CAPS Media crews covered the fire department open houses.

Fall is in the air. School is open. Election season is here. CAPS and KPPQ are rockin’.

CAPS Media crews have stayed busy throughout the summer covering events and producing productions for the City, County and the community at large. In August CAPS was InThe House for Ventura Fire Department’s Community Meetings and Workshops.

At City Hall, every week CAPS directs coverage of multiple meetings, many in a hybrid format, providing access and information for the entire citizenry. Meetings include City Council, Planning Commission and others. Many are live on CAPS Channel 15 and livestreamed on the City site.

CAPS crews also documented the recent City General Plan and Design Review Committee meetings held at the Museum of Ventura County and the Poinsettia Pavilion on August 30 & 31.  Both meetings are posted on the City YouTube page.

Currently CAPS’ focus is assisting the City Public Information team with the production of Mayor Rubalcava’s 2022 State of the City presentation which will be shown on Thursday, September 22 at the Chamber of Commerce breakfast at the Crowne Plaza.

CAPS crews have been busy producing videos updates on the relocation of the Downtown Farmers Market to Main Street, the opening of the new, 2nd entrance to Community Park and other projects.  Currently in the works are video projects for VPD and other City divisions.

CAPS is also working with Ventura County on their production of the 2022 State of the County presentation scheduled for November 2. At the same time CAPS continues working with the County Registrar’s office on materials for the upcoming election, County Public Works on a training video and County Fire on a training video.

With the school year starting the newest class of ECTV students have begun their training at the CAPS Media Center.  Every Friday the ECTV teenagers take over the center under the guidance of master mentor Phil Taggart. Along with the training and ongoing productions, CAPS and ECTV are collaborating on a unique project this election season.  All candidates for City Council and VUSD board seats are invited to record a campaign message and be interviewed by ECTV students in the CAPS Studio. These videos will be given to the candidates for their use. In addition, CAPS will include various election forums on Channel 6 as part of the regular election programming.

Longstanding CAPS and KPPQ member Kathleen Good, an outstanding radio DJs, was featured in the Breeze in the last issue. Check it out. KPPQ continues to fill the radio airwaves with terrific local programs including Kathleen’s “In the Women’s Room” featuring interviews with local experts, historians and more. Pam Baumgardner’s “The Pam Baumgardner Music Hour” features the many talented local artists. Pam and Kathy are also valued members of the CAPS Media Board of Directors. Mark’s “The Pure Rock” brings rock to all and has developed an international following. Nadine Piche produces Ventura Vibe! featuring many local treasures of the community. Doc Ventura brings the best of blues to the KPPQ audience. Tune in to 104.1 FM, the CAPS Media Radio page and the myTuner app. Check out the podcast page located on the radio page of CAPSMedia.org.

The CAPS Media Executive Board continues to play it safe and has decided to hold off on reopening the CAPS Media Center to the public. The CAPS team misses the collaboration and comradery of being together in the center and working directly with the public. However, for now, everyone accepts the trade off and will remain closed and revisit this issue at the end of the year.

Sea lions enjoying a cool day at the docks at Ventura Harbor. Photos by Patricia Schallert

As sea lions are taking over some of our docks with their loud barking and poop the question is what can be done to remove them? Not much.

The Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972 provides federal protection not only to harbor seals, but also to northern elephant seals, California and Steller sea lions, whales, porpoises, sea otters and other marine mammals. This law prohibits killing or harassing these shy creatures in any manner. It’s illegal to harass, feed, hunt, capture, collect or kill these animals.

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), in recent years the populations of these animals have increased dramatically and are now considered healthy and robust.

On Sept. 3 & 4, the 14th annual Aloha Beach Festival was held at Promenade Park Surfers Point in Ventura. The event featured live entertainment, surfing, arts & crafts, food and beer, Hawaiian dancers and the C-Street Classic surf competition.

It is the brainchild of Chipper “Bro” Bell, a 12-time world Frisbee champion. The Aloha Beach Festival was designed to give back to our local social and environmental organizations. Chipper and his family each year choose a charity organization and they volunteer for them for one year. Each
year the Festival has grown in size and scope and brings the community together to share the aloha spirit. This year’s proceeds went to benefit the Merito Foundation.

The Taste of Local is Back!

Totally Local VC the Farm to Fork experts invites you to join them at this years

4th Annual Taste of Local event on Sunday, Sept 11, at the beautiful lawns of Ventura County Credit Unions Corporate office in Ventura. All food and samples are included in the admission price.

The Taste of Local is about bringing together farmers, chefs and community to celebrate our local harvest and the diversity of great food we have right here in Ventura County. It’s sure to be the epicurean event of the year! Over 60 area chefs, wineries, brewers, farmers and purveyors are expected to showcase their expertise during the 4th annual Taste of Local event.

Ventura County agriculture helps to feed our community and the world.

Ventura County is one of the top agricultural producers in the world and that translates into one of the best cuisine scenes that Californian has to offer. Locally grown, locally produced and locally owned are some of the key ingredients at the Taste of Local Festival. Guests have an opportunity to meet and chat with chefs, farmers and purveyors as they taste and learn about the bounty that is Ventura County.

Stop in to booths like the locally grown build your own strawberry short cake bar. Sponsored by the California Strawberry commission, Limoneira lemonade stand and our locally sourced grazing stations.

Taste, sample and sit back and enjoy the sounds of the Rose Valley Thorns and Spencer the Gardener

The Taste of Local showcases local brewers at its “Home Brew Challenge”. Guests sample and vote for there favorites as local brewers compete for top awards for the best home brews in the county.

Competing Ventura County bartenders will craft drinks from local grown ingredients. Attendees will sip (sample size) cocktails made from local farm-fresh ingredients and vote for their favorite. The winning cocktail will be crowned Ventura Counties signature cocktail and be featured at local restaurants throughout Ventura County.Edible Ojai, Ventura County magazine hosts the Farm to Fork Education Tent!

Don’t miss the workshops hosted by some of very own local experts!

We always offer a diverse selection of workshops at the event such as Brewing 101, Coffee Bean to Cup and cooking demos by Sweet Arleen’s.

Ventura County is known as one of the top agricultural producers in the world and that translates into one of the best cuisine scenes that California has to offer. Locally grown, locally produced and locally owned are some of the key ingredients in this year’s Taste of Local event.

More information on the Taste of Local:

https://totallylocalvc.com/taste-of-local-festival About Totally Local VC’s Agricultural Education Foundation.

Wings Over Camarillo was much more than airplanes. Photos by Yana Khiyod and Patricia Schallert

The premier air show on the central coast of California, Wings Over Camarillo, returned for its 41st year on Saturday, August 20, and Sunday, August 21. This aviation-themed, highly entertaining, and educational event featured aerobatic performances, parachute teams, military aircraft, helicopter rides, classic car show, STEM pavilion and food and drink. Held at the Camarillo Airport it celebrated Women in Aviation. It was presented by the Oxnard Auto Center.

A “Notable Women in Aviation” exhibit, that will remain permanently on display in the Commemorative Air Force Hangar, was introduced this year. The display includes a timeline of women’s firsts in aviation history, beginning with Jeanne Labrosse of France, the first woman to pilot any aircraft solo—a balloon—in 1798, and ending with Jessica Watkins, the first African American female astronaut at the International Space Station 2022.

Wings Over Camarillo is presented by Camarillo Wings Association(CWA) that promotes aviation and its heritage, while inspiring youth with aviation related programs, education and leadership opportunities.

CWA has donated over $521,000 in the past 11 years to local non-profits, promoting youth in science and aviation. “I want everybody to have fun,” said Bill Thomas, Wings Over Camarillo air boss. Two distinguished local aviators lead the event as grand marshals: CDR Colette Lazenka and Martha Phillips.

Community Memorial Hospital’s CCU/ICU Nurse’s Reunion
by Jennifer Tipton

On Saturday, July 30^th a group of old CMH nurses (not that any of us are old) gathered at the very lovely home of one of our own, Andrea Ricketts. Many hadn’t seen each other for years, so it was indeed a celebration! I am honored to have worked with these outstanding nurses, and when asked to share the event with the Ventura Breeze readers, I thought—let’s do it Person to Person style!

I asked six of the best CCU/ICU nurses:
“What’s your fondest memory of working in the unit at CMH?”

Andrea Ricketts
1986-2002 / returning 2008-present
“Caring for a young woman with Guillain-Barre syndrome; the young woman was the mother of two and ended up needing a ventilator to breathe. Because she couldn’t move her extremities, I laid the babies on their mother’s chest and picked up her arms to wrap around them. There were tears coming down her face and I knew how much it meant to her to hold them.”
(Author’s note: Guillain-Barre is a rare but serious autoimmune disorder with a rapid-onset of muscle weakness. It damages the peripheral nervous system, beginning in the extremities and progresses until it eventually affects the patient’s ability to breathe.)

Sonia Rieder
1996-present
“My favorite memory is when I met and married Randy, a physical therapist. He was working with my patient in ICU bed 8 and the patient had multiple IV lines. He asked me to help because he didn’t want to mess up my lines. Most PTs just go in and mess up everybody’s lines, but he was so thoughtful!”

Shirley Barela
1980-present (Forty-two years in the unit and still going!)
“Taking care of a young guy with a heart valve repair. The surgery started at 7:30 a.m. and didn’t end until midnight. He was on a ventricular assist device when I got him at midnight, it was 1982. I found out later that he died in that same room after his last surgery. He was waiting for a heart transplant.”

Merci Buhain
1982-2018
“Taking care of a patient that was over 400 pounds in ICU bed 7 (you know-the one that’s haunted). I had to use a footstool to stand on and needed help turning him. He was also on isolation, so we had to gown up every time we went in the room. I had him two nights in a row for continuity of care, and I remember crying at the end of my shift both times. He recovered and got discharged.”
(Author’s note: Didn’t I say fondest memory? But hey, at least this one retired and now happily takes care of her grandkids!)

Carolyn Estrada
1977-2008
“My favorite memory is when the nightshift nurses advocated for a twenty-five-year-old woman with cardiomyopathy. Her heart was so weak that the physicians said there was nothing they could do—she was done. But the nurses said no! We’ve got to save her! Because the nurses insisted, they put her on a ventricular assist device and sent her to UCLA. She came back several months later and said that she didn’t remember any of us, but thanked us for saving her life. She had fully recovered without needing a heart transplant. Even the physician had tears in his eyes. I am so thankful to have worked with so many nurses that truly cared about their patients, it can be a life changing event.”

Sue Kulpaca
1986-2005 / returning 2017-present
“I cared for the first HIV patient we had. He was in ICU bed 6 and because the rooms for bed 6 and bed 7 were connected, we used the room for bed 7 to change. We had to gown up for the HIV isolation room, with shoe covers and the whole bit. I took care of him every time I was on because no one wanted to. The curtain to the room was always wide open and it was like a fishbowl. When the patient’s partner came to visit, they had no privacy, so I finally closed the curtain to let them have some time together. Tearful. Close to my heart with a gay brother. So sad the way we treat some…”

I had a similar experience. In those days we knew so little about HIV/AIDS that many of us were frightened by it. You can read about it in my upcoming book:

“Off The Chart – A Nurse’s Journey of Heart and Humor.”