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Walk with NAMI Ventura County in the 13th Annual NAMI Ventura County Walk

Last year’s NAMI Walk was attended by hundreds of concerned folks.  

by Jennifer Tipton

NAMI Ventura will be holding their annual walk on May 6. The NAMI Walk raises awareness about mental health issues and it is also a fundraiser for NAMI Ventura County. The funds raised from the Walk are what makes it possible for NAMI to offer all their classes, programs, and services at no cost to anyone. Please join in at 9  am at the Ventura promenade!

The Walk is a tradition that provides an opportunity to raise awareness about the facts of mental illness, to erase the stigma associated with mental illness, and to raise funds so that NAMI Ventura County can continue to offer all of their programs and services at no cost to persons who can be helped by those services. It gives everyone a chance to show their support for all of the efforts put forth by NAMI Ventura County.

NAMI bases their mission on the principles of support, education, and advocacy for persons impacted by mental illness. They provide classes for family members, providers, and persons with a lived experience of mental illness. They also present in schools, hold support groups for family members, and provide outreach to persons who come to see persons who are in the inpatient psychiatric units in Ventura County. NAMI Ventura County also has a Peer to Peer class for persons in recovery and a Connections support group for persons in recovery as well.

David Deutsch is a licensed clinical social worker and has worked in the field of mental health for about 13 years, as the executive director at NAMI, David is also a certified addiction treatment counselor and he states that often substance abuse disorders and mental health disorders go hand in hand. David reports, “we are an organization that doesn’t charge anything to anyone, the walk is our biggest fundraiser, it’s what makes it possible for all of our programs and services to be free.” According to David there were 1,500 people last year with 84 teams and over 1,300 walkers.

The Walk in Ventura County is a fun family event with activities for children and opportunities to socialize. It also provides our community with a way for us all to come together to show our support for needed services for all persons impacted by mental illness.

To register as an individual walker or to form a team and/or to find information about sponsorships please visit www.namiventura.org.

12th Annual Summerfest full of healthy family fun

Friendly, low-key runs encourage youth to start the day with a little physical activity. Photo by Jessica Miranda Photography

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Mark your calendar to attend Summerfest on Saturday, June 3. You won’t want to miss this 12th annual free family fun celebration of healthy living. Presented by Ventura Education Partnership (VEP) and the Ventura Unified School District (VUSD) in alliance with the City of Ventura, Summerfest will be held at Ventura Unified School District’s Education Service Center, 255 West Stanley Avenue from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm.

The day kicks off with a 3,000 Meter race and 1-Mile run/walk. These friendly, low-key runs encourage elementary and middle school youth and their parents to start the day with a little physical activity. Details and registration forms will be available soon at www.VenturaEducationPartnership.org.

All activities at this day long, family-friendly event focus on encouraging attendees to have a fit, active and healthy lifestyle. Among the experiences offered at the many community and health-related booths are sports clinics, a Fun Zone, hands-on craft activities, a rock climbing wall, healthy food, garden tastings and so much more! Summerfest is also bringing back its popular Star Athlete’s Selfie Station and is pleased to announce that former Buena High School student and Indianapolis Colts NFL linebacker Freddy Keiaho and pro-surfer Mary Osborne have both confirmed their attendance to sign autographs, pose for pictures and answer questions from our local youth athletes.

Our committee works very hard to bring this healthy living event to the community each year,” stated Ann Marie Bidlingmaier, Summerfest event chair and coordinator of health and prevention programs for VUSD. “We are able to keep Summerfest free due to the generous ongoing support of our sponsors, especially Clif Bar Mountains2Beach Marathon, which has once again committed a minimum of $20,000 to Ventura Education Partnership for the continued promotion of health and wellness in our local schools.” To become a sponsor or secure a booth for Summerfest 2017, which draws 3,500+ attendees, contact Kay Giles or Ivone Quintero-Cagnacci at [email protected].

The mission of the Ventura Education Partnership (VEP), a community-based, non-profit, non-political association, is to support and enrich education in the Ventura Unified School District through community partnerships. This all-volunteer group fosters community recognition of the work of district teachers and staff and enlists the participation of parents, businesses and community members in the education of our District’s children.

It’s an opportunity to ask questions about the state of the press

Breeze publisher Sheldon will be one of the presenters at “Meet the Press”.

The public can “Meet the Press” for questions, comments, and learn about how the local media puts it all together, thanks to the Ventura Council for Seniors (VCS). Afterward, you are invited to eat with the press.

“It’s an opportunity to ask questions about the state of the press in Ventura County and voice wishes and expectations to those providing our news services,” said Suz Montgomery, chair of the VCS, which is sponsoring the panel. The event host is the Ventura Adult and Continuing Education (VACE) arm of the Ventura Unified School District. The barbecue lunch is free, complements of the Downtown Ventura Rotary.

It begins at 9:30 a.m. Thursday, April 27 at VACE headquarters, 5200 Valentine Rd. Please RSVP at 648-3035 to ensure enough food.

The panel discussion will be moderated by Tim Gallagher, former editor of the Ventura County Star and features four journalists, representing four print news outlets with a nod to radio and TV affiliations. They are:

Ventura County’s daily newspaper, Ventura County Star, featuring its new news director, Darrin Peschka, recently promoted due to the retirement of John Moore.

Peschka knows Ventura intimately, serving as a Star editor for 14 years, overseeing community news, business, and city and county government.  She has a journalism degree from the University of Kansas and is now working on a master’s degree in public policy at California Lutheran University.

Ventura County Reporter, a weekly edited since 2008 by Michael Sullivan, who began her journalism career in 2006 at the Business Journal in Fresno, covering four counties in the Central Valley. She graduated from CSU-Northridge with a BA in journalism after earning an AA in journalism from Oxnard College.

Her style is “to keep it interesting, honest and informative.”

The bi-monthly Ventura Breeze was created by Sheldon Brown and his daughter, Staci, in 2007 with the simple task “to inform Venturans regarding events, happenings and news,” he said, “despite having absolutely no knowledge of the newspaper business we launched the paper.”

An architect by profession who has taught extension classes at Ventura College, Brown now knows a bit more of the news business during his golden years, venturing further into his own radio show on the new CAPS live-stream KPPQ-FM at 104.1.

John Hankins is a career journalist who owned a news bureau and clipping service covering the tri-counties from 1970 until 2000, when he opted to jump over deadlines into semi-retirement. He learned the art of reporting on the job during the turbulent 60s, working for the Oakland Tribune, L.A. Times and Time Magazine. He has a BA degree in English from UC-Santa Barbara.

He continues to edit, write and design the Sierra Club’s Condor Call, which covers environmental news and outdoor activity for Santa Barbara and Ventura counties.

A Tale of Two Trees

Everyone present had the opportunity to grab a shovel and be a part of history.   Which Staci Brown and the writer did but Staci thought that she was going to a dance.

by Jennifer Tipton

One of the most recognizable landmarks in Ventura are the two trees standing together on top of the hillside, they can be seen throughout most of our town and are a beacon to Ventura.

There are many different stories about the actual history of two trees, with actual not necessarily being factual. For instance, I had always heard that there were originally 5 trees planted by an unknown gentleman, one tree for each of his five daughters, fun story but not true…

Some say the trees were planted as a beacon for sea going ships and that on certain sailing charts you can still see the trees on the hill marking Ventura, interesting and kind of romantic, but again, don’t know if this is true…

Truth be told, in 1898 just 32 years after Ventura city limits were incorporated, a horticulturist by the name of Joseph Sexton planted in fact 13 Blue Gum Eucalyptus saplings atop the hill simply for the beauty and to mark the western boundary between his land and that of the Lloyd Ranch (no, he did not have thirteen daughters and I don’t believe he was a sailor.)

Joseph Sexton was noted in history books for his work with walnuts, avocados and the introduction of pampas grass, he hired his neighbor Owen Marron to do the planting and caretaking of the sapling trees which were not even native to California but originate from Australia. Owen Marron was joined by many volunteers to maintain the trees, one of whom was E.P. Foster.

In those days, caring for the trees was quite challenging because the water had to be hauled by horseback or burro up the steep hillside, but the 13 trees survived for five years until 1903 when sadly a wildfire burned 8 to the ground.

In 1940, shortly after WWII with 5 trees remaining, a group of Halloween pranksters cut 3 down (not so funny.)

In 1956, these were replanted and 5 trees once again stood together until 1958 when vandals hit again and chopped one down leaving 4.

In 1961 one of the 3 fell and died, leaving one of the original trees planted in 1898 and one replacement from the 1950’s.

In 1966, the Ventura Junior Women’s Club made it their project to bring back the 5 trees but unfortunately failed.

In 2005, all of Ventura watched as flames swept across the hillside and over the ridgeline toward our beloved two trees, thankfully, but they were not harmed.

A fun fact is that one year Ventura High School moved an entire classroom of desks to the hillside where two trees stand, as a senior prank, oh these jokesters, at least it wasn’t malicious!

Today, the eastern most tree is thought to be one of the original 13 trees and where in their native Australian climate Blue Gum trees can live 400-500 years, here in California their life expectancy is only 100-200 years. The eastern most tree has indeed been reported to be “deader than a doornail.”

On Saturday, April 22 (Earth Day) Rancho San Buenaventura Conservation Trust which protects the hillsides along with Richard Atmore who has worked the land owned by Lloyd Properties since 1979 and Baron Bros. Nursery who provided a new sapling to replace the eastern most tree, did just that.

Many folks in town said they saw a lot of activity up there and wondered what was going on! The event shuttled nearly one hundred up the steep hillside on a one-way road and about 40 participants chose to hike, although the event was supposed to be private and by invitation only, they turned no one away. Beautifully coordinated by Richard Atmore and his lovely wife Bonnie Atmore, they served wine and hors d’oeuvres at the top of the hill while our very own and very talented Shawn Jones played acoustic guitar.

After saying a prayer for the young tree, it was placed gently between the two remaining and everyone present had the opportunity to be a part by lining up to grab a shovel and be a part of the history taking place.

The future plan is to open the area up to the public and share the history, tell the tale of Two Trees – the beacon on the hill.

Heroes amongst us

Emily Benson, MD (VCMC), Hoc Nguyen Van, MD (Vietnam Duc Hospital), Serge Kaska, MD (San Diego), Aubree Goodman (premed student), Ngo Van Toan, MD (Vietnam Duc Hospital), Petros Frousiakis ,MD (CMH ortho resident), Damayea Hargett ,MD (VCMC) and Mary Ragsdale,MD (VCMC).

by Jennifer Tipton

For one week, this past March five orthopedic surgeons voluntarily traveled to Hanoi, the capitol of Vietnam to assist the Vietnamese surgeons there.

Damayea Hargett MD and Emily Benson MD specializing in trauma along with Mary Ragsdale MD specializing in joint replacement surgeries such as hips and knees are all orthopedic surgeons at VCMC.  Emily went last year to accompany Dr. Serge Kaska another orthopedic surgeon based in San Diego who has contacts in Hanoi. These big-hearted doctors not only paid their own way but also sponsored Petros Frousiakis an orthopedic surgical resident at CMH knowing it would be a great experience for him as well.

The docs landed at the largest surgical center in Vietnam performing an average of 5 surgeries a day along with seeing clinic patients lined up to evaluate and determine if they were even a candidate for surgery, some returning from the previous year after having already been turned away.

Vietnam with a population of about 92,700,00 has mopeds and motorbikes as the primary form of transportation with very few speed limits and stop signs; this would certainly explain why there are so many traumatic injuries. Our docs walked 1 ½ miles each way to the surgical center and “D” (Damayea) tells me this was the scariest part of the trip because the drivers don’t yield to anyone or anything!

Dr. Damayea Hargett is examining a young patient.

Perhaps due to all the trauma, it is a cultural expectation that if you get hurt you may have some disability, they saw more pathology in one  week than what they see at VCMC in an entire year.

Vietnam has socialized medicine so funding for treatment is limited however, they also do elective cases if you have the cash to pay for it.

The ortho ward was equipped for 50 but had an average of 80 patients, summertime being the worst with literally two  patients in each bed. Along with the trauma were the nonunion surgeries (fractures that did not heal), the congenital deformities that had never been corrected and those that had but never healed correctly. Many of the patients they saw were children, lots of children…

Instrumentation was minimal as well as orthopedic hardware such as a simple clamp or plate, and the closed procedures our docs perform at home with the assistance of radiology were a luxury not afforded. And yet another challenge was that often the surgical technicians assisting them did not speak any English. With these challenges our docs found themselves out of their comfort zone and stayed up many nights doing research to strengthen their skills. Damayea stated, “Unfortunately, we had to turn a lot away, it was heartbreaking.”

The surgeons there so appreciated our docs coming, working together with them and the many discussions that prompted learning on both sides so in addition to plans to return next year and annually, our docs are currently in the process of sponsoring 2 of the surgeons that hosted them to come here and spend a week at VCMC to continue the sharing of knowledge.

If you are interested in sponsoring future trips or a physician that might like to join them, email: [email protected]

 

 

 

 

“Spring Bloom” Photo Contest

Cacti can also bloom. Photo by Bernie Goldstein

Ventura Botanical Gardens (VBG) is now accepting entries for its first-ever “Spring Bloom” photo competition. Photographers of all ages and levels are invited to submit their best images of the Gardens (taken this year) for a chance to win. The deadline for submitting photos is Friday, April 28.

“This contest is an opportunity to engage the entire community in the beauty of the Gardens,” said Barbara Brown, Board President. “With this year’s rains, we’re hoping that there are lots of flowers to shoot, but even if there isn’t, there are always the spectacular vistas of the coastline and agriculture.”

“Planners Nancy Kettner and Terri Strober have done a wonderful job pulling this together,” says Joe Cahill, Executive Director, “we hope this will become a community tradition.”

Participants must send a Facebook message to the VBG Facebook page (2 entries max) with their photos using the hashtag #VBGinBloom. There are two ways to win–the first category is People’s Choice. Winners in that category will win by getting the most “likes” on Facebook. The Ventura Botanical Gardens will showcase the images on their Facebook page during the “Like” voting period between May 1- May 5.

Additionally, a panel of visual art professionals will judge the photos and award the Judges’ Choice. Winning photos will be announced on the Facebook page and published on the VBG website and in the summer newsletter. For more information, please visit venturabotanicalgardens.com

This public benefit nonprofit organization is dedicated to creating a world-class botanical garden for the preservation, education, cultural contribution and enhancement of the community. The gardens, when complete, will celebrate the five Mediterranean climate regions. The locale boasts spectacular 180-degree views of the California coast and the Channel Islands. The Ventura Botanical Gardens is located at 398 Ferro Drive in Ventura, California.

The first trail is a popular hiking destination. While still in its rustic state, the seedlings of the Chilean Gardens are beginning to thrive. VBG planning includes outdoor opportunities like community gathering spaces, training and research opportunities, and educational programs ranging from horticulture and botany to sustainability. To find out more, visit www.VenturaBotanicalGardens.com and join us on Facebook.

Concours Motors has found a new way to give back to Ventura

Concours Motors will be giving away a 2000  Volkswagen Golf to one Ventura County Resident on May 2. The Volkswagen is completely refinished for optimum safety, and it will be given away with one completely free year of service.

The team at Concours Motors created “Wheels to Shine” to substantially change someone’s life in the Ventura County. Each spring every year, their fleet of master technicians will rebuild a great, reliable car and give it away to someone who needs it.

All Ventura County community members are invited to nominate a recipient for this year’s “Wheels to Shine.” Nominations will be accepted through April 30.

A small group of community leaders have been invited to review the nominations and choose a recipient. To nominate a recipient visit: wheelstoshine.org/nominate-someone.

Vol. 10, No. 14 – April 12 – April 25, 2017 – CAPS

Chief of Police Ken Corney visited with Sheldon on KPPQ radio.

CAPS Radio (KPPQ-LP) is on the dial at FM104.1 all day
by Elizabeth Rodeno

Legendary Ventura Breeze publisher-editor Sheldon Brown is on the airwaves, hosting a series of informative interviews on CAPS Radio 104.1 (KPPQ-LP).  The weekly program features engaging conversations with City officials, other community leaders and local personalities.  Among Sheldon’s guests were City Mayor Erik Nasarenko and City Police Chief Ken Corney.  Other CAPS Radio hosts include Ventura County Poet Laureate Phil Taggart with an eclectic mix of music and talk, Pam Baumgardner, covering the local music scene, Judy Gilliard, hosting Around America’s Table featuring all that is food in Ventura, and more.

CAPS Radio (KPPQ-LP) is on the dial at FM104.1 all day, every day, combining a wide ranging mix of local news, programming and personalities, with national news and information programs. “It doesn’t’ matter if someone has hosted a radio program in the past or not.  We can teach you,” says CAPS Radio program director Elizabeth Rodeno.  “That’s what we do at the CAPS Media Center.  We train our member/producers how to use all of the media tools, including cameras and editing equipment for video production, and the radio control room for a radio program.  This is a great chance to be on the air sharing personal interest, passions and stories.  Plus, it’s a lot of fun.”  To attend a CAPS Radio workshop, contact Elizabeth Rodeno 658.0500, [email protected], or go to capsmedia.org.

Speaking of fun, it’s time to start thinking about signing up for CAPS Media’s popular Summer Digital Storytelling program.  The three, week-long workshops teach students, ages 9-15, how to use computer based tools and technology to create, develop and communicate the stories they want to tell.  The program includes hands-on training with state-of-the-art video cameras, audio recording equipment and computer editing software.  Led by the CAPS Media’s professional staff and a team of young interns, students develop, write, produce, host, direct, stage, record and edit their own programs.  To learn more about the Digital Storytelling program, go to www.capsmedia.org/events.

The CAPS Media mission is to create an engaged and informed community through participation in electronic media.  Everyone who lives, works or attends school in the city of Ventura is eligible to be a member of CAPS Media.  For a nominal annual fee ($25 for an individual and $75 for a non-profit organization) the knowledgeable CAPS Media staff will train member/producers to become skilled producers in video or radio communication.  Once certified member/producers can reserve and check out video cameras, tripods, and other gear for video production and editing suites for post production in order to produce programming to air on CAPS Media channel 6.  For an additional nominal fee, members can attend training workshops to master the radio control room and produce programming to air on CAPS Radio 104.1 (KPPQ-LP).

Upcoming member classes include new member orientation on May 4th; HD Camera class on May 11, and video editing on May 18.  Radio workshops are also being scheduled.  Classes start at 6PM at the CAPS Media Center at 65 Day Rd.  For more information and to sign up for classes go to capsmedia.org/events/.  For general information go to [email protected], call 805.658.0500 or drop by the CAPS Media Center Monday 9a-6p, Tuesday or Wednesday 9a – 9p or Friday 9A – 6p.

CAPS Media wins WAVE Award

Winning the award at the 2017 Community Media West’s WAVE Awards in Fresno.

by Elizabeth Rodeno

In March, the Alliance for Community Media West convened in Fresno for their yearly Western Access Video Excellence Award. This year, CAPS Media Center took home the WAVE Award for Best Government Access program! The winning program, the Ventura County News Channel’s “Featuring Ventura County – Channel Islands Harbor Patrol”, can be found on the CAPS Media YouTube channel. Congratulations to Bill Nash, the County of Ventura, and Gary Roll for the win. We are producing city, county, educational and other programs to garner more awards next year.

Our Radio KPPQ Membership Training returns! Join us April 4th and 5th and we’ll help you find your footing and your radio voice! The first session covers Membership Program Information and Preliminary Training and the second session is a Radio Presentation and Performance Practicum. Classes size is kept small to enhance student learning and ensure a solid foundation. This means classes fill up fast! Get in touch to reserve your spot!  Email us at [email protected] for more information or to sign up. Listen to 104.1fm and let us know what you think of the new kid on the block.

In other radio news, CAPS Media is recruiting for an open intern position at the radio station to help with programming, recording and producing. It’s a great way to earn community service hours, learn and have fun. If you know someone interested in a career in radio, television, or the nonprofit world, send them our way! Interns will get an inside perspective on all aspects of radio production, as well as excellent on-the-job experience.

Coming up in April we have our regularly scheduled media classes. If you become a member this month, you can sign up for our April Orientation Class, happening Thursday, April 6th at 6:00 PM. We will also be offering HD Camera Class on Thursday, April 13th at 6:00 PM and Final Cut X Edit Class on Thursday, April 20th at 6:00 PM. These training classes are for CAPS Media Member/Producers to learn how operate video cameras, edit, run the studio and produce programs are scheduled on the CAPS Media website at http://www.capsmedia.org/events. Registration for all classes begins April 1st.

As always, you can watch Channel 6 to hear what the public has to say and watch Channel 15 to experience the city’s vision to provide the best and clearest information for all. And now you can tune into KPPQ at 104.1 FM to hear some great radio! All programs are also available to the public via streaming service on our website. Go to www.capsmedia.org to see what our members are creating for you and sign up to be part of the story. A full year’s membership is just $25 for a TV membership and $75 for a TV and Radio membership. For more information, contact us at [email protected]

Emergency Veterinary Care opens in Ventura

Dr. Sarah Gray and Dr. Nancy Scott have opened a newly established small animal emergency hospital in Ventura.

Board certified emergency and critical care specialists Dr. Sarah Gray and Dr. Nancy Scott have opened Emergency Veterinary Care, a newly established small animal emergency hospital in Ventura. The practice provides urgent care and veterinary emergency services seven days a week until midnight, with overnight patients receiving 24-hour care.

Emergency Veterinary Care is temporarily operating out of Ohana Pet Hospital at 4547 Telephone Road i while they develop the perfect location to care for the urgent care needs of local pets. They can be reached at 701-7664.

Drs. Gray and Scott are well-respected criticalists in Ventura County and have worked together locally saving pets’ lives for more than a decade. They bring a combined 20+ years of specialty veterinary experience to Emergency Veterinary Care.

Dr. Sarah Gray received her Bachelor of Science degree from the University of California, Davis before attending Iowa State University to earn her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree. Dr. Gray has completed several emergency and critical care internships, both locally and in Pennsylvania and completed her residency in Emergency and Critical Care medicine at the University of Minnesota. Dr. Gray has lived and worked in Ventura County for over 10 years and is particularly well versed in the areas of toxicology, fluid resuscitation, respiratory diseases and trauma. In her spare time, Dr. Gray is a veterinary consultant for a nationwide animal poison control center.

Dr. Nancy Scott received her Bachelor of Science degree from Santa Clara University and her Masters of Science in Biology from the University of Michigan. She went on to earn her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from UC Davis. Dr. Scott completed a rotating internship at the University of Minnesota’s Veterinary Teaching Hospital before returning to UC Davis to complete her residency in Small Animal Emergency and Critical Care. After completing her residency in 2005, Dr. Scott moved to Ventura where she joined a local veterinary specialty hospital and established a renowned emergency and critical care department. She is particularly knowledgeable in critical patient anesthesia, post-operative patient management, poly-trauma and management of severe electrolyte disturbances.

When asked about their new practice, Dr. Gray expressed, “Dealing with a beloved pet in crisis can be extremely stressful; Dr. Scott and I are strongly committed to addressing the cat and dog emergency needs of our community.” Dr. Scott added, “Yes, we truly want to ensure that we take care of the pets AND their families when it comes to managing family pet emergencies.”

Learn more about Emergency Veterinary Care at www.EmergencyVetVC.com.