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A Celebration of Art and Native Flora at Channel Islands National Park April 9

As part of a continuing celebration of 100 years of national parks in 2016, the public is invited to enjoy a spring event in the native plant garden on April 9, from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm at the Channel Islands National Park Robert J. Lagomarsino Visitor Center in the Ventura Harbor.

This Find Your Park event features new displays of art sculptures, interpretive signs, and native plant interpretive guides, as well as a sale of Channel Islands native plants.

Internationally-renowned artist BiJian Fan designed the new orgami-style sculptures, which create an engaging environment in which visitors can explore some of the unique animals found on the Channel Islands. BiJian Fan, who has a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering, was born in Beijing, China, but now lives in Camarillo, where he combines science and art to form his unique sculptures.

The event will also feature botanical illustrations by artist Ellie Yun-Hui Tu, a local product designer and illustrator whose paintings of Channel Islands native plants were chosen for display at the “Flora of National Parks” exhibit in Washington, D.C.

Fan will present two talks about ways to connect people to parks through art and the inspiration he found in creating the garden wildlife sculptures at 11:00 am and 3:00 pm. Yun-Hui Tu will share the secrets and steps in creating pen and ink botanical illustrations in a presentation at 2:00 pm. At 1:00 pm, there will be a ranger-led program on bird adaptations called Neat Beaks.

Children’s activities will take place throughout the day, including a native plant garden scavenger hunt, art rubbings of native plants, origami crafts, and a button-making station. Junior Ranger booklets and activities will also be available for children to complete, inorder to earn their Junior Ranger badges.

The event is a great opportunity for California native plant lovers to find at least ten varieties of native plants unique to the Channel Islands at a plant sale from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm. The sale is sponsored by the Channel Islands Park Foundation and supported by volunteers from the Ventura County Master Gardeners. Proceeds from the sale (cash or checks only) will support the garden.

Ventura College presents Diversity in Culture Festival

Ventura College will hold its inaugural Diversity in Culture Festival, April 12–14 on the Ventura College campus, 4667 Telegraph. The festival is free and open to the public. Events will begin at 11 a.m. each day and run until 8:30 p.m.

The event will feature a wide variety of cultural performances, art, food and speakers from around the world.  Scheduled entertainment includes dance and music performances by Cascade de Flores (Latin/Caribbean dance/song), UCSB Middle Eastern Ensemble (ethnomusicology performance), Ventura County Capoeira Dance Troupe (Afro-Brazilian martial arts/music/dance), singer Sade Champagne, Clan MacColin of Glenderry Highland Dance & Music, Greek Gypsies, Aztec dancers, Versa-Style Dance Company (urban hip-hop) and more.

Additional events include a poetry slam contest featuring Ventura County’s poet laureate Phil Taggart, director Jonathan Carlander presenting his short film on Asperger Syndrome, “The Pleasing List,” the musical multimedia presentation “MLK & The Spirit of the 60’s,” an international film festival featuring anti-Nazi political activist Sophie Scholl and much more.

Many performances will include American Sign Language interpreters. Food for purchase will be available by a variety of food trucks. The event is free; parking is $2.00; please purchase a parking pass at any kiosk on campus. For more information about the Diversity in Culture Festival, visit the Ventura College website, http://www.venturacollege.edu/news/ventura-college-presents-diversity-in-culture-festival.

Public Health Investigating Cases of Cardiomyopathy in Ventura County

Ventura County Public Health (VCPH) has been investigating 12 patients with cardiomyopathy. Cardiomyopathy is a condition where the heart begins to work with decreased efficiency, and is marked by fatigue and shortness of breath. The patients who have recently been diagnosed with cardiomyopathy in the county range in age from 19 to 78 years of age. Two people have died ‒ one in March, and another in mid-December. Public Health included the death that occurred in mid-December on review of that patient’s medical records earlier this week.

Lab tests so far have not identified a cause of the cardiomyopathy. Public Health is working closely with the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) to identify the cause of this disease.

There is absolutely no evidence linking this outbreak to either H1N1 or the Zika virus.

“We believe that whatever is causing this illness is not highly contagious because none of the contacts of any of these patients have developed serious illness,” said Dr. Levin. The Health Department is following all contacts of these cases and there has not been any hospital employee that cared for one of these patients, nor family member nor friend who has developed a serious illness.

If a member of the public experiences fatigue and shortness of breath, they are encouraged to see their primary care physician for evaluation.

Pierpont Elementary Instructor Recognized as March’s Teacher of the Month

The Ventura Commerce and Education Foundation (VCEF) named Mary Louise Newburn, first grade instructor at Pierpont Elementary School in Ventura, California, as March’s Teacher of the Month. VCEF board member, Pattie Braga, joined elected representatives and members of the business community on March 2, 2016, to present Newburn with a plaque commemorating the award.

Newburn, who brings more than 15 years of experience to her first-grade classroom, was recognized for her dedication to providing students with a strong academic foundation through a variety of teaching methods – including incorporating new technologies into her instruction – and for working to help them build positive social skills. Beyond the classroom, her efforts include providing additional support for students facing homelessness or poverty as well as expanding her own knowledge through ongoing research and attendance at numerous classes and workshops.

“Mary Louise is committed to providing each of her students with the resources they need to reach their full potential,” said Pierpont principal, Katie Tedford. “She is a highly effective teacher, and students always seem to leave her class with a true love of learning.”

Teacher of the Month nominees must be credentialed teachers and display certain qualities, such as outstanding commitment to students, service to school or district committees, involvement in projects on their own time and/or participation in youth-focused activities in the community. All principals and parent-teacher organizations from schools within the Ventura Unified School District are eligible to submit nominations. For more information about the Teacher of the Month program, please contact Braga, chair of the Teacher Appreciation Committee with the VCEF, at [email protected] or 805-477-4052.

The Ventura Commerce and Education Foundation (VCEF), under the auspices of the Ventura Chamber of Commerce, works to provide a business link to the economic, educational, cultural and environmental interests of the Ventura regional community. More information about the VCEF can be found at venturachamber.com/ventura-commerce-education-foundation.

Hop into Spring with Foot By Foot

This Easter, give the most unique gift to your loved ones. Sponsor a Ventura Botanical Gardens Trail Foot, maybe even two or three. For our dog-loving contributors and their trail-loving pets, get four! This is perfect for the people in your life who don’t need more junk food!

 

Each foot is $50. So far, donors have purchased feet as birthday gifts, wedding gifts, holiday gifts, in honor of friends and family, and in memory of loved ones. It’s easy to place your order at VenturaBotanicalGardens.com.

City of Ventura completes new sewer interconnect project, marking continued progress toward commercial development project

The City of Ventura recently finished a significant step in completing the needed infrastructure for a high priority project known as Focus Area One which includes the Ventura Auto Center and Olivas Park, a future development project. The Olivas Park Drive Sewer Interconnect project includes installation of a new sewer pipeline that will bypass the decommissioned Montalvo wastewater plant and redirect sewage into the city’s system. Focus Area One is slated to become a regional retail destination and is one of the Ventura City Council’s top priorities of economic development.

The more than 100-acre Focus Area One project will significantly improve the area’s transportation network with the extension of Olivas Park Drive to connect to Johnson Drive.  Additionally, construction of an earthen levee will protect the project site from the adjacent Santa Clara River and allow for new construction. Connecting Olivas Park Drive to Auto Center Drive and Johnson Drive greatly improves access from the 101 freeway to the Ventura Auto Center which generates approximately $3.76M annually to the General Fund. The road and levee are in design now and the project is anticipated to begin construction by early 2017.

“The physical improvements will provide access to currently vacant land for economic growth in this area,” said City Manager Mark Watkins. “We are making important progress.”

The Montalvo Community Services District’s (MCSD) wastewater plant is being decommissioned and will eventually be demolished.  Originally built in 1954, it provided sewage treatment for Montalvo properties north of Hwy 101 that will now become Ventura Water customers. Approximately 200,000 gallons a day from the former MCSD will be treated at the city’s reclamation facility generating significant environmental benefits to the estuary and ocean.