Category Archives: Featured News

Ventura Chamber installs new board

2016 Executive Committee members James Perero, Steven Brown, Jeff Hata, Charnell Smith, Greg Van Ness, and Greg Gillespie. (Not pictured: Sam Benner and Matthew Graczyk)

The Ventura Chamber of Commerce held its Annual Meeting and Board Installation on Wednesday, Jan. 20 at The Pierpont Inn.  The event was attended by business members, City officials and dignitaries including Ventura City Council Member Cheryl Heitmann; Brad Hudson, Congresswoman Julia Brownley’s Office; Angelica Cisneros, Assembly member Das Williams’ Office; Michael MacDonald, Senator Hannah‐Beth Jackson’s Office; and Steve Offerman, Supervisor Steve Bennett’s Office.

Outgoing Board Chair, Saurabh Bajaj presented an overview and highlights of the Chamber’s many programs and accomplishments over the past year, thanking the Chamber members, Board, and staff for their support and contributions.

During the year, the Chamber increased its value in the business community through focus on partnerships with a variety of organizations and enhanced the visibility of the Chamber in the business community through increased attendance at Chamber and community functions. The Chamber became more proactive in advocacy for business and grew its focus on economic development.  Education partnerships continued to be a source of pride with the Chamber’s Teacher of the Month and Principal for a Day programs, and through Leadership Ventura.

Bajaj also highlighted some key numbers which included the organization’s success in recruiting 120 new members, attracting nearly 2000 attendees to its major functions, and offering more than 170 opportunities for business networking and connections.

During Bajaj’s term, the Chamber also experienced a leadership transition with the hiring of the new President and CEO, Stephanie Caldwell, who began her tenure in late April.

James Perero, incoming Board Chair, presented his vision and the Chamber’s theme for 2016 – “Advocating for Business; Helping Ventura Thrive.” Perero outlined the four key focal points of the Chamber as he addressed the goals for the coming year. Perero’s plan includes working with the City of Ventura to improve the development process;  increasing diversity and engaging with businesses in all areas of the city geographically, ethnically and by industry sector;  recruiting hyper‐growth entrepreneurs to start, grow and expand here in Ventura;  and finally engaging with on the homeless issue. Outgoing Chamber Senior Director, Randy Hinton, installed the new Chamber Board Directors. Among the newly installed Directors were James Perero, Sam Benner, Steven Brown, Matthew Graczyk, Greg Gillespie, Jeff Hata, Charnell Smith, Greg Van Ness and Saurabh Bajaj.

Some Ventura Chamber businesses were also recognized for being long‐time members, including Ventura Trophy Company, member for 50 years, and 25‐year members Anchor Printing & Graphics, Assistance League of Ventura County, Gold Coast Recycling, Kiwanis Club of Ventura, Nicoll Insurance and Financial Services, and Whisenhunt Communications.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Surfrider Foundation Ventura County Chapter Meeting Tues. Feb. 2nd

Guest Speakers on Pervasive Plastics in our Sandy Beach Ecosystem

Surfrider welcomes the public to join us at our first general chapter meeting for 2016 on Tuesday February 2nd from 6:30 to 8:30 at Patagonia / Great Pacific Iron Works.

The chapter meeting will cover local program and campaign updates and feature a guest presentation by a research team from the California State University at Channel Islands. Dr. Clare Steele,  and seniors Michaela Miller, and Dorothy Horn will be on hand to present their capstone project research on pervasive plastics in our sandy beach ecosystem.  These are plastics you can’t see or pick up, but are being found throughout our environment.

Michaela is studying the composition and seasonal fluctuation of plastic particle contamination off of our coasts to give us a better understanding of where it comes from and how to manage it. Recent recipient of a WRPI-USDA research grant, Dorothy Horn has found both micro fibers and plastic particles in sand crabs off our coast and is studying the effects of this human caused pollution on these organisms and the effects on the adjacent sandy beach ecosystems.

As California votes in November 2016 for a statewide plastic checkout bag ban (vote YES!), news about plastic pollution popping up in odd places such as sand crabs is alraming. Join Surfrider’s Rise Above Plastics program to help fight the waves of plastic pollution.

Another focus for Surfrider in Ventura this year is raising awareness of the need to bring down Matilija Dam as a major step toward the natural rehabilitation of Surfrer’s Point. Come out to the chapter meeting to learn more about all of our local programs and campaigns.

WHAT ELSE CAN BE DONE TO HELP?

The list is endless, but you can pitch in at the Surfrider beach cleanup at Ormond Beach from 9am-11am on Saturday February 27th. Visit www.facebook.com/venturasurfrider for updates on all of these events and more.

The Surfrider Foundation is a non-profit grassroots organization dedicated to the protection and enjoyment of oceans, waves and beaches through a powerful activist network. ventura.surfrider.org                              

Join us for Day 2 of the STEAM + ASPIRE3 event at Foothill Technology High School Sat. Jan. 30th

Join us for Day 2 of the STEAM + ASPIRE3 event this Saturday, January 30th from 1:30-3:00 at Foothill Technology High School in Spirito Hall.
Ventura Unified Middle School students from Ancapa, Balboa, Cabrillo, DeAnza (DATA) and Sunset have teamed up with mentors from Foothill Technology High School to design a website and video where students use STEAM to solve some of the biggest social and community challenges we face today. We look forward to being inspired by our students’ vision of a brighter future and encourage you to attend during their public presentations.
For directions to Foothill Technology High School: http://foothilltechnology.org/about-us/contact-us-location-map/
For more information about each of the participating schools: http://www.venturausd.org/Schools.aspx
To learn more about Aspire3:

Community members invited to attend a Groundwater Sustainability Agency (GSA) Formation Committee Stakeholder Meeting, Jan. 28 at 6pm

What:   Stakeholder forum – Upper Ventura River (UVRB) Groundwater Sustainability Agency (GSA) Formation Committee
When:  Thursday, January 28, 2016 6pm to 8:30pm
Where:  Oak View Community Center, 18 Valley Road, Oak View CA 93022
Who:  Open to the public and interested community members

A public stakeholder forum is scheduled to provide an opportunity for interested stakeholders to learn more about the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA), the Groundwater Sustainability Agency (GSA), the Groundwater Sustainability Plans (GSPs) process, and provide targeted feedback to the Upper Ventura River Basin (UVRB) GSA Formation Committee on its plans and proposed actions to become a GSA.  The meeting will be held on Thursday, January 28, 2016 at 6:00 P.M. at the Oak View Community Center, 18 Valley Road in Oak View.

The five local agencies currently working together to form a Groundwater Sustainability Agency include the Meiners Oaks Water District, Ventura River Water District, Casitas Municipal Water District, City of Ventura, and the Ventura County Watershed Protection District.

The initial outreach meeting held back in April 2015 provided background on the groundwater basin and allowed the public an opportunity to discuss ideas and voice concerns about the formation of a GSA.   The January 28 meeting will dig deeper into the process and purpose of the SGMA and how stakeholders can participate in the future GSA.  Time will be provided for participants to give feedback and input as well as ask questions and discuss any aspect of the GSA Formation Committee’s activities.

For information regarding this new agency, or to receive emails about future updates on the Agency formation, please call or e-mail Bert Rapp, General Manager, Ventura River Water District at (805) 646-3403, [email protected].

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.

Healthy Women’s Program receives funds

Back row: Michael Ellingson, Lydia Hopps, Lynn Jacobs and Mel Sheeler.
Front row: Judie Sweet, Karen Portlock and Patty Jimenez at fundraising tournament.

The Saticoy Regional Women’s Golf Club recently held its “Tee Off 4 the Cure” fundraising tournament, with proceeds going to the Community Memorial Health System “Healthy Women’s Program.”

Saticoy Country Club has a long tradition of raising money in support of finding a cure for cancer. The CMHS Healthy Women’s Program offers breast cancer screening and treatment, and cervical cancer screening and vaccine to women in our community who lack access to pay for these life-saving exams.

Judie Sweet, Saticoy Club President and Karen Portlock, Tournament Chair, presented members of the Community Memorial Healthcare Foundation with a check for $6,700 for the Healthy Women’s Program. The donation is in addition to the $4,200 the SRWGC raised at its 2014 fundraiser.

For more information about the CMHS Healthy Women’s Program, visit http://www.cmhshealth.org/distinction/healthywomen or call 651-2661.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dee Dowell Memorial Scholarship Award

Alex Brunk was a 2015 scholarship winner who received $3.500 from the VPOA.

The Ventura Police Officers Association (VPOA) is accepting applications for the 13th annual Dee Dowell Memorial Scholarship. The scholarships will be presented in June to honor Sergeant Darlon “Dee” Dowell, who was shot and killed on August 7, 1978. Sergeant Dowell is the only officer in Ventura’s history to die in the line of duty.

In selecting scholarship recipients, the VPOA will consider academic achievement, school and community service, and financial needs. Applications must contain all required information and be returned no later than April 23, 2016. Incomplete applications will not be considered.

Scholarship Awards:
1st Place $5,000.00
2nd Place $3,500.00
3rd Place $2,000.00
Honorable Mention(s) $500.00

Applicants must:

  • Be entering his/her freshman through senior year in college;
  • Plan a course of study related to the field of public service;
  • Ventura resident or have graduated from a high school in Ventura within the past three years;
  • Have a grade point average of 3.0 or better (based on a 4.0 system);
  • Maintain a grade point average of 3.0 or better if selected as a recipient;
  • Submit a resume of school and community activities, including a copy of transcripts through the most recent semester;
  • Submit an essay of 1000 words or less on “Service, what it means to me”;
  • Submit a letter of recommendation from a public servant.

For additional information please contact Officer Cameron Goettsche at 339-4462 or [email protected].  Applications are also available at the front desk of the Ventura Police Department at 1425 Dowell Dr., Ventura, CA 93003 or for download at www.venturapoa.com.