Ventura County Supervisor Matt LaVere, Ventura City Councilmember and Rubicon Board President Doug Halter, State Senator Monique Limón, Rubicon Co-Founder and Artistic Director Karyl Lynn Burns and State Assemblymember Steve Bennett with a big check. Photo by Lauren Haar.

On Saturday, December 9, California State Senator Monique Limón and Assemblymember Steve Bennett presented a check for $1.5 million to Rubicon Theatre Company.

“The arts are an essential part of our lives,” said Senator Limón, “and Rubicon Theatre has been dedicated to providing access to the performing arts and educational opportunities in Ventura County for 25 years.”

“I’ve had the pleasure of being a season ticket holder to the Rubicon Theatre for nearly two decades,” said Assemblymember Bennett. “The contributions the theatre makes to our community are enormous, and this investment will allow the Rubicon to expand their impact.”

“This gift is the most significant in Rubicon’s history, and we could never fully express our gratitude to Senator Monique Limón, Assemblymember Steve Bennett, Governor Newsom and the State of California,” says Rubicon Co-Founder and Producing Artistic Director Karyl Lynn Burns. “It comes at the perfect time as we celebrate our Silver Anniversary and begin to plan for ways Rubicon as an institution can serve future generations of Ventura and California residents.”

“The funds provided will help us create an accessibility plan, upgrade our technical equipment and complete a kitchen renovation which will enable us to expand and diversify our programming and encourage new audiences and participants to ‘cross the Rubicon.”

“This is an incredible endorsement from the State of California of Rubicon’s 25-year impact on the cultural, artistic and educational life of our region and bodes well for the future,” says Board President Doug Halter.

“ I am moved not only by the professional work on stage, but also by Rubicon’s commitment to providing opportunities for young people that didn’t exist before the company came into existence. We gratefully accept this incredible gift and we want to thank you, Monique, for heroically leading the charge, and you, Steve, for being a part of the Rubicon family since the beginning.”

Because of this support the Rubicon will be able to complete a commercial kitchen downstairs ,which means that in the spring, the will have cabaret, comedy and music on off-nights and events in the Rose Room downstairs.

This funding will also allow the buying of lights, sounds and projection equipment and save the company hundreds of thousands of dollars in rentals.

And finally, funds are available to create the plans and start a campaign for an outdoor terrace, accessible restrooms and parking.

Rubicon Theatre Company is located at The Karyn Jackson Theatre, located at 1006 E. Main Street in Ventura’s Downtown Cultural District.

These young athletes demonstrate unwavering dedication to their sport.

In the heart of Ventura County, an unassuming youth soccer team is quietly making waves on the national stage. These young athletes, representing the club team TFA (Total Futbol Academy), are between the ages of 9 and 10 years old, yet they have already demonstrated exceptional skill, unwavering dedication, and a passion for the sport that rivals their more seasoned counterparts.

At the helm of this remarkable team is head coach Jose (Pepe) Ibarra, a local business owner and soccer enthusiast who has been guiding the team since 2022. With his infectious enthusiasm and deep knowledge of the game, Coach Ibarra has instilled in his players a winning mentality, a deep appreciation for sportsmanship, and a love for the beautiful game.

Alongside him is Assistant Coach Arturo Zaragoza, a soccer expert and Director of Financial Equity Programs at Ventura County Credit Union. Coach Zaragoza brings his vast soccer experience and commitment to equitable opportunities to the team, ensuring that every player, regardless of background, has the chance to excel.

Both coaches volunteer their time and effort, driven by a shared passion for soccer and a belief in the power of sports to transform lives. Their dedication has allowed the team to compete at the highest level without compromising their principles of fairness and accessibility.

Coach Ibarra’s philosophy revolves around treating his players as soccer players, not children. He challenges them with advanced concepts, believing that their young minds are capable of absorbing and applying complex strategies. This approach has proven highly effective, leading to impressive results on the field.

The TFA team competes as a flight 1 team in southern California, consistently securing victories in major tournaments across Nevada, California, and most recently, a second-place finish in Arizona. They strategically select only the top tournaments in different states, competing against the best teams in their age group. This commitment to facing the toughest competition has undoubtedly fueled their growth and success.

These young athletes demonstrate unwavering dedication to their sport, committing to rigorous training schedules of 3-4 times a week, coupled with weekend tournaments that often require extensive travel. They embrace the challenges and sacrifices, driven by a shared passion for soccer and a desire to compete at the highest level. Their hard work and determination are evident in their impressive performances on the field.

Who are these athletes??? Adrian Torres, Angel Garcia, Alexander Zaragoza, Carlos Esquivel, Enrique Cristales, Giovanny Ruiz, Isaac Meza, Maximiliano Ibarra, Pedro Rodriguez, and Gael Thiago Munguia.

The TFA team of Ventura County serves as an inspiration to young athletes everywhere, demonstrating that with hard work, dedication, and the guidance of passionate coaches, anything is possible. Their success on the field is a testament to their talent, determination, and the unwavering support of their coaches and families. The TFA team’s story is a reminder that even in the face of adversity, with hard work, dedication, and the support of a community, anything is possible. They serve as an inspiration to young athletes everywhere, demonstrating that with passion, perseverance, and the guidance of committed coaches, dreams can become a reality.

Girl Scouts of California’s Central Coast serves over 8,800 girls across six counties.

The Girl Scouts of California’s Central Coast (GSCCC) welcomes all to experience an enchanting Winter Wonderland this Holiday Season at Camp Arnaz. Immerse yourself in the sights of thousands of twinkling lights and holiday music as Camp Arnaz is transformed into a fantastic festival featuring dazzling lights, holiday horses, Santa’s elves, and delightful treats. Guests are welcome for an evening of holiday festivities each Friday and Saturday night of December from 5:00 pm – 9:00 pm.

Get lost in the magic as you walk through an icicle bridge, walls of wreaths, and twinkling snowflakes dancing to the tune of your holiday favorites. Families will also have plenty of activities to enjoy. Indulge in a feast of festive foods, create crafts to be cherished for a lifetime, meet our holiday horses, and of course, grab a photo with Santa & Ms. Claus!!! Walk the new light path feature built by local Girl Scouts under the direction of Cal Poly University engineering students. This new feature is a fun interactive path that lights up as guests walk on it! All these wonders and more await guests at the signature event of the season Winter Wonderland!

The proceeds of this event will benefit the Girl Scouts of California’s Central Coast in advancing our nonprofit mission to help build girls of courage, confidence, and character who make the world a better place.

There are sponsorship opportunities if you would like to help Girl Scouts of California’s Central Coast spread holiday joy to the local community and make this an even more magical event.

Tickets are now on sale for the event which will be held at the Monarch Breeding & Research Institute at Camp Arnaz, 155 Sulphur Mountain Rd, Ventura, CA 93001. To learn more about this upcoming event, purchase tickets, and view sponsorship opportunities, please visit gswinterwonderland.com or contact [email protected] for more information.

Girl Scouts of California’s Central Coast serves over 8,800 girls across six counties and is committed to making the Girl Scout Leadership Experience available to girls in ways that impact their lives both in the moment and into the future. Girls participate in troops, individual projects, council events, day camps, resident camps and more. A variety of leadership, outdoor skills, and Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) based programs and events provide girls with opportunities to learn and explore in fun and informative ways. To join or volunteer in Santa Cruz, San Benito, Monterey, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara or Ventura County, visit: http://www.girlscoutsccc.org.

Hannah, Gabe, Megan , Kaitlyn and “Julie” will be completely unassisted until the finish line.

by Patricia Schallert

The World’s Toughest Row starts in June each year with up to 20 teams participating from around the world. The annual edition of this race sees teams from all over the world starting from the historic harbor of Monterey, California, following the path of many adventurers and explorers who find the exhilarating challenge of rowing. An incredible atmosphere of apprehension and excitement is guaranteed during the pre-race period as teams complete their final preparations to set off to row across the mid-Pacific Ocean. A finish line as unique as Hanalei Bay on the island of Kaua’i is hard to beat as the backdrop to what will be the most incredible, once in a lifetime adventure.

Four women are training in the Ventura, Harbor now for this epic adventure across the Pacific Ocean in support of The Women’s Sports Foundation and Hawaii Domestic Violence Action Center. With a distance of 2800 miles, “The Worlds Toughest Row” is considered to be one of the most difficult races on the water.

The four women will be competing in the race class.  Their boat is 28 feet long and weighs 2,000 pounds. The boat is named “Julie” after Gabe and Megan’s mother. who was the girl’s biggest cheerleader and a huge supporter of equity in sports for women. The boat is a Rannoch R45 Elite ocean rowing boat, powered by solar energy and this will be the boat’s second crossing.

Hannah, Gabe, Megan , Kaitlyn and “Julie” will be completely unassisted until the finish line in Hawaii. These four women are also competing in the challenge of beating the worlds’ record, by launching on June 12th and expecting to land in Hawaii in mid July, 30 days later.

The current world’s record is 34 days for women. The women will face a long journey with challenges of 40-foot waves, extreme temperature, marine life encounter, sea sickness, and weight loss. Collectively, the team will row over 1.5 million strokes.

They will have a weather navigator on land alerting them of storms and weather-related changes.

With a rowing background, Hannah Byrd is looking forward to the “daring odyssey that demands unwavering determination and physical strength”.

Kaitlyn Piltz , navigator and steering, added that this challenge will be “an unshakable spirit of adventure, proving that gender is no barrier to conquering the mighty Pacific.”

Female ocean rowers who take on the monumental challenge, inspire others with their bravery and tenacity, reminding us that the human spirit knows no gender boundaries in the pursuit of adventure and exploration.

A fund raiser for Rowing Oceans for Women will be on December 2nd hosted by The Seaward Brewery located on Goodyear Ave. in Ventura. Call 805-302-6404 for more information. Music at the Rowing for women  fundraiser will be performed by the band Moxie Raven. The event will start at 4 o’clock until  9 o’clock.

Historic Washington School. Photo courtesy of San Buenaventura Conservancy Archives

by San Buenaventura Conservancy for Preservation

The San Buenaventura Conservancy for Preservation will hold a public update meeting about progress on the nomination of the Ventura Unified School District Historic Washington School Buildings to the National Register of Historic Places. The meeting will be on Thursday, November 16th at 6 p.m. at Grace Church Cooper Hall, 65 McMillan Avenue, Ventura. The Conservancy is in support of the preservation and adaptive reuse of the historic Washington School Buildings in midtown Ventura, and is in the process of nominating the school buildings to the National Register of Historic Places.

Washington School was built in 1925 and served as a Ventura Unified School District (VUSD) school until it was closed in 1983. The private Ventura County Christian school, which occupied the site in recent years, has relocated to a new campus near Ventura College. The property is currently vacant. It is included on the Ventura Unified School District (VUSD) surplus properties list, which makes the property potentially available to be sold or redeveloped.

The National Register listing will make it clear to potential developers or speculators that the school buildings should be preserved and reused as a part of any development on the property. Additionally, after designation, the school buildings will be eligible for lucrative state and federal preservation tax credits and listing allows the use of the California Historic Building Code to facilitate rehabilitation.

Washington Elementary School is eligible under Criterion A because of its association with Education in Ventura.

The Washington Elementary School building is also eligible under Criterion C and is a good and rare example of an educational building redesigned in response to earthquake safety concerns in the city of Ventura.

The buildings at Washington School are eligible under Criterion C with a period of significance of 1935 and 1941.The Main Building and Auditorium at Washington Elementary School are examples of the Mediterranean-style as applied to education buildings and streamlined for the needs of earthquake safety and as works of master architect Harold E. Burket.

The nomination process by the Conservancy must be completed by March 1, 2024. Preliminary work done before the involvement of the Conservancy was useful and provided a foundation for future work on the project. The Conservancy expects up to $7,000 more in expenses to complete the Nomination. The Washington School Nomination Fund has been established by the Conservancy to accept gifts restricted to this project. Over $3,000 has been donated to the Fund to date. Expenses include the completion of the research and the analysis of the Washington School historic records at the Museum of Ventura County, Ventura Unified School District (VUSD) archives and the State Architect’s Office. Additionally, there will be Conservancy expenses to present the Nomination at the State Historic Resources Commission meeting in Sacramento in early 2024.

To learn more about the nomination process and about the special Buenaventura Conservancy Washington School Nomination Fund go to https://sbconservancy.org/washington-school.

Harold Escher Burket was a prolific Ventura-based architect who spent over 40 years designing primarily commercial and institutional projects throughout Ventura County, including the Spanish Colonial Revival-style Community Presbyterian Church and the Zig Zag Moderne-style Firestone Tire Store. Burket had a particular interest in school design—specifically the importance of light and air to a healthy learning environment—as evidenced in his many schools in Ventura County.