On August 1, the Ventura County Fire Communication Center received a 911 call to report a person trapped in a large machine at a manufacturing plant in the 6200 block of Ventura Rd. Fire personnel arrived on scene within minutes of the initial call and found a large piece of manufacturing equipment with a victim trapped inside of a section of the machinery. Two regional Urban Search and Rescue teams were dispatched to the scene and were able to extricate the victim by utilizing specialized tools, equipment, and techniques.
Category Archives: News and Notes
Families and mentors can really make a life-changing decision to help
Ventura County Children and Family Services’ Homes with Heart VC program needs additional families to step up and support older youth during their transition into independence.
Homes with Heart VC, a program of Ventura County Children and Family Services, is very actively seeking families in Ventura County that can open their hearts and homes to older youth in care. With over 250 older youth in care in Ventura County, Resource Families for older youth between the ages of 16-25 are in higher demand than ever before.
“We need our older youth to go out into the world with that key to success — knowing that they are loved and supported to lead healthy and productive lives,” said Jaci Johnson, Program Coordinator III at Ventura County Children and Family Services.
Ventura County Children & Family Services’ Homes with Heart VC was developed to increase the amount of loving resource families who are ready to take in children in need in Ventura County.
To learn more about how you can get involved and help older youth in Ventura County, visit www.homeswithheartvc.org/tay. Learn how Ventura County Children and Family Services’ Homes with Heart VC is making a difference throughout Ventura County, www.homeswithheartvc.org.
Son of Ventura Councilwoman Lorrie Brown dies in carjacking and homicide
The 22-year-old son of Ventura Councilwoman Lorrie Brown died on Thursday, July 22, in Florida. Jeremiah Emmanuel Jordan Brown died of an apparent carjacking and homicide. The exact facts of his murder are still being investigated as Osceola County detectives continue to work on the case.
Jeremiah Brown was born and raised in Ventura and went to Montalvo Elementary, Anacapa Middle and Buena High schools. He was on vacation with his family, staying in an Airbnb in Davenport, Florida. They were celebrating an important time in his girlfriend’s nursing program.
His death was reported to Lorrie by Ventura police officers that evening.
who had been contacted by detectives from the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office.
Lorrie Brown was elected to the Ventura City Council in November, 2018.
Vehicle collides into tree on Harbor Blvd
On July 22,at 7:16am, the Ventura Police Department Command Center received a call of a vehicle into a tree on Harbor Blvd. near the intersection of Schooner Drive. The driver and sole occupant was pronounced deceased at the scene by the Ventura Fire Department.
At this time, traffic collision investigators believe the vehicle was driving at a high rate of speed and swerved to avoid colliding with the vehicle in front of it. The vehicle lost control and collided with a tree, fatally injuring the driver.
This investigation is ongoing and there was nothing at the scene that would indicate the driver was impaired. The name of the driver is being withheld pending next of kin notification by the Ventura County Medical Examiner’s Office.
Any witnesses to the collision are asked to contact Traffic Collision Investigator Mercado at 805-3394306.
The City Center is a bridge between homelessness and success for families with children
The City Center’s Year 2 fundraising drive is about to kick off. They must continue raising funds for The City Center to purchase their own home. Historically, 53% of their monthly costs were for rent, so buying the converted motel in downtown Ventura has been a big priority. Board member and longtime supporter of The City Center, John Exell, said, “The City Center program has proven success – we have seven years of not one graduate of our program returning to homelessness, a testament to our unique program. Our program is difficult, with many tough goals set, but we provide mentoring and counseling to help our residents become self-sufficient and thrive”.
The requirements for graduation from The City Center are:
– Be completely off government subsistence programs
– Have a full-time income-generating job
– Have a savings account
– Reliable transportation
– Be 100% debt free
Jim Duran, Executive Director of The City Center says, “The City Center goal-based program keeps our residents and children on track. They all have a “tiny home” or room just for them and their children, which allows the family to stay together. Being unhoused is a difficult path for anyone to take, but for homeless moms, dads, with children, it is horrible. No child should be homeless. The residents in our bridge program, which transitions folks to a healthy, supportive lifestyle, often go on to be counselors and help others. We are so proud of all of them.”
They recently held The CAKE event which was a day of photos, filming residents and their children, and discussing The City Center’s impact on their lives. In addition, there was a giant cake for the families to celebrate Year One’s fundraising result and gratitude for the Ventura County community stepping up to help.
Coming up on August 18, at 5:30pm, is a rare opportunity to see The City Center, meet families and talk with them at a “sponsor a room” event, which asks community members, faith-based organizations, and businesses to help. To help house more homeless families and children please donate by visiting https://www.gofundme.com/f/TheCityCenter
California Congresswoman Brownley visits Ventura Port District to celebrate the Federal appropriation
Harbormaster John Higgins, Board Chairman Chris Stephens, California Congresswoman Julia Brownley, Sr. Business Operations Manager Todd Mitchell and Board Vice-Chairman Mike Blumenberg at the presentation.
California Congresswoman Julia Brownley, U.S. representative of California 26th District, recently visited the Ventura Port District to celebrate the federal appropriation of $5,516,000 for the maintenance dredging of Ventura Harbor. This is one of the Congresswoman’s ten Community Funded Projects which was included in the Fiscal Year 2022 Omnibus and was supported by Senators Dianne Feinstein and Alex Padilla. The Community Project Funding supplements the funding made available for the project in the President’s Budget and ensures that the entrance to Ventura Harbor will be well cared for through the next dredging cycle in early 2023. The check was presented to the Chair and Vice-Chair of the Ventura Board of Port Commissioners, Chris Stephens and Michael Blumenberg.
“Since first being elected to Congress, I have been tireless in my work to secure funding for the dredging and maintenance of Ventura County’s harbors. The dredging of Ventura Harbor is essential to ensuring continued operations of this critical West Coast fishing hub,” stated Congresswoman Brownley. “The annual funding is vital to ensuring that the harbor’s federally authorized channel remains open to those who rely upon the harbor, including the commercial fishing industry and supply chain businesses.
Brownley stated. “This funding will support operations at the harbor, support local businesses that rely on these waterways, and ensure the preservation of our coastline and beaches. The dredging efforts also help keep our local tourism and recreation industries thriving to provide recreational opportunities for everyone throughout the region. This is a real win-win-win!”
Ventura Port District General Manager Brian Pendleton stated, “The ongoing support of Congresswoman Brownley at the federal level has been exceptionally important to our region. Ventura Harbor has benefited from her support since her first year in office and we cannot thank her enough.
The dredging of the entrance channel is performed by the United States Army Corps of Engineers, and the Congresswoman’s efforts ensure that sufficient funding is provided to the agency to complete the project. Maintaining this deep draft navigation channel ensures that the nearly 1,500 harbor vessels, including the Channel Islands National Park ferries, commercial fishing vessels, and private boaters have unrestricted access between the open ocean, Ventura Harbor, and the Ventura Keys.
In addition to keeping the entrance safe and navigable, the high-quality sand is redistributed onto adjacent beaches. This beneficial reuse of the sand renourishes the beaches after the winter season erosion, providing a secondary benefit. This in turn helps to provide an accessible and safe beach going experience for the public, while defending protected species habitat.
Channel Islands National Park receives funding to rehabilitate and improve safety on trails
Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs Bryan Newland visits Ventura. Photos by Michael Gordon
During a visit to Channel Islands National Park today, Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs Bryan Newland celebrated the Department of the Interior’s commitment of close to $100,000 in funding from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The park’s ecosystem restoration project will rehabilitate and improve safety on trails, as well as protect archeological and natural resources on Santa Cruz Island. The project will be carried out in partnership with the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians.
“Through President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, we are advancing partnerships between the federal government and Tribes to support access to clean air, clean water and a better environment for future generations,” said Assistant Secretary Newland. “As we make essential investments through this transformative law to conserve ecosystems, mitigate the risk of wildland fire and maintain our national parks, the support and ingenuity of local partners and Tribes who know these natural treasures best is critical.”
The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law invests $1.4 billion for ecosystem restoration efforts over the next five years, building on proven projects, programs and partnerships that conserve our cherished wildlife and natural resources critical to supporting local economies, creating jobs and strengthening communities.
The project funding announced today will be carried out under a Task Agreement with the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians, engaging their Fire Department in trail construction and their Cultural department in resources protection. The project will work to protect natural and archeological areas and enhance visitor experience and public safety by improving corridors and trail conditions on three miles of the park’s most heavily used trails as well close and restore approximately 1,000 feet of unapproved trails. The project will also protect native plant communities and areas with archaeological resources while adapting existing historic routes for accessible and safe public access.
Daily lifeguard service will be provided
As the summer season approaches, daily lifeguard service will be provided at Ventura Harbor beaches along Spinnaker Drive.
In a unanimous vote the Board of Port Commissioners authorized Brian Pendleton, General Manager of Ventura Harbor, to contract with State Parks to provide the lifeguard service from May through September 2022 at Harbor Cove, South Beach, and Surfers Knoll beaches. The approved 2022 lifeguard contract of $140,131.07 will provide adequate coverage to each of the three Ventura Harbor beach areas over a five-month period.
“The Port District has taken great pride in supporting enhanced beach safety by way of seasonal lifeguards on the Harbors beaches,” said Pendleton.
For over 60 years, State Parks has provided professional lifeguarding services along California’s coastline. The Ventura Port District took the lead in securing summer lifeguards at the Harbor in 2011.
For questions on lifeguard times, call the State Lifeguards Dispatch at 805-648-3321 and for Ventura Harbor beach details visit VenuraHarborVillage.com.
The project will provide a safe affordable place to call home
Ventura Springs will provide housing for homeless veterans. Photos by Patricia Schallert
Ventura Springs, located on 10 acres of land previously owned by the City of Ventura located at 10900 Telephone Rd. in Ventura will be a new community made up of 122 apartments for formerly homeless veterans as well as for low-income veterans and their families. The 11 buildings that make up Ventura Springs will be primarily two-story walk-ups with two three-story buildings, and will be surrounded by vibrant courtyards with a variety of uses and activities. The $62 million project will provide Ventura veterans safe, affordable place to call home and the resources and community needed to build stable futures.
California Secretary of Business, Consumer Services & Housing Lourdes Castro Ramirez, Ventura Mayor Sofia Rubalcava and other city council members and Supervisor Matt La Vere joined A Community of Friends (ACOF) and U.S.VETS to celebrate the groundbreaking of Ventura Springs.
As the first supportive housing development for veterans in the City of Ventura, Ventura Springs will provide residents with service-enriched housing, and comprehensive onsite supportive services including case management, mental health counseling, career development and life skills training. The project, built in a campus-like setting, will encourage healthy living, resident engagement and a sense of belonging through outdoor gathering spaces, recreational areas, community garden, fitness center, computer lab and more.
The goal of Ventura Springs is to create a community that will enrich the lives of local veterans and their families that may have a disability, and or experienced homelessness or economic challenges which have made it difficult to afford quality housing.
More than 50,000 veterans are estimated to live in Ventura County. From 2018 to 2019, the number of veterans experiencing homelessness in Ventura County increased by 68 percent, with more than 90 percent over the age of 45, and more than 50 percent reporting a chronic health condition, a physical disability or both.
Financing for Ventura Springs was provided by Bank of America, California Department of Housing and Community Development, California Tax Credit Allocation Committee, City of Ventura, Community Housing Capital, Home Depot Foundation, Housing Authority of the City of Ventura, Housing Trust Fund Ventura County, LISC, Nonprofit Finance Fund and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
In December, the Ventura City Council unanimously voted to give the project $74,100 from the city’s Successor Housing Agency Fund to get the project going. In May 2021, the council approved another $545,000. In total the city will give $3.2 million using funds and deferred fees. The project should be completed by the end of 2023 with a grand opening in early 2024.
A Community of Friends has been the leading nonprofit permanent supportive housing developer in Southern California since 1988. U.S. VETS is the largest nonprofit organization with boots on the ground to combat America’s veteran crisis head-on.
Successful ending of the Ventura River Action Network (V-RAN) Program with awards for students
Finalists at the Awards Ceremony at the Museum of Ventura County.
After six months of involving 750 students from Ventura Unified School District (VUSD) in the monitoring and restoration of the Ventura River and its tributaries in support of the work of many environmental organizations, the last three months of the V-RAN program focused on students conducting energy, water, or waste audits of their school campuses, or researching the issues around the removal of the Matilija Dam, then crafting and submitting project proposals to reduce the environmental footprint of their schools or advocating for the removal of the dam.
Students submitted 78 projects which were reviewed by a judging panel for the first phase. The top 16 finalists moved on to present their proposals in person for the second and final phase to an expert panel of judges at the 7th Energy Efficiency to Mitigate Climate Change and Ocean Acidification (EECCOA) Challenge Award Ceremony on May 5th, 2022 held at the Museum of Ventura County.
The young authors of the top environmental business proposals in each category were awarded cash or in-kind prizes by the Ventura Unified School District. Cash prizes ranged from $500-$200, and in-kind prizes included tickets to the Channel Islands.
The MERITO Foundation would like to thank V-RAN program partners and sponsors that including UC Davis Center for Community and Citizen Science, and Ventura Water for their support, and all the event sponsors that helped with our culminating event. We are ready for the launch of the 2022-2023 V-RAN program!