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Habitat for Humanity of Ventura County hosts grand opening for new Oxnard ReStore

Habitat for Humanity of Ventura County will host a grand opening and ribbon cutting for its new Oxnard ReStore and office location Saturday, February 27, 2016 at 9 a.m. The new location is at 1850 Eastman Avenue Oxnard. Join us for exclusive offers, refreshments, followed by tours of the new offices.

The Habitat for Humanity ReStore sells new and gently used household items and building supplies, such as furniture, appliances, building materials, cabinetry, windows, hardware, lumber, tools, flooring, lighting and much more. All ReStore merchandise is generously donated by individuals, churches, contractors and businesses, and it is sold at 50 percent below retail value.

After locating the perfect space for the Oxnard ReStore, and office we’ve been working hard over the past several months to get the new store and office up and running. With the help of many generous donations, volunteers and our dedicated staff, we are thrilled to launch this next phase for Habitat for Humanity of Ventura County.  Now, we’ll have an additional square footage for our Oxnard ReStore to help fund Habitat’s work here in Ventura County, and we hope this will lead to a greater number of homes built each year.

After the Grand Opening, the Oxnard ReStore’s regular business hours will be Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Donations will continue to be accepted at both the Simi Valley and the Oxnard ReStore during our donation hours, and pickups also will be available by appointment.

Proceeds from the ReStore help support Habitat’s mission of bringing people together to build simple, decent houses in Ventura County, while providing an environmentally and socially responsible way to keep good, reusable materials out of landfills.

For more information about the Habitat for Humanity ReStore or to schedule a pickup at either of the Ventura County ReStores, contact Wendy Monk, Oxnard ReStore manager, at (805-485-6065 ext. 106). Information is also available at www.habitatventura.org.

Ventura City Fire Department responds to vehicle driving into unoccupied motel room

IMG_6264On Jan.23, at 2:16pm  the Ventura City Fire department was dispatched to a report of a vehicle into a structure.  Upon arrival firefighters discovered a single vehicle inside a first floor room of a two story motel in the 700 block of Thompson.

IMG_6267The vehicle, with two adult occupants, was driven through an exterior wall destroying a main support beam and shattering a large window before coming to rest on top of a bed.  The hotel room was unoccupied at the time of the incident.  The occupants of the vehicle were uninjured. Once debris was removed

Results from Ventura Police Department DUI/Drivers License checkpoint on 1-22-16

The Ventura Police Department Traffic Unit conducted a DUI/Drivers License checkpoint on 1-22-16, at Main St. and Callens Rd. between the hours of 8:00 p.m. and 2:30 a.m.Checkpoints are placed in locations that have the greatest opportunity for achieving drunk and drugged driving deterrence and provide the greatest safety for officers and the public.

DUI/Drivers License checkpoints have been shown to lower DUI deaths and injuries.  A major component of these checkpoints are the deterrent effects it has on those who might drive drunk or drugged impaired, bringing about more awareness and encouraging everyone to use sober designated drivers.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), checkpoints have provided the most effective documented results of any of the DUI enforcement strategies, while also yielding considerable cost savings of $6 for every $1 spent.  Ninety Percent of California drivers approve of checkpoints.

During the Checkpoint:
1233 Vehicles Screened
1 DUI-Alcohol suspect arrested
1 Suspect arrested for illegal drugs (possession/transportation/sales)
12 Drivers cited/arrested for operating a vehicle unlicensed or while suspended/revoked
12 Citations issued

Law Enforcement emphasizes the preventable nature of drunk driving reminding everyone that all it takes is a little planning ahead. Designate a sober driver or call a cab. But whatever you do, don’t drink and drive. The California Office of Traffic Safety DDVIP (Designated Driver VIP) mobile app is now available for free download on iOS and Android devices. Launched last year, the new DDVIP app offers enhanced features, allowing users to “Map a Spot” with their current location to find DDVIP partnering establishments in their area or a “List of Spots” to search all participating bars and restaurants throughout California. Users will be offered free incentives at each bar to celebrate their life saving role.  They can stay up-to-date with the latest from DDVIP and see what other users are saying via its social tab. Also through the app, for those who want to imbibe but also make it a point to plan ahead, users can easily order a sober ride from Uber, Lyft or Curb – all from one screen.

Drivers caught driving impaired can expect the impact of a DUI arrest to include jail time, fines, fees, DUI classes, other expenses that can exceed $10,000 not to mention the embarrassment when friends and family find out.

The checkpoint was funded by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, reminding everyone to ‘Report Drunk Driver – Call 9-1-1’.

Tall Ships take early departure from Ventura Harbor

In very bad news for the Ventura Harbor merchants, and Venturans  the tall ships Lady Washington and Hawaiian Chieftain have left the Ventura Harbor and sailed back to the Channel Islands Harbor. This was due to storm action and an unusually large amount of sand at the harbor entrance where conditions were getting too dangerous for them to exit and return to the harbor. Dredging equipment could not be brought in in time. 
They were to be in Ventura until Feb.8.

Day Island boat beached on Pierpont beach in Ventura

Photo by Cindy Summers

On Jan.10, at 10:18pm the Ventura City Fire Department was dispatched to a report of a large commercial fishing vessel aground in the surf line in front of Woodstock Ln. Ventura. Upon arrival Ventura City Ocean Rescue personnel discovered 3 adult fishermen still on board. With waves crashing into the vessel and washing over the decks rescuers were able to safely remove all people from the vessel and bring them to the beach. None of the people on board the boat were injured.

image017
Photo by George Robertson

California State Parks, California Fish and Wildlife and the U.S. Coast Guard were notified of the incident and responded to the scene. Several hundred gallons of diesel fuel were reported to still be on board the boat. Salvage operations will begin as conditions allow.

Day Island boat beached on Pierpont beach in Ventura

 

Elite Theatre Company presents one-act festival Jan. 15th – Feb. 7th

The Elite Theatre Company is proud to present its 7th Annual One-Act Play Festival, opening Friday, January 15th and playing to February 7th. The plays are a compilation of the winners of the 2015 One-Act Play Writing Competition chosen from nearly 100 submissions from North American playwrights.

The selections are both dramatic and comedic, and include a love story with a twist, a marriage on the rocks, and a lonely woman seeking contact with the outside world. The Elite Theatre Company is the only theater in Ventura County that regularly showcases new plays by both known and unknown playwrights, as part of our goal to produce and promote new works to our patrons.

All tickets are $15.00. Performances are Fridays and Saturdays 8.00pmand Sundays at 2.00pm.

The Elite Theatre is located in the Channel Island’s Fisherman’s Wharf at 2731 S. Victoria Ave., Oxnard CA 93035. For more info please visit http://www.elitetheatre.org/ or call 483.5118.

Update on Sandbags

The City of Ventura Maintenance Yard parking lot at 336 Sanjon Rd will have sand, bags and shovels as supplies last and will continue to refill as possible. Supplies are currently NOT available at Fire Station #1 or #6. The Ventura County Fire Department is also providing sandbags the phone number for more information is 805-389-9710.

If residents observe mud/debris in city streets or other non-emergency flooding problems, they can call Ventura Public Works at 805-652-4252.

Storm and high surf advisory for Ventura Tuesday-Thursday

The National Weather Service advises that a series of three storms is expected to make landfall in Ventura County beginning Tuesday, January 5. The first storm system is forecasted to hit Ventura County early Tuesday morning into the evening and may bring 1.4 – 2.5 inches of rain to the area. Rainfall rates up to .25 inches per hour are possible in some areas raising concern for post-fire debris flow. The second and third storms are expected to make landfall Wednesday into Friday with the potential of significant rainfall of 2 to 4 inches.

Residents are advised to use caution as possible impacts include mud/debris flows in recent burn areas, slick roadways, urban flooding, gusty winds and winter storm conditions in the high mountains with heavy snow.

Sand and sandbags are available to Ventura residents, at the following locations (please bring your own shovel):

City of Ventura, Maintenance Yard, 336 Sanjon Road. Ventura City Fire Station #1, 717 N. Ventura Avenue. Ventura City Fire Station #6, 10797 Darling Road.

Please contact Chris Palmieri, Public Works Supervisor, for more information on sand bags, 805.652.4521, [email protected]

High Surf

High surf advisory remains in effect until 10 pm PST Thursday, January 7, 2016. Surf is anticipated to build to 5 to 8 feet with sets to 10 feet by Tuesday. The highest surf is anticipated on west facing beaches. As a larger swell arrives by midweek surf will build to 8 to 12 feet on Wednesday and 10 to 15 feet on Thursday. Higher sets will be possible near Ventura Harbor. Large powerful waves and strong currents will create a risk of ocean drowning. Sneaker waves can suddenly overrun previously dry beaches and jetties. Flooding of low lying beach parking lots, harbor walkways and beach campgrounds will be possible especially during the middle of the week. High tides will be large enough by midweek to increase the risk of coastal flooding. A high surf advisory means that high surf and rip currents will make entering the water or climbing on rock jetties dangerous. Remember if caught in a rip current swim parallel to shore until you are free of the powerful current.

The Ventura Pier remains closed.