Category Archives: This ‘n’ That

NAWBO Ventura County installs 2021-2022 Board

The Ventura County chapter of the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO VC), along with Gold Corporate Sponsor CHASE Bank is pleased to announce the installation of its new Board of Directors on August 17th virtually, via Zoom as part of its Summer Celebration. The Honorable Sofia Rubalcava, Mayor of Ventura, installed the new slate of officers who represent a broad spectrum of industries, leadership and business acumen.

2021-2020 NAWBO Ventura County Board of Directors

-President – Seana-Marie Sesma, Mary Jane Services Network and Your PR girls

-President Elect – LaVada English – L. English Consulting

-Immediate Past President – Kamie Abraham, Sagemark Consulting

-Secretary – Catherine Cooley, Peaceabl

-Membership Director – Karen Smith, Personalized College Choice

-Programs Director – Dr. Tora Brown, Brand Strategist

-Public Policy/Advocacy Director – Dawn Dyer, Dyer Sheehan Group, Inc.

The Board of Directors is joined by active leadership Chairs Michelle Carlen, Alignment Advising who will lead the Mastermind program and the NAWBOoks Pivoting Pages book club will be chaired by Jane Tierney, purple link.

Newly inducted NAWBO VC President Seana-Marie has seen new ways of doing business this past year, with growth in so many industries. Our NAWBO sisters are building their client base in other states and other cities in CA. We are all recognizing that we are just a click away from anything we need or want to support ourselves in business and in life. As an organization, we are “Taking a stand for Women”. It is our personal mission as a board to take a stand for what is needed, to speak up when something needs to be said and to push forward through all challenges. We, the NAWBO VC Executive Board and I want to emphasize our values in Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging. Every member and woman in business is important to us. We are taking a stand with black women business owners, all people of color and all women in the fight against inequality. We have zero tolerance for the mistreatment of any member and believe that our collective positive forces and voices are stronger than any divisive actions against our beliefs. As a business woman I am learning to advance my ways of being, thinking and doing. I have been attending workshops and learning from great coaches

NAWBO Ventura County – The local Ventura County chapter of NAWBO is committed to strengthening the wealth creating capacity of its members while promoting economic development within the entrepreneurial Ventura County community. Additionally, the local chapter advocates for innovative and effective change in the business culture, building strategic alliances and transforming public policy for the benefit of its members. Membership is open to women sole proprietors, partners and corporate owners as well as those companies and organizations that support women-owned businesses. Learn more: www.nawbovc.org.

The Mystery of the Ortega Adobe

This was the birthplace of the modern Ortega Chili Company that exists today. 

by Richard Senate

She stands at 215 W. Main St., Ventura. Forlorn and almost forgotten. She is perhaps the least visited of Ventura’s many historic sites. The Ortega Adobe is the last of the simple adobes that once made up the row of buildings that made up the community long ago. She is the last of the Middle-Class houses that were once Ventura. Built in 1857 by Emigdio Miguel Ortega this much used building harbors a mystery, almost unknown to many.

In its many years it served the Ortega Family as a residence for Sr. Ortega, his Chumash wife and their many children.  After the death of Emigdio it was inherited by his son Emilio.  He had a unique hobby, collecting and growing chilis, He raised and transformed a New Mexica pepper that was large and tasty, becoming known as an Ortega Chili (If your ever had a Mexican food you have tasted one).  In 1897 he started a small canning company in the old house he called the “Pioneer Ortega Chili Company.” It was one of the first canning businesses in the state.

This was the birthplace of the modern Ortega Chili Company that exists today.  With the success of this business, Emilio sold the house and moved to Los Angeles where he built a factory and Victorian house for his family.  It was purchased by Chinese merchant who rented it out as a laundry, then as a Mexican Cantina where dinners ate under the shade of a large grapevine.  It was rented by the Shell Oil Company as offices for the nearby oil fields. For a time it was a pottery shop and then, during prohibition, an illegal speakeasy (it was never hard to get a drink in Ventura).  Then, it even served, for two years, as the station house for the Ventura Police Department.  It was used as the Veterans of Foreign Wars Hall and later the Boys and Girls Club.

Rather than tear it down, it was restored by the City of Ventura, under the direction of Archaeologist Bob O. Browne as  a museum in 1968. It certainly has a long history and contributed to the growth of Ventura.  But, what of the mystery?   In the 19th Century, before the coming of the pier or the railroad, wood was hard to come by, so Emigdio and his son Ramon rode up the Santa Clara River Valley to the Fillmore area where their was an abandoned and melting ruined adobe.  Stories say it was built years before and the family had been killed by Native People.  They took the beams and hauled them all the way back to Ventura for the roof.

The mystery is–who were the people who built that early adobe? There is no records of such a structure there and the Chumash were known to be peaceful. What could have happened to cause an attack that would slay a whole family?   Was it really Chumash? Could it have been someone else?   Who built this early structure?   Today the Ortega Adobe has just three rooms and a porch, but long ago it was larger, half of the structure was lost in an 1860s flood that took half the house.   Emigdio, a local ranch foreman, didn’t have the resources to rebuild and simply lived in what was left of the house.   It stands now lonely, a forgotten relic of another time, her wall now silent when once they were alive with activity and music.

Tree Town

The Red Flowering Gum tree (Eucalyptus Ficifolia) is the Official Tree of the City of Ventura. It is native to Australia, first introduced to California in 1873. It became popular as a drought-tolerant evergreen street tree decades ago. There are many mature Red Flowering Gums on Thompson Blvd and Seaward Avenue. The bright red or pink blooms are most visible in late summer, and are attractive to bees.

www.venturatreealliance.com

United Way welcomes new team members to support United to End Homelessness

United Way of Ventura County has hired two new team members to support its United to End Homelessness Ventura County initiative. Carie Bristow is now serving as housing navigation and retention case manager for the nonprofit, and Stefany Gonzalez has joined the team as housing navigator.

In her new role as housing navigation and retention case manager, Bristow is responsible for overseeing and ensuring housing stability for formerly homeless households during bridge housing and after placement into permanent housing. She also develops and maintains relationships with community supportive service and housing partners, as well as the household being supported.

Prior to joining the United Way team, Bristow served as a social worker for County of Ventura Homeless Services and as case manager at Turning Point Foundation. She holds a master’s degree in clinical and counseling psychology from Capella University.

As housing navigator, Gonzalez is responsible for developing relationships with community housing partners to secure leads and housing opportunities for clients experiencing homelessness. In addition to performing field work, she creates and maintains a database of housing leads for service providers to use to find potential housing.

Before joining the United Way team, Gonzalez served as an agent/intake specialist for Alert Communications, as well as a social work intern for Ventura County Continuum of Care Alliance and for Genesis Programs Inc. She is on track to receive her Master of Social Work in May 2022.

“We could not be more excited to welcome Carie and Stefany to United Way of Ventura County,” said Eric Harrison, the nonprofit’s president and CEO. “They each bring a tremendous passion for ending homelessness and being part of the solution — along with significant expertise in their fields — to our team, and we look forward to all we will accomplish together.”

For more information about United Way of Ventura County, go to https://vcunitedway.org. To learn more about the United to End Homelessness Ventura County initiative, visit https://unitedtoendhomelessnessvc.org.

Since 1945, United Way of Ventura County has advanced the common good by creating opportunities for a better life for all. United Way identifies the root causes of poverty and works strategically to solve them by building alliances across all sectors, funding targeted programs and advocating for change. When we work together in common purpose, we LIVE UNITED. For more information about United Way of Ventura County, visit www.vcunitedway.org.

Robotics Team 4414: HighTide presents Tidal Tumble Competition

Student participants range from grades 9 – 12.

Local Robotics Team 4414: HighTide was recently showcased as a part of SessaMfg’s celebration of 42 years in business. Guests got a close look at the HighTide Robotics Lab, talked with team members and learned about this STEM program. Michael Sessa addressed the crowd and congratulated the award-winning team. He said, “Having the Team 4414 lab within the company has been a win-win collaboration … the team has access to a manufacturing facility and our company SessaMfg. has tremendously gained by our student summer paid internship opportunities that potentially lead to future employment.”

Team 4414: HighTide is an industry-based robotics team. Student participants range from grades 9 – 12 and attend school at Buena, Foothill, El Camino or Ventura High. The team provides a hands-on learning atmosphere and opportunities to compete through FIRST Robotics. Mentor Jonathan Sessa said, “Students on HighTide are trained by industry professionals on computer aided design, CNC manufacturing, and software programming. These skills are then put to the test when the team constructs a new robot every year in 6 weeks to compete against other teams worldwide.”

COVID brought many teams to a halt and some folded, however HighTide continued to hone their skills, enhance their robots and recruit new team members.

During the showcase celebration, 17-year-old Anshul Bajaj announced a new venture hosted by the team~ Tidal Tumble, an off-season robotics competition for FIRST Robotics teams. “After two cancelled seasons, I wanted to bring a competition opportunity to Southern California, to inspire and engage students,” said Bajaj, Event Director. “We are bringing students from all around California to compete here in Ventura October 15-17.” Bajaj believes that off seasons are a great way for younger team members to try their hand at competition, accelerate their learning and get more involved.

This year, due to Covid-19, the event is not open to public spectators. The team is currently seeking FIRST Robotics teams to participate as well as volunteers and sponsors.

Tidal Tumble is generously sponsored by: SessaMfg, FASTSIGNS of Ventura, Kearney Family, Narayan Family, Shew Family, Taylor Family, and Wulff Family.

For more information: tidaltumble.com.

VCLA connects and cultivates a diverse network of passionate capable leaders.

VCLA hosted a welcome mixer.

The Ventura County Leadership Academy (VCLA) hosted a welcome mixer for their 27th cohort, kicking off their upcoming year that begins this month and ends in May of 2022.

Special thanks went out to the VCLA board and featured speakers:

  • Brad “Brick” Conners, VCLA Board President
  • Dr. Steve Elson, VCLA Board Treasurer
  • Robert Harrell, VCLA Board Secretary
  • Jennifer Caldwell, VCLA Board Director
  • Darren Kettle, VCLA Board Director
  • Sheriff Bill Ayub, VCLA Alumni, Cohort XXIII
  • Danielle Borja, VCLA Alumna, Cohort XXIV
  • Dr. Julius Sokenu, VCLA Alumni, Cohort XXVI

Congratulations also to VCLA Alumna Angela Fentiman (Cohort XI) for being named Cal Lutheran’s inaugural chief of staff. Fentiman “had a set of professional experiences, prior positions, and academic credentials that made her extraordinarily well suited for the role,” President Lori E. Varlotta said.

VCLA connects and cultivates a diverse network of passionate, capable leaders through an immersion in both critical issues shaping Ventura County and opportunities for personal and professional growth. VCLA’s comprehensive program ignites awareness and inspiration, helping cohort members discover their individual pathway toward impacting our region.

 

 

Opera SB opens season with company premiere and innovative approach to ticket pricing.

Opera Santa Barbara opens its ambitious 21|22 Season with the company premiere of the celebrated Mariachi opera, Cruzar la Cara de la Luna (“To Cross the Face of the Moon”). Performances will be held Friday, October 1, at 7:30pm and Sunday, October 3, at 2:30pm at the Granada Theatre. This production marks the company’s first production at the Granada Theater since November 2019, and the first performance of the theater’s fall season.

With music by José “Pepe” Martínez, founder of the Mariachi Vargas de Tecatlán, and lyrics by Martínez and acclaimed American stage director Leonard Foglia, the 75-minute operetta tells the multi-generational story of one family’s journey across decades and borders to find one another and to make a home together.

“We are thrilled to be returning to the Granada with a work that is approachable in so many ways”, said Opera Santa Barbara Artistic and General Director Kostis Protopapas. “For us this is the time to open up our doors wide and make theater a place of healing for everyone in our community. We are all thirsty for live music and a sense of community right now, and Cruzar is the ideal vehicle for this emotional reopening, with its signable tunes, moving story, and message of resilience and regeneration,” said Protopapas.

To that effect, the company has announced that a limited number of tickets for this season’s productions will be available to all patrons on a name-your-own-price basis. The name of this new initiative, made possible by a grant by the Walter and Holly Thomson Foundation, Bank of America, N.A., Co-Trustee, is You Decide! “This means that any patron who finds our published prices too high is invited to make their own decision on how much to pay”, said Protopapas. “Producing opera with professional singers, orchestra, and stagehands is very expensive, and tickets typically cover less than 50% of the cost. Still, we want our performances to be accessible to everyone, and trust patrons to choose their own price knowing that every dollar goes towards supporting vibrant, live, Santa Barbara-made music theater.”

 

Directed by Octavio Cardenas (Madama Butterfly, 2019) and conducted by David Hanlon, who conducted the 2010 Houston premiere, Opera Santa Barbara’s new production of Cruzar la cara de la luna features Grammy-Award winning, Los Angeles-based Mariachi Los Camperos, who performed the opera at its New York City premiere in 2017 and the Houston revival in 2018. Some of Opera Santa Barbara’s favorite artist perform the principal roles: Tenor Daniel Montenegro, Mario in Opera SB’s 2020 Il Postino, and baritone Efraín Solís, Malatesta in last April’s Don Pasquale, take up the roles of the half-brothers Rafael and Mark; former Opera SB Chrisman Studio Artists Kelly Guerra and Sergio Gonzalez, play the young couple of Chucho and Lupita. Bernardo Bermudez takes on the central role of the immigrant pater familias Laurentino, alternating between ages 25, 50, and 75, and Jessica Gonzalez-Rodriguez is his beloved wife Renata; Chrisman Studio Artist Raphaella Medina makes her Opera SB debut as the American-born granddaughter Diana. The set, which alternates between contemporary Houston, 1950’s Mexico, and the Chihuahuan Desert is designed by Adam Crinson, with lighting design by Brandon Baruch, both in their Opera Santa Barbara debuts. The performance will have songs and spoken dialogue in Spanish and English, with English supertitles projected above the stage.

Only 50% of the Granada Theater’s capacity of 1500 seats will be sold. Detailed health protocols can be found on the Granada website

Reserved tickets can be purchased online at granadasb.org, and are currently priced at $189, $149, and $89. You Decide! (pay-what-you-can) tickets are available by phone only, through the Granada Box Office, at (805) 899.2222.

Ventura Jogger’s Club was founded in January of 2019

How do you get to join Ventura joggers?

A safe space to get your body moving with fun activities and involvement in local events and charities – welcome to Ventura Jogger’s Club. Upon hearing the name of our community group, people often ask, “Do I have to jog?”. The short answer is no – but we hope after seeing how much fun we have that they’ll eventually join in on our most popular event. The name itself gives a nod to how we began – with community jogs. Now, we lean in to showing up as a group of recreationalists who care about moving our body for the purpose of movement and meeting like-minded individuals who enjoy the myriad of activities we present. We open our club to anyone and everyone, stressing that we do not tolerate discrimination of any kind – and do our best to involve all those who want to join us.

Ventura Jogger’s Club was founded in January of 2019 by Candace Larson. Candace is not a Ventura native but visited many times as a child and fell in love with the area – knowing someday she’d call this area home. She doesn’t describe herself as a runner and didn’t begin jogging until shortly before founding the club. Candace moved to Ventura in 2017, knowing a few family friends and quickly discovered how difficult it can be to make friends as an adult. After a quick battle with pancreatic cancer, her father passed in 2018 and shook her foundation. This massive life change led to a search on how to do things differently, and with the push of Whitney Riles at Findings Market in Downtown Ventura, she started Ventura Jogger’s Club.

The club got their name out with just an Instagram account and a few posts announcing their first event. The first jog had 14 new friends show up, and from there they’ve seen over 300 people come through – some who show up for every event, and others they see every now and then. Event dates are announced at the beginning of each month, for the month ahead, to help joggers plan their weeks. Each jog is about 2 miles and ends at a brewery or a coffee shop to encourage community. The purpose of the club is to move your body, yes, but also to engage and meet new people. Connection and collaboration are at the core of human interaction and while you can jog solo, why not jog with a group that pushes you forward?

How do you join the club? Just show up! On our website, www.vtajogclub.com, you’ll find more information on all our upcoming events and how to reserve your spot. We are currently offering jogs, hikes, yoga, and community clean-ups. We also collaborate with other organizations and businesses around town for special events, like our most recent .05K with Ventura Coast Brewing Company and Mile26, and our upcoming Sloshball Tournament. Most events are no cost, but with a formal yoga instructor and some that include delicious beer, we provide those at a low rate. Follow us on Instagram at @vtajogclub for more information and we hope to see you out there!

Vol. 14, No. 26 – Sept 22 – Oct 5, 2021 – Ojai News & Events

The Ojai Storytelling Festival (October 28-31, 2021) will present acclaimed storyteller Donald Davis at this year’s 20 Ojai Storytelling Festival. In addition to his performances, he will also be conduction a workshop on the “Art of Storytelling”. Donald Davis was born in a Southern Appalachian mountain world rich in stories. While he heard many traditional stories about Jack and other heroic characters, he was most attracted to the stories of his own family and places of origin. During his twenty-five-year career as a United Methodist Minister, Donald began to use stories more and more. He was also asked to begin performing at festivals and in other settings until he retired from the church to tell stories full time. The author of eighteen books and more than forty original recordings, Donald is the recipient of both the Circle of Excellence and the Lifetime Achievement Awards from the National Stoytelling Network. Davis was at the very first Ojai Festival and is returning again to headline this year’s festival. Tickets for the festival are available at www.ojaistoryfest.org.

Ever wish you could be involved in an art heist? In three weeks, you can feel like you have by joining the Great Art Theft 2021 at the Ojai Art Center. For the price of a ticket, you can feel the rush as you and the other bandits sip cocktails and picnic on the patio while you await the chance to pluck a beautiful piece of fine art off the gallery wall or sculpture from its pedestal.

Prospective burglars may purchase a ticket for $85. Join your community for an afternoon of great fun at this annual fundraiser, Sunday, September 26, 2021, from 3–6 p.m.

The Art Center finessed over 70 pieces from the best artists in town to donate their work for the event. Peter Fox will emcee the afternoon as names of attendees are called for their chance to pilfer the artwork they covet. Tell the driver to keep it running out front. You might pull off one of the biggest heists of the year!

“This year will be different. The gathering and drawing of names will be at tables on the patio. Everyone will receive a mini-picnic box of yummy goodies to enjoy along with beer, wine, and our surprise special drink.”- Teri Mettala, OAC executive director.

Some of the artists on display are Mark Tovar, Patrish Kuebler, Karen Lewis, Sandy Treadwell, Duane Danmeyer, Richard Franklin, Celeste Evans, Tom Hardcastle, Leslie Marcus, James Menzel Joseph, and many more.

It’s an enjoyable afternoon out-of-doors that benefits the Ojai Art Center. Because of the previous year’s restrictions due to COVID-19, financial assistance is greatly appreciated as the Center plans for 2022.

Tickets are on sale online or at the Center’s office during regular business hours, Tuesday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. All proceeds go to the Ojai Art Center, located at 113 S. Montgomery St. For more information, call the Art Center at (805)-646-0117 or go online at www.ojaiartcenter.org.