Breeze:

As a lifelong progressive, I disagree with California and other government entities shutting down outdoor dining. Yes Covid-19 cases are surging, but are they a result of outdoor dining? The Mayo Clinic judges it a low to moderate risk behavior:

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/coronavirus/in-depth/safe-activities-during-covid19/art-20489385

The consequences for restaurant owners and staff are devastating. They have invested in all sorts of tables, platforms and pavilions outdoors and made paper menus, and the wait staff wears masks, etc. You are not forced to patronize these restaurants, and you decide which ones to visit, if any.

I have fish tacos with a buddy once a week at a seaside eatery with outdoor tables on a parking lot patio. The masked wait person brings the food to the table in a bag to us, sitting quite far apart. Downtown Ventura shut down our Main Street so restaurants could offer food on sheltered platforms and pavilions in the street. We judge this very safe and have meals there about once a month. We also patronize our local eateries with take out orders.

We are cancelling any family plans for the holidays and beyond–until our age and health group gets vaccinated–how long will that be? Who knows?

Economically shutting down restaurants that serve outdoor meals is a bad plan. I won’t go into the angry public reaction it’s already causing. This is overreach on the part of our officials and adds to the chaos and distress the pandemic is causing.

Bob Chianese Ventura

Breeze:

Hope you and family had a wonderful holiday.

Cannabis businesses – Let them grow and sell the junk in the river bottoms.  Let Nature have its way.

Sagittarius A – Sagittarius A doesn’t have a ghost of a chance in sucking us into it’s black hole.  Global Warming Climate Change will kill us all first!

Mail-in ballots – If they were handled in the same way as in years past.  When a voter registers to vote and declare a party affiliation they can select a mailed out ballot.  That is okay and works very well.  But, when the state mails everybody a ballot and allows them to drop it off anywhere convenient, that is not okay.

Representing the Trump – President Trump single highhandedly lost his own election with his big mouth and tweets!  He is now acting like a 4-year-old spoiled Brat!

Michael Gordon

We are a nation of laws, not of men. When a nation’s laws are flouted by the political leadership it is only a matter of time until the populace shows the same disrespect for law and order.
~ John Adams

Ventura Breeze

When watching expert speakers on TV you can tell how intelligent they are by how many books are shown behind them. The fewer the number of books the less intelligent they are. Unless, of course they hire Rent A Book to bring bookshelves full of books to their office or home for the shoot.

Larry Master Ojai

Editor:

I didn’t write this (got from CNN)but I think it is important to read.

Although the Aragonez family is still healing after a COVID-19 outbreak, they took the time to make a public service announcement warning against large family gatherings. It’s tradition for many families to gather during Thanksgiving and throughout the holiday season. But with the coronavirus global pandemic, those gatherings could turn Thanksgiving dinner into a superspreader event.

The Aragonez family is now living with the consequences of a large family gathering November 1; 15 members of the Arlington, Texas-based Aragonez family have since tested positive for the coronavirus. All of the 12 people who were at the get-together tested positive for COVID-19, Alexa Aragonez said — four lived at the house and eight were visiting. She said those family members then infected another three, bringing the total to 15.

Diane Brown

Hello Sheldon:

I noted the police report on the police involved shooting at Harbor and Seaward earlier this month.  The Ventura P D has released a detailed video of the shooting.  The video takes the viewer directly in front of the arresting officer who had to shoot the perp after the perp began shooting at the officer.

You may begin receiving hate message or mail because you printed the report, to those you can send them this YouTube link, Ventura Police stop armed Man.

This type of public transparency should be offered to all cities across the US, but for some it will do no good.

Bravo Ventura Police Department.

Michael Gordon

Michael: Can’t hate the messenger we only reported it not make it up.

Breeze

Just wanted to say thank you for publishing my letter (regarding metastatic breast cancer). I’m hoping the right people will see it and make it happen next October!!

Marissa Holzer

Economics and politics are the governing powers of life today, and that’s why everything is screwy.
~ Joseph Campbell

In your most recent issue, Vol. 14, No. 3, there was a beautiful photo of Ventura City Hall lit up in pink for Breast Cancer Awareness Month.  Although October is officially over, I would like to bring some awareness to metastatic breast cancer in the hopes that next year on October 13, MBC day, City Hall can light up in the MBC colors of green, teal and pink.  There is an organization called Moore Fight Moore Strong whose goal is to light up landmarks all over the world to raise awareness and much needed funds for MBC through an organization called Metavivor.

One in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer and one in three of those women will become metastatic.  More than 42,000 women in the U.S. will die this year from breast cancer.  Unfortunately, there is no cure and the average survival time for this disease is 36 months.  I personally have been living with metastatic breast cancer for the last six and a half years.  Only about 22% survive past five years.

Next October it is my wish to add Ventura City Hall to the more than 115 landmarks in the U.S. already lighting up for metastatic breast cancer awareness.  We are more than aware of breast cancer.  What needs some attention is metastatic breast cancer, a disease that is fatal for 97-99% of those diagnosed, with only about 2% of funds raised for breast cancer going to metastatic research.

I look forward to being around next year to see City Hall lit up in green, teal and pink to honor those who have passed and to acknowledge those living with MBC.

Thank you,
Marissa Holzer

Dear Editor,

As Americans, we are finding that we need to rely on ourselves more as the wealthy  corporations and their owners have rigged the economy in their favor.  They steal the wealth we have ALL created. During the pandemic, many socialist-minded organizations formed mutual aid working groups to help fill in the holes of the safety net that our federal government failed to create. We, the working people, are not among them the priorities of the DC politicians. They answer first to their wealthy donors that keep them in office.

Ventura County citizens may not know this, but many diverse local groups have come together from the start of the pandemic to get food and assistance to struggling citizens.  Members of DSA have been working along-side church groups, Habitat For Humanity, Friends of Fieldworkers, the Local Love Project, Ventura’s Danny’s Deli, as well as government funded organizations, ARCH (the Ventura Homeless Shelter), Oxnard COVID Shelter and the Area Agency on Aging. We’ve been delivering food, toys, masks, clothes, medicine and other essential items to senior, poor, homeless, disabled and incarcerated folks.  We have also donated time and supplies to build raised garden boxes so that individuals and families can grow their own food going forward.

We will continue these efforts as the pandemic shows no sign of disappearing soon.  It is clear that ongoing climate change-caused disasters, future pandemics and continued social injustice, will require us to continue this work – at least until the government starts working for all of us. All we have is each other.

In solidarity, Allen Chinn

Democratic Socialists of America – Ventura County

Oops…

In our last issue we had an article A sendoff for Haole Boy

In the article we stated “Haole’s fans span the world, in fact, a number of them, Tammy and John Norton flew or drove long distances to attend the memorial.” Tammy should have been Tawny. Sorry Tawny.

I pledge to be a president who seeks not to divide, but to unify.
~ Joe Biden

Editor:

I am very concerned about potential confrontations at polling places because of the deep partisan divides and baseless claims by President Trump. And his statements such as “to go into the polls and watch very carefully.” And telling his gun-toting fascist militias to “stand back and stand by”. In other words be prepared to intimidate, threaten or harm your fellow Americans so that I can be re-elected.

Even Josh Horwitz, Executive Director of the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence, said he’s also worried about what might happen if some of those who come to the polls are armed. He noted the increased presence of armed militia at protests and political rallies around the country.

How did we come to this? We can only hope the best and safe elctions.

Sarah Rubin Venturan

Letter to the Editor

Post Election Process

Once the Election Polls close, voters can be assured that the election offices will remain active to process all the ballots that were postmarked by November 3^rd. Ballots properly postmarked will be counted at the elections office through November 20.

Ballots that are received at the elections office are removed from their envelopes, unfolded and prepared to be processed through the scan readers. During this process, there may be ballot envelopes that are unsigned or damaged that need to be handled by an election official.

Election officials will also use the 17 days after elections to process provisional ballots, first time voter who registered on election day, and verify signatures. Further, if a ballot has been received and was not signed, the elections office will attempt to reach that voter and allow the voter to visit the elections office and add the signature to the envelope; the bar code tracking allow for contacting the voter while keeping the ballot private in the envelop.

Voters should be assured that the outcome of local city council, school board, board of supervisors, and special district may not be finalized for several days following the election. Voters may visit VenturaVote.org for the updates regularly posted by Ventura County election officials. Statewide propositions will be found at www.sos.ca.gov/elections.

Kathy Morgan League of Women Voters

Everybody can be great. Because everyone can serve…..
You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love.
~ Martin Luther King Jr.

Dear Editor:

The circumstances of this election are like no other in a hundred years. We need to execute our Constitutional right to vote and stay safe from the Covid-19 virus. The best way to do that is to vote from home. To make sure your vote counts: 1) update/verify your registration, 2) select the language you want your ballot in (Voterstatus.sos.ca.gov), 3) track your ballot (WheresMyBallot.sos.ca.gov), and 4) vote early. The League of Women Voters of Ventura County suggests voting by mail by October 20th to make sure your ballot arrives in time to be counted. Complete your ballot and deposit it in a drop box, mail it, or deliver it to a voting center. All of these are safe options. For more information about the election, visit the Ventura County Elections Division at venturavote.org.

Pat Butler Ventura

Venturans:

In an effort to inform voters, the League of Women Voters, Ventura County conducted candidate forums for local city council, mayoral, state senate and assembly elections as well as the Congressional District 26 election.

The League of Women Voters also conducted discussions of the California Ballot propositions and Ojai School Bond K. You can access the video recordings of these events at the following link:

https://my.lwv.org/california/ventura-county/candidate-forums

Be an informed voter! And, make a plan to vote!

Wayne Morgan Ventura

Breeze:

I’ve been walking around this earth for a while now. Never before have I seen such fear and loathing coming from far left haters and far right haters. At times it seems most Americans fall into one or the other of these categories. But, today I witnessed a small event that gave me a little hope. (Mind you, I saw and heard with my very own eyes and ears, it’s not from a disguised Russian blog, TikToK data mine or Falun Gong newspaper.)

I was just leaving Coffee Bean with my large dark roast when a black lady approached a white male cop standing in line and asked what he would be ordering. He told her and she said, “I’m going to buy that for you,” The cop actually blushed and said, “That’s not necessary.” She, said, “No, you deserve it.” The cop was just beaming. Well, apparently, these people must have missed the latest Fox News and MSNBC shows because, for some inexplicable reason, she did not see him as a white, racist oppressor and he did not see her as a lawless, looting rioter. They seemed to share the outrageous belief that each was a fellow human being worthy of mutual respect and appreciation. Could this be the real America? I hope so.

Nick Bonge Ventura

Are you an amateur cartoonist?
Send your cartoon(s) to [email protected] for consideration to be published.

People who do not know how to laugh are always pompous and self-conceited.
~ William Thackery

Dear Editor:

Your vote, your voice. Make it heard! The November election is rapidly approaching. Voting is your right and your duty but first you must register. If you are not yet registered to vote the deadline to register online is October 19th. To register online go to RegisterToVote.ca.gov. The League of Women Voters of Ventura County recommends that all registered voters check their registration status online at VoterStatus.sos.ca.gov. You will want to be sure that your address is current since ballots will be mailed to you, and to select your language preference. Prepare now to make sure your vote is counted!

Kathy Morgan Ventura

Voting has never been easier. Voting from home is safe, easy and convenient.

Once you receive your official ballot in the mail in early October, you can return it by the US Postal Service mail – postage is prepaid. It must be postmarked by Nov 3 and received by Nov 20 (in California) for your vote to be counted. We recommend you vote as early as possible after receiving your ballot.

An alternative to mailing your ballot is using one of the 34 Ballot Drop Boxes that are located throughout the county and will be open from Oct. 6 until Election Day, Nov. 3 at 8 pm. Ballot Drop Box locations can be found here: https://tinyurl.com/y45ol4mo.

Finally, you can take your ballot to any of the 47 in-person Vote Centers to drop it off or request a replacement for a spoiled ballot. The Vote Centers will be open Sat. Oct 31, Sun., Nov 1, and Mon. Nov 2 from 10 am-6 pm and Tuesday, November 3 from 7 am-8 pm. Vote Center locations can be found here: https://tinyurl.com/y5wd2ykv.

Be sure to check your registration status ([email protected]) and sign up to track your ballot (WheresMyBallot.sos.ca.gov).

The League of Women Voters of Ventura County will host virtual candidate forums (lwvventuracounty.org) – be an informed voter and learn about the candidates and issues.

Drop Box locations:
https://recorder.countyofventura.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/List-of-Drop-Off-Locations.pdf

Vote Center locations:
https://recorder.countyofventura.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/IPVL-Insert-FINAL-1.pdf

Betsy Patterson, President
League of Women Voters of Ventura County

Dear Mr. Brown,

Defund: A term that has taken on new meaning these days, gets twisted by those who wish to argue in bad faith to leave a broken system unchanged. But, defunding is about the reallocation of funding, taking duties away from law enforcement that would better be handled by mental health specialists or unarmed community liaisons. It means transforming our legal system to break the cycle of violence, oppression and despair created centuries ago by our nation’s racist landowners who hired armed men to protect their property and themselves from the perceived violence of people of color and the poor. It’s about acting on the persistent demand to shift our social, political and economic paradigms to generate lasting peace, prosperity, educational excellence and justice in all our communities. Let’s replace much of our police force with solutions that actually reduce and prevent crime.

In California we’ve made a step in changing laws by dismantling our old cash bail system which penalized the poor. Let’s also stop police from arming themselves as if they are going to war with the citizens who pay their salaries, police unions from getting too powerful and city councils from indiscriminately throwing money at police departments. Should a police department really be able to demand double the amount of any other department in a city’s budget, and get it?

What we fund is what we tolerate – racism, exploitation, injustice! Let’s work together to find other means of keeping our communities safe.

Sincerely,

Angelo Haynes Police Oversight Working Group

The only motive that can keep politics pure is the motive of doing good for one’s country and its people.
~ Author unknown

Breeze

William Shakespeare once said, “The eyes are the mirror to your soul”.

Our masks cannot mask or diminish the power of connection that is transmitted through the eyes of another; a window opens to our own lives, getting a glimpse of ourselves in the moment. Our eyes don’t lie: they show the truth no matter what face we put on.

These are eye-opening times we are living in! Studies show, when a smile reaches our eyes the brows raise and we become, ‘bright eyed’. A wink and a smile can bring comfort to the lonely or ones lost from the unraveling of their personal normal’s, desperately clinging to their old and familiar way of life. And now faced with moving forward in new ways for re-building a better tomorrow for our children’s children. And under all that, there is this ever presence of sadness from lack of touch and soul exchanging hugs with friends and loved ones.

The great Roman philosopher, Cicero said, “The face is a picture of the mind as the eyes are its interpreter”.

There’s no denying, it doesn’t feel ‘natural’ let alone comfortable to barricade our smiles, let alone breathe easily and naturally. It’s not natural! Our mouths like our eyes are the instruments of our expression. Concealed with our new accessory made of cloth, the eyes become our interpreters, relying upon our ‘orbs of many colors’ to communicate thought, and like sign language is for the hearing impaired, they tell our story.

According to Dr. Jeffery Benjamin, “Our eyes ability is limited physically, but our hearts covey the most poignant picture through the eyes”.

The heart knows what the heart needs. Through the language of the eyes, we can hear the dialog of another’s soul. Setting our own stories aside, allows unspoken words of caring, love and compassion to transfer from one heart to another. We all have the ability and opportunity to communicate with our eyes, with heart-sensitive understanding and solidarity; we are not alone in these crazy changing times.

Karen Leslie Ventura

Dear Editor, Sheldon Brown:

I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for bringing us the Breeze newspaper for the past thirteen years. It is a journalistic jewel to your readers. A shoutout to all involved: your dedicated staff, the advertisers and the generous doners.

You, too, can help the cause. See page two for information on how to be a part of a special group.

Now, we can all help to keep this publication alive.

Sincerely,

James Francis Gray

Dear Everybody,

Well, I always knew he wanted to own the U.S. of A the same way Putin owns Russia. But I didn’t realize he had gotten so close. Yikes. I didn’t think he had brains enough to put the right pieces together.and get so close to getting all the goodies.  The story is far from over. This country and our structure will be long getting repaired. A lot to digest and a lot of make sense of. And lots and lots of thought and ideas and who knows what else will be needed to make the repairs needed to make us a United States of America again. I don’t feel paranoid, but I think I’ll need a lot more paranoia to understand a lot of what has happened and a lot  more that is needed.

Help me get my brain together. Help yourself to whatever is deemed valuable.
xxxxEs and Manny

When checking for gas leaks, always remember to use safety matches to prevent accidents.
~ Lawrence Brotherton

Breeze:

I believe that President Trump has been (and will continue to be) a great president. He has made very important changes to the way government is run and had reversed many of Obama’s terrible programs and taxes. I know that some countries don’t care for him but that is because he has put America first instead of catering to the wishes of other countries that don’t do much to help us financially.

Before the China virus hit us our economy was at the highest that is has ever been in our history and will return to that when the virus is licked. His insistence that companies rapidly come up with a vaccine has made them proceed very rapidly with a vaccine and a cure.

He has helped states with everything that they need to combat the virus even though some sates (to embarrass him and make him look bad) have refused his help. Shame on them

Some of his relatives have criticized him but are, obviously very jealous of his success as being our president and with his very successful business ventures. He has handled their criticism in a very professional and dignified manner.

The promises that he made in his acceptance speech for his next term are wonderful and will put millions of Americans back to work.

Thank you for the opportunity to express my thoughts

Mervin Wheeler

Sheldon,

Who would have ever thought we could don a face mask, walk into a bank, walk up to the teller and demand money.  Then walk out unmolested?

Michael Gordon

Michael:

Just the wonderful times that we are living in.

All labor that uplifts humanity has dignity and importance and should be taken with painstaking excellence.
~ Martin Luther King Jr.

Editor,
Now that the controversial statue of Father Junipero Serra has been removed, I would like to suggest that we replace it with someone who is not controversial, who worked in the arts, and whose most famous creation was “born” here in Ventura.  I would like to see a statue of Erle Stanley Gardner standing in front of City Hall where he used to practice law when it was the county courthouse.

Many people, even long time Ventura residents, do not know who he is or that Mr. Gardner was a member of the firm of Sheridan, Orr, Drapeau, and Gardner in Ventura from 1921 to 1933.  During that time be became increasingly disenchanted with the practice of law and started writing pulp fiction for crime magazines around the country.  He did well at this but his greatest success came when he started writing novels, 82 in all, about a hard-driving attorney by the name of Perry Mason.

The first Perry Mason novel, “The Case of the Velvet Claws”, used the Pierpont Inn as the backdrop to the story.

A television show based on Mason ran for nine years and many more special made-for-television movies followed after its cancellation.  Gardner himself appeared in the last episode of the series.

Recently, HBO launched a mini-series based on Gardner’s work.

At the time of his death in 1970, Gardner was the best-selling writer of the 20th Century.

All of this success, which started here in Ventura, should be celebrated by all of us.

Regards,
John Darling

Sheldon:

Thank you for bringing our community such fantastic local and national coverage, and editorials. I always look forward to each Breeze being published.

Robert Aronson

Mr. Brown —

In response to opinions expressed in the July 29, 2020 edition of the Ventura Breeze criticizing the words and actions of our president, I ask that you please consider them from a different perspective:

Ever the optimist and with endless vistas of free time I believe that I have figured out how the dots connect so that much human suffering will end and very soon at that.

I never thought I would have anything good to say about the man, but from what I observe President Donald Trump is succeeding in “draining the swamp”.  His actions are exposing the weaknesses in various systems and are providing the impetus for people the world over to look into the abuses perpetrated by many in authority and their associates whether by design, incompetence, or a policy of “see no evil, hear no evil”.

At one point in my career I worked for the District Attorney’s Office and learned that pedophiles and those that similarly prey on the vulnerable do not do well in prison.  That thought cheers me.  Imagine the fear running through the veins of the super elite, the friends, associates, and clients of billionaire child sex trafficker the now deceased Jeffrey Epstein and others in similar trade.   These people face the very real threat of public exposer (black mail is like that), and I seriously doubt that Mr. Epstein’s secrets died with him.   When exposed, the corrupt will lose their positions of authority hopefully to be replaced by those more fit for command.

Finally, I feel there is a connection between mask wearing and the missing part of “see no evil, hear no evil”, which is “speak no evil.”  To quote Ralph Smart, “Speak the truth even if your voice shakes.”

Julie Schaab Ventura

There is so much apathy in the world today…..but who cares?
~Steven J. Paul

Mr. Brown:

I appreciate your column and look forward to your comments and insights.  I just wanted to mention to you, however, that I believe your comment that “as a non-native American, I don’t have really strong feelings about this” (regarding the statue of Father Serra) is unacceptable if we are to work towards social justice in our county ad our country.  If the only people who respond to injustice are those that have suffered from it, minority causes would never receive the support they deserve from all of us.  It would seem more in keeping with your opinions that we all share the responsibility to stand up for injustice, whether it has affected us or our ancestors, or not.

Thank you.
Kathy Waters

Kathy:
Thanks for this so I can clear this up. I am very concerned, and supportive for all peoples who have been, and will continue to be subjected to injustices and prejudices. I just meant that folks directly affected probably have stronger feelings but all have my empathy
Sheldon

Editor

In the April 8-21 edition of the Ventura Breeze, your challenge to readers regarding making positive statement(s) about President Trump only generated one response that I noticed. It was disappointing that more readers did not make an effort to respond. Here is my contribution.

Did you enjoy the stimulus check you received? Was the reduction in your Federal Taxes something you appreciated? Do you think the economy and lowest unemployment ever, prior to Covid-19, benefited America? Have you researched how many pieces of legislation President Trump has signed into law?

It is easy to criticize, find fault and believe what we hear or read. But haven’t we been taught to question everything? To question indicates a need to research and find the most accurate information, which is not as easy as it seems in today’s world of the internet and 24/7 media news that usually does not provide accurate or complete information. It is interesting to me that when I hear the major media spin what President Trump has said and when I see or hear the actual footage of his comment that I find the media’s spin was not what he actually said.

While it may be easy and popular to dislike President Trump’s often reported behavior, we should ask ourselves if we feel he really has the welfare of America’s future at heart?

Is the nomination of Federal Judges that believe in and respect the American Constitution a good thing for the preservation of America, as we have known it, something we appreciate? Isn’t the support of existing Federal Laws what elected officials are supposed to do?

In my opinion, the real issue voters need to address each time we vote is to pick the least of the evils. No candidate is perfect so it is each voter’s responsibility to exercise “due diligence” and vote for the person that hopefully will do the least amount of damage to our nation or community. We have been conditioned to the polite behavior of professional politicians. Perhaps we need more people in elected office that do not act like lifelong professional politicians, some of which have never had real jobs. We do not have to like someone to vote for them. We should try to determine which candidate is committed to do what is best for America and or our community.

Respectfully submitted from a registered Independent voter.

Ken Ogle

Is not life a thousand times too short for us to bore ourselves?
~ Friedrich Nietzsche