by Jill Forman

Book sale! Book sale! Book sale!

The Friends of the Library have been able to schedule a book sale, hooray! Our warehouse is overflowing and our coffers are not, so we are delighted to resume the practice of in-person used book sales.

April 17, 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. at Foster Library in the back parking lot. Quality used books, arranged by genre/category. Books will be displayed in car trunks and on tables. All COVID-19 protocols will be in place including monitored entry and exit, limited time in any one location, social distancing and masks. Payment by exact change, check or credit card.

Reopening status

From Nancy Schram, Library Services Director: There is a very detailed Library Reopening Plan that has been approved by VC Public Health that the library will continue to follow.  The plan is based on the various Tiers as outlined by the state.

Currently in the Red Tier, the Ventura County Libraries are now offering Walk-up Holds Pick Up and access to the library computer labs by appointment.  Computer labs are offered to limited number of people at a time based on building capacity.  Once the county moves into the Orange Tier, we will open up browsing of library collections as well, also within limited capacities.  When the County moves into the Yellow Tier, the capacity limits will be increased, and volunteer groups will be able to enter library buildings again as well.

From new Ventura Librarian

Dolly Knight: I am excited to be taking over this role in the Ventura Region and looking forward to working with the community. Obviously, the pandemic has led to a lot of change, but we’ve embraced this opportunity to try new things, and we’re looking forward to the future.

Online bookstore update

Leslie Bellmore, Online Bookstore organizer, says: Ventura Friends of the Library would like to thank everyone for a very successful first six months with our online bookstore. Customer response has been very positive, and sales have been averaging $500 a month. This was a great help in moving inventory at a time when large book sales were almost non-existent, and our library stores have been closed. The online bookstore has a wide variety of reading materials for everyone, and some great gift ideas. We also sell puzzles, DVDs, and audio books. It is a convenient way to get quality books at bargain prices, avoid shipping costs, and help your Ventura Libraries. We anticipate that the online store will remain even after the Pandemic has moved on.

We have a travel and trivia category and expanded gardening selections. All books are clean and selected for quality literature.

Reminder of many programs offered by the library

Check the library homepage at vencolibrary.org, the Friends of the Library newsletter, and the library newsletter to find activities. Here is a brief sampling: Storytimes (including bilingual, bedtime, STEAM); art lessons; the mobile library; book suggestions; Discover Science, Minecraft Mondays, and so on.

One last word

Did I mention we’re having a book sale?

by Carol Leish

“Requests have doubled this last year during the pandemic, which has required the organization to automate volunteer coordination,” according to, Tammy Glen, who has been the Executive Director for 10 years. “A volunteer coordinator was hired to help to set the stage for future growth. CAREGIVERS has welcomed as many volunteers in the first two months of the COVID-19 Pandemic as they normally would over the course of one year. More recently, retired teacher Toby Petty joined the team as the Student Engagement Coordinator. CAREGIVERS now has an easy-to-use online portal where volunteers who have been vetted with informed consent can access assignments as needed.”

Volunteers lend their helping hands 2-4 hours per week to CAREGIVERS for tasks such as grocery shopping, changing a lightbulb, providing transportation to a medical appointment, meal prep, or friendly visiting by phone or in person. Glen said, “Consider yourself a good neighbor who’s willing to lend a helping hand with added support from the CAREGIVERS Office Team. Even if you’re helping your neighbor now, it’s a good idea to give CAREGIVERS a call. Our organization can help to identify additional resources as well as provide an umbrella of support that you may not have considered.” She also said that, “CAREGIVERS Volunteers do not provide professional care such as toileting, bathing or wound care.”

Glen said that, “We always need donors and volunteers. CAREGIVERS exists thanks to the generosity of donors who underwrite the costs of delivering services and coordinating volunteers. Our operation is efficient in that it costs us 20 cents on the dollar to provide services, and we are effective in making these services available to low-income senior who would otherwise not have access to the types of support that our volunteers provide.”

According to Glen, “Volunteer Caregiving was launched across the nation in 1984 by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, and Ventura County was one of the original 25 pilot programs, which was the first one in California. Over the course of 20 years, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation invested $100 million dollars to establish 1,000 programs like CAREGIVERS: Volunteers Assisting the Elderly.”

“The organization currently focuses on individuals 60 years of age or older. The average age served is 85,” according to Glen. “We are always seeking volunteers who are willing to provide transportation, which is a precious commodity. In addition, we are growing the number of youth volunteer teams throughout Ventura County. Thus, we need Adult Team Leaders who are willing to work with 2-3 high school youth each week to tackle light household chores at the homes of the seniors that we serve. We also have fun opportunities for volunteers interested in helping with our sailing, miniature golf and golf events as well as more challenging opportunities such as providing respite for family caregivers who are confronting the challenges of early stages of dementia in their loved ones.”

CAREGIVERS website is: www.vccaregivers.org. Glen said, “You can learn more about the day in a life of a volunteer caregiver by taking a look at some of our favorite videos that are posted on the website. Our organization continues to thrive on the time and talent of volunteers. With the equivalent of four full-time staff in the office, the organization relies upon the multitude of talents from the volunteer base, which includes individuals like Volunteer Coordinator Renee Becker and Intern Supervisor Doug Miller, who are both indispensable to our daily operations. Please call us at: (805) 658-8530 to become involved.”

Community Memorial Hospital (CMH) welcomed a new Chief of Staff, Dr. Deborah Carlson of Ventura, a longtime leader at CMH who has focused on improving policies and helping to adopt best practices for patients and the medical staff.

“It’s a difficult time right now for physicians and healthcare workers due to the stresses of the pandemic. I’m glad I have a chance to try to ease the burden for our medical staff while also enhancing patient care,” said Dr. Carlson, who underwent a bone marrow transplant for leukemia in February 2020.

Dr. Carlson is grateful to the many members of the Community Memorial Health System Medical Staff who traveled to City of Hope to donate platelets when she needed them or signed up as bone marrow donors. Now that she has returned to work, she said she looks forward to giving back to the medical community in a new way.

Dr. Carlson has enjoyed a long and successful career at CMHS, having joined the Community Memorial Hospital Medical Staff over 25 years ago. Board certified in Internal Medicine, she has served at the hospital in many capacities, including as a Palliative Care Team physician, a Hospitalist and as the original Program Director for Community Memorial Health System’s Internal Medicine Residency Program. “I feel that my greatest legacy is the young doctors I graduate,” said Dr. Carlson. “They are the physicians of our future.”

In a leadership role, Dr. Carlson has served as the Chief of Staff, Vice Chief of Staff, and as Secretary/Treasurer of the Medical Staff Executive Committee. She’s also headed several other important hospital committees, including serving as the first chair of the new EMPOWER Committee (Employment of Metrics for the Promotion of Wellness and the Enhancement of Resilience). The medical staff leadership launched the EMPOWER committee last summer to help the medical staff handle the stress and burnout brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. The committee’s goals are to evaluate personal, professional, and organizational factors that affect physician well-being, satisfaction, and productivity; to identify best practices that can positively influence those factor; and to implement practices that promote an optimal workplace and improve medical staff well-being. In December 2020, Dr. Carlson launched a monthly e-newsletter called “CMHS Medical Staff Matters” to help keep the staff informed about decisions from the Medical Executive Committee and new initiatives of the EMPOWER Committee.

Dr. Carlson has also chaired CMH’s Quality Assessment and Improvement Committee and the Department of Medicine, and she started the Inpatient Medicine Division at CMH, a committee that brings together numerous hospital departments to help solve problems and improve patient care by encouraging collaboration and breaking down operational silos.

Dr. Carlson earned her medical degree from the University of Southern California School of Medicine in 1990 and completed her internship and residency at LAC-USC Medical Center.

St. John’s Regional Medical Center (SJRMC), a member of Dignity Health, is one of America’s 100 Best Hospitals for Cardiac Care™ and Coronary Intervention™, according to new research released by Healthgrades, the leading resource that connects consumers, physicians, and health systems.

“We are honored to be recognized by Healthgrades as one of America’s 100 Best Hospitals for Cardiac Care™ and Coronary Intervention™,” said Darren W. Lee, President and CEO of St. John’s Regional Medical Center and St. John’s Pleasant Valley Hospital. “These awards demonstrate our commitment to providing nationally-ranked cardiac care and advanced technologies to our community.”

Every year, Healthgrades evaluates the performance of nearly 4,500 hospitals nationwide for 32 of the most common inpatient procedures and conditions using Medicare data and outcomes in appendectomy and bariatric surgery using all-payer data provided by 16 states. The new report demonstrates the importance of hospital quality to both hospital leaders and consumers.

“Now more than ever, consumers understand the importance of hospital quality and are starting to become more diligent when researching where they receive care,” said Brad Bowman, MD, Chief Medical Officer, Healthgrades. “When selecting a hospital, consumers can feel confident in America’s 100 Best Hospitals for Cardiac Care™ and Coronary Intervention™ for their commitment to quality care and exceptional outcomes.”

From 2017 through 2019, patients treated at hospitals receiving America’s 100 Best Hospitals for Cardiac Care Award™ have, on average, a 28 percent lower risk of dying than if they were treated in hospitals that did not receive the award. And patients treated at hospitals that did not receive the award were 1.39 times more likely to die than if they were treated at hospitals that received the award.

During this same period, patients treated at hospitals receiving America’s 100 Best Hospitals for Coronary Intervention Award™ have, on average, a 47 percent lower risk of dying than if they were treated in hospitals that did not receive the award. And patients treated at hospitals that did not receive the award were 1.90 times more likely to die than those treated at hospitals that received the award.

Other notable 2021 Healthgrades recognitions at St. John’s Regional Medical Center include:

• America’s 250 Best Hospitals Award™ (2021)
• America’s 100 Best Hospitals for Critical Care Award™ (2021)
• Gastrointestinal Care Excellence Award™ (2021)
• Pulmonary Care Excellence Award™ (2021)
• Stroke Care Excellence Award™ (2020-2021)

To learn more about how Healthgrades determines award recipients and more information on Healthgrades Quality Solutions, please visit Healthgrades.com/quality.

The Ventura Land Trust is searching for a new executive director as Derek Poultney, the current director, is stepping into the Conservation Director role. Poultney recently recommended this change to the Board of Directors as a way to build and optimize organizational capacity during this phase of tremendous organizational growth.

During Poultney’s 11 years of leadership (five as Executive Director), the trust grew significantly. From two acres and two staff in 2010, Ventura Land Trust now manages 4000 acres and has 24 employees. “It is an incredibly exciting time for Ventura and Ventura Land Trust and there is more growth on the horizon, says Mark Watkins, the trust’s newly appointed President of the Board. With five years of environmental consulting and field biology work and five years as Conservation Director at the Ojai Valley Land Conservancy (OVLC) prior to his current tenure at Ventura Land Trust, Poultney remains dedicated to preserving nature and public access to nature for the community.

Poultney is excited about this new opportunity because “I will be able to get back to doing what I love doing the most and what I’m most effective doing, and I’m looking forward to having a new mentor who can usher us into our next period of growth.” Watkins has worked closely with Poultney in his time at the Trust and is looking forward to bringing in additional resources with this change. “We looked at the next five years from a strategic planning perspective and mutually agreed that Derek would best serve the Trust in the Conservation Director role. He has been a great leader for this organization and he really shines when able to focus on securing the resources needed to complete acquisition and habitat restoration projects.”

The last year has particularly proven the benefit the Land Trust brings to the community. When much of the city was shut down to the public, its nature preserves provided solace and comfort. In 2020, the Land Trust established the 2,100-acre Harmon Canyon Preserve which has been well-received by hikers, runners and cyclists. This is the largest acquisition for the Trust to date and has attracted attention throughout Ventura County and from Santa Barbara to Los Angeles.

Looking toward the future, the Land Trust is focused on connecting with more people throughout Ventura County and southern California. One of the many goals along these lines is to provide opportunities for students interested in nature. Since 2004, the Land Trust has worked with thousands of students, ranging from elementary school to graduate level, to educate them on the importance of preserving and restoring natural lands in Ventura. Most recently, they have significantly increased this capacity by teaming up with the popular local outdoor environmental education programs: Once Upon a Watershed and Ventura Wild.
“When you reach more students, parents, and schools,” Derek said, “you build a stronger and lasting relationship in the community. You’re building your next group of stakeholders and land stewards.”

https://www.venturalandtrust.org/

by Jill Forman

The good news continues for Ventura’s libraries. Ventura County entered the Red Tier on the 15th, which means computer access returning at the branches. Contact your local branch for hours, and to make reservations. Also, the Friends of the Library can plan a book sale next month. We have so many quality books at our warehouse and are excited to share them with the book loving community members.

New Librarian

Dolly Knight has been appointed Senior City Librarian for Ventura, starting the week of March 23rd. Staff have been covering that position in addition to their normal duties plus dealing with the constant changes of the pandemic. They deserve a lot of appreciation for the job of keeping everything running smoothly.

Dana Vinke, Deputy Library Director, sent this information about her: Dolly began her library career at the Ojai Library as a Library Technician. She later worked at the Camarillo Library, then served as Director of the Ventura County Law Library for 3 years… She has been a Senior Librarian for the Santa Barbara Public Library where she oversaw Patron Services and Branches. Ms. Knight was City Librarian for the Ventura County Library’s East Region overseeing the Ray D. Prueter, Piru, Fillmore and Oak Park Libraries.”

Grant awarded

Kudos to our amazing Fund Development Team for their work securing this.

Ventura Friends of the Library has announced an initial gift of $7,000. from Aera Energy LLC to kick off its funding campaign for Ventura County Libraries online tutoring program BrainFuse.

BrainFuse is a virtual, free, bilingual tutoring program for students from elementary school through early college. The tutors help students work through their problems so that they can do it themselves next time.

To access BrainFuse, go to the main library website, vencolibrary.org, click on the elibrary tab, and scroll down the alphabetical listing to Help Now. Or use this address: https://www.vencolibrary.org/library-collection/help-now-brainfuse

There is an instructional video on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RgUXOeP2IFs&list=PLCz8pIXNBjhi-L22vZecNVHVtE5pGJpiI. There are videos in English and Spanish.

“It is no secret that our students are struggling during this pandemic and we need to do what we can to support continued learning,” explains Michele Newell, public affairs representative for Aera Energy.  “BrainFuse is a free program families can use to keep students on track and provide them the extra help they may need.  We are partnering with Ventura Friends of the Library because Aera has always been a steadfast supporter of education and programs that help our children be their absolute best.  They are our future and we are keenly invested in the future of our community.”

Change in Hill Road book group date

Due to a schedule conflict, the group will meet Tuesday, April 6th at 5 PM.  Linda Cherry will send out a Zoom link in the coming weeks. The book is The Vanishing Half.

Online bookstore update

“Lots of good fiction and DVD’s” says Leslie Bellmore, the online bookstore guru.

This special Zoom program is free with registration!

Join us for The Changing Faces of Ventura County: Women Taking the Lead, a special Museum of Ventura County Zoom program on Wednesday, March 31st from 6:30-8:00 PM. This online program is free but requires advanced registration.

In honor of National Women’s History month, the Museum of Ventura County will host a panel discussion with elected leaders from all 10 cities in Ventura County. At no other time in history have so many women held elected office in Ventura County. Currently, in 2021, the County has 23 women elected to serve as supervisors, mayors, and councilmembers. This panel will be moderated by Dr. Trudy Tuttle Arriaga, Associate Dean of Equity and Outreach, Program Director, Oxnard & Main Campus M.A. in Educational Leadership & Distinguished Educator in Residence from California Lutheran University and the recent co-author of Leading While Female. The discussion will provide candid observations by 10 dedicated and passionate civic leaders.

City representatives participating include: Councilmember Susan Santangelo, City of Camarillo Councilmember Christina Villasenor, City of Fillmore, Mayor Janice Parvin, City of Moorpark, Mayor Betsy Stix, City of Ojai, Councilmember Vianey Lopez, City of Oxnard, Councilmember Laura Hernandez, City of Port Hueneme, Councilmember Leslie Cornejo, City of Santa Paula, Councilmember Ruth Luevanos, City of Simi Valley, Mayor Claudia Bill-de la Pena, City of Thousand Oaks, Mayor Sofia Rubalcava, City of Ventura.

Join us to learn about their motivation to serve their communities, their trials, and triumphs as elected officials, and most importantly their hopes and aspirations for the future. “I am so inspired that in a time of extreme challenges, local women have answered the call to serve and support their communities through elected office,” stated Denise Sindelar, Deputy Director of the Museum of Ventura County.

For more information, please email Denise Sindelar at [email protected].

While we remain closed due to the on-going pandemic, we encourage you to visit us digitally and explore the growing list of online resources, activities and local history. The generosity of our vibrant community is sustaining us until we are able to reopen. Consider becoming an MVC Member or making a gift today.

The Museum of Ventura County celebrates, preserves and interprets the art, history and culture of Ventura County, the California Channel Islands and the surrounding region through its collections, exhibitions, events, educational programs, publications and its research library, and serves as a gathering place for the community. The Museum has two locations. The main museum is located at 100 East Main Street, Ventura, CA 93001 and is open Tuesday – Sunday 11 a.m. – 5 p.m., 805-653-0323. The Agriculture Museum is located at 926 Railroad Avenue, Santa Paula, CA 93060 and is open Wednesday – Sunday 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., 805-525-3100. For more information,visit venturamuseum.org.

Opera Santa Barbara is excited to return to live productions with Don Pasquale, A Live Drive-In Opera, as the season opener for Concerts In Your Car at the Ventura County Fairgrounds. The only performance will be Saturday, April 10, at 7:30PM. This production marks the company’s second live stage performance after the successful live drive-in opera for Carmen in December. Come prepared to laugh, sing along, and keep that toe-tapping foot away from the gas pedal!

When it comes to combining beautiful melodies and vocal pyrotechnics with laugh-out-loud comedy, no one is a match for bel canto master Gaetano Donizetti, the composer of The Elixir of Love, Lucia di Lammermoor, and many other blockbuster opera house hits. In this hilarious new version directed by the irrepressible Josh Shaw, Founder of Pacific Opera Project, the titular Don Pasquale becomes “Donald Pasquale”, a film mogul in the Santa Barbara silent film business of the early 1920s.

“I’m thrilled to return to OSB with this light-hearted comedy set during the heyday of Santa Barbara’s motion picture business. Drawing from early comedians like Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton, you can expect more bits, gags, goofs, and laughs than you’ve ever seen at the opera–just what we all need after a year in the pandemic,” said Shaw.

Rising stars soprano and Santa Barbara native Jana McIntyre, bass Andrew Potter, and tenor Matthew Grills will make their OSB debuts, effortlessly tossing Donizetti’s sentimental tunes and vocal acrobatics. Former OSB Studio Artist baritone Efraín Solís returns as the cunning Dr. Malatesta. Opera SB Artistic and General Director Kostis Protopapas conducts members of the Opera SB Orchestra.

“I’m very excited to work with this spectacular cast on this beautiful score. I have been looking forward to Jana and Andrew’s debuts, and I’m happy that we can still make them happen. I’m also looking forward to working with Matthew and Efraín, my good friend Josh Shaw, and to be reunited with our fearless production team and Opera SB orchestra,” said Protopapas.

The event will follow all CDC and State of California guidelines. Attendees can enjoy the live stage performance from the safe and socially-distanced comfort of their vehicles. Attendees can stay inside or by their vehicle as they are allowed to sit in folding chairs by their vehicle but must wear a face mask and maintain social distancing. The show will include a visual light show and multimedia entertainment across video jumbo screens. Sound will come through your car stereo, like a traditional drive-in theater on your FM radio. The opera will be sung in Italian with English translations projected on screen.

Tickets are on sale now at the Concerts In Your Car website. Each ticket is valid for one car. The number of passengers must not exceed the number of safety belts /seats in your vehicle, up to eight people. Car tickets start at $99.