Category Archives: News and Notes

StoryFest well attended in spite of the high temperature

Publisher Sheldon was one of the readers to the kids

On Saturday, October 10 the ninth annual StoryFest was held in the beautiful park area at Ventura Unified School District Education Service Center located on Stanley Ave. This free event featured story-telling, book giveaways, musical activities, Truckfest (an opportunity for children to get up close and touch trucks and a fire engine and blow horns), and plenty of fun.

Local “celebrity” readers and children’s entertainment were all showcased in this Ventura Neighborhood for Learning (VNfL) program where young children are invited to fill their StoryFest passports by visiting six story tents and booths featuring interactive art, music, science, and physical activities. Those attending  heard community celebrities read books throughout the day in each of the tents some of the tents were “pets&animals, art&music and families&home.”Every child who visited all of  the story tents received  a free book.  And 2 for one books were on sale all day.

Ventura Breeze publisher Sheldon was one of the “celebrity” readers and was aided by Jasmine Casey, from Tri-County GLAD who signed for the kids and then taught them some signing.

The 2015 Ventura Paddle Surfing Championships are just 3 days away!

Come join us October 9th & 10th at the Point at C Street, Ventura!

This event is OPEN to International competitors and will result in naming a new US Open Champion, as well as the new US Waveski National Champion, Sign up now, as the Waveski Open event may be limited to 32 competitors. Other waveski divisions include the various age divisions, a women’s division, and of course the Freestyle/Finless division. A high performance surf kayak class will also be included.

Heats will be 15 or 20 minutes in length, and scores will be based on the best 2 or 3 waves depending upon conditions. The format will follow World Waveski Surfing Association rules and include repercharge rounds insuring that everyone surfs at least twice in the open division. Judges will be ASP certified.

About the surf break: C-Street is a world renown point break that works from 1’ to 10’ plus and can offer rides in excess of a quarter mile! Quality waves are found at multiple peaks along this mile long cobble point. This allows more rides per surf session. The actual contest site will be located ‘Up top’ at the Point just east of the Ventura River mouth.

This year’s event is featuring a fully sponsored adaptive surfing class in the competition for those with mobility-limiting injuries such as spinal cord injuries or traumatic brain injuries. Supported by High FIves Foundation and Cojo Bay Advisors, to showcase the power of positivity out in the ocean. For more information please contact Tyler Lausten, [email protected]

Thanks to Kirby Subaru, we will have cash prizes for the top 4 finalists in both the SUP open and Waveski open events! We are also pleased to announce that Macskisurfgear.com will be giving away a $1700 custom waveski at this years event to the waveski competitor selected as the most promising.

Ventura Outrigger Canoe Club heads to World Championship

Hokuloa Outrigger Canoe Club, a Ventura competitive paddling club, is sending their top men’s crew to compete in the prestigious 2015 Moloka’i Hoe international outrigger canoe race on Sunday, October 11.

The Moloka’i Hoe race is a challenging 41 mile open water paddle competition held annually in Hawai’i. This year marks the 63rd crossing with a course that traverses the Ka’iwi Channel from the island of Moloka’i to Oahu. Elite teams from around the world participate in what is considered the men’s world championship in outrigger canoe racing. It is one of the longest running annual team sporting events in Hawai’i.

The Moloka’i Hoe perpetuates one of Hawaii’s and Polynesia’s most important historic cultural tradi- tions while honoring outrigger canoe paddlers worldwide. The event tests the limit of physical and mental strength, endurance, courage, determination and teamwork all while battling nature’s most ex- treme elements.

The Hokuloa men expect to compete well having have secured top placing in the US Championships each year for the last four consecutive years. The  race will take the crew between five and seven hours, depending on the conditions. This will be the first time in 20 years that Hokuloa will be fielding a team for this  event.

Hokuloa Outrigger Canoe Club, a competitive sport canoe club in Ventura since the early 1970s, has a diverse membership of all ages and abilities from adults to keikis (kids). The club’s Hawaiian name means Guiding Star and is emblematic of their mission to promote the sport of amateur outrigger ca- noe paddling through structured athletic programs, races, fitness training, and community outreach to encourage appreciation of the ocean.

For more information about Hokuloa  http://www.hokuloaoutrigger.com.

Once a hardware store now a library

New beautiful, state-of-the-art library in Saticoy.

On September 26 the Ventura County Library system held a Grand Opening celebration for the new Saticoy Library located at 1292 Los Angeles Ave. right off of Wells Dr. This is the location of the old Saticoy Hardware building which had remained vacant for many years.

The Saticoy Library has activities five days a week, special events every week, a teen group, and an involved and enthusiastic staff. The grand opening events were planned by Library Tech Jane Middleton.

KODAK Digital Still Camera
KODAK Digital Still Camera

The large, beautiful, state-of-the-art library has 12 public computers, new furniture, all-new faster internet, a children’s’ section and long counters by the front windows with plugs-ins for personal devices.

Among those present for the ribbon cutting were Ventura County Library Director Jackie Griffin, Ventura Deputy Mayor Erik Nasarenko, Library Deputy Director Sara Roberts watching Joshua Canales prepare to cut the ribbon. Ventura County Supervisor Steve Bennett was also present but didn’t make the photo.

The Library can be reached at 671-5148.

Photo by Daniel Ingram

FOTM fundraising dinner another huge success

VIP reception sponsors Sandra and Jordan Laby.
Photos by Naancy Heydorn

Four Points by Sheraton was the scene on Friday, September 18 of Focus on the Masters’ annual FUNdraising dinner presented by Cumulus Media.  The al fresco VIP pre-dinner reception was generously underwritten by Jordan and Sandra Laby, longtime supporters of FOTM.

The theme of this year’s event was Through A Child’s Eyes.  Aimee French, director of FOTM’s highly-praised Learning To See program, led guests through a collage-creating experience based on Ventura Artist Hiroko Yoshimoto’s Biodiversity series.  The same hands-on effort is one that Aimee takes to school children, using various scraps of fabric, paper, yarn, and wrapping paper affixed to masonite board with glue sticks and glue gun.

stuff FOTMChris Diaz of Union Bank with Focus on the Masters Founder & Executive Director Donna Granata.

Scott Miles, FOTM Board Member and Brooks Institute faculty member, and his wife noted weaver Regina Vorgang were the lucky winners of the evening’s raffle:  a watercolor study made by Hiroko Yoshimoto for her Biodiversity Series.

Volunteers Kim Galbraith and Elisabeth Berg raised funds for arts education by selling mystery Celebration Bags.  Each bag sold for $20 but the contents were valued at much more!

Kim Maxwell of Ojai’s Kim Maxwell Studio, was emcee for the evening, lending her special blend of enthusiasm as she led a “pledge auction” that raised money for Learning To See.

Rita Edmond, a jazz singer whose last CD reached the Top 50 on the Jazz Weekly Charts, created a festive atmosphere with her smooth, sultry voice.

The event was truly a Who’s Who of the community’s leading artists who were in attendance.

The evening was organized by FOTM staff, supporters and volunteers, including Chris Beirne, Cherie Brant, Meg Easton, Aimee French, Mary Galbraith, Nancy Heydorn, and Karen Hoffberg.

Focus on the Masters is a non-profit arts education organization and archive that documents and celebrates the lives and works of artists in our community.  The FOTM archive contains information on over 2000 artists and arts organizations.

For additional information about Focus on the Masters, please go to www.FocusOnTheMasters.com.

Project Understanding Shining Star Awards

stuff project understandingJann Huling shared Board Member of the Year award
By Veronica Johnson

The annual Project Understanding Shining Star Awards was held Thursday, September 17th, at the Poinsettia Pavilion. Awards are given out in recognition for outstanding community volunteers, partners, staff, and board for 2015.

Awards went out to Administration Volunteer Laura Moline, Tender Life Volunteer Dea Boehme, 1st Step Volunteer Pat Morris, Tutoring Volunteer Lee Weiss, House of Worship Trinity Lutheran Church, Business of the Year Angel Plumbers, Collaborating Partner of the Year Turning Point Foundation, Philanthropist of the Year National Charity League, Inc., Community Partner of the Year D’Augustine Foundation, Donor of the Year Tanner Rhodes, Board Member of the Year Frank Maggio and Jann Huling, Employee of the Year Gloria Lewis, Shining Star of the Year Reggie Watson, and the Shalom Award went out to Clyde Reynolds.

A special moment was when the Board of Director of the year, Jann Huling, was given her award from Cesar Morales, the father a child (Valentina Ava) that Huling was instrumental in helping with in the adoption process.

Special thanks were given to sponsors Ventura County Credit Union, those who donated appetizers and desserts, the Poinsettia Pavilion, Janine Dykstar and Wendy Wells.

Project Understanding provides hope by developing and directing resources for the purpose of transforming lives and community through justice, mercy, and compassion. Through collaboration, they assist people to reach their highest attainable level of independence.

GUEST COLUMNIST – Ventura hillside resident in favor of proposed Regent Properties Development

By Cris A. Sabo

Ventura Breeze guest columnist Mr. Robert Chianese in his article entitled: “New policies to keep Ventura number one” stated that the proposed Regent Properties development on Ventura Hillsides is somehow an “assault on the hills”, is “too risky” and would “destroy the character and environment of our hillsides panorama and blights the area”, among other nonsensical and inaccurate statements. Does he really believe that 55 high end luxury homes will destroy the character and environment of our Hillsides?

Mr. Chianese comments could not be further from the truth. Despite Mr. Chianese’s request for residents to support his petition against the development on the basis of keeping Ventura “identifiable” and “in character”, what he is actually soliciting others to support is his own self-interest, which is presumably not wanting any more cars driving past his house when these homes are built four years from now.

I too am a Ventura Hillside resident, but fully support the proposed Regent Properties limited scope, luxury homes development. I have no axe to grind, or financial interest in the matter. I support sensible, smart growth policies that benefits Ventura and the Community as a whole.

The 215 acres above Hillcrest Drive has been zoned for single family homes for many decades and is currently a no trespassing area without any legal public access. The Regent Properties proposed development includes the clustering of 55, architecturally-diversified luxury homes over only 40 acres, directly above Hillcrest Drive, with legal open space planned for the remaining 175 acres including easy public access to nature and walking trails, so that everyone in the Community can enjoy the remarkable ocean views.

The Regent Properties plan includes a sensible buffer between existing Hillside homes and the new development, with improvements to water / flood runoff and geotechnical conditions and limited impact to existing traffic. The proposed development will also help reduce fire hazards in the Hillside area, managing overgrowth, establishing appropriate fire breaks and most importantly, increasing quality graded road access to the area, which is crucial to contain any fire threats that may develop above it, or down the side canyons threatening other Hillside homes.

The Regent Properties development creates an opportunity the City of Ventura and Community needs, will help bring in income and wealth to the Community, increase nearby home values, help create local jobs, help protect and secure the local environment, all the while provide increased public access to our Hillsides.

The proposed development effort is a small, yet important step to help Ventura truly become a better place to live and grow a family.

 

 

CMHS offers patients many things

Community Memorial Hospital is now performing a procedure that implants a new, miniaturized, wireless monitoring sensor to manage heart failure. The CardioMEMS HF System is the first and only FDA-approved heart failure monitoring device that has been proven to significantly reduce hospital admissions when used by physicians to manage heart failure.

The CardioMEMS HF System features a sensor that is implanted in the pulmonary artery during a non-surgical procedure to directly measure PA pressure. The new system allows patients to transmit daily sensor readings wirelessly from their homes to their health care providers .

Heart failure occurs when the heart is unable to pump enough blood to meet the body’s demands. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 5.1 million Americans have heart failure, with 670,000 new cases diagnosed each year.

The CardioMEMS sensor is designed to last the lifetime of the patient and doesn’t require batteries. Once implanted, the wireless sensor sends pressure readings to a secure internet site that the physician can visit to review readings. There is no pain or sensation for the patient during the readings.

Data from a clinical trial showed that the CardioMEMS technology reduces heart failure hospital admissions by up to 37 percent.

For more information or to be referred to a physician authorized to perform the procedure please call the CMH Cath Lab at 652-3031.

The Cancer Program at Community Memorial Hospital is seeking individuals interested in becoming certified Reiki practitioners.  Reiki is a Japanese technique for stress reduction and relaxation that also promotes healing. It is administered by “laying on hands” and is based on the idea that an unseen “life force energy” flows through us and is what causes us to be alive. If one’s “Life force energy” is low, then we are more susceptible to illness and stress, and if it is high, we are more capable of being happy and healthy.

The next training is scheduled for September 21st from 9am to 5pm at the Cancer Resource Center at Community Memorial Hospital.

Lunch will be provided. Cost is $18 per person for materials and needs to be paid at the start of the training.  Also seeking trained and certified Reiki practitioners and Reflexologists willing to volunteer at the cancer center.

If you have an interest in volunteering please contact the CRC at 652-5459. They request that interested individuals be able to volunteer 4 hours per month for at least a year long commitment.

 

 

Vita Art Center presents Catherine Tirr

art VitaCatherine Tirr was born in England and studied fine art at Chelsea School of Art and design in London  She was awarded the Stowells Trophy at London’s Royal Academy of Art, in London. She relocated to the U.S. on a scholarship to Cranbrook Art Academy, Michigan.  Her move to New York City was followed by two shows at The Drawing Center in SoHo. She was granted awards by The New York Foundation of The Arts and Materials For The Arts in 1991. Since her move to Los Angeles, her work has been included in exhibitions at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and The Armand Hammer Museum.

Gallery hours: M-F 10-4 pm Sat. & Sun. by appointment. Vita Art Center, located in the Bell Arts Factory 432 N. Ventura Ave. Studio 30, www.vitaartcenter.com