Category Archives: This ‘n’ That

Chloe Zhao – movie screening + Q&A at the 22nd Ojai Film Festival

The Ojai Film Festival promises to draw a large crowd for eventful evenings at the Ojai Art Center Theater.

Chloe Zhao will be screening her movie The Rider and doing a Q&A at the 22nd annual Ojai Film Festival. The Rider is a 2017 American contemporary western drama film written, produced and directed by Chloé Zhao and was shot in the Badlands of South Dakota.

It won the Art Cinema Award at the Cannes Film Festival. Rotten Tomatoes gave it a rating of 97% and wrote: “The Rider’s hard-hitting drama is only made more effective through writer-director Chloé Zhao’s use of untrained actors to tell the movie’s fact-based tale.

Chloe is a resident of Ojai and so is coming to support the Ojai Film Festival which is celebrating its 22nd year of honoring the best of local, environmental and spiritual themed films from around the world. This exclusive screening will take place at 7pm on Saturday, November 13th, 2021 at the Ojai Art Center Theater. Limited seating – order tickets online at https://ojaifilmfestival.com/2021-tickets/

Ivor Davis is a British transplant who has lived and worked in Southern California since the 1960s and now lives in Ventura. In addition to his journalism career, he is the author of four books, including the first book ever written on the Manson Murders, “Five to Die,” and “Manson Exposed-A Reporter’s 50 Year Journey into Madness and Murder.”

“I Was There – A Reporter’s Story” is a short, very personal, and intimate documentary about his charmed life from acclaimed Ventura County director and filmmaker John Zilles. Following the screening Sunday, November 7 at 7 pm on the Ojai Art Center patio, the audience is invited to join in for an up-close personal conversation with director Zilles and Davis.

Ventura Harbor Village to celebrate a spook-tacular line-up

Halloween festivities return to Ventura Harbor Village, and this year’s line-up of events will definitely not disappoint. The spook-tacular seaside destination invites visitors from near and far to stop in for a spell as it hosts free community events for costumed kids, pets and parents.

Festively decorated with vibrant pumpkins, bales of hay, cornstalks and a myriad of photo ops and scenic marina backdrops, Ventura Harbor is pulling out all the stops for Halloween weekend, made possible by community partner, Underwood Family Farms.

Over a dozen skeletons have escaped and are on the loose at Ventura Harbor. Visitors are invited to roam the waterfront Village and locate them all at Seaside Skelton Hunt on October 30 and 31! Take photos of all the skeletons you find and post to social media for a chance to win a Harbor Halloween prize.

Get your furry four-legged friends and their creative costumes ready! The 9th Annual Ventura Harbor Village HOWL-O-Ween Dog Costume Contest is back. The Instagram-worthy pet costume event, set for Saturday, October 30 from Noon to 2PM, is a crowd favorite. Breeze publisher Sheldon Brown will be a judge. Rumors that he can be bribed have not been verified.

A fashionable line up dogs dressed in thematic costumes have a chance to win prizes for the best attire. Owners and their furry com-pet-itors are encouraged to arrive at noon on October 30th to check-in at Ventura Harbor Village before the judging begins. The contest is open to canines only, and a maximum of 75 dogs can enter.  There is no entry fee and online pre-registration is encouraged to secure your spot: venturaharborvillage.com/howl2021/

Owners are encouraged to get dressed up in theme too. This year, participants will vie for the top dog spot in costume categories that include: Best in Show, Spookiest, Cutest/Prettiest, Most Creative, and Most Sea-worthy.

Winners will receive a blue ribbon, a $30 gift certificate to a Ventura Harbor Village restaurant, a pumpkin courtesy of Underwood Family farms, and a complimentary pup cone from Coastal Cone.

The fang-tastic series of seaside events continue for a Kids Trick or Treat on October 31, from noon to 2pm. Families decked to the 9’s navigate through the Village with over 20 treat stops at participating Harbor boutiques and restaurants. Trick or treaters are encouraged to bring their own treat bags. Treats are available while supplies last.

Kids get creative at a complimentary craft station where each child can decorate mini pumpkins using colorful stickers and sparkles (300 pumpkins and décor donated by the kind folks at Underwood Family Farms). Bring the entire family for a spooky photo op with the Halloween hearse in Ventura Harbor’s courtyard.

Be spooked, bedazzled and bewildered at Ventura Harbor Village as fab-boo-lously dressed witches and warlocks take to the sea at the 3rd Annual Witches Paddle, a community-organized event on October 29 from 3 to 4:30 PM at Ventura Harbor’s Dock C.

Throughout Halloween weekend on October 30-31, kids and adults can meander throughout Ventura Harbor Village and catch a glimpse of professional pumpkin carving each day from Noon – 2pm.  Local artist Dawn Reilly, will be on the seaside Promenade Stage carving a massive pumpkin! Also visit Harbor Village Gallery & Gifts where Riley is a contributing artist.  Find the full lineup of fall fun: venturaharborvillage.com/events/

Buena High School teacher releases second novel

A teacher-turned-author.

On October 22, 2021, Buena High School’s Teacher Librarian, J.D. Levin, will release his second novel, A Different Slant of Light. After twenty years of guiding students through literature – first as an AP English teacher, then as a Teacher Librarian – Levin has flipped the script and offered up his own original writing for publication. A Different Slant of Light, the sequel to Levin’s 2020 debut novel, Incomplete, will be released through Barnes & Noble, Amazon, Apple Books, Books-A-Million, and a variety of other retail platforms.

Levin’s first novel, Incomplete, received glowing reviews:

“An engrossing rock-‘n’-roll bildungsroman.” – Kirkus Reviews

“A powerhouse work.” – San Francisco Book Review (Five-Star Rating)

“Levin’s relatable debut is a heartfelt coming-of-age story that channels the passions of adolescence into musical revelations.” Booklife/Publishers Weekly (Grade: A)

Levin’s two novels thread together the disparate worlds of public education and punk-rock music, telling the story of an almost-rock-star musician who trades in his guitar for a podium and becomes a high school English teacher. The author knows these two realms very well: outside of the classroom, Levin is a veteran of the local music scene, best known as the singer-songwriter and guitarist for local indie rock band, Far From Kansas.

Ultimately, Levin’s goals is to humanize educators: “It’s far too easy to view teachers as two- dimensional caricatures, which is far from the truth. Every teacher has a life outside of school, replete with talents, hobbies, secrets, family, and friends. Many have accomplished remarkable things before ever setting foot into a classroom, much to the surprise of their students.”

For this teacher-turned-author, publishing A Different Slant of Light is the culmination of seven years’ worth of hard work. “I hope that my students, colleagues, and the broader Ventura community chase their muses in pursuit of creating art,” Levin says. “If I can do it, so can they.”

For more information, contact J.D. Levin at [email protected] or visit https://www.notsosilentlibrarian.com.

Everyone needs a home

Council member Lorrie Brown was a featured speaker at the Task Force.

The Ventura Social Service Task Force (VSSTF), Faith Subcommittee sponsored an event on the evening of Thursday 30 September 2021 at O’Brien Hall, Mission San Buenaventura Basilica. Speakers included: Peter Gilli, Ventura City Community Development Director, City Council Member Doug Halter who reminded us of Los Angeles and Ventura’s history of exclusionary & discriminatory housing.

Council Member Lorrie Brown spoke of her life in Montalvo and gave a Call to Action to resolve the housing issues for people with low and moderate incomes. Larry Haynes, Mercy House, kept the program going. Representatives from several low-income housing developers and providers of homeless and housing service.

When Irene Johnson, Jennifer Kelley and Liz Campos offered their personal stories you could feel everyone holding their breath at the different paths to and possibly out of housing.

Part of the evening featured the opportunity to meet many of the service providers who assist people in finding housing and provide services to help people move towards housing. The Faith Subcommittee created a pamphlet outlining provider’s services.

Ventura County Supervisor Matt LaVere stated “It was very encouraging to see so many people joining together to focus on the need for more affordable housing in our community. I look forward to working with our City and nonprofit partners to address the affordable housing crisis in Ventura County.”

City Council Member Doug Halter added “We have to know history to understand how we got to where we are today”. “Now we have to do all we can to create the balance of housing that left on its own would have naturally occurred.  We have to insure we have housing for all economic strata and without bias of color, race, ethnicity or sexual identity in order to be a healthy and sustainable city.”

Ventura Chamber Fall Business Expo

Scaring people at the Ventura Chamber Fall Business Expo “Haunting at the Harbor” was Ana Baker, Sheldon Brown and Jaime Baker. The Expo returned after pausing because of COVID. It was held on October 7, at the Four Points by Sheraton Ventura Harbor. The large crowd enjoyed lots of food and vendors.

The importance of caregiving through Community Memorial Health System

by Carol Leish, MA

“We believe that being a caregiver is one of the most important roles because the caregiver often acts as the advocate for the patient’s health, mental well-being and physical needs,” according to Maureen Hodge, LCSW, Program Manager of High-Risk Programs at Community Memorial Health System. “By including the caregiver in all aspects of their loved ones medical and health journey, our hope is that the patient can have a more stable outcome of services and support. Our Caregiver Navigator comes alongside the caregiver and provides a well-rounded service connecting them to programs and services that they might not otherwise have. It also provides regular check ins and confirms that their own needs are being met as they work with their love ones.”

As to expanding upon caregiver services provided by Community Memorial Health System, Hodge said, “Long term we would love a Caregiver Navigator to offer services be in our outpatient clinics and also be able to provide support for those families while a patient is in the hospital. Currently, we are operating the program with a grant from the Ventura County Community Foundation and only have one staff person. The Caregiver Navigator is a Licensed Clinical Marriage and Family Therapist. We would like to continue by providing clinical staff who will continue to provide resources. Some resources include: caregiver support groups and respite care. Multiple community agencies including: Ventura County Area Agency on Aging; An Adult Day programs through the Caregiving Resource Centers at the Camarillo Healthcare District; and, many more. We want to be a support and conduit to connecting our caregivers to programs. We also want to aid them along the way with a Licensed Clinical staff in order to help them through this often-challenging time.”

Janice Aharon-Ezer, LMFT, Caregiver Navigator said, “The Caregiver Navigator Program provides support and resources for mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, husbands, wives and friends caring for those they love. For the first time caregivers feel heard, supported and understood. They are more able to care for themselves while assisting those they love that have medical, psychological, substance abuse and developmental issues.”

“The main issue right now,” according to Hodge, “is that there are there are few programs to actually train caregivers and there is a shortage of paid caregivers through In-House Supported Services and other caregiver programs. No matter the demographics; ethnic background; or, financial situation one comes from, the cost of finding someone to provide caregiving as well as finding a qualified caregiver can be challenging.”

“The state of CA has made a concerted effort to begin addressing caregiving services through the Master Plan on Aging,” according to Hodge. “But we have a lot of work to still be doing. One of the planned ideas from my team at Community Memorial Health System is to host small focus groups with agencies and people that are providing some type of caregiving service and then later host a Caregiver Symposium. We are at the front end of dreaming about something like this. The numbers of caregivers needed will only continue to grow as the population ages, and our county can be a leader in this effort to help our caregivers. My hope is we can be a leader in this area as we work with thousands of families every day.”

Kristine Supple, Director of Population Health said, “We are committed to bringing high value, innovative programs to our patients in line with our mission to heal, comfort and promote health for the communities that we serve.”

TREE TOWN

Three oak trees were recently planted behind the Museum of Ventura County, in downtown Ventura, as part of the “Echoes of a Recent Past” public art project. The new oak trees celebrate their life-giving role in Chumash culture, and will bring shade, habitat and beauty to the area. Sponsored by Paul Lindhard (Art City), Marie Lakin and the Ventura Tree Alliance.

The Bookmark About Libraries and Friends

by Jill Forman

Meet the Staff of Hill Road Library
Your intrepid reporter is leaving town for a family event, so here is an opportunity to learn about some library staff members. Don’t forget to check the library’s web site, facebook page, and Friends newsletter for upcoming events.

Linda Cherry, Librarian
Why did you become a librarian?

Being a lover of books and libraries, I took a part-time job shelving books at my local library when I started college.  I was inspired by the compassion, intelligence, and dedication of so many wonderful librarians I worked with.  After I completed my undergraduate degree, I was promoted to a full-time position at the library providing customer service and training new staff.  While working full-time I decided to get my master’s degree in Library and Information Science.   I am grateful for the relentless support of my colleagues.

What education do you have?

BA in Art History from UCSB
MLIS from San Jose State University

Where were you raised?  Were libraries important in your childhood?

I was raised in California’s Central Valley.
Libraries were and are special places to me.  We did not have much money but that was not a problem when visiting the library.

What is your favorite part of your job?
The best part of my job is being able to serve the public and to be a part of a community that values literacy and learning at all stages of life.  I love learning new things and to be able to be a part of providing that opportunity to others is a joy.

Andrew Tiradeau, Library Technician II
I am a Library Technician II here at Hill Road Library.  I have an Associate degree in History from our local city college here in Ventura. I was born March 21, 1994 in Oxnard at St. Johns. I have lived a majority of my life in Ventura.  I have always been interested in artifacts and anything older than myself.  Libraries especially Saticoy and Foster were essential in feeding my thirst for knowledge and adventure.  From a young age I understood that the past and its stories fiction or non-fiction were tools and ideas that could be used to better understand the present and help create a brighter future.

What makes my position here at Hill Road Library so satisfying is the impact I make on my local community.  Our libraries welcome everyone, no matter the background or current circumstances. Regulars and new Ventura county residents are excited to get that new book or their first library card.  This includes the countless families who utilize our services to ignite curiosity and build a wealth of knowledge for the future generation.  Now that I am here at Hill Road Library, I am able to contribute and give back the same rewarding services that inspired my own journey.

Linda and Andrew are the full-time staff at Hill Road. There are also pages and other personnel that you may see. All of them are and enthusiastic and fun to talk to as these two.

A vacant lot has been transformed into a beautiful garden

The large lot behind the Museum of Ventura County, on Santa Clara, is now a permanent and temporary garden of sculptures and metal tee-pees. It opened on September 22 and included live music and a food truck.

The project, “Echoes of a Recent Past.” was created by Ventura artist Paul Lindhard from Art City Studios located off of Ventura Ave.

Many of the materials came from the buildings that were demolished across the street.

“Echos of a Recent Past” can easily be viewed from the street as folks drive by looking through the chain-link fence. It will be open during special events and accessed from Santa Clara.

Elena Brokaw, The Museum Barbara Barnard Smith Executive Director told the Breeze
“We are very thankful to Paul Lindhard for his vision and hard work. He and his team transformed an ugly empty lot into a beautiful and sustaining art installation and place of peace and contemplation. The space is not only attractive – the artwork speaks to the transformation of space, and the temporal nature of our built environment.”

Deputy Director of the Museum Denise Sindelar went on “The Museum of Ventura County had 237 attendees at the opening reception for Paul Lindhard’s Echoes of a Recent Past art and garden installation. There were musical and aerial performances set to the backdrop of the setting sun on the evening of the Autumnal Equinox. The evening began with a ceremonial Chumash blessing offered by tribal leader Julie Tumamait-Stenslie