Category Archives: News and Notes

Ventura police officer involved in fatal shooting

Magana’s firearm was later recovered at the scene.

At approximately 7:30 PM on November 5th, Oxnard Police Officers were in pursuit of an armed suspect involved in an Oxnard shooting when the suspect‘s vehicle entered the city of Ventura.

As the pursuit transitioned to surface streets from the 101 Freeway, the Oxnard Police Department requested assistance from Ventura Police. During the pursuit, officers successfully deployed spike strips twice in an effort to disable the vehicle and bring the pursuit to an end.

The suspect’s vehicle was disabled in the area of Harbor Blvd and Seaward Ave., and the driver exited his vehicle at that location and fired at officers. The suspect, Javier Magana, 32, of Thousand Oaks, was pronounced deceased at the scene shot by Ventura police. A preliminary coroner’s investigation said Magana died from a gunshot to the chest. The shooting officer was identified as Joaquin Ortega, a 23-year veteran of the Ventura Police Department. Ortega works with the K-9 unit as part of the agency’s patrol division. Magana’s firearm was later recovered at the scene. No officers or bystanders were injured.

The shooting remains under investigation by the Ventura Police Department.

Ventura childcare providers protest for state help

Ventura County Supervisor Steve Bennett spoke at the rally.

Child care providers were joined by parents, advocates and elected officials outside the Ventura County Government Center on Saturday, October 24, to demand state leaders stop ignoring California’s child care crisis. With scores of child care businesses closing in California each week, they rallied to demand Governor Newsom and legislators take action to support early educators who have taken on the added responsibility and expense of supporting distance learning for children who don’t have technology at home or whose parents are working in frontline roles.

Steve Bennett, Ventura County Supervisor stated “The United States is one of the worst countries of all the industrialized countries of the world in terms of how much we fund child care. It is one of the major reasons why we have growing income inequality in the United States.”

“Childcare was already in a crisis before the pandemic. Quality childcare can be hard to find, or too expensive, for hardworking families. All while more than 2.7 million children who are eligible for state subsidized childcare fail to receive it and fall through the cracks…More than 5,000 family child care providers have been forced to shut their doors in 2020. That’s fifty to seventy thousand less children being served.” said Jack Hinojosa, CEO of Child Development Resources.

Maricruz Ruiz, who opened a new childcare in Ventura in the past year has had multiple family members test positive for COVID-19 and lost both her uncle and her grandmother to the disease:

“It’s been an incredibly difficult year. As we all know, starting a new business is never easy. It’s especially difficult when tragedy strikes; not only for our family, but for the world as a whole.”

COVID-19 has made California’s childcare funding crisis into a full-blown catastrophe. More than 5,000 family childcare providers have been forced to close their doors since the start of the year, and that was before an additional state pay cut was triggered on September 30. What we know from the Great Recession is that without assistance from the state, many of these small businesses will likely never reopen, impeding California’s recovery.

With physical classrooms closed to slow virus spread, home-based providers have taken on the added costs of distance learning (such as upgraded wi-fi and additional staff) to support school-aged children so their parents can work on the frontlines of COVID-19. Yet while they are now caring for children all day, family childcare providers are only reimbursed at the same rate they were paid for these children during school breaks and vacations, not when such intensive learning was required.

A recent study showed provider costs associated with the pandemic and move to distance learning have increased by up to 75%. Without increased investment from the state, providers will no longer be able to continue spending their own money to support children in distance learning, if they are able to keep their doors open at all.

Child Care Providers United California (CCPU) is a union of family childcare providers across the state who are members of SEIU Local 99, SEIU Local 521, and UDW/AFSCME Local 3930.

Ventura College Foundation accepting scholarship applications for 2021-22 school year

The Ventura College Foundation is now accepting scholarship applications to support awardees in the 2021-22 school year. The deadline for submissions is January 15, 2021.

More than 400 scholarships will be awarded to Ventura College students. Students who are currently enrolled at Ventura College and who have successfully completed at least 12 units at the college are eligible. Scholarship amounts range from $1,000 to $4,000 and can be used toward educational expenses incurred while attending Ventura College or a four-year institution, depending on the student’s 2021-22 enrollment.

“More than ever, students are under financial strain,” says Anne Paul King, Ventura College Foundation executive director. “Students and their families have lost their jobs due to the coronavirus pandemic. This leaves little money for school expenses. These scholarships can enable students to continue their education.”

The foundation offers a variety of scholarships including special ones for students who have taken a break from education but then returned to Ventura College to continue their schooling. Phoenix Scholarships are designed to assist re-entering students who have little or no funds to pay for the cost of their education.

Sarah Hamm, 40, received the Stan Weisel Phoenix Scholarship and the James V. and Idah W. Iliff Memorial Scholarship. A single mother, Hamm graduated from Ventura College in spring 2020 and transferred to UC Santa Barbara. She’s majoring in political science.

“Once I became a mother, my protection instinct kicked in,” says Hamm. “When I read about the Sandy Hook shooting, I knew I had to work to do everything in my power to help create a safer society for my son and all children. I chose political science to gain knowledge about how our government and society work in order to advance my goal of influencing public policy.”

\Marco Pretelin, 27, also received Phoenix scholarships: the Ventura College Foundation Phoenix Scholarship and the Bill and Elise Kearney Phoenix Scholarship. Pretelin will graduate after the current semester with an architecture certificate and an associate of science degree.

Most scholarships are available for any type of study focus. Others are for students enrolled in specific programs such as the school’s Paramedic, Certified Nursing Assistant, and Nursing Studies.

Scholarship recipients will be announced in April 2021. Last academic year, the Ventura College Foundation awarded 427 scholarships totaling $699,971, the largest annual scholarship distribution in the foundation’s history.

For more about Ventura College Foundation scholarships and other financial assistance, application dates, scholarship workshops and application forms, go to https://venturacollegefoundation.org/scholarships/

Community Memorial Health System Hosts presentations

Cancer doesn’t stop for COVID-19. It’s still important to maintain healthy habits to reduce your risk of cancer even if you spend more time at home to prevent transmitting or catching the coronavirus.

Whether or not you’ve previously faced a cancer diagnosis, it’s important to pay attention to changes in your body and symptoms that may indicate a need for medical intervention.

“The risk today to go to a doctor’s office or diagnostic center for a cancer screening is very low,” said Dr. Thomas Fogel, a radiation oncology specialist and member of the CMH staff. Dr. Fogel advises people to talk to their doctor to learn which screenings they are due or overdue for, which screenings they need now, and which screenings can wait. Routine screenings include mammograms, pap smears, colon cancer screenings, PSA tests, general physical exams, blood tests and annual skin cancer exams.

“The bottom line is engaging with the health system is safe,” Dr. Fogel said. “Everyone is taking the necessary precautions. In addition to screening the patients, we are screening the staff. The best thing to do is have a consultation with your doctor which can be done through telemedicine in a phone call or video conference.”

To share the latest clinical recommendations for preventing cancer during the pandemic, Community Memorial Health System is hosting a free virtual presentation at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, November 11. Medical experts leading this free virtual presentation on Zoom will share:

Whether routine cancer screenings should be continued or postponed during the pandemic.
The importance of early detection.
Alternative testing options that may be available.
Screening done safely, such as wearing a mask and asking the screening facility about precautions they have taken to protect patients.
The role of diet and physical activity in cancer prevention.

This virtual presentation is free but registration is requested. Please register at this link: cmhshealth.org/rsvp. The event is sponsored by the Community Memorial Healthcare Foundation, https://www.cmhfventura.org/.

With flu season in full swing and COVID-19 continuing to threaten our health and way of life, vaccines have become a hot topic. Are vaccines safe? Can you get sick from getting one? Are they guaranteed to work, and who should get vaccinated?

Community Memorial Healthcare System seeks to inform the public about vaccines at this crucial time. Join CMHS for a free virtual seminar that will separate fact from fiction, explain the science behind vaccines, and give you the knowledge you need to stay healthy.

CMHS is hosting a free public seminar at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 18, called, “Should You Trust Vaccines? Understanding the Science of Prevention.” The seminar, moderated by Dr. James Hornstein, CMHS’s chair of the Bioethics Committee, and featuring expert physicians, is part of CMHS’s 2020 Ethics in Healthcare Speaker Series Online. To RSVP for this free online seminar hosted by the Community Memorial Healthcare Foundation, visit www.cmhshealth.org/rsvp.

Board of Supervisors approves $10 Million COVID-19 Hospitals Assistance Program

The County of Ventura Board of Supervisors has unanimously approved a COVID-19 Hospitals Assistance Program for local not-for-profit hospitals, in the amount of $10 million to be funded by the federal Coronavirus Relief Fund, to provide financial support to local hospitals for COVID-19 costs. 

“During this extraordinary event, local hospitals have experienced economic hardships and unreimbursed costs due to surge preparation, the assistance for COVID patients and loss of business from decreases in elective surgeries and emergency room visits,” said County Executive Officer, Mike Powers. “The hospitals have also partnered in our effort to care for COVID positive non-acute Long-Term Care Facility residents. These efforts have helped our entire community slow the spread of COVID-19. They have saved lives and worked tirelessly to serve the community. We hope that this assistance will provide relief for their dedicated service.” 

In order to mitigate the devastating economic impacts of the COVID-19 public health emergency, the Board of Supervisors has approved programs for businesses, renters, seniors and homeless persons by utilizing a portion of the $147 million in funding the County received from the federal Coronavirus Relief Fund under the CARES Act. The not-for-profit hospital industry is another sector that is in need of financial support. These hospitals have been vital partners with the County in addressing the pandemic by providing beds and health care for COVID-19 patients. 

“I have seen firsthand how State and County governments have worked in harmony with health care providers throughout the State. We have together successfully curtailed the spread of COVID more than other State’s our size. We have also witnessed unprecedented cooperation,” said Gary Wilde, President and CEO of Community Memorial Health System and Chair of the California Hospital Association. “Locally, the coordination has been incredible. The assistance program will certainly help our local hospitals.” 

The funding will be distributed to Community Memorial Hospital, Ojai Valley Community Hospital, St. John’s Regional Medical Center, St. John’s Pleasant Valley Hospital and Adventist Health Simi Valley. 

“This has been a truly remarkable event in how we have worked together in partnership to support one another. We appreciate the coordinated efforts and ongoing support,” said Darren Lee, President & CEO, St. John’s Regional Medical Center and St. John’s Pleasant Valley Hospital, Dignity Health.

Second Annual “A Home for the Holidays”

Kids & Families Together (K&FT) is a nonprofit that has been serving foster/resource, adoptive, kinship, and birth families throughout Ventura County since 2000. K&FT works with children who have experienced trauma, abuse, neglect, loss, and multiple placements. K&FT also works with caregivers who need specialized education, support, and strategies to help raise safe, healthy, nurtured children that thrive.

With the enormous success of K&FT’s inaugural gala event last November, plans were in place to bring back the event in 2020 to be held again at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, overlooking the beautiful ocean and hillside views of the City of Ventura. Over 250 attendees enjoyed “A Home for the Holidays 2019” an amazing evening of dinner, musical performances by Ventura College Choir, silent and live auctions all hosted by NBC-4’s Fritz Coleman as Master of Ceremonies. Unfortunately, like most live, in-person events scheduled for 2020, K&FT has had to postpone this year’s gala event, and they look forward to bringing it back (live and in-person) in November of 2021!

In light of the events of the past ten months, 2020 still offered many opportunities to celebrate stories of success! With this in mind, K&FT would like to cordially invite you to join them for “A Home for the Holidays 2020” – A Virtual Celebration & Fundraising Event. This free, online event will take place on Thursday November 12th from 6pm – 7pm in the comfort of your own home!

Local Ventura actor Jill K. Allen and actor/director Travis Greer both of the 2019 feature film, “A Rock N’ Roll Heart” will be the hosts for the evening. This one-hour, live, online event will celebrate Kids & Families Together’s 20th Anniversary, and recognize the critical clinical counseling and peer-mentoring programs K&FT provides to Ventura County foster/resource, adoptive, kinship, and birth families, along with the community partnerships that allowed the agency to provide other essential goods and services to these families that K&FT would normally not provide. Specifically, daily meal pick-up and deliveries to families during the COVID-19 Shelter-in-Place orders that occurred in the Spring.

The three month long (6 day/week) meal distribution effort brought together an international nonprofit organization, a Ventura restaurant, one third of the staff members from K&FT, and 100 local volunteers! In recognition of this extraordinary effort, the 2020 Founder’s Awards will be presented to World Central Kitchen and Rincon Brewery Ventura. The event will feature the stories of families that have directly benefited from K&FT’s counseling and mentoring programs. They will also share how the addition of the meal distribution efforts impacted their families during this trying time. Please join us for an evening of recognition, celebration, and inspiration.

Event sponsors already include: Montecito Bank & Trust, Sharon & John Woolley, Vivian Mullett, P. Mark Kirwin of the law offices of Kirwin & Francis LLP, and Pacific Western Bank. Additional sponsorship opportunities are still available!

 

 

Click on the link below to register for the event, make a donation to Kids & Families Together or to become an event sponsor!

https://app.mobilecause.com/e/Lg5vew?vid=d6dmg

 

 

Ventura County Medical Resource Foundation provides $40,000 Challenge Grant

The Ventura County Medical Resource Foundation (VCMRF) has presented a $40,000 challenge grant to United Way of Ventura County’s Landlord Engagement Program. The goal of the program is to increase housing stock and utilize existing housing vouchers and housing subsidies provided by local jurisdictions and community partners to prevent and end homelessness.

The grant will provide the activation for a funding mechanism designed to generate permanent supportive housing for chronic homeless individuals through a streamlined, one-stop funding collaborative comprised of public and private funders dedicated to ending homelessness.

“The Ventura County Medical Resource Foundation (VCMRF) is proud to stand with United Way to serve the most vulnerable in our community with this challenge grant,” said Victoria Chandler,

President & CEO. “Please join us with your gifts, large or small, to help end homelessness. VCMRF believes in partnerships and the generosity of others to support and deliver a program that houses those who need us most.”

The funds will further leverage support provided by a Homeless Emergency Aid Program (HEAP) grant in the amount of $200,000 by the Ventura County Continuum of Care and a funders collaborative that has raised more than $200,000. The seven founding funders of the collaborative include Amgen, City of Oxnard, Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, Kaiser Permanente, Pacific Western Bank, Sherwood Cares Foundation, and Union Bank.

Since United Way launched the Landlord Engagement Program in December 2019, 33 unsheltered homeless households including seniors, veterans, individuals, and families have been permanently housed. As a rapid response to the COVID-19 pandemic in mid-March, United Way has helped 66 unsheltered veterans and family members by securing temporary housing in a motel and providing

Ventura College Foundation accepting scholarship applications for 2021-22 school year

The Ventura College Foundation is now accepting scholarship applications to support awardees in the 2021-22 school year. The deadline for submissions is January 15, 2021.

More than 400 scholarships will be awarded to Ventura College students. Students who are currently enrolled at Ventura College and who have successfully completed at least 12 units at the college are eligible. Scholarship amounts range from $1,000 to $4,000 and can be used toward educational expenses incurred while attending Ventura College or a four-year institution, depending on the student’s 2021-22 enrollment.

“More than ever, students are under financial strain,” says Anne Paul King, Ventura College Foundation executive director. “Students and their families have lost their jobs due to the coronavirus pandemic. This leaves little money for school expenses. These scholarships can enable students to continue their education.”

The foundation offers a variety of scholarships including special ones for students who have taken a break from education but then returned to Ventura College to continue their schooling. Phoenix Scholarships are designed to assist re-entering students who have little or no funds to pay for the cost of their education.

Sarah Hamm, 40, received the Stan Weisel Phoenix Scholarship and the James V. and Idah W. Iliff Memorial Scholarship. A single mother, Hamm graduated from Ventura College in spring 2020 and transferred to UC Santa Barbara. She’s majoring in political science.

“Once I became a mother, my protection instinct kicked in,” says Hamm. “When I read about the Sandy Hook shooting, I knew I had to work to do everything in my power to help create a safer society for my son and all children. I chose political science to gain knowledge about how our government and society work in order to advance my goal of influencing public policy.”

\Marco Pretelin, 27, also received Phoenix scholarships: the Ventura College Foundation Phoenix Scholarship and the Bill and Elise Kearney Phoenix Scholarship. Pretelin will graduate after the current semester with an architecture certificate and an associate of science degree.

Most scholarships are available for any type of study focus. Others are for students enrolled in specific programs such as the school’s Paramedic, Certified Nursing Assistant, and Nursing Studies.

Scholarship recipients will be announced in April 2021. Last academic year, the Ventura College Foundation awarded 427 scholarships totaling $699,971, the largest annual scholarship distribution in the foundation’s history.

For more about Ventura College Foundation scholarships and other financial assistance, application dates, scholarship workshops and application forms, go to https://venturacollegefoundation.org/scholarships/

Teddy Bear Cancer Foundation’s Gold Ribbon Campaign honors locals

Summaer Cole encouraged the police department to be a community “hub” for donations of Easter baskets and toys.

This year, Teddy Bear Cancer Foundation (TBCF) will be honoring The Lilley Family and Summaer Cole and Susie Perry from Ventura. Unfortunately, due to COVID-19, the annual in-person Gold Ribbon Campaign Luncheon has been cancelled. This year, the Campaign is solely focused on raising funds and awareness for the organization and the families they serve.

COVID-19 is creating even greater challenges for local families battling childhood cancer. Community support has made it possible for TBCF to provide additional financial assistance to 31 local families who have been severely affected by the pandemic. TBCF is proud of this year’s honorees for their esteemed efforts in helping children facing cancer both before and during COVID-19.

The Lilley Family will be receiving the Pay-it-Forward Award. After their son, Brad Jr. beat cancer, they wanted to give back to children who continue to fight their battle.

Summaer Cole and Susie Perry will receive the Helping Hands Award because of the countless hours they have spent directly helping TBCF families in Ventura County. These extraordinary women have delivered food to TBCF families, provided holiday gifts for TBCF kids, and this year delivered mother and father day baskets to local families who have been during quarantine. With their combined efforts, they have collected literally carloads of Thanksgiving food and Christmas toys from the community and have helped deliver these items to Ventura County Family homes.

Summaer Cole, with the help of her husband who works for Ventura Police Department, encouraged the police department to be a community “hub” for donations of Easter baskets and toys last year. The Ventura Police Department delivered 140 Easter baskets. Additionally, she set-up Ventura Fire Department deliveries of Easter baskets to family homes.

Susie Perry has courageously battled cancer on and off since she began volunteering with TBCF. Still, whether in treatment or not, she has worked with Summaer to deliver gifts to Ventura County families.

TBCF advocates for families living in Santa Barbara, Ventura and San Luis Obispo counties that have a child with cancer by providing financial, educational, and emotional support. For more information and to donate https://bit.ly/31I8Gkm

 

Food Share in the news

Food Share of Ventura County is honored to have been selected as a 2020 California Nonprofit of the Year by Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin. Food Share, the largest hunger relief organization in the county, is one of over a hundred nonprofits that will be honored by their state senators and assembly members for their outstanding contributions to the communities they serve.

“The pandemic and shelter-in-place orders of the last few months have put nonprofits

(usually hidden in plain sight) in the spotlight,” explained Jan Masaoka, CEO of the California Association of Nonprofits (CalNonprofits).

“California Nonprofit of the Year is an opportunity for our elected officials to celebrate the good work they see nonprofits doing in their districts, and for everyone to appreciate the collective impact of nonprofits in our communities.”

Commenting on her reasons for selecting Food Share, Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin commented,

“Food Share has been leading the fight against hunger in Ventura County for over 40 years, but they have truly proven the power of their mission through meeting the increasing demand of hungry families brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.” She added, “Their work in distributing food to nearly 750,000 individuals since the start of the pandemic has played a vital role in holding our community together during our greatest hour of need. For that I am happy to designate them the 44th Assembly District’s 2020 Nonprofit of the Year.”

Monica White, President & CEO of Food Share said, “Thank you to Assemblymember

Irwin for this wonderful honor. I’m so proud of the team here at Food Share and our network of community partners who have all worked tirelessly to ensure that no one in our community goes hungry.”

Food Share accepting applications for board of director positions

The Board of Directors of Food Share of Ventura County is accepting applications to join the board of Ventura County’s largest hunger-relief organization. Food Share was recently named a CA Nonprofit of the Year by Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin. Closing date for applications is October 31, 2020. Applications can be made through Food Share’s website at foodshare.com/join-our-board-of-directors/

Board members provide strategic and financial direction to the food bank’s leadership team, and actively participate in fundraising and networking activities. The minimum term of service is three years, and board members typically commit three or more hours per month to the role.

Monica White, President & CEO of Food Share outlined the importance of the Board of Directors in shaping the future of Food Share, saying, “We are looking for community members who are passionate about helping us lead the fight against hunger in Ventura County. Our board members have an incredible opportunity to learn more about hunger in our community, while helping our organization feed more people, operate more efficiently and make an even bigger impact on the lives of those in need.”

For more information about Food Share, visit www.foodshare.com. Find us on Facebook , Instagram, and Twitter.