Photo by Bernie Goldstein.
A Rancho Days Celebration was held at the historic Olivas Adobe in Ventura. The community life in the 1800s was celebrated as part of the 150th anniversary of the city of Ventura. Two visiting docents from the Heritage Square Museum in Los Angeles with Mrs. Olivas played by Joanne Abing on their left and Don Raymundo Olivas played by Ernie Calvillo on their right are in this photo.
For more photos go to www.venturabreeze.com
Photo by Michael Gordon
Trophies were awarded to the winners at the Ventura City Council Meeting held on Monday, March 14.
The Parade theme was “Celebrating 150 Years of Ventura’s History.” The parade Grand Marshal was the descendants of Ventura’s historic families the Chumash, E.P. Foster, Olivas, Smith Hobson and Petit and Harrison Moraga families.
For a list of the winners go to www.venturastpatricksdayparade.com
Ventura Chamber President and CEO Stephanie Caldwell holds the ribbon while Councilwoman Cheryl Heitmann cuts it at open house.
By Sheri Long-Vista Real Community Liaison
Although Vista Real’s downtown Ventura location opened in July, we officially celebrated with an Open House and Ribbon Cutting Ceremony on Thursday, March 10th. Students, staff, and community members were all invited to tour our facility, meet with school and student leadership and enjoy some good food and good fun with the local Scratch food truck and Q104.7 live on location!
Vista Real is a free, independent study high school diploma program, currently serving approximately 1,000 students in the Ventura County Region and throughout our six school resource centers located in Ventura, Camarillo, Simi Valley, Oxnard and Santa Paula. Students that were previously at risk of dropping out, find a whole new way of learning at Vista Real with one on one teaching, on site computer labs and readily available, free tutoring from 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM. Vista Real staff and teachers work diligently with students to create a positive learning environment where in students are successful each and every day.
Students have stated that our schools allow for “flexibility,” they assist with keeping students “on track” and “focus on students’ individual needs giving everyone the right amount of attention.” Students ages 14-19 may enroll at any Vista Real location. We also accept those youth ages 20-23, who have aged out of a comprehensive high school and are still interested in obtaining their high school diploma.
These opportunity youth are given a second chance at success while placed in a workforce program with the ability to obtain their high school diploma and job skills at the same time. Vista Real strives to create strong community ties, positive relations with service organizations, and course offerings in varying Career Technical Education fields.
Upon graduation, we work with our students to place them in areas of interest for jobs, internships or offer personal assistance with college applications and financial aid. In the words of one Vista Real student, “It’s an amazing place to be, and an amazing place to learn.” For more information please visit us at VRCH.org or call (877) 360-LEARN.
In major news in the newspaper industry it has been announced that the Ventura Breeze has purchased the VC Star for $10,500,000 cash. Respecting the history of the Star Free Press the paper will be renamed the Star Breeze Press. Sheldon Brown will be publisher, president, CEO and CIA and Savana Brown has been named editor. The Savana selection was a surprise because it was thought that Professor Scamp would be chosen as editor. Scamp has hired an attorney to investigate whether his age (almost 14) was the reason he was not given that position.
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.
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.
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.
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.
66′ catamaran Extreme H20 in the Harbor set to sail
Photo by George Robertson
Community College Volleyball Tournament in the Harbor – Ventura, Bakersfield and Pierce College Girls Teams
Photo by George Robertson
