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Ventura County Fair poster contest winners

Vita Jolie Vasquez

Photos by Patricia Schallert

The winners of the Ventura County Fair poster contest were unveiled by James Lockwood at a presentation at the fairgrounds.

First place went to 12-year-old Vita Jolie Vasquez from Fillmore. Who stated “I’ve always been interested in art in the different forms of it, including the process and stages. That includes drawing and painting, video games and fashion. My ultimate goal would be to make a living out of my art. I’ve been drawing ever since I could hold a pen which was before I could walk.

The second place winner is 17-year-old Amy Midence from Oxnard. Who said “I’m an incoming senior at Channel Islands High School. I would like to become an orthodontist. My interests are painting, drawing, crafting, baking and cooking and taking my dogs on walks. This was my first time entering the poster contest. On my poster I used acrylic paint and paint markers.


Amy Midence

Music Under the Stars returns to Olivas Adobe

The good news is the wonderful Music Under the Stars has returned to the Olivas Adobe Historical Park for another summer of wonderful music, dancing and eating. The bad news (unless you have tickets) is that the eight outdoor concerts are sold out. The historical adobe is also open for viewing and docents (lead by docent president Mary Thompson) are there to give you a history lesson of the adobe and its occupants.

The City Center is a bridge between homelessness and success for families with children

The City Center’s Year 2 fundraising drive is about to kick off. They must continue raising funds for The City Center to purchase their own home. Historically, 53% of their monthly costs were for rent, so buying the converted motel in downtown Ventura has been a big priority. Board member and longtime supporter of The City Center, John Exell, said, “The City Center program has proven success – we have seven years of not one graduate of our program returning to homelessness, a testament to our unique program. Our program is difficult, with many tough goals set, but we provide mentoring and counseling to help our residents become self-sufficient and thrive”.

The requirements for graduation from The City Center are:
– Be completely off government subsistence programs
– Have a full-time income-generating job
– Have a savings account
– Reliable transportation
– Be 100% debt free

Jim Duran, Executive Director of The City Center says, “The City Center goal-based program keeps our residents and children on track. They all have a “tiny home” or room just for them and their children, which allows the family to stay together. Being unhoused is a difficult path for anyone to take, but for homeless moms, dads, with children, it is horrible. No child should be homeless. The residents in our bridge program, which transitions folks to a healthy, supportive lifestyle, often go on to be counselors and help others. We are so proud of all of them.”

They recently held  The CAKE event which was a day of photos, filming residents and their children, and discussing The City Center’s impact on their lives. In addition, there was a giant cake for the families to celebrate Year One’s fundraising result and gratitude for the Ventura County community stepping up to help.

Coming up on August 18, at 5:30pm, is a rare opportunity to see The City Center, meet families and talk with them at a “sponsor a room” event, which asks community members, faith-based organizations, and businesses to help.    To help house more homeless families and children please  donate by visiting  https://www.gofundme.com/f/TheCityCenter

Photographers explore Ventura Botanical Gardens

Adela Lisanti

Winners of the 2022 VBG in Bloom Photo Contest highlighted the variety of colors, textures, views and other delights found in the continually expanding botanical gardens above City Hall.

Ten winning entries, the “Judges’ Choice”, were chosen by a panel of local photography professionals and three entries, the “Peoples’ Choice”, were chosen by open voting on the Ventura Botanical Gardens Facebook page.

The contest judges again this year were former commercial photographer and photography instructor Phil Ranger; Dexter’s Camera owner and photographer Greg Montana; and architectural photographer Stephen Schafer (AKA Schäf), who specializes in HABS, HAER, HALS formats to support preservation of architectural, engineering and landscape resources.

More than 150 photos from 81 entrants were placed into four categories: Botanical Detail; Color and Texture; Seen in the Garden; and View/Scenes. Judges chose winners in each category. No categories were used in open voting and selection was based on most “likes”.

The judges noted the increased number of entries this year as an endorsement of the growing popularity of Ventura Botanical Gardens as a special place for photographers of all experience levels.

Winners in the Judges’ Choice by category were:

  • Botanical Detail:
    Sylvia Gabrie (1st), Johanna Washington (2nd), and Jacqueline Counter (3rd)
  • Color and Texture:
    Sarah Dillon (1st), Becky Clearwater (2nd) and Sean Doll (3rd)
  • Seen in the Garden:
    Sarah Dillion (1st)
  • Views/Scenes:
    Kelly Nakamaru (1st)), Nicky Diaz(2nd) and Damian Merritt (3rd)

Winners in the Peoples’ Choice were:
Adela Lisanti (1st and 2nd) and Sarah Dillion (3rd)

Damian Merritt

Come and enjoy our beautiful park like setting

Home of the finest entertainment, concerts, arts, music and more.

Oceanview Pavilion is a multi-faceted venue located steps from Hueneme Beach located at 575 E. Surfside Drive Port Hueneme.

Home of the finest entertainment, concerts, arts, music, theatre, professional boxing , pro wrestling, as well as operating the best social and recreational adult day program where we serve individuals ages 18 – 80 with developmental disabilities.

Being in the community for over 18 years our relationship is outstanding. We give back in so many ways, from providing the venue for fundraising events, schools, and city events, to providing various Military concerts free to the public.
This Internationally acclaimed multi-Media company also offers over 20,000 square feet of filming space, which include a fully equipped television and streaming production facility, an editing suite, professional crew, and other amenities which make it truly, one of a kind.

In addition to the above, we offer a professional state of the art filming and live broadcasting studio. Our mission is to provide a complete all-inclusive livestreaming solution so that you can focus on your project while we manage the technical, creative, and logistical operations. We are capable of streaming worldwide to multi destinations simultaneously including Facebook, YouTube, Vimeo and more.

Whether it is your engagement party, wedding anniversary, Quinceanera or wedding we are the finest venue in the county to serve all your special needs. We offer tiered seating, an expansive stage for you or your entertainment, stunning terrace for pictures and mingling, plus a beautiful white Gazebo all onsite.

Our flexibility and amenities are beyond your expectations and Beach ceremonies are available to make your day unforgettable.

For additional information on upcoming events, videos and pictures please visit
our websites: www.oceanviewpavilion.com or www.oceanviewproductionstudios.com

Support held for Captain Myles “Danny” Smith

Captain Smith was injured doing what he loved.

Photos by Michael Gordon

The Ventura community gathered on July 10 to support injured firefighter Myles “Danny” Smith with a fundraiser and raffle. Captain Smith was severely injured while fighting a brush fire in 2015, and forced to retire. Since then, he’s continued to battle his injuries and most recently had a leg amputated as a result of his injuries due to a lack of blood flow.

On April 12, 2015, Smith was responding to a brush fire near Highway 33 when he fell backwards 15’ into a concrete drainage ditch. The fall shattered his arm and fractured his hip. Smith has undergone many many surgeries since the accident.

Friends, family, and colleagues were all there to help with his medical costs and the costs to make his home more accessible. It was held at the MadeWest Brewery at 1744 Donlan St.

“Danny pushed me to become a firefighter and helped me along the way,” stated fundraiser organizer and Ventura County Fed Fire engineer Chris Botelho. “His family has always stepped up to support the community and help others…now it’s our turn to return the favor to them.”

“Our mission is to serve Ventura firefighters and their families,” said Joe Booth, executive director of the Foundation. “Community support for the event has been amazing – so many businesses have donated raffle prizes – we’re excited to have a fun time on Sunday and help raise money for a great family.” The Ventura Fire Foundation is acting as fiscal sponsor for the event.

More information is available at www.venturafirefoundation.org

Voices and strings rule the 2022 Ventura Music Festival

by Richard Newsham, VMF consultant

The Ventura Music Festival’s “Onward” 27th season will toast the communing of music’s two kissing cousins—voices and strings—in seven acts over two weekends from July 27 to August 7.

Three groups—the septet Adaawe , chanteuse Veronica Swift and choir The Crossing—explore Nina Simone’s declaration that “the human voice is the only pure instrument.” And three ensembles—We Banjo 3, Django Festival Allstars and The Moanin’ Frogs—plus pianist Sean Chen salute strings and instruments “that sing,” including the saxophone that Stan Getz claims is the instrument kingdom’s closest relative to the human voice.

The VMF Free Concert in the Park season opener—the all-female band Adaawe— springs from West African roots and brings gospel harmonies and American funk to their world-fusion mix on Wednesday, July 27, at 5:30 pm at Mission Park in downtown Ventura.

“The hottest group in Irish music”—We Banjo 3—will “open the road” to weekend one on Friday, July 29, at 7:30 pm, with their self-described Billboard chart topping “Celtgrass” blend of traditional Irish, old time Americana and wide blue(grass) yonder music. Two sets of Galway brothers vocalize with “musical intimacy” and play banjos, mandolins, (tenor) guitars, a fiddle and the goat-skinned bodhrán drum with a “freshness and finesse bordering on the magical,” says The Wall Street Journal, citing their Washington, DC, performance for President Obama.

Why hunt Paris’ Clignancourt flea market for his cabaret bar La Chope de Puce when the Django Festival Allstars will bring the music of the legendary 1930-40’s gypsy jazz guitarist Django Reinhardt to Ventura and fully into the 21st century on Saturday, July 30, at 7:30 pm? A quintet of jazz virtuosos—button-accordionist Ludovic Beier, violinist Pierre Blanchard, lead guitarist Samson Schmitt, rhythm guitarist DouDou Cuillerier and bassist Antonio Lucusati—capture the fierce, soulful and swirling intensity of Reinhardt’s “le jazz hot” style.

Globetrotting pianist, composer, arranger and in-demand master-class teacher Sean Chen is a Steinway Artist, Juilliard and Yale School of Music alumnus and pupil of beloved leader of Ventura County’s classical music community Edward Francis. He returns to Ventura on Sunday, July 31, at 3 pm for a program of piano power and magic featuring what the Republic calls “alluring, colorfully shaded renditions” of Mozart (Marriage of Figaro), Debussy (Images) , Liszt (Deux légendes), Chopin (Barcarolle), Rachmaninoff (Symphony No 2 Adagio) and Mendelssohn (Octet).

“Music festivals are a place for freedom, discovery and excitement,” says VMF Executive Director Susan Scott. “Find yours this summer at the Ventura Music Festival.”

Ventura College Performing Arts Center, 4700 Loma Vista Road, is the festival concert venue for all indoor performances.

Featured in the next Breeze issue: Sax septet The Moanin’ Frogs (Fri, 8/5), singer Veronica Swift (Sat, 8/6) and Grammy® Best Choral Group winner, The Crossing (Sun, 8/7).

Tickets: $15-65 at www.venturamusicfestival.org and 805.648.3146.

Patriotic Event Held at Cypress Place Senior Living

Helen dancing at Songs Across America with a lucky guy.

The 4th of July holiday got off to an early start at Cypress Place Senior Living in Ventura when the senior living community hosted their “Songs Across America” patriotic event on Wednesday June 29, 2022.

In true old fashioned Americana style, Cypress Place celebrated the 4th of July with live patriotic music performed by Sam’s Mardi Gras Band. Desserts and specialty coffees were served to residents, their family members, and friends of the community, by Cypress Place staff during the festive event.

Ron Perkovich and Rick Peterson, from the Monday Night Poinsettia Dance Club, were also in attendance, adding to the lively environment while dancing with residents and attendees looking to celebrate life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

“This was just such a wonderful, wonderful evening,” enthused Helen Brant, a resident at Cypress Place, who was seen frequently on the dance floor. “It was the best party ever.”

American classics such as Yankee Doodle Dandy, This Land Is Your Land, and American military branch of service songs, amongst many others, were performed by the five-piece band.

“We try to bring as much joy as possible to our residents,” said Gina Salman, executive director of Cypress Place. “It makes our hearts swell with happiness and pride to see everyone enjoy themselves with events like these here at our community.”

The evening wound down with everyone joining in on a rousing yet touching rendition of God Bless America, flags waving gently in the evening breeze.

Cypress Place Senior Living is a premiere independent living, assisted living, and memory care community in the city of Ventura. For more information about Cypress Place Senior Living located at 1200/1220 Cypress Point Ln Ventura, CA 93003, visit www.cypressplaceseniorlivig.com or call 805-650-8000.

Arroyo Verde Park’s inclusive playground receives Project of the Year Award

Arroyo Verde Park’s main play structure was destroyed in the Thomas Fire.

The recently completed first-ever inclusive playground in Ventura at Arroyo Verde Park received the 2021 Project of the Year Award from the Ventura County Chapter of the American Public Works Association (APWA) in the structures category for its safety performance, effective construction management, environmental considerations, and community outreach.

During the City Council meeting on May 9, APWA Ventura County director at large Andrew Grubb shared that, “this project stood out for its inclusive play area with unique considerations to children with sensory and cognitive needs along with the community support and donations received for the playground’s replacement after the Thomas Fire.”

The APWA Project of the Year Award distinguishes the project’s efficient and effective construction management techniques, schedule mitigation amid COVID-19 supply chain challenges, construction management, control techniques, jobsite safety practices, and a demonstrated commitment to sustainability.

The 10,750 square foot play area at Arroyo Verde Park 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.

In December 2017, Arroyo Verde Park’s main play structure was destroyed in the Thomas Fire. Rather than rebuilding the same structure, the City of Ventura decided to re-imagine the space and create the first fully inclusive play area in Ventura; a space where the community could have fun together without barriers.

The Parks and Recreation Department engaged with the community to understand which features they would most like included in the rebuild. Families, community members, medical professionals, and playground manufacturers were included in the playground design conversations. Extensive renderings and options were presented at neighborhood council meetings, and community feedback was gathered to capture the heart and soul of the project.

To learn more about this project, visit www.cityofventura.ca.gov/AVP.

Ventura Girls Fastpitch 10u Silver Western C District Champions

Top row coaches Larry Molina, Malissa Thompson, Jim Thompson, John Higgins, Shaun Jacobs, and Manager Justin Welch. Players are Taylor Bellitski, Addison Dutter, Adeline Luttenberger, Gianna Speer, Delanie Thompson, Kennedy Welch, Ivy Higgins, Kaylin Jacobs, Valentina Garcia, Mailie Norris and Andrea Molina. 

Congratulations to the Ventura Girls Fastpitch 10U Silver team for becoming the 2022 USA Softball of Southern California Western C District 10U All-Star Tournament Champions in Newbury Park Father’s Day weekend.

The team started the tournament Friday night defeating La Canada Spartans (Gold) 12-0. They continued their winning streak Saturday defeating Moorpark Gold All-Stars 6-2 and Camarillo Silver All-Stars 13-5. Sunday morning, they garnered another win against the undefeated Newbury Park Gold All-Stars 3-2, giving them an undefeated record and automatically advancing them to the championship game.

In this 2-game elimination tournament Ventura Silver headed to the Championship Game Sunday afternoon with no prior losses. After waiting 4 hours to find out who their opponent would be in the Championship game, Ventura Silver once again played Newbury Park Gold and lost 11-0 the first game, forcing them to play a second championship game to determine the ultimate winner.

However, the girls did not let the loss bring their spirits down. Instead, they used the defeat to pump themselves up for the second game. After three innings Ventura failed to score any runs and gave up 2 to Newbury Park. During the 4th inning Ventura scored 5 runs taking the lead and holding it. During the 5th and final inning Ventura Scored 4 more runs. For a final score of 9-7 to clinch 1st place and became the 2022 USA Softball of Southern California Western C District 10U All-Star Tournament Champions!

With an overall All-Star season record of 14-5-1 these girls have worked hard, practicing 3 times a week with multiple games on the weekends.

Next stop the 2022 Southern California C State Championship in Lancaster.

The team is sponsored by Kirby Auto Group, Paradise Chevrolet, Sushi Yusho, Theis Construction, Higgins Financial and Insurance Services, and their families.