The Ventura Police Department conducted a DUI/Driver’s License Checkpoint on Friday March 1, 2019.
The checkpoint was established at about 9:00 PM and officers screened approximately 384 vehicles traveling eastbound on Main Street in the area of Callens Road. Approximately 676 vehicles passed through the checkpoint. During the checkpoint, 1 driver was arrested for 23575 (A)(1) CVC (Interlock Device Required) and 14601.2(a) CVC (Drivers License Suspended/Revoked CDL due to DUI) as well as several warrants. Of course, anyone arrested at these checkpoints are entitled to a dui lawyer to help them with their legal issues.
The following is a list of enforcement activities during the checkpoint:
384- Drivers contacted
676- Vehicles through checkpoint
9- Standardized Field Sobriety Tests (SFST)
2- Driver(s) cited for having a suspended /revoked license
1- Driver(s) cited for being unlicensed
1- Vehicles impounded
2- Miscellaneous citations
1- Vehicle impounded
DUI Checkpoints like this one are placed in locations based on collision statistics and frequency of DUI arrests. Officers will be looking for signs of alcohol and/or drug impairment, with officers checking drivers for proper licensing.
In 2017, 1,120 people were killed in alcohol-involved crashes on California roads.
The Ventura Police Department offers these reminders to ensure you have a safe night of fun that doesn’t involve a DUI:
Always use a designated sober driver – a friend who is not drinking, ride-share, cab or public transportation – to get home.
See someone who is clearly impaired try and drive? Take the keys and help them make other arrangements to find a sober way home.
Report drunk drivers – Call 911.
Hosting a party? Offer nonalcoholic drinks. Monitor who are drinking and how they are getting home.
Funding for this checkpoint is provided to the Ventura Police Department by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Adam Trunell, Sr. Vice Pres. making presentations while Trudy Cook listens on February 8 while the CMH Auxiliary hosted their annual luncheon at the Sheraton at the Harbor. Volunteers received their service pens and there was a change of command of presidents for the auxiliary. Norma Nick Taylor also presented a $60,000.00 check to David Glyer VP/Chief Financial Officer. Edie Marshall is the out-going president and Trudy Cook is the new president.
Over 1 million joint replacement surgeries are performed in the United States each year, with knees and hips being the most common. In the coming years, these numbers are expected to rise. Fortunately, thanks to recent advances, joint replacement surgeries are more effective than ever, and the recovery process has become easier.
The latest developments in these surgeries will be the focus of a free seminar at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, March 20. Titled “Advances in Joint Replacement Surgery,” the seminar is hosted by Community Memorial Health System as part of its 2019 Speaker Series.
The guest speaker will be Dr. Thomas Golden, a member of the CMH medical staff with more than 30 years of experience as an orthopedic surgeon.
Dr. Golden will discuss the newer and more effective ways to perform joint replacement surgery and how patients can return to their active lifestyles. The March 20 seminar will begin at 6 p.m. at the Museum of Ventura County, 100 E. Main St. Registration is free but reservations are required. For reservations, visit www.cmhshealth.org/rsvpor call Brown Paper Tickets at 800-838-3006.
Community Memorial Health System is a not-for-profit health system, which is comprised of Community Memorial Hospital, Ojai Valley Community Hospital, the Centers for Family Health, and various outpatient centers serving communities located within Ventura County, California.
More aortic valve stenosis patients will be treated locally and minimally invasively
Community Memorial Hospital has added another procedure to the growing list of minimally invasive heart procedures: transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR).
TAVR is a minimally invasive surgical procedure that repairs a narrowed heart valve without removing the old, damaged valve. Instead, an artificial valve is placed in the aortic valve through the femoral artery (the large artery in the groin) using a long catheter. There’s no large surgical incision in the chest. Once the new valve is expanded, the tissue in the replacement valve regulates blood flow from the heart to the body. Previously, heart valve replacements required open-heart surgery in which the sternum is surgically separated, which typically required longer recovery for patients.
“The TAVR procedure is reducing the need for open-heart surgeries in some instances and hastening patient recovery,” said Dr. Omid Fatemi, Community Memorial Health System’s Medical Director of Structural Heart and High Risk Revascularization.
The newly opened Ocean Tower’s state-of-the-art cath lab allows CMH to expand its line-up of heart procedures that couldn’t be performed in the old hospital. Within the first week, four successful TAVR procedures have been completed at CMH, and more are planned for the near future.
The Ocean Tower cath lab has four procedure rooms and a fifth is expected to be added by next year. The new, expanded cath lab also features start-of-the art imaging equipment with superior imaging quality and new, superior diagnostic and ultrasound equipment.
TAVR is an FDA-approved procedure for people with aortic valve stenosis who are considered at intermediate or high-risk for open-heart valve replacement surgery. The FDA approval has expanded over the past few years with the outstanding results that have been achieved with this technology.
The Structural Heart Program at the new CMH offer minimally invasive procedures for heart problems, and most patients can go home the next day. Procedures include TAVR, ASD and PFO closure, and the WATCHMAN Left Atrial Appendage Closure Implant for patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation (AF) who can take warfarin but seek a non-drug alternative to reduce their risk of AF-related stroke.
Volunteers John Garcia, Kamryn Hansen and Jenn Harkey joined hundreds of others as part of the Homeless Count. Photo by Jenn Harkey
United Way of Ventura County would like to thank the 400 volunteers who fanned out across the community recently as part of the 2019 Ventura County Point-In-Time Homeless Count.
The Ventura County Continuum of Care (VC CoC) joined with UWVC and many other community organizations to conduct the annual count and individual surveys, a requirement to receive U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development funding. Volunteer teams spread out through Ventura, Camarillo, Ojai, Santa Paula, Thousand Oaks, Fillmore, Oxnard, Simi Valley, Port Hueneme, Moorpark and unincorporated areas on Jan. 22, with follow-up taking place at service sites throughout the week.
“Our goal is to help all Ventura County residents reach their full potential in education, financial stability, and health,” said Eric Harrison, CEO of United Way of Ventura County. “Through the surveys volunteers collected, we find out more about what resources are needed most and where they can be directed. We’re so grateful to everyone who came out and did a wonderful job.”
UWVC has hosted volunteer sign-ups on its www.volunteerventuracounty.org website over the last three years. Teams went out in the early morning through mid-day to places where unsheltered homeless persons are known to gather to conduct the count and surveys.
The Ventura County Continuum of Care will release results of the count in the coming months.
“The Point-In-Time count is an important annual activity that helps inform the VC CoC of the needs of persons who are experiencing homelessness,” said Tara Carruth, County Executive Office, Ventura County Continuum of Care. “This snapshot data of one day of homelessness assists with evaluating and monitoring trends in demographics and needs of the population. Volunteer participation is a great value in this process since the count data results in State and Federal funding for housing and services for homeless individuals and families. Thank you to all of the volunteers who assisted with this year’s efforts.”
Since 1945, United Way of Ventura County has advanced the common good by creating opportunities for a better life for all. Our focus is on education, income and health, because these are the building blocks for a good quality of life. We support local services and programs that are more than just ‘stop gap’ measures, but rather solutions that help create lasting change. We invite everyone to be part of the change by giving, advocating and volunteering. When we work together in common purpose, we LIVE UNITED. For more information about United Way of Ventura County, visit www.vcunitedway.org.
The City of Ventura and its water customers have relied on the Ventura River as a primary source of drinking water for more than a century. Today, however, the region’s water supply is changing as the Ventura River watershed faces new, complex challenges. To protect our local water resources and safeguard the watershed for the future, we must change our approach to managing it now.
Statewide drought conditions and the impacts of climate change have created shifts in our watershed and a strain on our region’s already limited water supply. At the same time, the demand for water is increasing as the Ventura River watershed’s users are multiplying. Coupled together, these factors have placed the watershed under increased pressure and at risk.
As long-standing environmental stewards, the City of Ventura has proactively made conservation a way of life by reducing our water use and investing in drought resilient programs such as recycled water, infrastructure upgrades, water-efficient best practices and diversification of our supply portfolio. Today, Ventura’s water customers use 30% less water than they did 20 years ago, despite reasonable population growth. I’m incredibly proud of this track record and our impressive progress. But the reality is – we need to do more to protect and preserve the watershed, and we can’t do it alone. The City represents only a small portion of the total water used by more than 100 agencies, businesses, farmers and individuals who also use the watershed.
In 2014, Santa Barbara Channelkeeper, a non-profit environmental organization, filed a lawsuit seeking to curtail the City’s water rights limiting its use of the Ventura River – one element of the interconnected watershed we all rely on. While we understand the overarching concern of diminishing water supplies and its impact on both our community and vital habitats for species like the steelhead trout, the original suit from Channelkeeper is not a viable path forward. The litigation arbitrarily targets just one user, the City of Ventura, to shoulder the responsibility for hundreds of other water users and focuses solely on one source of water, the Ventura River. Simply put – it’s an ineffective and short-sighted solution, and we need a better one.
The City of Ventura is proposing a long-term solution to protect the watershed and those who depend on it. By collaborating with all the local water interests, evaluating the entire interconnected system holistically and determining the legal water rights of each user, we can ensure that these complex challenges are addressed in a comprehensive and enforceable way.
As Mayor, I believe if we work together, we can build on our existing framework that not only safeguards our water future but also protects the precious ecosystems in the Ventura River watershed. The City remains committed to a locally-driven and collaborative approach that protects, properly manages and sustains the watershed to do just that.
Meredith comes to the City from local non-profit Downtown Ventura Partners.
The City of Ventura announced that Meredith Hart has been named Safe & Clean Program Manager within the City Manager’s Office. This selection fills a key management position in the City and supports the City Council’s goal to develop and implement an action plan to enhance the safe and clean initiative objectives.
Mayor Matt LaVere said, “One of the City Council’s most important priorities in 2019 is supporting our Safe & Clean Initiative. That is why I am so excited to have Meredith Hart join the City team as our new Safe & Clean Manager. Meredith’s impressive background and strong work ethic make her the ideal person to lead the City team as we continue our work to open a 24/7 homeless shelter, while at the same time continuing our extensive efforts to make Ventura the safer and cleaner city we all desire.”
In her new role, Meredith will focus on achieving Council’s goal to open a year-round homeless shelter, creating educational campaigns on Safe & Clean initiatives, offering outreach opportunities for the community, addressing blight and cleanliness issues, and concentrating on the improvement of private/public partnerships to improve services and reduce homelessness. As one component to the multi-departmental focus on Safe & Clean, Meredith will work closely to encourage cohesiveness and collaboration throughout the City.
Meredith comes to the City from nine years as Deputy Director with local non-profit Downtown Ventura Partners (DVP). During that time, Meredith was instrumental in the implementation of the Downtown Ambassadors, the Family Reconnection Program and has had an active role in the Winter Warming shelters, Community Intervention Court, the Patrol Task Force, the Downtown Safe and Clean Debris Removal Team and the annual Point-in-Time Homeless Count.
Meredith is a graduate from the University of Southern California and is a proud alumni of Buena High School.
“I am energized to be a part of the City of Ventura team and to help guide the City to achievements in reducing homelessness, creating safer and cleaner public spaces, and encouraging the community to become part of the solutions. We’re right at the peak of being able to do so much good ,” said Meredith.
The community is invited to come together with Ventura Police Officers in a friendly, informal environment to discuss community issues, build relationships and enjoy a good cup of coffee for Coffee with a Cop which will be held at Starbucks located at 4722 Telephone Road, on March 14 from 9:00 am to 10:30 am.
Most contacts police officers have with the public happen during emergencies or emotional situations. Those situations are not always the most effective times for relationship building and some community members may feel that officers are unapproachable on the street or during the course of their duties. Coffee with a Cop breaks down barriers and allows time for relaxed one-on-one interaction.
Engaging the community in public safety efforts is a top priority of the Ventura Police Department. We share the community’s concerns and make every effort to address them. We offer monthly opportunities at Community Council meetings to learn about crime trends and crime prevention. We also provide regular community meetings and neighborhood meetings upon request. Coffee with a Cop is an additional opportunity for residents to get to know the officers that serve Ventura.
The program aims to advance the practice of community policing through improving relationships between police officers and community members one cup of coffee at a time. Coffee with a Cop provides an opportunity for community members to ask questions and learn more about the department’s service. There is no formal agenda, just a casual opportunity to voice concerns and share ideas. This is a no host event.
The Ventura Police Department and Ventura Police Community Foundation are partnering with the Midtown Community Council and Pacific View Mall for Food Truck Friday on March 15, from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at the Pacific View Mall parking lot nearest to Trader Joes. The event features nearly 20 food, dessert and coffee trucks. Live music, face painting, a patrol car and Ventura Police K9s will be featured at this family friendly event.
Community members are invited to stop by the Ventura Police booth to visit with Ventura Police Officers and K9s and learn about the efforts of the Ventura Police Community Foundation in supporting public safety. Important safety information will be available and glow sticks will be provided to children while supplies last.
Food Truck Friday has helped support the Adopt-A-School Program which has provided beautification projects through a portion of event profits and community partnerships since the Food Truck event began in October 2012.
Residents are encouraged to learn more about their neighborhood Community Council. Ventura has seven neighborhood councils and any resident; business owner or property owner can join their area group. Ventura Police crime and safety updates are provided at each of the monthly community council meetings offering an opportunity for residents to get to know their local patrol officers. For more information please call 805-339-4317.
27Kimberly Prillhart has been selected as the new director of the Resource Management Agency. The appointment was made by County Executive Officer Mike Powers following a search which included strong internal and external candidates. Prillhart replaces Chris Stephens who retired in January after 13 years as the agency’s director.
Prillhart started with the County in 1998 and for the past 10 years has served as the County’s Planning Director. As Planning Director, she managed a staff of 41 and a $6.1 million budget.
“Kim has consistently demonstrated leadership and expertise in navigating with her team through the many complex issues she has handled as Planning Director,” said Powers. “Kim has a track record of working well with, and listening to, stakeholders with diverse perspectives in order to identify the right balance in arriving at land use decisions that support the Board of Supervisors’ vision for land use in our beautiful County. This approach to leadership will serve her well in broadening her role to overseeing the critical areas of the Resource Management Agency including Environmental Health, Weights and Measures, Code Compliance and Building and Safety.”
In her new role, Prillhart will oversee planning, building and environmental health; and direct the enforcement of laws and ordinances regulating land use, zoning, weights, measures and environmental protection.
“I am excited to continue to move the agency forward as we update our General Plan and look to the future of Ventura County,” said Prillhart.
Prillhart began her career with the County as an intern and was then hired to work on the Surface Mining and Reclamation Act program, overseeing 27 mines. She rapidly advanced through five planning positions prior to be named as Planning Director. She has served as president of the California Counties Planning Directors Association and on the board of the California American Planning Association, and she is a 20-year member of the American Institute of Certified Planners.
Prillhart, 56, has a degree in Environmental Studies from the University of California at Santa Barbara. She is a resident of Ventura and will start her new position at a salary of $202,419.
Wilson began his career with VCPWA’s Water and Sanitation Department.
The Ventura County Public Works Agency (VCPWA) has named Derrick Wilson as Strategic Operations Manager to lead the newly formed division within the Central Services Department (CSD) concentrated on planning, execution, analysis and knowledge (PEAK) management for VCPWA.
Prior to serving as VCPWA’s Strategic Operations Manager, Wilson began his career with VCPWA’s Water and Sanitation Department managing staff and services in the Integrated Waste Management Division. Wilson’s new role will focus on agency-wide organizational excellence and continuous process improvement. He will oversee a variety of agency-wide activities which include implementation of the agency’s strategic plan, tracking and reporting performance metrics, leading the Business Quality Council, and assisting departments with completing, documenting and reporting process improvements.
“Our new strategic Operations Manager is by far one of VCPWA’s most important roles. Our agency operations require our full team working together with great expertise and passion to keep our communities safe, through all of our many public works projects and our immediate response to emergencies through our five departments,” said Jeff Pratt, Director of VCPWA. “Derrick’s key position will keep us extremely efficient and cost effective as we work on behalf of Ventura county. The safety and quality of life of our community is paramount to VCPWA.”
With a combined 27 years in public service, 10 years at the County of Santa Barbara and 17 years with the County of Ventura, Wilson has successfully led teams and completed enterprise-level initiatives employing process improvement, business process redesign, change management and project leadership skills.
Mental Health Technician Diana Gasmi, Officer Rebecca Kofman and Officer Derek Donswyk meet with a lady in need.
The Ventura Police Department now has a full-time mental health technician embedded within the Ventura Police Patrol Task Force. The technician will be responsible for case management and outreach for the homeless population suffering from mental health issues. The effort is a partnership with Ventura County Behavioral Health and is funded through a Triage Grant.
“We are not going to arrest our way out of homelessness. Instead, we must find more innovative ways to identify and address the individual needs of our homeless residents. This new partnership between VPD and Ventura County Behavioral Health is exactly the type of innovative approach we need to address the mental health issues prevalent in our homeless population. Not only will it lead to more effective policing, it will also provide critical services and support to help our homeless get off the streets,” said Mayor Matt LaVere.
Diana Gasmi has been selected to fulfill the technician position. She is a bilingual Community Services Coordinator for Ventura County Behavioral Health, where she has been employed for the past 12 years in providing outreach and engagement to individuals with psychiatric disabilities in different regions throughout Ventura County. She has experience in psychiatric assessment, diagnostic and evaluation needs as well as the ability to provide advocacy, case management, and linkage to public benefits and appropriate community referrals.
“Partnering with Behavioral Health is a positive step in addressing the mental health of our homeless population,” said Ventura Police Commander Rick Murray.
The Patrol Task Force is engaged in what’s called restorative policing, or street outreach. This means that officers are working with chronic vagrancy offenders or displaced individuals, by uniting them with family or friends if they desire or getting them appropriate medical attention, they need to get off the streets. The mental health technician will come along side officers to assist in evaluating individuals and connecting them to resources for long term solutions.
The effort is part of the Safe and Clean Initiative which was adopted by Ventura City Council in 2011. The initiative redirects limited City resources and utilizes partnerships so that public places remain safe and clean for everyone to enjoy. The approach to Safe and Clean public places has five core elements that strive to align municipal, private philanthropy, business and non-profit resources. By mobilizing local entities, sharing data and involving key stakeholders across sectors the City of Ventura aims to retain secure public places.
All Ventura Police Officers are now equipped with Naloxone. It is a medication used to reverse the effects of opioid overdose. Naloxone is administered through a nasal spray. When administered, Naloxone restores respiration within two to five minutes, and may prevent brain injury and death. It works on overdoses caused by opioids, which includes prescription painkillers and street drugs like heroin. “Police officers are frequently the first emergency responders to encounter victims of an opiate overdose and the administration of Naloxone can help counteract the drugs and save lives,” said Assistant Police Chief Darin Schindler. Ventura County EMS in collaboration with Ventura County Behavioral Health provided training for all Ventura Police Officers.
The lifesaving medication has already saved lives since being issued to officers in January. On February 1, a Ventura Police Officer responded to a subject in distress and locked in a bathroom of a business. The officer quickly dismantled the door and found the subject overdosing. He retrieved his newly issued Naloxone kit and administered a dose bringing the subject back to life. The subject was then transported to the Ventura County Medical Center for treatment.
The threat of accidental opioid overdose death has increased significantly in Ventura County due to a surge in the availability of fentanyl. Fentanyl is exponentially stronger and more dangerous than other opioids such as morphine and heroin, and exposure to even very small quantities can be fatal. It can quickly cause death if swallowed, injected, inhaled or absorbed through the skin. Fentanyl has also been found combined with other illicit drugs such as cocaine and methamphetamine or present in marijuana or counterfeit opioids. If deployed quickly, Naloxone spray can reverse the effects of fentanyl.
Opioid overdose is the leading cause of unintentional injury or death in the United States, causing more deaths than motor vehicle crashes. According to the Center for Disease Control, from 1999 to 2017 more than 700,000 people in the United States died from an overdose involving opioids. The incidents of fatal overdoses by ingesting opioids has been increasing rapidly since 2013. Approximately 68% of the more than 70,200 drug overdose deaths in 2017 involved an opioid. On average, 130 Americans die every day from an opioid. Opioids involved in Ventura County overdose deaths rose from approximately
90 in 2008 to over 120 in 2015. This includes prescription opioids found in medicine cabinets and heroin, most commonly found on the street. From January 2017 to August 2018 Ventura Police Officers responded to 214 overdose related calls for service.
In one year in Ventura County…
609,000 prescriptions were given for opioids – Controlled Substance Utilization Review and Evaluation System (2016)
1 in 4 autopsies were opioid-related deaths – Ventura County Medical Examiner Office (2018)
237 lives saved by naloxone – NO OD Overdose Rescue Project (2018)
1 in 50 babies born with opioid exposure – Ventura County Medical Center estimate
28,000 illegal pills seized – Ventura County Interagency Pharmaceutical Crimes Unit (2017)
5 days of use may have led to dependence – Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2017)
1 in 7 11th Graders used Rx meds to get high – California Healthy Kids Survey, Ventura County (2016)
624 entered treatment for opioid use disorder – Ventura County Alcohol and Drug Programs (2017)
1 in 3 people say they know someone addicted – American Psychiatric Association National Poll (2018)
The Ventura Police Department conducted a DUI/Driver’s License Checkpoint on Friday March 1, 2019.
