Sheldon Brown from August 24 Breeze
I so very sorry to report that the most wonderful Breezy (Deena) Gledhill has passed away from cancer at only 45-years-old. Last summer she told us that she was cancer free and how wonderful that was. But, cancer does what it wants and it returned with a vengeance. Her spirit through all of this was unbelievable and an inspiration to all who knew her.

She first approached me over 10 years ago to become an account executive for the Breeze. With that name I immediately hired her. Without her the paper would not exist as her ability to meet people and have them advertise was great.

I considered her to be my adopted daughter and will miss her always.

Adela Trainor
I saw on FB. I’m so sorry Sheldon. I know how much you loved “your girl”. It is heartbreaking for us left behind but hopefully her spirit is free to be all that we knew her to be, without being held back by a failing body. Let her light shine through all that knew her.

Cindy Summers
She was such a brave and courageous fighter, even when dealing with the lowest points of her struggled she always showed caring, kindness and compassion for others it truly seemed cancer had no chance against her bright light

I never imagined this would happen

Ana Baker
Breezy was just as fun as her name. I will always remember the constant texts she sent me all year to help me in my grief. She was an inspiration and a fighter. Breezy had an amazing soul. My heart will always remember her. I will mis her.

Jennifer Talt-Lundin
I am so, so very sorry to hear that she has passed. I am heart-broken. We absolutely adored Breezy and we have been sending so many positive vibes her way, for her to beat this awful disease and be able to continue to enjoy her beautiful life. She was such a pleasure to work with and she will be greatly missed by all here.

Our hearts, prayers and thoughts are with you and her family during this difficult time. She touched so many people and was such a bright light in our harbor community.

Carol Leish
She would always compliment me on what I wrote for the ‘Ventura Breeze.’

She was always positive, even with going through so much. And, I was also impressed with her many posts on Facebook talking about her ‘journey.’

Going to miss her a lot, too. As Judaism says, ‘Her memory will continue to be a blessing.’❤

Valerie Bereman
Oh Sheldon, I am so very sorry she passed. I only knew her through e-mails, but we became friends on the side. She was so fun and sensitive. What a fighter she was. I am at a loss for words, you were a great family to her

I know. I am so sorry for you and the Breeze family.

Patti Channer
Another bright star in our galaxy.

Lysa Urban
I’m so very sorry and saddened to hear… I didn’t know that Breezy was ill. She was a wonderful, uplifting person. My sincerest condolences to you, her family and the Ventura Breeze family.

Amy Brown
I am so very, very sorry—she was just wonderful and very loved.

Mike Macke
Our deepest condolences to all of her family, and the Breeze family, who we know considered her family. Breezy will be dearly missed and our hearts our saddened by her loss.

With deepest sympathy,

Susan Bejeckian
Sheldon I was so sad to hear today about the passing of Breezy.

She truly was a wonderful person, full of boundless enthusiasm.

I will really miss working with her.

Jennifer Buckley
Hi. Just wanted you to know I’m very sorry about Breezy. I know she had become like family. She cared for both of you so much and was happy to be included in family celebrations. A lovely person. She will be missed.

Alfred J. Lewis
For the decade she was part of the paper I have to say, with absolutely no reservations, it ran like a Swiss watch. The clients loved her as well.

She always kept her private live private, but she had a great sense of humor and, try as I might, I could never get her goat. She was completely bullet proof, right up to the end.

Breezy loved guinea pigs, so I started sending her guinea pig videos on Instagram. I didn’t know what else to do, I knew things weren’t going well and I wanted to do something. Anything. She always seemed to enjoy them. I hope she did. I hope it made things a tiny bit easier.

I don’t pray and I gave up drinking so I can’t offer a toast. I’ll say I miss her and leave it at that.

From Reardon
With deep sorrow and much love, we mourn the passing of Deena “Breezy” Gledhill, who lost her courageous battle with cancer on August 22, 2022 at the age of 45.

Breezy was special from the day she was born. Making her debut on 7/7/77, Breezy’s arrival made the local newspaper in Burbank, California, where she was born to lucky parents, Denise and Don Gledhill. Breezy grew up in nearby Santa Clarita, graduating from Saugus High School in 1995 and going on to earn a BA from Chapman University.

In 2008, Breezy made the move to Ventura, California, where she immediately fell in love with the community. Breezy’s luminous spirit enabled her to develop authentic and lasting friendships wherever she went. From her first local job as a server at Mimi’s Cafe to her years working with The Ventura Breeze newspaper, Breezy built an army of friends who would forever be changed for the better, just for having known her. One of Breezy’s passions was working with the senior community. She spent much of her time being a chaperone on field trips and visiting her senior buddies, who she loved to spend hours with, listening to their stories from the past. Breezy cherished these moments and the bonds she made.

Breezy was a free spirit, who danced to the beat of her own drum and had a heart of gold… or perhaps tie-dye. In her free time, Breezy loved playing her Little Martin guitar and listening to the Beatles on Sunday mornings. Live music brought her joy, especially Tom Petty and Pearl Jam, and she was so proud to watch her brothers play throughout the years. The beach was her happy place, where she found beauty, inspiration, and solace. It was along the rocks at Surfer’s Point where Breezy first discovered that she had a raw talent for photography, capturing stunning pictures of both nature and people. Breezy’s greatest joy, however, came from spoiling her niece, Louvelle, and Breezy would revel in sharing Louvelle’s latest photo, or funny anecdote, with anyone she met.

Breezy’s sincerity, dedication to others, and empathy had an impact on every life she touched, which could be seen by the sheer number of old friends and new who reached out, dropped by to visit, and/or offered support to Breezy during her cancer fight. Her last two years were not easy but are a testament to Breezy’s strength and heart that she never stopped fighting and never allowed cancer to steal her love of life.

The world has lost an incredible human being, and she will be greatly missed.

Breezy is survived by her mother, Denise Gledhill, her brothers, Doug and Derek, her half-brother, Scott, her sister-in-law, Sheryle, and her niece, Louvelle.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to The Humane Society of Ventura County or The VCAAA Foundation. Arrangements are under the direction of the JOSEPH P. REARDON FUNERAL HOME & CREMATION SERVICE, Ventura.

The Ventura County Fair’s Board of Directors, management, and staff are proud to report that the 2022 Fair was a success. Celebrating the finest from throughout Ventura County, the 147th year picked up where it left off three years ago when the pandemic hit.  “Bringing the County’s only legacy event back and ensuring that it will continue to serve the community for generations to come was the goal of our staff as we endured three years of difficult uncertainty,” said CEO Barbara Quaid, “dedicated staff stepped to the plate creatively and with passion to keep the doors open and make sure the Fair gates opened this year.” Visitors came from near and far to enjoy “A Country Fair with Ocean Air” during the 12-day run, August 3 through August 14.

The Ventura County Fair’s mission is to preserve, promote, and showcase agriculture and the traditions of Ventura County, this was accomplished with competitive livestock and horse shows, agricultural exhibits and baking contests. The Junior Livestock Auction, held on Friday, August 12 was the culmination of yearlong livestock production projects for Ventura County Youth. Proceeds from the Auction are used to further their educations and the agriculture industry in Ventura County. At this year’s auction 291 lots were sold for a total of $1,500,000.

Total Attendance for 2022 was strong at 270, 486; a difference of -10.67% from 2019’s attendance of 302,783.

“For us the focus is never about the numbers of people coming into the gates, but about the quality of the experience our guests have and about the number of smiles we see as Fair visitors head home,” said CEO Barbara Quaid,  adding “We are grateful to have finally been able to bring the Fair back to our deserving community. We are committed to offering a clean, safe and fun experience that will create cherished memories that will last forever.”

Besides being a fun time, the Fair benefits the community in many ways. This year at our “Feed the Need” food drive for Food Share, we collected a total of 2,810 pounds of food and some cash donations, which will be used to purchase meals. Through these donations they will be able to provide a total of 2,401 (1.2lbs = 1 meal / $1 = 3 meals) meals to those experiencing food insecurity in Ventura County.

As is the case every year, overall success would not be possible without the tremendous support of the sponsors and the community. While the gates have closed on the 2022 Ventura County Fair, planning is already underway for the 2023 Fair.

Spectacular second-half goals gave the Ventura County Fusion their victory.

Spectacular second-half goals by Nathaniel Opoku and Marley Edwards gave the Ventura County Fusion a 2-1 victory Saturday night over the Long Island Rough Riders in the USL League Two national championship game in front of a packed house at Ventura College Stadium. It was the Fusion’s second national championship, the other coming in 2009.

The Fusion entered the 32-team tournament as the 5th seed in the Western Conference, after finishing second in the Southwest Division with an 8-2-2 record. The team, however, entered the title game having won eight straight games dating back to July 1. In the playoffs, the Fusion took out some of the best teams in the country including the Flatirons Rush, Southern California Seahorses,  Ballard FC and Flint City Bucks.  The Rough Riders, featuring east coast college players, advanced to the title game after winning the Eastern Conference with a record of 15-1-2.

After a scoreless first half, the Rough Riders tallied the first goal of the game at the 54-minute mark in the second. After dispossessing Fusion midfielder Bastien Oberli just past midfield, Justin Weiss took a through ball from Roc Carles Puig and slammed it past Fusion goal Tetsuya Kadono to give the Roughriders a 1-0 lead.

The lead did not last long. Five minutes later 16-year-old Fusion academy product Sergio Villapando drove down the right side of the field to the touchline before dumping a pass to Opoku directly to the right of the goal.  Opoku, with his back to goal, controlled the pass and floated a deftly weighted bicycle kick over goalie Wessel Speel’s head and into the Roughrider goal.

Marley Edwards doubled the Fusion lead in the 83d minute, firing a screamer into the bottom corner of the net to give the Fusion the lead and ultimately the championship.

“This has been a great journey,” said Fusion head coach Mike Elias after the game. “We shared it with a great group of boys, and this is the ultimate. I said to them the first day that we were in the training room that I wanted to win everything this year. Guess what, we won everything this year.  It’s absolutely superb. They surprised me, they stepped up to the challenge and they are just a fantastic group of boys.”

San Buenaventura Women’s Club members Shirley Lorraine (wearing a Breeze visor of curse), Anita Hensley and Janet Flickinger at their fair booth. The Disabled American Veterans of Ventura County has a plethora of information available to help veterans.

by Shirley Lorraine

Many changes have taken place as Fair management copes with the losses incurred from no fair for the last two years. This year involvement is light and there seems to be fewer entries, vendors and familiar touches overall. Nonetheless, it is good to be back at the Country Fair with Ocean Air.

Along the Garden Street entry, there are a series of tents. These tents contain volunteers from non-profit groups eager to catch people’s interest and disseminate information about their objectives and offerings.

This year, fairgoers are enthusiastically greeted by volunteers in bright blue shirts from the San Buenaventura Women’s Club. Members provide information to educate and entice interest in the philanthropic and social club that raises funds to give back to the community annually. The club offers a variety of social activities, including an evening section for those who are unable to attend day meetings The club supports arts and music programs in the high schools, law enforcement canines, provides veterans support and serves other local needs such as advocacy for children, domestic violence awareness and much more, for over 90 years. Ventura County also has Federated Women’s Clubs in Ojai, Oak View, Somis, Moorpark and Simi Valley. Anyone over 18 can join.

Across the way, there is a booth distributing information on N.A. – Narcotics Anonymous. Valuable information is available without charge. This year, for the first time, materials are available in both English and Spanish. Additional information can be found at naventuraCounty.com, or 1-888-817-7425.

Disabled American Veterans of Ventura County, a volunteer run organization, has a plethora of information available to help veterans and their families navigate the quagmire of paperwork needed to explore and gain benefits. Their national website is DAV.org. Search for the Ventura County chapter for information about local resources. Volunteers will chat, answer questions and gladly show memorabilia.

Offering a safe, calm and spiritually renewing experience is the Calvary Chapel of Ojai. They are featuring Prayer at the Fair, opportunities to share prayers with those who need some help from above for themselves or others. Pastor Dan Nelson is the coordinator for the effort, inviting all of similar faith to participate. There is no charge. Periodic prayer circles are offered as well. More information can be located at www.calgaryojai.org.

Also on scene is a booth for S.T.E.S.A., which stands for Service, Therapy & Emotional Support Animals. This organization provides advocacy and resources within Ventura County for those who need such animals. Founded by Pastor Nelson, this chapter is free to join while at the Fair, and free to renew annually. Services are currently within Ventura County only. This organization works closely with county and state level partners to maintain up to date resources and information. Their website, STESA.org, is currently being updated to include interactive capabilities.

The Garden Street entrance is across the way from Floriculture, and just before the livestock area. Come and visit.

The visual arts to play a new and substantive role at the Rubicon. Photos by Patricia Schallert

On July 21, the Rubicon Theatre Company, Ventura’s non-profit professional theatre company held an opening reception for the transformation of the Sandra and Jordan Laby Hall. As part of the re-envisioning, the downstairs hall has been fitted out with an industry-standard gallery hanging system, offering an opportunity for visual arts to play a new and substantive role at the Rubicon along with their wonderful performances. Piano music, wine, and light snacks were provided to fill out the wonderful evening.

It is to be called “The Rose Room” in honor of Ojai residents Amanda McBroom (Golden Globe Award-winning creator of the song “The Rose”) and George Ball. The two have been an integral part of Rubicon’s artistic history.

McBroom and Ball shared a statement, “The pre-christening of the Rose Room at the Rubicon and the unveiling of that glorious mural by Michael O’Kelly was an astounding moment for both of us. We were amazed by the beauty of the mural. And by the reality of such a splendid and intimate new space for art and music. We both love the Rubicon and our friends Karyl Lynn Burns, Jim O’Neil, and Bev and Kirby Ward.

The staff and Board selected internationally renowned local artist Michael O’Kelly to assist in the remodel. The result of the partnership is a showing of 24 pieces by O’Kelly (plus new murals by him featured on page 17). The show is entitled, “An Historical Eye” includes oil paintings, dye sublimations, and gold-leaf prints. O’Kelly was on hand to greet visitors and discuss his art (all of which is for sale).

This collaboration between one of the largest arts organizations in Ventura and a local artist is an example of how the 24-year-old Ventura institution reimagines its place in the community in the wake of the pandemic. O’Kelly has a long and storied history in the art world. A prodigy, Michael sold his first work of art at the age of nine.

Karyl Lynn Burns, Co-Founder and Producing Artistic Director at Rubicon, sums up the idea of the arts sector coming together, “There is enormous undeveloped potential in Ventura. We must think big and find innovative ways to strengthen our creative economy. The status quo won’t do.”

At the event, Rubicon Director of Outreach Beverly Ward also unveiled the partially painted mural by Michael O’Kelly which, when complete, will become a focal point for the room and a further reason for local residents from visitors throughout the world to come to Rubicon. The mural is the largest ever conceived by O’Kelly, with McBroom and Ball at the center (see page 17 to find out how you can be added to the mural).

Rubicon Theatre Company – Sandra and Jordan Laby Hall
1006 E. Main St. Ventura
Admission is free