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Up Close and Personal with Bob Eubanks

Bob Eubanks is best known for hosting the Newlywed Game.

Museum of Ventura County presents “Ivor Davis: Up Close and Personal with Bob Eubanks”

April 28, 2022, from 6:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. at 100 E Main Street in Ventura and via Zoom

Bob Eubanks is best known for hosting the explosively popular, “The Newlywed Game.” Guests are welcomed in-person at the Museum’s Ventura campus on 100 E Main St., and virtually through Zoom. For more information and registration, please visit: venturamuseum.org.

Reporter Ivor Davis continues his interview series at the Museum, Ivor Davis: Up Close and Personal, with Lifetime Achievement Emmy Award recipient Bob Eubanks. Davis introduces guests to how Eubanks’ legendary career began by meeting The Beatles and then persuading a bank to secure a large loan against his home to bring the singing sensation to the Hollywood Bowl. This bold move ultimately changed the trajectory of Bob Eubanks’ career, becoming a legend in his own right.

“We are thrilled that Ivor Davis is once again bringing an exciting and distinguished guest to our community,” says The Barbara Barnard Smith Executive Director, Elena Brokaw, “Spending the evening with Bob Eubanks is sure to be a fascinating exploration into his life and career. I’m looking forward to his many stories.”

For guests attending in-person, proof of vaccination will be required on arrival and masks will be optional. Masks will be available upon request. This event is free for members, $10 for non-members in person, and $5 for nonmembers attending via Zoom. For more information, please visit: venturamuseum.org.

Jenna Wolverton honored as Dispatcher of the Year

Jenna started with VPD in March of 2015 as a police cadet.

Each year during the second week of April, the Ventura Police Department (VPD) recognizes National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week, bringing well deserved attention and recognition to the first responders who are a vital part of the public safety team.

“This year we recognize Jenna Wolverton as our Dispatcher of the Year! Jenna is the epitome of a team player, handles high priority calls with ease, and is a skilled Communications Training Officer (CTO) who demonstrates patience and a desire to effectively train and mentor,” said Communications Center Supervisor, Sergeant Tim Ferrill. “She is a true asset to our agency and is a worthy recipient of this award.”

Jenna started with VPD in March of 2015 as a police cadet and during her time as a cadet, explored various law enforcement career options. She was hired as a dispatch trainee in May 2016 and has faithfully served Ventura since.

“I am extremely proud of our team of dispatchers who play a key role in serving Ventura,” said Police Chief Darin Schindler. “They are highly trained professionals who provide life-saving instruction, calm callers in dangerous situations, multi-task under stressful conditions, and keep our officers apprised of vital information. Emergency response is truly a team effort that starts when a call is answered.”

VPD is the first answering point in the community for all emergency calls, including police, fire, and emergency medical services. In 2021, Ventura Police public safety dispatchers received 68,000 911 calls, which is about 240 calls for service each day. Additionally, VPD dispatchers generated 86,000 calls for service, and dispatched over 135,000-unit responses ranging from life-threatening priority calls to disturbance and investigative calls.

In the last year, VPD received grant funding to provide a new community service called “Text to 911,” which allows the community to send a text when they’re unable to make a phone call.

Currently, VPD has 17 public safety dispatchers who have completed a rigorous 6–12-month academy, with an additional two people in training.

In 2020, public safety dispatchers were reclassified as “first responders,” further recognizing their crucial work in providing emergency assistance to the community they serve.

SEEAG staff members give presentations at schools throughout Ventura County

Gene Haas Foundation donates $25,000 to SEEAG.

The Gene Haas Foundation has made a $25,000 grant award to Students for Eco-Education and Agriculture (SEEAG) to support SEEAG’s STEM Career Pathways in Agriculture programs. The programs are provided at no cost to schools and are designed to teach middle and high school students about technology and science-driven agricultural careers. 

SEEAG staff members give presentations at schools throughout Ventura County providing an overview of agriculture, ag career opportunities and the latest technologies and innovations that are impacting the industry. Online presentations are also available. 

“Most of us don’t think of agriculture as a cutting-edge industry, but science and technology play a key role in producing the huge quantities of food needed to feed a hungry world,” says Mary Maranville, SEEAG founder and CEO. “SEEAG educates, inspires and empowers local students to consider careers in agriculture. The generous Haas Foundation donation will help SEEAG spread the word about the myriad of ag career opportunities including those right here in Ventura County.” 

Science, technology and math-based ag careers include horticulture, food safety, biology, seed and pollination science, food chain management, accounting, industrial engineering and farm administration. 

“By supporting organizations such as SEEAG and their focus on youth STEM programs, we understand this is the first step in educating and empowering our youth to a future in manufacturing careers,” says Kathy Looman, director of education and Gene Haas Centers naming rights. “In 2021, the Gene Haas Foundation provided more than $18.5 million in grants towards education and another $3 million to the communities Haas businesses are located. Bringing the total grants awarded since inception to about 4,500 organizations and schools to more than $120 million. We are committed to continuously supporting these same schools and organizations as well as adding additional organizations and schools annually.” 

For more information about SEEAG’s career pathways programs and to sign up for a presentation, go to https://www.seeag.org/steamcareersinag or contact Seth Wilmoth, program educator, at [email protected]. 

 Founded in 2008, Students for Eco-Education and Agriculture (SEEAG) is a nonprofit organization that aims to help young students understand the origins of their food by bridging the gap between agriculture and consumption through its agricultural education programming. SEEAG’s “The Farm Lab” program based in Ventura County teaches schoolchildren about the origins of their food and the importance of local farmland by providing schools with classroom agricultural education and free field trips to farms. Through this and other SEEAG programs, over 60,000 elementary school students in Central and Southern California have increased their understanding of the food journey. For more information, visit www.seeag.org or email Mary Maranville at [email protected]. 

The Gene Haas Foundation was established in 1999, by Haas Automation, Inc., Founder and CEO Gene Haas, For more information visit https://ghaasfoundation.org.

 

Cabrillo Middle School students partnered with Food Share

Local students’ innovation helps county’s homeless population. Photos by Patricia Schallert

A group of enterprising 7th and 8th graders from Cabrillo Middle School have partnered with Food Share Ventura County in a project designed to make life a little easier for the county’s unhoused population but that could have an impact far beyond.

The Rusty Sailors robotics created a tote bag that converts to a backpack. They distributed the bags on Monday, April 11, at The River Community Church, 859 E Santa Clara St. The church is under the direction of Jim Duran, The River Community’s pastor.

Saanvi Joshi, Hendrix Lowder, Jane Kim, Jude Curtis, Izzy Quiroz, Maddie Wicks, Maverick Cheatham, and Aarana Khanavkar, all members of the school’s “Rusty Sailors” Robotics Club, are participating in the 2021-2022 season, CARGO CONNECTSM, FIRST® LEGO® League Innovation Project, to identify a problem related to improving the transportation journey of products, and design a new piece of technology or improve an existing one. FIRST® empowers students ages 9-16 to explore what it means to be an innovator, finding solutions to today’s societal problems that could impact the world for generations to come.

The Rusty Sailors visited Food Share last year to get a better understanding of how a food bank works and learned about Food Share’s “Kitchen-Free” program that provides bagged, nutritious, no-cook food for people without access to a kitchen. Food Share has distributed 24,000 kitchen free bags to date through their network of 190 pantry partners.

Following the field trip, Laurie Lowder, one of the club’s coaches, witnessed two men on bikes struggling to carry the branded Food Share bags and the experience inspired the children to think of ways to improve the design to make them easier to transport. The result is an ingenious and inexpensive modification that turns it into a backpack.

Speaking about the innovative design, Hendrix Lowder, 13, said, “We got empty bags from Food Share so we could experiment with ways to make them better. After our team developed a prototype, we got a grant to make one hundred bags so that we can hand them out to people who are homeless. We’ve also added a QR code to the bags linked to a survey for people to tell us what they think and to get suggestions for improvements. It’s very exciting to be able to see the project all the way through to the product design stage.”

The design has already caught the eye of the FIRST® project judges. The Rusty Sailors won the Global Innovation Award nomination for the Southern California Regionals in December. Teams nominated for their outstanding solutions could advance to the 2022 FIRST LEGO League Global Innovation Award presented by Qualcomm to attend workshops with innovation and industry experts.

An estimated 1 in 6 people in Ventura County experiences food insecurity, meaning that they are without reliable access to a sufficient quantity of affordable, nutritious food.

Before the pandemic, many of the families Food Share served would need supplemental food perhaps two-three times a year.

Food Share is serving approximately double the number of people being served pre-pandemic. The latest figure (total for 2021) is a little over 190,000 unduplicated people based on FreshTrak data. However, this figure does not include people attending emergency drive-thru distributions, some of our programs, including Community Markets, or farmworkers receiving food at field distributions.

For all the latest information on where to find food, how to volunteer, and how you can support Food Share with a monetary donation visit: www.foodshare.com

The 2022 Community Academy includes a diverse mix of residents and business owners

The Ventura Police Community Academy returns with over 30 participants.

For the first time since 2018, the Ventura Police Department welcomed back its popular Community Academy, a 10-week program designed to strengthen community partnerships and increase transparency.

During the first class on Wednesday, April 6, 2022, participants enjoyed a welcome from Police Chief Darin Schindler and meeting VPD’s Command staff as well as other program participants.

“We are constantly striving to provide the highest quality service and after four years of absence due largely to the COVID-19 pandemic, we are proud to bring back our community academy in continuance of our commitment to enhancing police and community collaboration,” said Police Chief Darin Schindler. “It’s my hope that by opening our doors and demystifying police operations, we can work together to make Ventura a safer community.”

With 31 community members selected, the 2022 Community Academy includes a diverse mix of residents and business owners of many generations, backgrounds, and careers, representing each of Ventura’s seven districts.

“I joined this program to help bring the voice of my community forward and solve problems through collaboration,” said Ventura resident Helen Eloyan, Revitalization Committee Chair for the Westside Community Council. “I am also very much looking forward to identifying partnership opportunities to help meet our community needs.”

In the 10-week academy, classes are taught by Ventura Police officers, dispatchers, and professional staff. Participants are encouraged to ask questions, express concerns, and offer feedback. The goal is to create greater awareness and understanding of the law enforcement’s role in the community through education and engagement provided by the Community Academy.

For more information, the class outline, or questions about the Ventura Police Community Academy, please call 805-339-4312 or visit
www.CityofVentura.ca.gov/CommunityAcademy.

Local advocates protest SoCal Gas Plan to expand West Ventura Compressor Station

Five hundred people live within a quarter mile of the plant.

by Richard Lieberman

The Westside Clean Air Coalition, CFROG, Food and Water Watch, Cause, and members of the West Ventura Community protested at a community forum with a stated goal of disrupting a Southern California Gas Company public forum. Designed to expand public awareness on the company’s proposed modernization and expansion of the Ventura Compressor Station located at 1555 N. Olive Street in Ventura.

Southern California Gas Company sponsored a public forum on Thursday, March 31, at the Crowne Plaza which is one of six proposed public forums the company will host from March 29 through April 2.

Concerns over air quality, climate change, and safety of local neighborhoods including the 91-year-old school E.P Foster Elementary School located directly across the street from the facility.

Protestors, among other things, want an independent Environmental Impact Report normally conducted by a government entity.

Five hundred people live within a quarter mile of the plant with another 4,750 live within one half mile. Close enough to be affected by a gas leak or in the worst case an explosion at the plant. Pipeline explosions have happened in the past. The San Bruno pipeline explosion occurred September 10, 2010, and first responders and SoCal Gas crews took over an hour to identify the event as a gas pipeline explosion. Eight people were killed because of the explosion. The natural gas compressor has been operating at the site since 1923, before homes and the elementary school were built in the area.

The compressor facility distributes natural gas for heat, hot water, and other uses to over a quarter million homes, businesses and industries in Ventura and the central coast. Southern California Gas wants to replace three gas compressors built in the 1980’s with four new more modern compressors. The company also wants to rebuild an old warehouse and office building that are already set for demolition.

Tomas Morales Rebecchi spokesperson for the group said “We are speaking up about a polluter in our neighborhood on our Westside across the street from a school. it poses a pollution danger to us through air pollution, but also a physical danger too through explosions and other horrible things that could go wrong. So, we are here to protect our air and to protect our children from the dangers of the gas compressor.”

On the day of the forum the United States Transportation Department issued a new rule for all companies with high pressure pipelines to install emergency shutoff valves that quickly shutoff oil or natural gas pipelines when a leak or rupture is detected.

Southern California Gas responded to the protestors with assurances of safety and careful operation of the gas facility. “SoCal Gas safely maintains it’s natural gas system by collaboratively working with multiple regulatory agencies with oversight of our operations.” Stated Marissa Girolamo. Addressing the call for an Environmental Impact Report Girolamo said, “whether and Environmental Impact Report is required for a project depends on the type of permits required. For this project an EIR is not being undertaken because the project is not subject to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).”

“We understand that the community has concerns regarding facility safety. The facility is safe and equipped with a series of systems that protect our employees and the neighboring community. All these systems are routinely checked and verified for proper operations.” She added.

SoCal Gas literature states that Methane detection sensors are installed in the compressor building to closely monitor methane leaks. . The station is also equipped with an emergency shutdown system that is deigned to isolate the station from all energy sources when triggered, including when methane leaks are detected inside the compressor station. “This equipment is intended to provide additional transparency and the data will be made available to the public.” Concluded Girolamo

City of Ventura opens Arroyo Verde Park Inclusive Play Area

Construction for the play area began in early May 2021.

The City of Ventura is thrilled to announce the official opening of its all-inclusive play area at Arroyo Verde Park on Friday, April 1, 2022. This new public amenity is Ventura’s first fully inclusive play area for youth of all abilities.

The 10,750 square foot play area features a colorful play surface, new landscaping, gathering areas, swings, hammocks, balance beams, a sensory garden, a motion-inclusive carousel, embankment climbers, and music play areas. It also features a sensory wall with recognition tiles dedicated to those who donated to the project.

“The all-inclusive play area means so much to our community and is a beautiful addition to Arroyo Verde Park,” said Mayor Sofia Rubalcava. “This area has transformed into a space where people of all ages and abilities can play without barriers and experience the joy of connection.”

Construction for the play area began in early May 2021. Arroyo Verde Park’s previous play structure was destroyed in the 2017 Thomas Fire. Rather than rebuild the same structure, the community and City worked together to re-imagine the space.

Families, community members, medical professionals, and playground manufacturers shared valuable input into the playground’s design. Through meetings and conversations, park designers developed an adaptive play space where children of all abilities can play together.

This project was supported by generous donations from the Ventura Community Partners Foundation (VCPF), as well as community groups, residents, medical professionals, and local businesses. A donor appreciation video is available on the City’s YouTube Channel at https://youtu.be/OZA1bPI_93I .

For more information on the Arroyo Verde Park Inclusive Play Area, please visit www.cityofventura.ca.gov/AVP or contact Community Outreach Specialist Taylor Pineda at [email protected].

Dream Foundation offers Marcy her dream family trip

Don and Marcy Ornales, Kenny Slaught: Dream Foundation’s Board Chair
And Eva Rhodes Board Member. Photo by Patricia Schallert

On March 28, Ventura local Marcy Ornelas, her husband Donald and their fourteen-year-old daughter, Shoshanna were off to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveand, Ohio, on a final dream family trip thanks to the Dream Foundation, the only national dream-granting organization for terminally-ill adults.

Music has always been a positive constant in Marcy’s life. “I can leave somewhere in a terrible mood, put my radio on as I drive, and after a few songs, my stress melts off and I can go home feeling good and can be a better wife and mother. Music has always been there for me.”

Rock & Roll is Marcy’s favorite. She is often up late at night watching one of her favorite concerts and even falls asleep to the comforting sounds of the guitar and snare drum. While Marcy doesn’t sing or play and instrument, she always tells people that she “plays a mean radio”.

Diagnosed with end-stage breast cancer that has recently spread to her organs, Marcy asked the Dream Foundation to help with a special family trip to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio. Donald and Shoshanna will join Marcy on a train trip from Ventura, California to Cleveland, Ohio.

“I love trains. You can look at each other face to face, play games and talk.”  The Dream Foundation also gave Marcy and her family a basket full of goodies for the train and they have dinners available while they travel.

Hosts from AirBnB have generously donated a two-night stay in the city for the family and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame will welcomed the family on April 6. It was a day which will inevitable create memories that will last a lifetime for the family.

Kenny Laugh, Dream Foundation’s Board Chair and Eve Rhodes, one of the foundation’s newest Board Members hosted the Dream Delivery on March 28 at Marcy’s home in Ventura to celebrate her life and presented her everything for the family’s trip, including a rental car, a scooter while at the Hall of Fame, t-shirts, snacks for the train and dark chocolate.

The Dream Foundation , the only national dream-granting organization for terminally-ill adults fulfills final dreams that provide inspiration, comfort and closure at the end of life. With the support of a nationwide network of volunteers, hospices, health care organizations and committed donors.

Dream Foundation has given life to more than 33,000 final dreams since being founded in 1994. Dream Foundation receives no state or federal funding and relies solely on private donations. To support the mission of the Dream Foundation, please visit DreamFoundation.org/donate.

Four Ventura Police Officers honored for extraordinary bravery and excellent public service

Each of these officers went above and beyond the call of duty.

The actions of Officers Jack Ortega, Ashley Hetzel, Tristan Cullum, and Karl Reyes were recognized by the Peace Officers Association of Ventura County (POAVC) at the Medal of Valor Awards Ceremony for outstanding acts of bravery, courage, and compassionate service to the City of Ventura.

“Each of these officers has gone above and beyond the call of duty in service to our community,” said Police Chief Darin Schindler. “They run toward danger, they place the safety of others above their own, and they make a difference every single day. We are honored by their selfless dedication to Ventura.”

Such was the case for Officer Jack Ortega who received a Medal of Valor for swiftly and effectively bringing a vehicle pursuit of an armed suspect to a close with no police officer or civilian injuries.

After a lengthy vehicle pursuit on city streets and a tire deflation, the suspect came to a stop directly across from a busy shopping center and residential area where residents were in significant danger. The suspect fled; Officer Ortega immediately gave chase. The suspect then produced a handgun and fired towards Officer Ortega. Ortega returned fire and struck the suspect, stopping any further threat to the public.

“That night, Officer Ortega demonstrated what he had displayed his entire career; sound judgement, unwavering good decision making, and an ability to remain calm under pressure,” said Commander Sarah Heard, the Watch Commander on duty that evening. “Officer Ortega certainly deserves to be commended for keeping with the highest standards of the Ventura Police Department and for acting with extraordinary bravery in a life-threatening situation.”

Officer Ashley Hetzel, and her trainee Officer Tristan Cullum, were both awarded a Medal of Merit for applying a life-saving tourniquet on a stabbing victim during a rapidly changing, life-threatening incident. Officers Hetzel and Cullum responded to a call of a stabbing, and upon arrival, located a woman actively bleeding out from her wounds, with an armed suspect still inside the residence. Officer Hetzel quickly evaluated the situation, instructed her trainee to hold coverage on the front door, and had to make a choice to cover the first-floor patio door or attend to the victim who was quickly losing consciousness.

Officer Hetzel chose to attempt to save the victim’s life by applying a tourniquet which emergency room staff stated unequivocally saved the victim’s life. The suspect was taken into custody and no one else was injured.

“During this incident, officers made the conscious decision to place themselves in harm’s way to save a life,” said Chief Schindler. “The actions of Officers Hetzel and Cullum that night were an outstanding act of service, requiring extreme bravery and devotion to duty.”

Finally, Detective Karl Reyes was honored as the Ventura Police Department’s Investigator of the Year. Detective Reyes is assigned as a Street Crimes Detective and is part of the Ventura County Auto-Theft Task Force (VenCATT). From January through November 2021, Reyes investigated nearly 300 cases, assisted with and made over 50 arrests, and sent nearly 20 arrest warrants to the District Attorney’s Office. On top of local cases, he also spent significant time assisting other County agencies in recovering stolen vehicles and arresting car thieves.

“Beyond his investigative attributes, Detective Reyes is the epitome of a fantastic team member. His candor and humbleness are appreciated, and his leadership presence is respected and trusted,” said CHP Sergeant and supervisor of the VenCATT, Matt Marien. “The Ventura Police Department is fortunate to call Detective Reyes one of their own.”

Every year, the Peace Officers Association of Ventura County honors acts of bravery, heroism, and service by law enforcement personnel and community members. These exemplary individuals receive recognition at the annual ceremony and were presented with their medals by the sheriff or respective chief of police.

What do my food scraps have to do with climate change?

Food scraps should be bagged and placed in your green waste cart.

by Jill Sarick Santos

Composting vegetable scraps instead of landfilling them is one tiny step in the right direction to help lessen the ramifications from climate change. It is easy to do. It does not cost anything extra. And you could be saving the world.

But there are still folks who think it is a waste of their time. They say it is just one more unnecessary governmental regulation that is killing California.

Regardless of whether you believe that climate change is really happening or hesitate to name who or what is the primary contributor, the obvious fact remains that weather patterns have changed dramatically over the last decade. Those of us in the field of environmental protection, conservation, forestry or agriculture, have been talking about this sort of stuff for years.

It does not matter what or who is responsible or why and how it got so bad so quickly, it matters that you stop whatever it is you are doing right now and take a good look around you. Listen, look, observe. What is different? Can you spot or identify 5 differences in the last decade? Last five years? Last year?

As our busy lives move in an ever-busier pace, we might fail to recognize obvious signs that the climate is indeed changing. For example, in the last ten years, droughts in Southern California have been longer, more extreme and occur in more frequent intervals than in the last twenty years. We have seen more record-breaking high temperatures in the last decade than many previous. And those groups of people mass migrating from their homeland to wealthier, more developed places; that’s climate change influenced without question. The real question is, what can one person really do to stop something so overwhelming? Starting with placing your food scraps in the organics cart so that it will be composted instead of becoming greenhouse-producing-methane-gas seems like a no brainer to me.

The obvious and now essentially required first step is to ensure that food scraps, including things like peels, pieces, stems, shells, bones, and sauces, dairy, meat, fruit and vegetables, and food soiled paper should be bagged (in any preferably plastic bag) and placed in your green waste cart, now called the organics cart. If you are a commercial business or live in a multi-family residential property without a curbside cart, be sure to check with your city’s environmental division to comply with the regulations.

So, the next time you see a neighbor ranting about the city’s new food waste program on social media, tell them to chill out and share this article. If each one of us does our little part, that is seven billion little parts all working together to save the one and only place we call home: Earth.