Dear Sheldon,

I’m sorry that in your ‘As I See It’ column you made light of the fact that schools received a donation of washers-dryers. Some kids come to school wearing the same clothes over and over again, and are either teased mercilessly or shunned.  As a former teacher, I can’t tell you how many times I would’ve appreciated having a place for kids to do their wash at school. We did have a clothes closet for kids who needed articles of clothing, and they could have slipped into those while completing their task.

The rest of your ‘As I See It’ column was pretty spot on!

Carol Spector

Sheldon,

I’m not sure if you were trying to be funny regarding your remarks about washer/dryers at school and a student receiving an A for clean clothes.  If you were, you weren’t. If you are unaware that there are some students who do not have access to a washer/dryer in their home or tent or car then shame on you.  The schools I worked at (one of them considered a wealthy school) had washers and dryers in the locker rooms that were used for equipment but we had staff members who were very aware of students who did not have access to such luxuries and allowed them access to them.  It was a simple gesture that completely changed a students outlook on school and society.

Ruth Burkhart

Dear Carol and Ruth: Thank you very much for clarifying this for me and our readers. I had no idea this was a serious problem. I do apologize for my ignorance. I know Whirlpool (and maybe others) are installing these in our schools for free.

Sheldon

Editor:

A reader who described herself as a senior was very critical of the downtown street closings.  I am also a senior woman and my husband and I are delighted with Mainstreet Moves!  First of all, we never parked “right in front” of our favorite stores because it had all become metered parking!  We park in the many free lots.

We do not miss the noisy hot rods, motorcycles and revving pickup trucks that used to use Main street as their “parade” venue.   We notice so many more people, especially young people and young families there now that it isn’t “gasoline alley”.  Thank you for extending this through 2024, Ventura!

Cheryl Garrison

Breeze:

Your information of CA Gov. Newsom signing several bills aimed at bolstering protections for LGBTQ+ people warmed my heart. Setting timelines for the required cultural competency training for public school teachers and staff is genius.

A civilized democracy evolves with the changing times, and is inclusive in the needs of all citizens.

I have signed up for email news from Gov. Newom. I receive newsletters from CA Attorney General Bonta and am grateful for the good job he is doing for the justice of all citizens.

Thank you again for keeping us informed.

Diane Garber

As you get older, three things happen.
The first is your memory goes, and I can’t remember the other two.
~ Sir Norman Wisdom

Dear Sheldon,

Thank you for your donation of free add space in the Breeze for our Pooch Parade. It was a wonderful event and I hope you enjoyed the day.  We’re grateful for your continued support!

Dee Vitrano
Board Secretary
Canine Adoption & Rescue League

Our wonderful reader Sean McSherry sent us a very nice card and the following note.

“Dear Ventura Breeze. Thank you. Your newspaper is great and enjoyable. Happy anniversary. Sincerely, Sean McSherry.”

Thank you Sean, nice you took the time to do this.

Breeze:

I sent this to our city council (note this was larger, has been reduced to print here):

I’ve waited all this time to send this letter, hoping the closure of Main Street for Main Street Moves would be rescinded. No such luck. Main Street remains closed. And for me, it’s a tragedy.

I’ve lived in Ventura County since 1976. Some of my happiest shopping moments have been driving down Main Street, parking in front of a favorite store, and spending money! Buying stuff! Going to the movies! Having a meal! All because I could park and easily enter a store.

But now you’ve made that impossible. I’m a senior now, and mobility is an issue. Safely walking is difficult. And dangerous (because of those stupid brick chevrons in the sidewalk — do you know how easy it is to catch your toe on the raised lip of the cement? I’ve fallen 3 times! For me, the chevron sidewalks are more falls waiting to happen.

If I want to go to a store or restaurant that is directly on a corner, perhaps I’ll be lucky enough to snag one of the few parking spots on the corner. And then I can struggle in. But if there is no parking there, or if the store I want to go to is in the middle of the block, I have to go in back of the stores, into the few parking spots available.

So what you’ve done is put all of Main Street out of reach for me. I’m old. I’m disabled. I can’t walk like young people. But I have money to spend, I just can’t do it on Main Street. The old Ventura I’ve loved for 50 years is out of reach.

And if all else fails —cancel Main Street Moves. I can’t imagine the shopowners on Main Street are making money. There are too many alternative places to shop and people will vote with their feet if they don’t like the inconvenience and obstacles Main Street Moves presents.

Sincerely,
Kristine Lundquist

I know not with what weapons World War III will be fought,
but World War IV will be fought with sticks and stones.
~ Albert Einstein

Sheldon,

I consider you to be a highly educated person. We have the same Alma Mater (U of M) I am pretty sure you completed your education there.

It’s a shame that the only comments made about Hunter are about drug use and firearm possession. Do you not know how much money he received and the false job titles under fake non-profits?

Sheila Murphy

Sheila: First of all, even though I was born in Detroit I’m a USC grad (Am I still a highly educated person?)To be fair I also said “and perhaps other Biden transgressions far exceeds this particular item.”

Correction to the article, Ventura Women’s Conference:  Balancing the Successful You/
Please go to this website for further information and to register:
https://venturawomensconference.com/
It will be on Saturday, October 21.

The burden of the self is enlightened when I laugh at myself.
~ RabindranathTagore

Greetings, Sheldon:

I received the issue of the Ventura Breeze, including the piece on San Buenaventura State Beach today! I was so excited that you included two copies! Thank you so much for including this in your local paper and sending the copies to me. This truly made my day….week…..month!

Best to you,

Amannda DeBoef Office of Experiential Learning
UMKC School of Pharmacy

Breeze:

We are appalled by the proposed high-density housing on Johnson Drive from Northbank to Capri.  The GPAC’s to change the zoning along the Johnson corridor from “Commercial” to “Mixed Use 3 and 4 Stories” would allow additional apartments to be built above businesses all along Johnson.  Developers may also ask for an increased height variance by applying for the state’s “Developer Density Bonus” for building out “underutilized” commercial space. 

Johnson Drive is highly sensitive to this density change because it is one of the main arteries to the 101 freeway, government center and the existing communities on the east end. There does not seem to be any plan to proactively develop the infrastructure to support the future impact to traffic on Johnson Drive and the neighboring streets. Beyond Bristol Road, Johnson Drive is only a 2 lane road that does not have the capacity to be expanded to support the amount of traffic the proposed housing will create as there are houses on both sides of the street. 

The new 302 unit Northbank apartments going in across from Motel 6 will have no additional infrastructure improvements to handle the expected 2,700 extra daily trips beyond a new traffic light on Johnson at Motel 6. It is naive to think all these residents will ride a bike or take the bus. There is no apparent prioritization among the city legislators to relieve the congestion all this higher density will bring. The existing residents will have to bear the burden of short-sighted planning on the impact to traffic on Johnson and the neighboring streets.  We will sit in traffic more and we will be expected to conserve our water and other resources even more than we do now.  We are destroying Ventura’s quality of life for all residents.

Chris and Terrie Longo

Breeze:

Cannabis Business Permits

The store I visited last week was very clean and employed a good level of security to include personal governmental identification to pass through a locked wall and door barrier; and including security guards outdoors at the entrance. I hope they do very well because that will fill the cities coffers very quickly.

The above leads directly to my next observation. City street maintenance. I have to agree with Diana White and her comments about our street disrepair. Didn’t Ventura receive a large chunk of funding for our streets a year ago?

Where did all the money go?
Down the storm drains for storm water recovery?

Diana mentioned Spinnaker, the road to our “jewel”, The Ventura Harbor, but this is not the only road in Ventura that is an embarrassment to drive on, try Ralston and many of the roads around Montalvo housing area.

Maybe with all the pot shops opening in Ventura the cities coffers can afford to contract with a road construction company like Granite Construction to repair or replace our crumbling roads.

I realize it is hard for a city to manage its roads and highways when every other month some utility must destroy a once good road to upgrade a wire or pipeline. Could not the city manage this type of work with an announcement to all the utilities and services that use the city rights of ways to bury their products an advance notice of pending construction on specific roads and highways? Then maybe they all could upgrade at the same time.

Michael Gordon

She does not understand the concept of Roman numerals.
She thought we just fought World War Eleven.
~ Joan Rivers

Sheldon Brown thank you so much!! I’m looking forward to continuing to serve the community I love.

Jeffrey Lambert

Breeze:

It will take many more defections from true believers who finally can’t wrap their heads around the number and craziness of Trump’s lies and assaults and his growing threats of violence against judges, jurors, and poll workers conducting his trials and facilitating the 2024 election. Bill Barr, Mike Pence, Chris Christie are already levelling stiff criticism at their former “stable genius” leader, and they can open an off ramp for Trump’s slavish followers to walk away and leave the cult. They shouldn’t be heralded however for coming late to the truth.

We must create a counter energy. We have to step up our financial support for Democratic candidates and most importantly volunteer in efforts to get Democrats and young people and students and workers to the polls. No sitting out this one by making campaign donations or phone calls.

We can join local activist groups pushing progressive agendas and policies. We can support and join local efforts that ultimately impact national events, such as labor strikes, housing development, environmental groups, educational policy in schools and colleges and help them move the most progressive agendas along.

Also, we can attend local Democratic party meetings and become part of their leadership and policy formation and candidate support. In essence, we need to join groups, organizations and local party efforts to push the liberal-progressive agendas that Biden and others have passed or proposed and do the work of publicizing what current Democrats are all about and have accomplished.

Robert Chianese, Ph.D., Emeritus Prof. English, CSU Northridge

to opinions

Here here to the letter regarding no awards for “city until they fix roads”!!! Have you driven around Ventura lately? So many potholes to avoid as well as ruts in roads all over the city. Lots of folks I share this concern with agree that either someone is asleep at the wheel or they are using degraded material. Spinnaker , the road to our “jewel”, Ventura  Harbor, is horrible to drive on. It’s an embarrassment.

Sincerely,
Diana White

My old man always wanted be to be a garbage man.
He thought they only worked on Thursdays.
~ Dennis Hill

Breeze:

Great job Sheldon. As always, thanks for the support!

Darin Schindler Ventura Chief of Police

Mr. Editor:   

Please no awards for city until they fix roads…… worse now than ever…     Nice to see you are a Trojan, I am class of 56…….  and your comments on Community Colleges is right on.

Robert Lombardi

Robert: Even better some community colleges are going to offer bachelor degrees.

Breeze:

I have been reading all the accolades and patting on the back that has occurred since the X Games have come and gone. Perhaps there is much to this fanfare. Perhaps there is a missing element that hasn’t been addressed. Working as a vendor (not a restaurant) in downtown I’m questioning this success. From a small store vendor stand point the Games seemed to have a very negative impact. There wasn’t a huge up tick in shoppers during the regular daytime hours in fact, numbers dropped, considerably. 

What might have caused this? Perhaps because daytime hours coincided with X Game activities and no one ventured up to downtown until afer regular business hours ended?

Perhaps the woes threats and worries about traffic and parking were deterrent to those who weren’t interested in the event?

Perhaps the X Game vendor outreach was only given to restaurants and excluded the other vendor stores?

I do not purport that I speak for all vendors but the word that spreads like small town gossip was how their X Game experience wasn’t a “rousing success”. 

Thought for future: if you want vendor inclusion how about do just that, afford ALL vendors a presence at the event (County Fair included). Perhaps a pop tent set up in a designated Downtown Vendor area. Info, coupons, samples on the ready.

Success should be summed up by all, not just the top tier. 

George Smith

“The only one who can tell you ‘you can’t win’ is you and you don’t have to listen.”
~ Jessica Ennis

Opinions:

I had absolutely nothing to do with the XGames coming to Ventura, but my hat’s off and tons of Kudos for everyone involved from the Fairgrounds, to Visit Ventura, the City, Metrolink and all involved with the planning and execution. What was most fun for me, who is not into skateboarding, BMX or Motocross was to sit in my house less than 5 miles from the arena and watch the awesome coverage on ABC and ESPN. The close ups and camera angles were spectacular and gave me a complete appreciation for the competitors. Ventura, a job well done. The whole world got to see our wonderful town. Hope it can happen again.

Carl Morehouse former Mayor/Councilmember.

Breeze:

I was very inspired by what I saw at the X Games.

The tumultuous traffic jams  (a la Strawberry Festival) seemed to have avoided us.

Congrats for the planning, and to those who showed Ventura in such a magnificent light.

However, I am pretty sure that the millions watching the X-Games, Ventura Style, and suffering from the excruciating heat around the country, are already  making plans to sell their houses…… and move to Ventura!

Oh, dear.

On another point:  I have also been inspired to launch my very own X-Games.

The plan is to  encourage us “seniors” to skateboard and bicycle exactly the way we saw during the X Games.  (I have ruled out Motorbikes–because they are too noisy.)

I would call the event the “O-Games—   as in “Octogenarian.”

And to qualify for the O-Games, competitors must have been the recipient of new knees, hips, or shoulders (and bring a doctor’s letter along to prove it.)

I must confess, I am the recipient of one of those bionic parts–but you should see me leaping over buildings as I roar down the mostly closed Main Street on my bike!

Stay tuned.

Ivor Davis

Ivor: Sounds wonderful but I’m glad to say I still have only my natural parts but I will come out and cheer for you old folks.

Sheldon

The optimist proclaims that we live in the best of all possible worlds, and the pessimist fears this is true.
~ James Branch Cabell

Letter to the Editor.

I was at Vons and was surprised to see a woman and her husband and infant son shopping with the mother wearing a bathing suit. Now, the supermarket is close to the beach and it was a warm day but what surprised me was she was wearing a thong, with her cheeks exposed. What was interesting was the fact no one seemed to care or even gave the woman a second look. Now I know what my grandfather must have felt when he encountered a woman in a bikini for the first time in the 1950s. I guess I didn’t get the memo –this is the new normal.

Richard Senate

Richard: I’m afraid it is the new normal like parents with their kids at a restaurant and they are all on their cellphones

Saga of the Exploded Refrigerator

Apparently for two days a fridge was set out on the sidewalk near a small park down the street from us with a “Free” sign on it. The doors were still on it, we are told—dangerous of course.

Then it was blown up a day or so later. Then a huge bomb of some sort went off last night around 10:15 pm inside it. It had a metallic ring to it. It burned half of a grapefruit tree and a nearby shrub.

This morning my wife saw it on her walk and called the police. They looked it over and left. Other neighbors told us that the fire department had been there (a day?) before.

There it sits as a relic of a misbegotten 4th of July celebration or a kinetic postmodern sculpture.

Robert Chianese

Robert: You had more fun than most of us.