Category Archives: News and Notes

Distracted driving is anything that takes a driver’s eyes or mind off the road

Ventura Mayor Erik Nasarenko addressing the students. Photos by Bernie Goldstein

On September 1, a virtual reality 360° driving experience showing the potentially deadly consequences of smartphone distracted driving was held at Buena High School, 5670 Telegraph Road.

The event included a simulator car, virtual reality gear, signage and a digital education display. The It Can Wait simulator was accompanied by AT&T It Can Wait campaign ambassadors. This is similar in some ways to how 360 provides VR training for workplace safety purposes, except this time the focus is entirely on the driving.

AT&T partnered with the Ventura Police Department and Buena High School to bring awareness about the dangers of smartphone distracted driving with its virtual reality simulator. This is a great idea as the number of people hiring a car accident attorney is rising dramatically and one of the predicted reasons is the increase in people texting and driving.

Ventura Mayor Nasarenko told the students, “Six thousand individuals die every year because of distracted driving. That would be like the entire student body of Buena High School vanishing along with two other high schools of the same size. So don’t send that text, answer the phone, or put mouse whiskers on the Snapchat photo while you’re driving. Remember, It can wait.” This really puts the problem into perspective; those injured by a careless driver may want to pursue legal action against them through the likes of Virginia Car Accident Attorneys.

Inset is 9th grader Armando Ontiveros being virtual.

The students learned that:

Distracted driving is anything that takes a driver’s eyes or mind off the road or hands off the steering wheel -especially texting and cell phone use, whether hands-free or handheld. Who’s doing it? Most drivers. It has been estimated that, at any one time, over 10 percent of drivers are using a mobile device. This also includes truck drivers with most truck accidents being caused by distracted driving. Truck accidents rarely have a happy ending and those who have been in such accidents ending up in the hospital for a lengthy amount of time. If you have found yourself in such a situation, you might want to get in touch with a law firm similar to these Tate Law Offices who might be able to help with getting compensation for your accident.

According to the California Office of Traffic and Safety:

  • 80 percent of vehicle crashes involve some sort of driver inattention.
  • Up to 6,000 people nationwide are killed in crashes where driver distractions are involved.
  • Talking on a cell phone or texting is the number one source of driver distractions.
  • Texting takes a driver’s eyes off the road for an average of five seconds, far enough to travel the length of a football field at 55 mph. Most crashes happen with less than 3 seconds reaction time.

What can a driver do? They can obey the law. They can also work to eliminate distractions:

  • Never text and drive.
  • Turn off the phone when you get behind the wheel.
  • Don’t text or call someone when you know they are likely to be driving.
  • Make a pact with family, spouse, and caregivers never to use the phone in the car.
  • No eating or drinking while driving.
  • Don’t program your GPS, MP3 player or other devices while driving.
  • Pull over and stop to read maps.
  • No grooming, no reading, no watching videos.
  • If something falls to the floor, pull over before trying to reach it.

The Annual California Coast Classic (CCC) Bike Tour

Join the riders at San Buenaventura State Beach. Photo by Murray Robertson from 2016

The Annual California Coast Classic Bike Tour is one of the Arthritis Foundation’s top fundraising events, whose goal is to raise over $1.2 million. Funds raised support the Arthritis Foundation’s mission to conquer the disease by spreading awareness and raising money for research. Arthritis affects over 50 million adults, or one out of five, and 300,000 children nationwide.

The Arthritis Foundation’s California Coast Classic Bike Tour is a scenic bike ride that takes place over 8 days and is estimated to cover an additional 45 miles over 2016 and 2700’ of elevation over the course of the tour. The Tour starts in San Francisco and ends in Pacific Palisades with a stop in Ventura.

The Tour will be coming through Ventura and you’re invited to meet the riders, volunteers and staff. Join the riders at San Buenaventura State Beach Day 7, Friday, Sept. 15.

Where they will camp out. Festivities include CCC Social Hour (4-6 p.m.), dinner (6:30 p.m.) where there will be great opportunities to interview riders and tour staff.

The next day, Saturday, Sept. 16, the last day of the tour cyclist will have breakfast (6:30-8:30 am) and then ride 55 miles and climb 1,800 feet of rolling hills along the gorgeous coast into Malibu, and cross the finish line at 2 p.m. as a group in Pacific Palisades to fanfare and an emotional welcome.

For more information on the California Coast Classic Bike Tour, visit californiacoastclassic.org.

Remember! Pedestrians don’t have armor

The California Office of Traffic Safety announced that September is “California Pedestrian Safety Month” which began last year in response to the rising number of pedestrians being killed and injured on California roadways.

The Ventura Police Department will be joining with other law enforcement agencies, pedestrian advocates and walking clubs to promote public awareness aimed at both drivers and pedestrians alike to always be aware of each other and share the road responsibly.

This month draws attention to the 892 pedestrians who were killed on California roadways in 2016, accounting for over 24 percent of all roadways deaths in the state, up from 17% just a decade ago. The number of pedestrians killed or injured on Ventura roadways has increased over the past two years. In 2015 there were 55 incidents and in 2016 there were 62 incidents.

The department has mapped out locations over the past several years where pedestrian collisions have occurred along with the violations that led to those collisions. Traffic Officers working overtime and others on routine patrol will be focusing enforcement both on drivers as well as pedestrian who violate traffic laws.

Both drivers and walkers are cautioned to put down the cell phones, since electronic distractions are seen in increasing numbers of pedestrian crashes. Other factors for drivers include unsafe speed and failure to see and yield to pedestrians in crosswalks and intersections. For pedestrians, the major dangers are jaywalking and thinking that they can be seen at night, especially while wearing dark clothing. To learn about the dangers of being a pedestrian, who is at risk and safety tips visit Pedestrian Safety.

Funding for this enforcement campaign is provided to the Ventura Police Department by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Chris Stephens appointed new commissioner for Ventura Port District

Chris Stephens, director of the Ventura County Resource Management Agency, has been appointed as the new commissioner for the Ventura Port District. He replaces Commissioner Bruce Smith.

Stephens has served as the head of the Resource Management Agency since 2006. Previously he worked as Ventura County’s Planning Director and as the Deputy Executive Director of the Ventura County Transportation Commission and has served as a Hansen Agricultural Trust Advisory Board member, a member of the City of Ventura Visioning Committee and Charter Committee, and the Ventura County Planning Commission.

Commissioner Jim Friedman was reappointed to another four-year term, through 2021.

Research on flu viruses in marine mammals at the Channel Islands

For the September From Shore to Sea lecture Dr. Pamela Yochem will discuss the role and significance of marine mammals in spreading influenza viruses that may pose a risk to human health.

Yochem’s research has revealed that some of the marine mammals at the Channel Islands have been exposed to the same virus that caused the last global epidemic of influenza in humans.

The sudden appearance and rapid spread of this highly contagious virus in both humans and marine mammals is unprecedented according to Yochem.

Yochem is the Executive Vice President and Chief Science Officer at Hubbs-Sea World Research Institute in San Diego. She is a USDA-accredited veterinarian and has studied the population biology, behavioral ecology, and health of marine vertebrates for 30 years.

The talk will be held on Thursday, September 14. The From Shore to Sea lecture series is sponsored by Channel Islands National Park. The 2017 lecture series will take place at 7:00 pm on the second Thursday of each month, January through December, at the Channel Islands National Park Robert J. Lagomarsino Visitor Center, 1901 Spinnaker Drive, in Ventura Harbor. The programs are free and open to the public.

This lecture can also be viewed live online, at:Shore to Sea lecture series.

Lectures are recorded and posted at: http://www.nps.gov/chis/learn/photosmultimedia/from-shore-to-sea-lecture-videos.htm

Ventura Visitor Guide wins award

Ventura Visitors & Convention Bureau (VVCB) proudly announced that the 2017 Ventura Visitor Guide has won an Award for Publication Excellence in the “One-of-a-Kind Publications” category.

The 29th Annual Awards for Publication Excellence (APEX) which recognize excellence in publishing by professional communicators were based on excellence in graphic design, editorial content and the success of the entry — in the opinion of the judges — in achieving overall communications effectiveness and excellence. The panel of judges for APEX 2017 included John De Lellis, Concepts Editor & Publisher, Ken Turtoro, noted publishing executive and senior APEX judge, Christine Turner, Contributing Editor of the Writing That Works Archives and Bill Londino, Consulting Editor of Writer’s Web Watch.

1,361 entries were evaluated including 60 in the “One-of-a-Kind Publications” category. VVCB was honored that the Ventura Visitor Guide was chosen among 23 same-category winners.

VVCB hopes to continue a tradition of publication excellence in Ventura’s 2018 Visitor Guide currently in progress. Similar to the 2017 Visitor Guide, it will focus on advertorial content that tells the Ventura story through local writers and photographers. The 2018 Visitor Guide will be published before the end of the year.

Officer Aaron Drake may be called as a witness at her trial

Wendy Di Rodio, a family therapist and author, was killed in 2009.

From a previous Breeze issue: “After a three-year investigation, the Ventura Police Department arrested Gina Drake, 45, for the murder of her aunt Wendy Di Rodio. Di Rodio, 61, was stabbed repeatedly in her room in her home in the Ventura Keys neighborhood on June 3, 2009.”

“Gina Drake is the former wife of VPD veteran Police Officer Aaron Drake, The Drakes were married at the time of the homicide, but Officer Drake had filed for divorce in June, 2009 (about the time of the murder) and they have since been divorced.”

Why is this important now?

In a suicide attempt, VPD patrol officer Aaron Drake, 47, shot himself around 1:30 p.m. on July 28 in the locker room of the Ventura Police Department headquarters located on Dowell Dr. (officer Dowell remains the only Ventura officer killed in the line of duty).

He was taken to Ventura County Medical Center and eventually to Kaiser Permanente hospital in Los Angeles where he is being treated.

Apparently Aaron Drake was very involved with the investigation in to his ex-wife’s case, even wearing a wire in a meeting with her. The investigation is being conducted by the Ventura Police Department and the Ventura County District Attorney Office.

Defense attorneys for Gina Drake, as well as prosecutors, want to call the officer as a witness during pretrial motions and for her future trial.

Activities have been delayed pending the condition of Aaron Drake and his ability to be a witness in the case.

It has not been determined if his involvement with Gina Drake’s pending trial predicated his attempted suicide.

American Academy of Pediatricians updates head lice guidance

In 2015 the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) updated its guidance on head lice treatment as new products were introduced after the academy’s 2010 report.  The new report was published in the journal Pediatrics, and it highlights some exciting new developments in the battle against head lice.

“Head lice infestation is associated with limited morbidity but causes a high level of anxiety among parents of school-aged children,” the report says. “Since the 2010 clinical report on head lice was published by the American Academy of Pediatrics, newer medications have been approved for the treatment of head lice.”

The AAP recognizes that head lice in the United States have developed resistance to the most popular over-the-counter lice products (pediculicides). As a by-product of this resistance, some parents have over-applied the medications, hoping that using more of the products would make them more successful. The AAP warns against this, saying, “the potential for misdiagnosis and the resulting improper use of pediculicides and the emergence of resistance to both available and newer products, many without proof of efficacy or safety, call for increased physician involvement in the diagnosis and treatment.”

“The prevalence of resistance has not been systematically studied but seems to be highly variable from community to community and country to country.” In fact, the most recent study released shows 100 percent of lice in 42 states are resistant to the active ingredients in over-the-counter lice products.

“The ideal treatment of lice should be safe, free of toxic chemicals, readily available without a prescription, easy to use, effective, and inexpensive,” the report says.  For the first time, the AAP lists the AirAllé® medical device as an effective lice treatment device. The device is a custom-built machine that uses one 30-minute application of hot air in an attempt to desiccate the lice. One study showed that subjects had nearly 100% mortality of eggs and 80% mortality of hatched lice.”

The AirAllé® device is the only treatment option listed in the AAP report that uses heated air. A clinical trial showed that the FDA-cleared medical device killed live lice and 99.2 percent of eggs. It uses nothing but heated air, carefully controlled and applied, to dehydrate lice and eggs.

Lice treatment using the AirAllé® medical device is available exclusively at Lice Clinics of America treatment centers, where certified staff use the device to remove live lice and eggs. The process takes from 30-90 minutes, depending on the extent of the infestation and the length of the hair. Most clinics guarantee success as long as all household members are checked for head lice prior to treatment.

Lice Clinics of America has quickly become the largest network of professional lice treatment centers in the world. Some 150 clinics have opened in the United States to date with approximately 100 clinics in 20 additional countries.

To learn more or to find a clinic near you, visit www.liceclinicsofamerica.com.

Rock on the Dock

It’s all hands on deck as the Rock on the Dock Concert Series launches at Ventura Harbor Village every Saturday this September from 3-6pm featuring an electrifying line-up of musicians performing free to the public on a floating stage in the Ventura Harbor. Visitors to the series catch the show from the water aboard kayak or from the promenade.

Kick off the Labor Day weekend with the not-to-be-missed spectacle of the shimmer from the heat of the September sun on the waters of Ventura Harbor September 2 and continuing the 9th, 16th, 23rd and 30th.

Dine and relax as the entertainment plays on, surrounded by scenic harbor and mountain views. Rock on the Dock is presented by Ventura Port District and sponsored by Ventura Boat Rentals:

An appealing bonus of Rock on the Dock is the free admission and free parking. For more information, visit www.VenturaHarborVillage.com or call 477-0470.