Joshua Bell’s violin is believed to be one of very few made in 1713 by Antonio Stradivari in Cremona, Italy. While it has belonged to many, its connection to Bronislaw Huberman is what Bell finds fascinating. Huberman was a Jewish Polish violinist who lived from 1882-1947: a child prodigy who by 11 was already touring Europe as a virtuoso. At 13, he performed Brahms violin concerto in the presence of the composer himself. According to Brahms’ biographer: “As soon as Brahms heard the Andante, he wiped his eyes, and after the Finale he went into the green room, embraced the young violinist and stroked his cheeks. When Huberman complained that the public applauded after the cadenza, breaking into the lovely Cantilena, Brahms replied, “You should not have played the cadenza so beautifully.”

Huberman became one of the most celebrated musicians of his time and in 1929 began an effort that would add “humanitarian” to his accomplishments. He dreamed of forming a Palestinian Orchestra and began auditioning Jewish musicians throughout Europe, with those selected receiving contracts and impossible-to-get exit visas. To raise money for this new orchestra, Huberman partnered with Albert Einstein on a U.S. fundraising tour featuring Huberman and sixty top-rate players.

Though a great success financially, Huberman suffered a major setback in 1936 when his beloved Stradivarius was stolen from Carnegie Hall. While the heartbroken Huberman would never see his Strad again, his Palestine Orchestra debuted in December 1936 with the legendary Toscanini conducting. Of this special evening, Joshua Bell writes: “I like to imagine my own relatives might have been in the audience, as my grandfather was born there and my great grandfather was part of the first ‘Aliyah’ of Russian Jewish immigrants to Palestine in 1882.”

As to the stolen violin, it was in the hands of young violinist Julian Altman for over fifty years until he made a deathbed confession to his wife in 1985 and she eventually returned it to Lloyd’s of London.

Fast forward to 2001. The Huberman Violin is in the hands of the preeminent London business

J & A Beare Ltd when Joshua Bell enters to buy strings. They place the Stradivarius in his hands where it has pretty much stayed ever since. “ I fell in love with it,” he says, “and when I perform with the Israel Philharmonic, I think how many of the orchestra and audience members are direct descendants of the musicians Huberman saved from the Holocaust – with funds raised by concerts performed on the very same instrument I play every day.”

The Ventura Music Festival and New West Symphony invite you to experience Joshua Bell playing his glorious Huberman Violin on Sunday, November 3rd, 3pm in the Oxnard Performing Arts Center. Ticket prices $30 to $96. A VIP ticket option at $225 features premium seating along with a meet and greet with Mr. Bell, and catered dinner. Tickets online: NewWestSymphony.org/Joshua-bell – or call the NWS box office at 866-776-8400.

The Perfect Firestorm – The Thomas Fire Story will be screened at the Ojai Film Festival on Sunday November 3rd at 1pm and Friday November 8th at 1pm at the Sane Living Center at 316 E Matilija St, Ojai, CA 93023. CAPS Media’s documentary chronicles the extraordinary personal stories of survival and healing during and following the devastating Thomas Fire.

“The Perfect Firestorm is an amazing achievement that has had a tremendous impact on so many people in and around this community.  Being recognized by the Ojai Film Festival is well-deserved.  Thank you to CAPS Media for capturing this historic event in such a meaningful way.”   David Endaya, Ventura City Fire Chief

The film was produced by CAPS MEDIA in collaboration with the Museum of Ventura County, Ventura City Fire and Police, Ventura County Fire, Sheriff’s, Office of Emergency Services and other agencies. Based on dozens of engaging first-person interviews with fire fighters, first responders, residents and others impacted by the tragedy. In addition to sharing their heartfelt, inspiring and at times tragic stories, the citizens throughout Ventura County provided CAPS Media with hundreds of personal photos and videos that were critical to the story.

CAPS Media continues the productive collaboration with Ventura City’s Community Service department producing a series of productions and individual profiles designed to provide the public with behind the scenes persecptives and information on how the city government works and who the people are who provide the vast collection of city services. The videos appear on the City’s website, various social media platforms and on CAPS’s television channels.

CAPS Media or CAPS, an acronym for Community Access Partners of San Buenaventura, is a non-profit 501 3(C) corporation formed in 2000 with a goal of ensuring that the operation of a media center for community service is managed independently and without discrimination. CAPS’ mission is to create an engaged and informed community through participation in electronic media.

The CAPS Media staff manages two television channels and a radio station (KPPQ 104.1FM) in Ventura. Channel 6 is Ventura’s public access channel airing programming submitted by local member from the community. Channel 15 airs educational and government programming produced by CAPS Media and the City of Ventura as well as Ventura Unified School Board meetings, County Supervisor meetings and other educational and government programs. CAPS Radio KPPQ-LP Ventura is a non-commercial radio station providing a venue and a voice for the citizens of Ventura to share stories, programming and topics of personal and public relevance. The station broadcasts on 104.1 FM and streams on the CAPS Media website and on the Mytuner app which is available on smart speakers and on smartphones.

CAPS Media continues to record, broadcast and stream local community council meetings throughout the city. In the coming weeks CAPS will cover East Ventura, MidTown, Ventura College, Westside, and Montalvo community councils. All programs air on CAPS Media Channel 6 and stream on capsmedia.org. Go to the schedule tab on the CAPSMedia.org website for dates and times.

Mixed messages about the tumultuous recycling industry may have confused people, but the folks at Harrison’s partner Gold Coast Recycling want everyone to get the message: Do not change the outstanding recycling habits you’ve formed over the past several decades.

Gold Coast continues to accept all curbside and commercial recycling – and the company has a brand new picking line and a new, advanced sorting system to ensure that all recyclable materials get processed efficiently.

“We are still recycling all acceptable materials that our residential and commercial customers put in their recycling containers,” said Harrison spokeswoman Nan Drake. “With the new equipment, our process is running more smoothly than ever.”

“The machinery is doing great,” Gold Coast General Manager George Harrison said of the new systems, which went online this year after a four-month-long installation/transition process.

“We can run the new system much faster and cleaner,” Harrison said. “As a result, our monthly average diversion is significantly better than before and the cleaner material is far more acceptable for the marketplace even though it is selling for far less money.”

After flourishing for decades, the recycling market in China is all but gone now, owing to extremely tight restrictions that took hold this year, but Gold Coast is cultivating other markets in Asia and around the world. Even in a down global market, recycling continues.

The bottom line is this: If you do your part and keep filling your blue barrels and white bins with recyclable paper, plastic, glass and metal at home and at work, you can rest assured that Gold Coast will do its part and recycle it.

Kids & Families Together in partnership with Heart 2 Heart are hosting their 9th Annual Harvest Fest Gift Away event on Saturday, October 12, 2019 from 10am – 12pm at a park in Oxnard. They will be serving 125 children in the Ventura County community with a family fun event. Each child will be able to pick out a free coat and costume as well as other free donations and goods for the family!

This event is designed for the whole family and includes face painting, games, art activities, a reading area, music, pumpkin decorating, treats and more! We are very grateful to our business and community donors and our numerous volunteers who have helped make this event possible!

For those families who are foster/resource, kinship or adoptive, they are still accepting registrations by going to website link for English: https://www.kidsandfamilies.org/harvest-fest-giftaway-registration/ or Spanish: https://www.kidsandfamilies.org/harvest-fest-giftsolicitud-fuera/, participants can also call 805-643-1446 ext. 202 or 108.

If you would like to donate or volunteer please call 805-643-1446 ext. 108 or visit the website link for new/like new donations of coats/costumes or other: https://www.kidsandfamilies.org/harvest-fest/ or to volunteer visit https://www.kidsandfamilies.org/volunteer-for-harvest-fest/.

Mound Elementary School’s Outdoor Ed Committee will be hosting their first annual, Fall Festival on Saturday, October 19^th, from 4pm -7pm geared towards primary school children and families. Tickets in advance for $10 per person until 10/16 or at the door for $12. Children 2 years of age and under are free and there are large-family discounts. 455 South Hill Rd.

Each ticket includes meal ticket, access to the Jumpy Slide, select games with candy prizes, scavenger hunt, and costume contest.

For additional fees will be Pumpkin Patch, root beer floats, hair feathers, henna tattoos, cake walk, avocado stand, silent auction and a 50/50 raffle.

Payment Options: Venmo: @OutdoorEd-Mound Please Include your family name and the number of family members attending.

Check: Made payable to “Mound Outdoor Ed 2020” and mailed or delivered 455 South Hill Road, Ventura, CA 93003 by 10/16/19.

In the late 70s, Bob and Nancy Gregory were in search of a location for their first GM dealership when they came across Ventura County. While driving up Victoria Ave. towards the mountains for the first time, Nancy exclaimed, “This place is Paradise!” to which Bob replied, “Paradise Chevrolet,” and the rest is history.

In the fall of 1979, Bob and Nancy opened the Paradise Chevrolet dealership in Ventura. The Gregory’s main goal was to build a legacy founded on loyalty and community, which they still stand by today. Bob’s gift for levity and understanding created a deep-seated loyalty with his employees. Today, Paradise has several employees celebrating anywhere from 20 to 38 years with the dealership.

Raised by a humble family of sharecroppers, Bob had compassion for people in all circumstances. Even during recessions, Bob believed in building relationships and having a customer for life. He made it known to his employees that the customer experience was important and often stated, “We want to hold our heads up in the community because we are part of this community.” According to Nancy, because of this, they have a high number of loyal repeat customers which is unusual in the car industry.

Nancy was also an integral part of the success and expansion of Paradise Chevrolet. Starting from the beginning, she was a jack of all trades. She specifically jumped from department to department in order to identify issues that affect the efficiency of their business. Over the years she then became the lead in purchasing property and designing new dealerships, and together, Bob and Nancy build a GM Legacy in Southern California.

In December of 2018, Bob Gregory passed away leaving behind his legacy in the hands of his family. Today, while Paradise Chevrolet and Ventura County will always miss Bob’s southern charm, Nancy has gracefully taken charge. It’s Nancy’s hope to see the next 40 years of Paradise Chevrolet’s success with her children, grandchildren and other that have made Paradise Chevrolet a Ventura County icon.

On Wednesday, November 13, at 7:30am, writer, director, actor, George Vincent to give keynote speech at the Ventura Family YMCA Annual Prayer Breakfast.

A free morning of music, prayer, and breakfast as you hear the powerful stories from writer and producer George Vincent. As a precious faithless man, Vincent finds himself carrying the weight of the world until a divine experience changes his life and he cannot deny the power of God.

“After experiencing a divine encounter that changed my life forever, I decided to share it with everyone whenever I could. While sitting in a coffee house, getting my car washed, buying groceries… literally any where.” – George Vincent

Ventura Family YMCA, 3760 Telegraph Road