Trained volunteers came together to help individuals and families for Mega Tax Day at the Cal Lutheran University Oxnard Campus. United Way of Ventura County prepared just over 70 tax returns for free through their Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program (VITA) for Mega Tax Day. With the new Young Child Tax Credit, eligible families can qualify to receive an extra $1,000 in their pocket. VITA assistance will go on at nine locations until May 2, 2020. Appointments are available by calling 2-1-1.

The first annual “Tri-Anything Retreat” is being held on Friday, March 27th from 10:30am to 4:00pm at the picturesque Brick Barn Wine Estate in Buellton, California. Tickets are just $70 for a full day that includes lunch and wine. A post-retreat wine and cheese party is available for those attendees and their guests who are looking to extend their day and enjoy the beautiful sunset. Local discounted weekend and overnight accommodations are also available. Tickets are available now at www.tinyurl.com/trianything2020.

Hosted by four local National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) chapters – Bakersfield, California Central Coast, Santa Barbara, and Ventura County, with the support of NAWBO Los Angeles, the Tri-Anything Retreat promises to be filled with plenty of reenergizing, skills building, and making new connections. Made possible in part by Gold Sponsor Chase Bank, with additional support from Santana Wealth Management, and Thrive, Flourish and Grow, this retreat is open to all women business owners and leaders looking to connect with other successful women entrepreneurs from throughout the tri-counties and central valley. .

NAWBO Ventura County is thrilled to be taking part in this impactful, first annual event convening 100+ women business owners.

In a pilot program to make opera more accessible to Ventura County residents, Opera SB will be offering bus transportation through the Ventura County Parks & Recreation Department to the Sunday Matinee performance of its first opera sung in Spanish, Il Postino (The Postman) by Mexian-American composer, Daniel Catán, on Sunday, March 8, 2020 at 2:30pm at the Lobero Theatre, 33 E Canon Perdido St.

As part of Opera SB’s ongoing commitment to civic practice and creating more opportunities for Santa Barbara and its surrounding communities to experience opera, removing practical barriers like financial constraints and venue transportation has been a top priority this season.

“With a dedicated opera fan base in communities like Ventura and Oxnard for the company’s ongoing series of Free Noontime Concerts, creating easier access to attend the live, mainstage productions was a natural next step for Opera SB,” noted Kostis Protopapas, Artistic and General Director of Opera SB.

Tickets for the Il Postino performance with roundtrip busing included are being offered for $95 per person. For information about this trip, please view the Spring 2020 Tour Brochure at: https://www.cityofventura.ca.gov/DocumentCenter/View/19665/Travel-Brochure-SPRING-2020

The opera bus leaves from the parking lot directly behind the Ventura City Hall, 501/505 Poli St., at 12pm and returns at 6pm.

Registration for the bus and performance can be made through the Ventura Parks and Recreation Department:

1. Online: www.cityofventura.ca.gov/register
2. Over-the-Phone: 805-658-4726
3. In-Person: City Hall, 501 Poli St., Room 226

For those who do not need bus transportation, tickets can be purchased through the Lobero Theatre at lobero.org or by phone at (805) 963-0761.

The sounds of the Mediterranean come alive in Daniel Catán’s acclaimed opera sung in Spanish with English supertitles. Based on the Oscar-winning film, Il Postino (The Postman) chronicles the enduring friendship between exiled Chilean poet Pablo Neruda and Mario, the shy postman who brings him his fan mail. Mario becomes Neruda’s student, learning the art of poetry to woo a local barmaid and to express the struggles of his fellow working-class villagers who live on a small Italian island in the 1950s.

Dr. Richard Deamer, Vista del Mar Hospital’s (VDMH) first medical director, has returned to the same position. He was first hired in 1985 and stayed in the position for approximately 13 years. He officially begins as medical director in January 2020.

“I am looking forward to another term as medical director,” said Deamer. “I was very happy, and surprised to be offered the same position I had left about 20 years previous, and now as an older clinician who has kept up with the new developments in adult and child psychiatry, am looking forward to applying those developments in neuroscience in an inpatient setting.”

Deamer studied pre-medicine at Purdue University and graduated from medical school at Ohio State College of Medicine.  A rotating medical/surgical internship followed at St. Joseph’s Hospital and Maricopa County in Phoenix, Arizona.  He continued with his residency training in psychiatry and fellowship in child psychiatry at UCLA Neuropsychiatric Institute, followed by two years in the Navy at Camp Pendleton. He retired from the Navy as a Lt. Commander in 1973.

After departing from Vista del Mar in 1985, he elected to work in underserved areas in Ridgecrest, Trona, Wasco and Taft, flying to these areas by taking advantage of flight training in general aviation obtained during his service in the Navy.  For the last 10 years, he has been working for Kaiser Permanente as a child psychiatrist.  He is a Distinguished Life Fellow with the American Psychiatric Association. He is board certified in both adult and child psychiatry.

He and his wife Ann and two daughters, Kelly and Julie, arrived in Ventura in 1974 when he established a private practice. Like VDMH’s devastation from the Thomas Fire, the Deamer family lost their Ventura home. After two years of rebuilding, they are happy to be back in their home.

Dr. Deamer is looking forward to making a positive impact at VDMH. “We should see dramatic improvements in adult and teen mood disorders, and significant progress in outcomes of those suffering from severe mental ailments, including addictions,” he said.

Vista del Mar Hospital, which holds The Joint Commission Gold Seal of Approval for Hospital Accreditation, offers inpatient and outpatient programs for both adolescents and adults. The hospital specializes in stabilization and dual diagnosis for patients with mental illness and chemical dependency. In addition, Vista del Mar offers comprehensive outpatient services, including the Adult Partial Hospitalization Program, Adolescent/Adult Intensive Outpatient Program and the Adolescent Vista Day Program (partial hospitalization) to treat adolescence while maintaining academic responsibilities. The hospital also serves the military community with evidence-based therapies for active-duty military, veterans and their families. Vista del Mar Hospital is located in Ventura on 16 acres with ocean views.

by Kevin O’Connor

It seems lately that people everywhere are talking about robots.  The Japanese are really into making them as lifelike as possible. They look very much like people.  We have been on a robot craze for a long time in the movies, but don’t ask me what the difference is between robots and cyborgs and androids and the Terminator!  I just don’t know. So why was that Terminator always mad at everybody? I guess people kept pushing his buttons. Har,har.

Now the year 2020 just sounds special. There’s a certain ring to it.  Who would have thought that so many of us would have finally seen this auspicious year.  I wonder what 2020 will bring?  Will it bring robots everywhere?  Might it bring robots into the pest control industry?  Perhaps there will be a pest control “transformer” called The Exterminator!  By the way, what is a robot’s favorite music? Heavy metal! But I digress . . .

Do you remember that college student in your family who brought home a brand-new computer only to find out that it is superseded by new, twice-as-fast models practically by the time you unwrap it.  Information technology progresses at an exponential pace in this way because each new technology and advancement builds upon the ones that came before it.

So, much of the advancement in technology in 2020 and beyond may end up in robotics.  Getting back to my fantasy about a pest control robot named the Exterminator, who will drop rats dead at 20 paces, I do predict one very important concern.  For me and my house, robots will never replace the good “old-fashioned” but truly futuristic pest control technician.

No, for sure, in my company at least—and I bet in many others—robots cannot do away with the great personal and caring service of one of our technicians who has undergone extensive pest control training, has developed years of experience and expertise, and has a heart for the families he or she serves.

I don’t think you will find a robot who will genuinely care about the customer, who believes in his heart of hearts that this family’s safety, security, good health and general well being are as important to him as the pest control service he so expertly renders.

That’s why I value our men and women who provide the multitude of pest control services our customers enjoy year after year.  Robots may be exciting in 2020, but my hat is off to those real people who serve others, people to people, family to family, as only good human beings do.  Three cheers for the real human technicians we call family at O’Connor Pest Control.
O’Connor Pest Control.  1-800-284-7985.  oconnorpest.com

Mar 8, 8:00 a.m.  Hedrick Ranch Nature Area – Work Day –  Leader: Sandy Hedrick 805-340-0478.

Arrive at 8:00 for self-guided birding which usually yields some interesting birds. Work from 9am – noon. Long pants and boots or closed shoes are required. Bring water, gloves & sun protection.

Mar 10, 8:30 a.m.  Ventura Water Treatment Plant Settling Ponds –  Leader: Adele Fergusson 805-415-4304

Enjoy a morning of mostly waterfowl birding. Spotting scopes are always welcome.

Mar 10,  7:30 p.m.  Ventura Audubon Society Monthly Program at the Poinsettia Pavilion – 3451 Foothill Road, Ventura (Free to the Public):   Santa Barbara Channelkeeper and the Ventura River,  Speaker:  Ben Pitterle – Science and Policy Director

For 20 years, Santa Barbara Channelkeeper has been a watchdog and advocate for the protection, restoration and sustainable management of the Ventura River and its groundwater.  The program will cover background information about the history of Channelkeeper’s involvement in the Ventura River watershed including events that led to Channelkeeper’s litigation against the State Water Board and City of Ventura to address over-pumping.

Mar 14, 8:30 a.m.  Happy Camp Regional Park – Leader:  Cody Swanson    805-304-2505

The walk begins alongside the rustic canyon golf course, and continues into open area. We will encounter coastal sage scrub, riparian wetland, open grassland, and oak woodlands along the trail. The diverse habitat allows for many different species of birds. We can expect to see: towhees, phoebes, red-tailed hawks, goldfinches, and a variety of sparrows. Target species include: roadrunners, California quails, California thrashers, western meadowlarks, loggerhead shrikes, a variety of raptors, and the possibility of owls.

Mar 21, 8:30 a.m.  Canada Larga Road –  Leader: Linda Easter  818-519-2833

Meet near the beginning of the road off Hwy 33. We will carpool from that location as we walk and drive this long county road. Target species will include Barn Owl,  Western Bluebirds, Lark Sparrow, Roadrunner, Phainopepla and various species of swallows.

Mar 28, 8:00 a.m.  Carpinteria Salt Marsh – Leader Tevin Schmitt 661-904-1563

The Salt Marsh Reserve is an excellent birding location due to the estuary, wetlands, and upland habitats. Special birds of concern can be found here, including Belding’s Savannah Sparrow, and White-tailed Kite. Several species of heron are often seen at once.

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The Rotary Club of Ventura South will host its 5th annual Mardi Gras fundraiser in support of Turning Point Foundation on Sunday, March 1. The gala event begins at 3:00 p.m. at the Tower Club, 300 E. Esplanade Drive in Oxnard, and will feature traditional New Orleans jazz and food, silent and live auctions of exciting items, and a view from the foothills to the Channel Islands that only the Tower Club can provide.

For over 30 years, Turning Point Foundation, a local Ventura County non-profit (Tax ID #0213467), has operated community-based mental health programs. Turning Point’s programs address the full range of personal needs, including a homeless shelter to meet necessary physical and safety requirements, supported housing to provide decent, affordable housing for those permanently disabled by mental health issues, and rehabilitation and socialization centers to provide meaningful, productive activities, companionship and a sense of purpose.

Because of the myths and stigmas attached to mental illness, many people struggle with its effects alone and unaware that their symptoms can be controlled by medication and the functional problems they experience can be addressed through rehabilitation and support services. Turning Point works with clients to reverse the devastating effects of their illnesses, such as job loss, homelessness, isolation, addiction, incarceration, and even thoughts of suicide.

Tickets for the event are $50, and there is also a variety of sponsorships available for businesses and individuals. Contact Suki Sir at Turning Point Foundation ([email protected] / 805-947-5400). Proceeds from the event will go directly to Turning Point Foundation and other charitable causes supported by Ventura Rotary South. As they say in New Orleans, “Laissez Les bon Temps Roulez” (Let the Good Times Roll)!

The Rotary Club of Ventura South is one of more than 35,000 Rotary clubs with 1.2 million members around the world. Rotary members believe that we have a shared responsibility to take action on our world’s most persistent issues. Their clubs work together to promote peace; fight disease; provide clean water, sanitation, and hygiene; save mothers and children; support education; and grow local economies. Rotary Ventura South meets at noon every Monday at the Tower Club in Oxnard (300 E. Esplanade Drive, 22nd Floor). Visitors are always welcome. For more information, visit venturasouthrotary.org.

The Thelma Hansen Fund along with University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources (UC ANR) will host a morning of research updates and speakers focusing on soil health and agricultural sustainability. The Symposium will take place on Thursday February 27 from 8 am until 12 noon at the Crowne Plaza Hotel at 450 E Harbor Boulevard in Ventura.

“Soil is the basis for plant growth and essentially a non-renewable resource. We need to understand what soil health means in the context of the local climate and soil type, and how agricultural practices can promote long-term health of the soil and the environment” said Dr. Annemiek Schilder, Director of UC Cooperative Extension (UCCE) Ventura County and the Hansen Agricultural Research and Extension Center (HAREC).

The local agricultural community and public is invited to hear presentations including:

Sustainability Through Sound Fertilization and Irrigation Practices by Dr. Andre Biscaro, Irrigation and Water Resources Advisor at University of California Cooperative Extension (UCCE) Ventura County

Soil Health Assessment and Management: Lessons from the Arid and Semiarid Southwest by Dr. John Idowu, Extension Agronomist & Associate Professor at New Mexico State University

Messages from Soil Health Research in the San Joaquin Valley by Dr. Jeffrey Mitchell, UC ANR Cropping Systems Specialist at Kearney Agricultural Research & Extension Center.

“The Research Symposium will highlight local research supported by the Thelma Hansen Fund and relevant research done in other regions” Schilder continued.

Advanced registration is requested, but there is no cost to attend this event. Register online at ucanr.edu/vcsym

The Thelma Hansen Fund is a University of California (UC) endowment that supports and maintains University research and extension activities for the sustainability and benefit of agriculture and natural resources in Ventura County. Research opportunities are open to UC and non-UC researchers, educators, federal, state, and local public agencies, non-profit organizations, consultants, resource conservation districts, commodity research boards, growers and other interested parties.

UC ANR in Ventura County is comprised of the UCCE Ventura County and the UC Hansen Agricultural Research and Extension Center. For more information, please visit ceventura.ucanr.edu