∙I want to thank one of our wonderful readers for suggesting that we provide the Ventura Breeze at the 24 Hour Fitness located on Telegraph. We now have a rack there with the Breeze for your reading pleasure. Just don’t take it in the pool – it is not waterproof.

∙Do spiders like looking at themselves in mirrors? Why else would all rear-view mirrors contain spider webs?

∙ Recently, President Donald Trump criticized two Washington Post reporters, saying they “shouldn’t even be allowed” at the White House following a story critical of the administration’s record (shame on them, maybe they thought that we live in a democracy)?

“The Washington Post’s @PhilipRucker (Mr. Off the Record) & @AshleyRParker, two nasty lightweight–reporters, shouldn’t even be allowed on the grounds of the White House because their reporting is so disgusting & fake,” the President tweeted.

He was also upset about press coverage of the crowds at Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s (D-Mass.) campaign events, complaining that his rallies don’t get the same treatment.

“They do stories so big on Elizabeth ‘Pocahontas’ Warren’s crowd sizes, adding many more people than are actually there, and yet my crowds, which are far bigger, get no coverage at all,” Trump tweeted,  using his derisive nickname for the Democratic presidential hopeful.

Thank goodness he doesn’t read the Ventura Breeze, otherwise our staff would not be allowed into the White House. Just to be safe, when we go there, we will be sure to wear Richard Nixon masks.

∙ We have decided to not include an article regarding the terrible boat tragedy. By now, everyone is well-aware of what occurred, and I don’t feel there is really anything we can add. Our very deepest symphony and love goes out to the families of those that perished and to the survivors who will need to deal with this for the rest of their lives.

The only thing to mention is that federal authorities have launched a criminal investigation into the tragedy.

∙ The Center for Disease Control (CDC) is investigating vaping as a possible cause of progressive and often severe respiratory distress, sometimes first diagnosed as pneumonia or bronchitis. Several vapors have recently died from complications stemming from vaping. Maybe we were better off when kids only smoked cigarettes.

∙The following editorial (in part) appeared in The Sacramento Bee:

“If you believe newspapers play an essential role in strengthening democracy and holding powerful leaders accountable, now is the time to speak up about Assembly Bill 5. The bill, as currently written, could force many California newspapers out of business.”

“It’s unlikely that Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez, D-San Diego, sought to create an existential threat to California’s free press when she authored AB 5. But in what seems like an unintended consequence of the bill, AB 5 would basically make daily delivery of the print version of the newspaper nearly impossible. Some papers have said they may turn to mail, meaning a day-late newspaper and increased subscription rates for consumers.”

“That’s because the bill would require newspapers to treat newspaper carriers as employees rather than independent contractors. This would disrupt and destabilize the newspaper industry at a time when accurate, credible news is most needed — and most threatened.”

“By requiring newspapers to extend employee benefits and protections to all newspaper carriers, AB 5 would make newspaper delivery economically impossible. The loss of print revenue from scrapping the print edition of the paper would then deal a severe blow to both the newspaper industry’s viability and mission.”

Although this bill wouldn’t affect the Breeze, it is extremely important today to keep all newspapers in circulation. This bill could force some publications to scrap their print editions and rely solely on online publishing.

It really doesn’t matter if the papers are conservative or liberal, it is a complete and total freedom of the press that is vital to helping make a democracy work.

∙ Just hours after a mass shooting took place in West Texas, a Texas Republican state representative said he opposes stricter gun laws and that people should instead be “praying for protection.”

Republican Matt Schaefer posted on Facebook that “so-called gun-control solutions” won’t “stop a person with evil intent,” and that people should instead pray for victims and those with “evil intent.”

Great idea, I’m sure that he is the very first person to come up with such a simple solution. The next time someone starts shooting at you just start praying (and running as fast as you can).

∙We would love to hear more success stories of Venturan’s recovering from the Thomas Fire. Please let us know if you have one to tell.

∙ This headline appeared in the VC Star: “Suspect arrested in Ventura stabbing death at ‘infamous’ building.” I find this editorializing that it was ‘infamous’ very disturbing as if it was the building’s fault. The article went on to say, “this dilapidated property”.

The 58-year-old woman died after being stabbed inside her west Ventura apartment and investigators have identified Ventura 54-year-old Doyle Alan Johnson as the suspect. Johnson and the victim were acquainted.

The article failed to tell us if Johnson drove an old beat–up Ford, so I don’t think that we have all the details needed to decide if he did it.

∙Hundreds of people were shocked recently when they went to pick up their mail from their PO Boxes at Coffee Dock & Post in the Harbor only to find it closed and gone. The business closed overnight, with no warning (or access to the boxes). The USPS was cooperative and delivered the mail to Coastal Postal for a few weeks. The mail is being held at the main post office until September 1. Go speak to Bill P. at the counter and he will give you two boxes full of mail to sift through. After September 1, all mail will be returned to the senders.

∙Rather ironic that Steve Bennett, Ventura County Supervisor, is suing the city of Ventura over its refusal to release records related to how the City responded to the fire and water shortage during the Thomas Fire. Steve started out his political career as a Ventura City Council member. He filed the lawsuit as a private citizen.

He is not the only one that has been frustrated with the lack of information released by the City about the fire, especially why water became unavailable. We haven’t had any luck obtaining information as well.

∙ Federal scientists announced that July 2019 was the Earth’s hottest month on record (I know it snowed in places). The global temperature for July was 62.13 degrees, which was 1.71 degrees higher than the average for the 20th century. It beat the previous record warm month, which was July 2016. Records date back to 1880.

July’s heat comes on the heels of what was the hottest June on record. Some might call this global warming, but not me of course.

Scientists are warning that a major heatwave in Greenland could lead to significant melted glacier ice this summer – 440 billion tons, to be exact. Maybe we shouldn’t buy Greenland yet until we see if there is still room to build the Trump Tower Hotel there.

Of course, living in Ventura we know that this is all nonsense. Global warming? Where is it? Marine layers have been blocking our sun. Experts tell us when it is hot inland, we get overcast skies.

The marine layer develops offshore, where low clouds develop when air sinks over the cold ocean water. A contrast in temperature (between hot inland air and cool ocean air tends to draw the marine layer on to land).

∙President Donald Trump has criticized Jewish Americans who vote for Democrats, saying, “It shows either a total lack of knowledge or great disloyalty.” Oh great, now I am disloyal and have no knowledge. On top of this, like the Devil, I’m left-handed. Three-strikes and maybe I’m out.

Next, he might send me back to where I came from, Detroit (No, not Israel never been there). The remark led critics to argue the President was dabbling in the anti-Semitic nonsense of “dual loyalty,” which questions the loyalty of American Jewish citizens. Halie Soifer, executive director of the Jewish Democratic Council of America, called the comments “yet another example of Donald Trump continuing to weaponize and politicize anti-Semitism.”

J Street, a liberal advocacy group focused on a resolution between Israel and the Palestinian territories, said, “It is dangerous and shameful for President Trump to attack the large majority of the American Jewish community as unintelligent and ‘disloyal.”

∙Less than two weeks before his scheduled trip to Denmark, Trump announced on Twitter that he has postponed his visit to Copenhagen after the Danish Prime Minister disputed his interest in buying Greenland as “absurd.” Former premier Lars Lokke Rasmussen stated, “It must be an April Fool’s Day joke.” No joke I’m afraid. I wish that it was.

Obviously, I’m back commenting on Trump. Can’t wait to receive emails from Trump supporters.

∙CVS pharmacy had a special sale – buy a specific brand of 12 rolls of paper towels at a discount. I looked and looked and only found one that was labeled 8=12. I took it to the counter and said, “I only count 8 rolls.” Was told that they were big so equaled 12 rolls. I handed the clerk a $20 bill and told him “This is really $40,” but he wouldn’t accept it.

•A team from New York University Langone School of Medicine may have explained why people who have suffered cardiac arrest and seemed to have crossed over and “come back” to life.

Study author Dr Sam Parnia stated, “They’ll describe watching doctors and nurses working and they’ll describe having awareness of full conversations, of visual things that were going on, that would otherwise not be known to them.”

He said these recollections were then verified by medical and nursing staff who reported their patients, who were technically dead, could remember details of what they were saying.

People often claim that this is evidence of an afterlife or the separation of the body and the soul.

But scientists have increasingly attributed these out of body experiences to physiological processes and it is believed they are as a result of unusual brain activity caused by reduced blood flow to the brain. Death of brain cells can take hours even though patients are declared dead.

• The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services will now consider public assistance, education, household income and health to determine whether to grant legal citizen status. Using this criterion many, many existing legal citizens would have their citizenships revoked.

∙ Okay, I have changed my mind for the last time (soft promise). The Breeze is non-political except for my comments and possibly the “Mailbox” letters. Perhaps when I speak about Trump I should put “Trump comments included” above my article, so Trump supporters don’t get upset. As always, if you disagree let us know at [email protected].

∙Per our cover story, long-time City Councilmember, Neal Andrews, has passed away. He very often was the only no vote on the City Council. I respected that but seldom agreed with him. He did follow his beliefs, however.

Also, on the cover is an article about current City Mayor, Matt LaVere, announcing his intent to run for County Supervisor (perhaps inspired by Steve Bennett who followed the same path).

He told me, “I love being Mayor – it truly has been one of the great honors of my life. And I still have a lot I want to do in the next 16 months as Mayor. But it is exhausting if you do it right, and so I’m ready for my next challenge.”

Great that he is willing to take this next step to continue his service to the community.

∙Congratulations to daughter Staci Brown, our local MADD Program Specialist, for her presentation at a recent City Council meeting to two Ventura police officers for their contributions to reducing DUI problems. She, and Mayor Matt, presented them with MADD pins.

∙ And more congratulations to Ventura Breeze staff member Mary Thompson for winning first place at the Fair for her Olivas Adobe booth.

∙ There have been more mass shooting deaths than days counted so far this year.

The Gun Violence Archive, a not for- profit organization, defines mass shootings as incidents in which four or more people were shot or killed. In 2019, more than 520 people have died in mass shootings and at least 2,000 have been injured, according to them.

I understand that people kill people and not guns, but when 10 people can be killed, and dozens injured in 30-seconds, it’s so much easier using a gun.

∙As of July 31, ownership of the VCReporter went to Times Media Group, a corporate media company based out of Arizona. Publisher David Comden has been removed. Lots of luck to David for the future. Maybe he wants to become an account executive for the Breeze.

∙Any women in Saudi Arabia over 21 can now obtain, renew and use a passport for travel. They no longer need permission from a man. New regulations also allow them to be a head of household and register births, deaths, marriages and divorces, and have custody over minors. I certainly hope that Saudi men can handle having complete control removed from them.

∙The California Transportation Commission has allocated $52.3 million for new paving for some lanes on a stretch of Highway 101 in, and near, Ventura. The project will improve 21.6 “lane miles” in our area. Work is expected to start late next summer so you don’t need to take short-cuts quite yet.

∙ The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has ordered 44 vaping products, including items sold for hookahs and e-liquids, to be pulled from shelves in the United States. These products can’t be legally sold, according to the agency, because the companies behind them do not have the proper marketing authorization. The news arrives amid the FDA’s ongoing investigation of a possible link between vaping and seizures.

I love it when some vape users defiantly blow huge amounts of smoke in the air to show how cool they are.

∙An attorney says a Montana man charged with assaulting a 13-year-old boy who refused to remove his hat during the national anthem believed he was doing what President Donald Trump wanted him to do (I thought that the devil made him do it).

Speaking of Trump, he joked about his rally crowd sizes while visiting victims of the mass shooting in El Paso, Texas, according to a video obtained by CBS affiliate KDBC. Speaking to medical professionals at a hospital where victims were being treated, Mr. Trump compared the crowd size at an El Paso rally in February to that of presidential candidate, Beto O’Rourke.

Mr. Trump praised the medical officials treating the victims, telling them, “They’re talking about you all over the world.” He then pivoted to boasting about the attendance at his February rally and mocking the relatively small size of the counter-rally held by O’Rourke.

“I was here three months ago,” Mr. Trump said. “That place was packed …that was some crowd. And we had twice the number outside. And then you had this crazy Beto. Beto had like 400 people in a parking lot, they said his crowd was wonderful.”

What can I say? This is so sad that it speaks for itself.

∙The federal government has continued to separate migrant children from their parents despite court orders that was meant to reduce this practice. Some families are being separated never to see each other again. And some kids are even dying. I know that some people will say “it’s the parent’s fault for being here illegally, so blame the parents.”

Even if this is true you can’t punish little kids because you think that their parents are stupid – lots of parents are stupid.

∙From the Associated Press: “Davon Jones doesn’t have to look far to see the irony in President Trump’s tweets saying that Baltimore is a rat and rodent infested mess. His apartment, owned by the President’s son-in-law, has been invaded by mice since he moved in a year ago.”

“Jared Kushner’s family real estate firm owns thousands of apartments and townhomes in the Baltimore area. Residents have complained about mold, bed bugs, leaks and plenty of mice and they say management appears in no hurry to fix the problems.”

∙The Ventura County Fair opened today. Some people living in Ventura forget that this is the “Ventura County’ Fair and how lucky we are that it is held right here in our backyard. So, take advantage of it being local. There is certainly something for everyone at the Fair.

∙ The Trade Desk, a Ventura-based global company, is returning to where it all started – picking up space again behind City Hall in the incubator area. The Trade Desk has agreed to pay for upgrades to the elevator, lobby, parking lot and other amenities. According to the five-year lease, The Trade Desk will pay $21,394.80 per month for the large vacant spaces.

They need to be commended for staying in Ventura and hiring even more Venturans. They have several other office locations in Ventura also. Because they’ve been so successful, they could have moved their HQ office pretty much wherever they wanted to at this point (closer to a major airports), so it’s great they’ve chosen to stay in Ventura. A very successful local story.

∙Eight teens were hospitalized in Wisconsin last month with seriously damaged lungs., the state Department of Health Services has reported. All eight patients, who live in Milwaukee, Waukesha and Winnebago counties, tested negative for infectious diseases and reported vaping in the weeks and months before their hospital admission.

Regarding vaping, to reduce access and combat marketing that targets youths, the Ventura City Council has directed staff to prepare an ordinance that would ban retailers from selling flavored tobacco products and vape juices.

The Council wants to consider the possibility of banning online sales to Ventura residences, prohibiting new tobacco retail licenses from opening within 1,000 feet of a school and ensuring existing tobacco retail licenses within those zones not be transferable.

Staff will also put together recommendations for establishing an annual retail licensing fee in an amount enough to provide the necessary funding to enforce this new ordinance.

Mayor Matt LaVere and councilmember Cheryl Heitmann introduced the policy consideration. It was approved by the full Council.

As you might know, I am concerned about vaping but never comfortable with local governments banning products that are legal (like marijuana).

∙ According to the National Weather Service, Anchorage, Alaska saw its highest temperature on record recently with residents celebrating July 4 with 90-degree temperatures. Several locations through southern Alaska saw their single hottest day on record. This, of course is not global warming.

∙In a series of leaked diplomatic cables, Britain’s ambassador to the United States described President Trump as “radiating insecurity” and his administration as diplomatically “clumsy and inept,” a withering assessment that threatened to damage bilateral relations at a delicate moment for Britain. I, of course, would never make such a statement.

∙Mad Magazine has stopped publishing new material after 67 years. It will only feature vintage Mad content and only be sold at comic bookstores or mailed to subscribers. Hate to see things that I grew up with go away. Maybe time to get rid of my slide rule and land line.

∙Talking about changing times, Berkeley has now re-named manholes as “maintenance” holes to be gender correct. More than two dozen terms will be changed with gender-neutral words.

Before some of you male readers go bonkers saying how stupid this is, you should think about being called a policewoman or firewoman if that is your job. This is how women feel when being called policemen or firemen.

∙Gannett (publisher of the VC Star) – and many other newspapers – is in talks to combine with Gatehouse Media in a deal that would merge the two largest newspaper firms in the U.S. (by circulation).

If the deal goes through, approximately one in every six newspapers in the U.S. would be owned by a single company. The entire newspaper industry has gone through major consolidation and closings because of the growth of large online companies and the competition for advertising dollars.

So, let’s support the Ventura Breeze, and other city papers throughout the country, so we can keep the local papers alive and well.

∙With the two recent large earthquakes, many folks ran outside presuming that is a safe place to be. Experts have always warned the public against leaving a building and going outdoors during a quake. The safest place to be is to remain inside protected from falling debris, dropping power lines and falling trees.

When inside, quickly find a place where things cannot fall on you. And make sure you don’t have heavy paintings or other items and decorations over your bed.

∙San Francisco has released data that reports that their homeless population has increased about 30% from 2017. This does include homeless people in jails, hospitals in residential treatment facilities who will be homeless once they are released.

When California, and other states, began closing the large mental hospitals and facilities (locally Cal State University in Camarillo) about 50 years ago, the plan was to give local communities funding to provide facilities for this population. When President Kennedy, in 1963 signed the Community Mental Health Act, the idea was to provide neighborhoods with housing and funding to provide care and housing.

People who should be in mental health care and obtaining support are in our jails and our streets because of their mental illnesses.

Ventura and the County have made some strides to solve this problem but there is much, much more to do. The next time you see a mentally ill homeless person you might consider the fact that they have no other place to go. And they are not capable of holding a real job or making correct life decisions.

Sheldon is on vacation enjoying beautiful Ventura. These are snippets from previous articles for your reading pleasure.

∙A teenager died when he was struck by a train in Ventura. The incident happened on the tracks near Hurst Avenue and Ocean Avenue, according to a Union Pacific official. The 17-year-old male from West Hills was struck by a southbound Amtrak Pacific Surfliner train. Authorities say that his death appears to be a suicide.

Immediately, some accused the City Council because Union Pacific had removed their fences that kept people from crossing over the tracks. These fences were owned by Union Pacific and were on their property. They removed them because of the opposition to the fences by some folks living in midtown who crossed over the tracks to get to the beach.

The City Council certainly gets some things wrong, but this wasn’t one of them. Can’t blame them for everything

∙The City Council has authorized the City Manager to execute a Funding and Services Agreement not to exceed $250,000 to the Museum of Ventura County. I agree with this decision. In addition to local visitors, the museum brings outsiders to Ventura.

It passed the council with one opposing vote, which came from Councilman Jim Friedman. When running for council Jim said he would only approve funding for “core” projects. I don’t agree with him but can respect that he is “sticking to his guns.” Is it still okay to use that phrase?

∙If you made $60 million (or more) playing basketball you could make comments like this one and still be a great role model for kids: “Once I saw that story, I just seen a kid turning into a man. This is my career and I’m taking this. I done had enough.”

∙ Now that we have city council districts (four have been elected by district for now – but all council members will eventually be based upon districts when currents terms are up) – I think that these four should have quarterly townhall meetings to hear what the concerns (and likes) are from their constituents.

They are: Sofia Rubalcava, Deputy Mayor – District 1; Lorrie Brown, Councilmember – District 6; Jim Friedman, Councilmember – District 5; Erik Nasarenko, Councilmember – District 4.

These are their emails if you want to contact them: 

[email protected];[email protected];[email protected]; [email protected].

If you don’t know what district you are in, go to https://map.cityofventura.net/java/ccvd/ for a district map and enter your address to find out what district you are in.

∙ H. Parker Hospitality has decided not to continue negotiations with the Ventura Port District for the purchase of two parcels in the Harbor at the end of Spinnaker Dr. Their plans were to build a high-end hotel/spa and hybrid hostel.

The stated reason is that the District was not able to provide ‘clean’ title for land. There are probably other reasons, but this was their stated one.

These are great parcels and will certainly be considered by other developers (oh no, the dreaded word) as soon as the title situation is resolved. About 30-years ago, the District filed for bankruptcy which, apparently has caused some concerns about the ownership of the parcels and clear title.

∙We are one of only nine cities in California to make Fortune Small Business magazine’s list of the 100 best places to live and launch a small business. We were No. 68.

∙It just got a little harder to open a store that sells firearms and ammunition in Ventura.

The City Council voted 7-0 to approve an ordinance that limits where in the city these businesses can be located.

Once the new rules become law, a firearms business won’t be allowed to open if it’s within 500’ of a “sensitive use,” a designation that includes schools, parks, religious institutions, day care facilities and residential zones. Such stores will need to be at least 200’ away from a similar business.

The new rules limits stores to three areas based upon the zone. Limited Industrial (M-1), General Industrial (M-2) and Manufacturing Planned Development (MPD).

Even though I don’t like guns much I’m not sure limiting where stores can be located serves any purpose at all.

•During the approximately eight years publishing the Breeze prior to Trump being elected president, I never have made political comments regarding Democrats or Republicans, conservatives or liberals because it was always just Washington doing business as usual. But, I have some real problems with the Trump presidency and feel that I must comment.

Other than an occasional political cartoon or my column, the Breeze never takes a political view in our news coverage. We are not as liberal a paper as some think.

There are some readers who say they love the Ventura Breeze, but they won’t read it anymore because of my very limited words or the occasional editorial cartoon not supporting Trump.

I think that’s a ridiculous reason to stop reading the Breeze, especially if you otherwise like it. There are approximately 30,000 to 40,000 words in each issue of the Breeze, so my comments (most of which are just quoting others) are about.003% of the words in the paper.

And if you do disagree with me, you have an opportunity to be heard in the Breeze. In fact, I’m only one voice, so if several readers write in disagreeing, that is even a stronger voice than mine. So, let’s hear your comments at [email protected].

• Per the cover article in this issue, the Board of Education has hired Dr. Roger Rice as the new Superintendent of Ventura Unified School District (VUSD). He sounds very qualified, but so has the several others in the position that have recently come and gone. I certainly hope he stays around long enough to help the VUSD get even better.

∙After more than 30–years at 2401 Harbor, the last Carrows Restaurant in Ventura County has closed its doors. Carrows Restaurants, Inc. is a subsidiary of Catalina Restaurant Group, Inc. I’m sorry to see it close. Even though part of a chain, it was still a local casual restaurant.

∙The board that oversees use of the Ventura County Fairgrounds has voted to tighten rules on gun shows in 2019.

The changes will impact Crossroads of the West, which has three more shows scheduled this year.

The policy changes are likely to include requiring firearms, whether in a locked showcase or on display, be attached to security cords. Vendors and their employees will also be banned from drinking alcohol.

∙And speaking about guns:

A gunman who killed two workers and then himself at a Ford dealership in the San Francisco Bay area Tuesday had apparently just been fired, witnesses said. Police confirmed that he appears to have been either a disgruntled or former employee.

A San Bernardino woman was arrested after one of her sons accidently shot and killed his 12-year old twin-brother in their home. The boy’s mother was arrested on suspicion of child cruelty for leaving the unprotected gun where it could be used by her kids.

A 10-month old girl is in critical condition after a man shot her in the head after the baby’s mother rejected him at a party.

A longstanding dispute ended with the deaths of five people after a shooting in a quiet mobile home park in Central California. The shooter is 64.

∙San Francisco will become the first US city to effectively ban e-cigarette sales, after the city’s board of supervisors unanimously voted in favor of an ordinance providing this law.

The ordinance states; “No person shall sell or distribute an electronic cigarette to a person in San Francisco” unless that product has undergone premarket review by the US Food and Drug Administration. To date, none have.

Health advocates have been saying that the FDA has failed to assume their responsibility on this matter. The city criticized the FDA for allowing these products to temporarily remain on shelves without undergoing premarket review for their impact on public health, as required.

E-cigarettes are a product that, by law, is not allowed on the market without FDA review.

FDA spokesman Michael Felberbaum said that, “The FDA has and will continue to tackle the troubling epidemic of e-cigarette use among kids. This includes preventing youth access to, and appeal of, flavored tobacco products like e-cigarettes and cigars, taking action against manufacturers and retailers who illegally market or sell these products to minors, and educating youth about the dangers of e-cigarettes and other tobacco products.”

This includes sales in brick-and-mortar stores, as well as online sales shipped to a San Francisco address. The ordinance also applies to flavored tobacco products in addition to e-cigarettes. The measure does not ban the use of vapes among people 21 and older.

Vaping may or may not be healthier than smoking conventional cigarettes, but it is getting dangerous. Recently, a teenage boys’ vape exploded blowing out several of his teeth and cracked open his jaw. This was not the first incident of vapers blowing up.

Obviously, people who want to buy e-cigarettes won’t have any trouble doing so, but I’m glad that San Francisco is making a statement by enacting this ordinance.

∙A Texas woman was banned from a Walmart for eating half of a cake and refusing to pay for it. Can’t blame her – why pay for half a cake? She can’t have her cake and eat it too.

∙For the first time since humans have existed on Earth, carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has topped 415 parts per million. It reached 415.26 parts per million, according to sensors at the Mauna Loa Observatory, a research outpost of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Agency.

A report has revealed that at least 1 million species were at risk of extinction thanks to human activity and the carbon emissions that are a byproduct of economic development.

∙The Kansas Supreme Court ruled that women have the right to an abortion under the state’s Constitution. In a 6-1 decision, the state’s highest court also kept in place a temporary injunction on a law that bans a common second trimester abortion procedure.

∙Apple, Inc. will manufacture its new Mac Pro computer in China. It has been its only major device assembled in the United States. They will use Quanta Computer to manufacture the $6,000 desktop computer.

∙ A well-known pizza company has a policy that if you drop and ruin your pizza, they will replace it. Do you know anyone who has ever dropped a pizza? What happens if you are driving home after picking up a pizza and have a car accident, will they give you a new pizza, and repair your car for free? Better read the pizza contract.

∙Entanglement, what Einstein called “spooky action at a distance,” describes things that are separated far in distance yet seem to be inseparable mathematically—measuring one seems to immediately impact the other. Scientists have been aware of these spooky correlations since the early study of quantum physics, as early as 1935. Way past my understanding.

∙I want to thank the Ventura Port District for inserting the Harbor Views Newsletter in this issue. Nice to know that they feel the Breeze is the best way to contact Venturans.

Commenting on gun violence, Gov. Gavin Newsom stated, “From San Bernardino to Ventura to Poway, too many Californians have already died from gun violence.” Strange that we got mentioned. Normally that would be good but maybe not in this case. Makes it sound as if we have lots of gun shootings here.

∙The Ventura City Council accepted a recommendation from Ventura’s water sources General Manager Susan Rungren to remain in a Stage 3 Water Shortage Event.

This means rate payers will continue to be divided into four cost tiers.

Apparently, rates won’t increase, but rates will remain the same through fiscal year 2019-20.

The fact that the City remains in Stage 3 seems strange to me, even the State has declared that we no longer have a water shortage.

∙In 2011, Ventura, and some homeowners in the Pierpont area, came to an agreement on who would clean sand from the beach in front of their properties that was blocking their ocean views.

Per this agreement, the City would remove tons of dirt and haul it away. Of course, the sand just comes back and now the City is being sued once again by a few owners.

The City claims that this is a natural occurring condition, and even if the City is held responsible it should not be the only one to pay for the removal costs.

What really confuses the issue (and others) is that the City owns 40 feet of the beach in front of the homes and the State owns the beach to the ocean, so the question becomes just whose sand is this and who should pay?

Never have understood why the State still owns part of our beaches. Can’t they just give it to us?

∙Cannabis in the news:

Businesses that focus on manufacturing, testing and distributing cannabis can apply to operate in Oxnard starting next month because the Oxnard City Council has voted to relax the current ban.

With a unanimous vote, Council gave preliminary approval for cannabis distributors and manufacturers and a testing lab to open in the city. Oxnard is considering allowing up to eight manufacturers, three distributors and one testing lab.

Port Hueneme cannabis dispensaries are contributing $30,000 in order to continue presenting the City’s Fourth of July fireworks show.

When, oh when, will our City Council get it?

∙I went online to make a DMV reservation. The next available appointment is in August which isn’t too bad considering that is about how long you would sit there without a reservation.

∙How to make foreign friends – An American airstrike accidentally killed at least eight Afghan police officers in southern Afghanistan.

∙The FBI released documents on the bureau’s short-lived investigation into Bigfoot which was done in 1977.

The 22 documents show that the bureau’s Scientific and Technical Services Division examined 15 hairs sent by Peter Byrne, who was head of the now-defunct Bigfoot Information Center and Exhibition in Oregon, and determined they were from a newspaper publisher and not bigfoot.

∙I like to keep our readers informed. Researchers say they have observed parity-time symmetry breaking for the first time in an experiment. The result was obtained using a “dilation” technique on a single-spin system – a nitrogen-vacancy centre in diamond. The system could be used as a platform for studying new and exotic physics, such as new topological variants, quantum thermodynamics and quantum criticality, in non-Hermitian quantum systems.

According to current physics theories, the universe is governed by certain fundamental symmetries. One of these looks at the relation between parity (P) or “handedness” and time (T) and describes the oddness or evenness of a quantum particle and whether it is moving forwards or backwards in time. When a PT transformation is applied to a quantum system it appears the same as the original.

I hope that clarifies it for you. I’m sure no other explanation is necessary.

∙ Perhaps athlete’s salaries are getting out of hand. The LA Lakers (they play basketball) feel that they need one more star on the team, but they only have about $25M a year to offer. Unfortunately, that isn’t enough money to obtain a marquee player.

∙ Ocean levels are rising due to climate change. Some scientists say that sea levels could rise nearly three feet by the year 2100. However, others claim that is incorrect and feel sea levels could rise more than double that amount if global temperatures increase more than expected.

If sea levels were to rise by more than 6 feet, which the study’s authors believe is possible – an event they said, “lies within the 90% uncertainty bounds,” – the devastation could be catastrophic. A rise in temperatures by 5 degrees Celsius would cause significant declines in ice levels in Greenland, as well as Antarctica.

I know that the cause of climate change is debatable, but the fact that it exists is certainly not.

∙ Recently, Richard Lieberman, and I had lunch with Jeff Lambert, the City’s former Community Development Director (see cover story). He is now working for the City of Oxnard and very happy there. A real loss for Ventura.

∙ Circus Vargas will not be coming to Ventura this year, but will perform in Camarillo and Santa Barbara. Tried to find out why they are not coming to Ventura, but I wasn’t able to get an answer.

∙ I do not like guns. I think only law enforcement (and not sure about some of them) should possess them. But I have no problem with the Fair board who earlier voted 5-2 to allow Crossroads of the West to put on two shows as the board works on developing a policy governing them. The company is seeking authorization to host three more this year.

Owning most guns is legal, so in my opinion gun shows should be allowed to take place here just as marijuana stores should be allowed in Ventura.

∙Baseball now has instant replay – it takes 20 minutes.

∙The U.S. Navy has acknowledged that a request was made to hide the USS John S. McCain during President Donald Trump’s recent state visit to Japan. Couldn’t they just add a beard to it, so it is not recognizable?

∙ The California Senate has voted 33-0 to let pet owners, 18 and older, purchase medical marijuana for their animals if they have a recommendation from a veterinarian who has completed a specific course. The bill would give veterinarians the same protections as doctors who recommend marijuana for human patients. So, pretend you have a dog and share their pot.

∙Why do hospitals wake people up to give them their sleeping pills?

∙Ventura’s development process is cumbersome and slow, with many, many planning and review processes to apply for. And, then doesn’t provide nearly enough certainty that the development will ever be approved, even if all procedures are followed.

During a recent City Council meeting, member Jim Friedman stated, “The time to change it is now. We need a plan that tells the world Ventura is open for business. We need to change the way we do business drastically in the city of Ventura.” I could not agree more.

Too often projects are appealed to the council, and instead of looking at the big picture, (should the project have 40 units, or 38, for example), the council becomes the defacto design review committee and ends up commenting on innocuous things, such as the color of the front doors.

Whether you agree or disagree that we need new development (we do), developers should have a clear understanding of what they need to do to receive approval. Often, they spend hundreds of thousands of dollars and then decide to just walk away from Ventura.

In order to make that happen, the Council voted to have staff return with information on streamlining, improving and simplifying the current design review process and to consider the following (among other things);

Disbanding the Historical Preservation Committee and replacing it with staff review and, where needed, outside consultants. This I strongly agree with.

Allowing each Council member to appoint her or his own Planning Commission member whose term would run concurrent with that of the elected official.

∙After all this time, the family of slain Anthony Mele Jr. is suing the city and the Aloha Steakhouse where he was stabbed to death by Jamal Jackson, a 50-year-old homeless man.

The widow and daughter of Anthony have sued the restaurant and the City over his death. They claim that the City of Ventura and the restaurant may have some responsibility.

I can’t comment on the City’s liability but to sue Aloha seems absurd. Should they be required to have a security guard sit at every table? In fact, diners at the restaurant and Aloha employees acted in a heroic manner chasing Jackson and attending to Anthony’s wounds. In my opinion, they should be commended not sued.

All newspaper reports (except the Breeze) stated that Mele’s daughter, then 5 years old, was sitting on his lap during the murder. She was present but not sitting on his lap. But this would certainly get to the emotions of jury members.

∙ An REO, or “real estate owned,” refers to a kind of property owned by a lender, like a bank, after a foreclosure. An Oreo is a sandwich cookie.

In a House Financial Services Committee hearing, Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Ben Carson mixed-up the two terms. Rep. Katie Porter, D-Calif., was attempting to ask Secretary Carson about disparities in REO rates. Federal Housing Administration loans have far more properties that become real estate owned, than other loans from Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac.

“I would also like to ask you to get back to me, if you don’t mind, to explain the disparity in REO rates. Do you know what an REO is?” asked the congresswoman.

“An Oreo…” replied Carson. “No not an Oreo. An R-E-O,” she replied.

∙E-cigarette flavors can damage the cells that line your blood vessels and perhaps your heart health down the line, according to a new study of human cells in the lab. The study, published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, adds to growing evidence that the flavored “e-liquids” used in vapes can hinder human cells’ ability to survive and function. The authors say these changes, some observed in the absence of nicotine, are known to play a role in heart disease.

∙ After 42 years in business, co-founders Larry Fitzgerald and Mark Hartley have announced they are closing their Management company in Ventura and Nashville, The Fitzgerald Hartley Company. Hartley is very well known in Ventura for the wonderful businesses that he started here including the building where Limon y Sol is now located on Main. He will continue to manage artists and develop film and television properties. He has been missed since he left Ventura.

∙ Although the City saw increases in arson and thefts from vehicles, major crime decreased by 3.74% in 2018 in Ventura compared to 2017.

Last year, Ventura police responded to 98,652 calls for service and arrested 6,554 people. The most common arrests were non-aggressive crimes such as narcotics-related offenses, being drunk in public, misdemeanor bench warrants and drunken driving.

Among property crimes, the largest increase in Ventura was in arson, which doubled in number from 2017 to 2018. Must of this is attributed to fires started by the homeless in the river encampments.

Ventura police reported a sharp increase in thefts from vehicles, which were reported 230 times more in 2018. Much of this is attributed to doors being left unlocked or valuable property left in plain view. Amazes me when reading police reports that people leave very valuable things in their cars – laptops, credit cards and even money.

∙The state Bureau of Cannabis Control in January approved the legal deliveries of marijuana – medicinal and recreational – anywhere in the state.

Accepting that it could no longer prohibit such deliveries, the Thousand Oaks City Council introduced an amendment to modify the city’s cannabis ordinance to start regulating them.

Under the amendment, marijuana dispensaries that want to deliver to Thousand Oaks will need to first get a business license permit from the City. The retailers will have to pay a business tax and provide the City access to their point of sale systems for audits. The City will conduct background checks of delivery drivers.

Under their amendment, TO will now have “a regulatory framework” in place to require a business license and to require remittance of tax payment based on the voter-approved marijuana tax from last Fall.

Isn’t it about time for our City Council to allow this here as well and gain large amounts of money we are losing from prohibiting what is now legal, including retail outlets? Why should Venturan’s take their money to other cities, which they are constantly doing?

∙Concerned that some new surveillance technologies may be too intrusive, San Francisco has banned the use a facial recognition tools by its police and other municipal departments. Some retail stores are now using this technology to basically monitor customers buying habits in order to present them with specific ads. Hopefully states will ban this practice also.

∙Once again, the Supreme Court has voted 5-4 in making one of their decisions. This one is a broad ruling that shields states from private lawsuits filed in other states. The ruling doesn’t bother me, but I’m still bothered by 5-4 decisions governing our country.

∙Taiwan has become the first country in Asia to let same sex couples marry with most of the same civil benefits that heterosexual couples receive. They joined 27 other countries worldwide that have legalized same sex marriage. I say it’s about time for all countries to recognize and respect peoples wishes if they don’t do harm to others.

∙Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey (a lady no less), has signed the state’s controversial near-total abortion ban. The new law is the most restrictive anti-abortion measure passed in the United States since Roe v. Wade was decided in 1973. The legislation “Human Life Protection Act” bans all abortions in the state except when “abortion is necessary in order to prevent a serious health risk”. It criminalizes the procedure, reclassifying abortion as a Class A felony, punishable by up to 99 years in prison for doctors. The legislation makes no exceptions for victims or rape or incest.

These are the same people who complain when a young poor mother has a child and goes on welfare. It’s about control of women’s sexuality and lives.

Venturan Esther Cole stated, “What gives old, white men the right to mess with women’s bodies?

How about old white women telling men they had to have a vasectomy? If old, white men can mess with the rights of women, ’tis only fair, that old white women should have equal rights over the reproductive organs of old, white men.”

If a 12-year daughter of an Alabaman who voted for this is raped and gets pregnant, would the parents secretly look to abort her? If so they would need to take the child to Mexico or to an underground facility (bringing back-alley abortions to America again)?

Why are Christian conservatives against abortion? Think about it.

∙I never understood why people make their bed every day to only mess it up at night. Now, there is a reason to not make it up. Your bed is probably home to more than 5,000,000 hungry dust mites feeding off your dead skin cells left on your sweat soaked sheets. It’s easy to stop them, don’t make your bed, exposure to sunlight kills them.

∙There are certainly mitigating conditions for our very high gas prices, but it is finally time for Sacramento to find out why. The California energy commission has concluded that “market manipulation “may be one factor as to why the states gas prices are so high compared to other states (sometimes up to $1.50 per gallon more) and have ordered a study of why this is true. The study will take 5 to 6 months so won’t help with our summer gas prices but might help in the future.

∙If a person dies naked will their ghost be naked also?

∙Okay, no kidding no more Trump comments from me. Reader’s comments are always welcome.

∙I received the following email from a reader.

Hi Sheldon –

Your last issue suggests that “Easter”. “Christian”. “church” are not part of your vocabulary.

My response to the reader was, “How? What did I say? Please explain further.”

His response: “Nothing about Easter / Passover services, Easter activities, church / temple schedules for Easter / Passover. There was an Easter sunrise service at the beach – annual event.”

First it went from Christian to include Passover, that’s okay. My response to him, and all readers is, we can only publish information that we receive regarding events. If you have an event, send to [email protected].

∙I lost a lifelong friend, Chuck Cecil, who has been part of my life for 60 years, although I just met him about 5 years ago. Any jazz fan will know Chuck whose radio show “The Swinging Years” had run for more than 50 years (see the cover story.)

A few years ago, I heard that Chuck was living in Ventura, and I managed to contact him and visit him at his house in midtown. It was a museum of jazz and the big band sound. Thousands of vinyl records and signed photos of every singer, band leader, and musician in the jazz world.

He and wife Edna were an amazing couple, always holding hands and calling each other honey and sweet heart after many-many years of marriage. A couple of love doves.

∙A teenager died when he was struck by a train in Ventura. The incident happened on the tracks near Hurst Avenue and Ocean Avenue, according to a Union Pacific official. The 17-year-old male from West Hills was struck by a southbound Amtrak Pacific Surfliner train. Authorities say that his death appears to be a suicide.

Immediately, some accused the City Council because Union Pacific had removed their fences that kept people from crossing over the tracks. These fences were owned by Union Pacific and were on their property. They removed them because of the opposition to the fences by some folks living in midtown who crossed over the tracks to get to the beach.

The City Council certainly gets some things wrong, but this wasn’t one of them. Can’t blame them for everything

∙Rodeo Road, in the Baldwin Hills-Crenshaw neighborhood in Los Angeles has been renamed for President Obama. Will republicans take longer routes in order to not drive on Obama Road?

∙After over 50 years as a landmark, the Arby’s sign that was at the old location on Main Street at Mills Road was cut down after Arby’s moved to a new location.

This was really sad because there were sign museums that wanted to save it.

The work was done without a required demolition permit. Hopefully someone at least gets fined.

∙Congratulations to Adam and Josh for finally getting the Planning Commissions unanimous approval for their proposed jazz club, The Grape Jazz Club, located by Community Hospital. As soon as they obtain their building permit, construction can start.

Rumor has it that the old Hong Kong Inn (where they have been set-up while obtaining approval for new location) might become the Baked Potato Jazz Club.

The Baked Potato Jazz Club has been the home venue for some of the greatest musicians since 1970. If we end up with two jazz clubs that would be wonderful and could draw even more well-known performers (and jazz fans) to Ventura.

∙ When “A Country Fair With Ocean Air” opens on July 31, the cost to park at the fairgrounds will increase from $10 to $15. Parking during other events will go from $5 to $8.

The increase comes as the board that oversees the Ventura County Fairgrounds voted at its last meeting to raise the parking as part of approving the 2019 budget. Fairgrounds Executive Director Barbara Quaid said the fair is “spending over $140,000 on buses to bring you here for free. There’s so many places you can park and take the shuttle.”

Most don’t understand that the fairgrounds is actually the 31st District Agricultural Association, otherwise known as the Ventura County Fairgrounds, a state agency overseen by an appointed board of directors and not a part of, or run by, Ventura. The board is exploring ways to increase revenue and reduce expenses.

Free admission days allow about 22,000 to attend the fair for free. Eliminating the fair parade has been one way of reducing costs.

∙A count of Orange County’s homeless population found nearly 7,000 people that are in shelters or on streets. Significantly more than the last count in 2017 is the County struggles to deal with the issue.

From the LA Times; “Jails across the nation are crowded with mentally ill inmates who are there because of a broken promise. Over the course of several decades, states closed mental hospitals and vowed to replace them with community based psychiatric treatment and housing, but the treatment and housing failed to materialize.” Many of the mentally homeless that you see are a result of these actions.

∙New cameras in some retail stores are gauging your facial expressions to determine your age, gender and even buying habits to personalize your buying needs and show the product’s you want on screens. This, of course, raises some privacy issues. So, to confuse them, look grim when you’re buying something you want and look happy when it is a product you’re not interested in, then you can have the last laugh.