wednesday at 7 p.m. An invitation and link to the meeting will be sent to everyone on the CACC mailing list. Council meetings include speakers and discussions on neighborhood and community interest topics, including public safety and economic development. State Assemblymember Steve Bennett will review state policies that affect Ventura County. Brandon Kaysen will explain the new Ventura food waste recycling program. Visit the College Area Community Council website @ caccVentura.com to learn more, to be added to the mailing list, and to access a link to the Zoom meeting.”

Feb.3: Join UCSB Arts & Lectures to present Celebrated Violin Virtuoso Joshua Bell, violin and Peter Dugan, piano on Thursday at 7 p.m. at The Granada Theatre. With a career spanning almost four decades, Grammy-winning violinist Joshua Bell is one of the most celebrated artists of his era. Named Musical America’s 2010 Instrumentalist of the Year and an Indiana Living Legend, Bell serves as music director of the Academy of St Martin in the Fields. He appears in recital with Peter Dugan, the “fearlessly athletic” (San Francisco Chronicle) pianist and host of NPR’s From the Top.

Feb. 6. Open house tours of the 1892 Dudley Historic House Museum—with COVID protocols—will take place on Sunday from 1 to 4 p.m. Tour group size will be limited. Admission is free. The museum is located at Loma Vista and Ashwood street (197 N. Ashwood). For information, please call 642-3345 or visit the website at dudleyhouse.org.

Feb.19: The Ventura County Genealogical Society presents free Family History presentations

online with Zoom on Saturday 1to 4 p.m.

1:00 p.m. Presenter: Drew Smith “AncestryDNA Today” VCGS General Meeting Lecture sponsored by the DNA SIG. AncestryDNA continues to add new tools to help match other testers, categorize the matches into groups, and discover the right relationships. This presentation focuses on using the latest AncestryDNA tools (ThruLines, groups, etc.) to identify relatives near

and distant. https://venturacogensoc.org/this-month/

Drew Smith has been a librarian in the Academic Services department at

the University of South Florida (USF) Tampa Library since 2007.

Ojai Women’s Fund awards $85,000 in grants

The Ojai Women’s Fund has announced the award of $85,000 in grants to seven organizations that serve residents of the Ojai Valley. OWF is an all-volunteer nonprofit organization, and these awards were made possible by the collective effort and dedication of this year’s 375 members, who are organized around the giving circle concept. Grants are awarded in five focus areas—Arts, Education, Environment, Health, and Social Services—based on votes by individual and giving circle members. With these awards, the total amount given by OWF members in the past six grant cycles exceeds half a million dollars.

The Ojai Women’s Fund works to inspire and educate all women to become leaders in philanthropy and to help make a difference in the Ojai Valley Community. OWF welcomes new members and encourages organizations that serve the Ojai Valley to consider applying for a grant during the 2022 grant cycle, which begins in May. To join or for more information on 2021 grant winners visit www.ojaiwomensfund.org.