Bankers Investment Counseling is pleased to announce that Andrew H. Killion (that’s him on the left with Philip Caruso) of Ventura has joined the firm as Vice President.

Mr. Killion started his career in financial securities as an account executive with Dean Witter in 1992 and will be working alongside Philip Caruso, President of Bankers Investment Counseling (BICC) who has been with the firm since its earliest days in Ventura County.

Andy and his wife Tina are native to this beautiful town we all call home. He enjoys sailing, golf, reading and is the founder of the VC Caregivers Sailathon. This unique boating event has raised tens of thousands of dollars for Caregivers, Volunteers Assisting the Elderly. In 2011 Andy wrote a book about his personal experiences owning and operating a business during the great recession. In 2013 he and his son Jack walked the northern route of the Camino De Santiago in Spain.

by Carol Leish

The Diversity Collective of Ventura County’s (www.diversitycollective.org) mission statement, according to program manager, Joseph Fummers, is: “To advocate and celebrate those in the LGBT community and those affected by AIDS.” The Diversity Collective is the organization of these annual events: Ventura County Pride; AIDS Walk Ventura; and, The Diversity Gala. According to, Joseph, “At our recent Ventura Count Pride: 2,500 people attended; 100 vendors participated; and, we raised $80,000.”

“In 2014, the Diversity Collective, Ventura County, became a nonprofit 501c3,” according to, Joseph. “We give cultural proficiency trainings, and talks about HIV; AIDS; and, about the LGBT community in order to educate and advocate, since there is too much stigma and misinformation within the community.” He also emphasized that, ‘Besides their being males and females, there are also those who are intersex, who are 1.7% of the population, which is as common as those who are redheads.”

These programs include: The Rainbow Umbrella Program, which is for youth between the ages of 13-23, that meets Friday evenings from 5:30-7:30; HIV & AIDS free testing every third Monday of the month; LGBT AL-ANON that meets Sunday mornings at 11:00; and, free counseling: Call Nathan, of the Coalition for Family Harmony at: (712) 624-4447 in order to set up a free counseling session.

Thus, in order to eradicate stereotyping and stigma towards those who are either: LGBT; physically and/or mentally disabled; and/or because of sexism or racism, let’s all realize that becoming more aware makes us all realize that we are all more similar than different.

Diversity Collective, which is located at 2471 Portola Ste. 100, in Ventura, offers various programs. Their phone is (805) 644-LGBT (5428).

Rosh Hashanah occurs on the first and second days of Tishri. Jewish Year 5780 at sunset on Sept.29 (The Jewish calendar date begins at sundown of the night beforehand. Thus all holiday observances begin at sundown on the secular dates listed, with the following day being the first full day of the holiday.) In Hebrew, Rosh Hashanah means, literally, “head of the year” or “first of the year.” Rosh Hashanah is commonly known as the Jewish New Year. This name is somewhat deceptive, because there is little similarity between Rosh Hashanah, one of the holiest days of the year, and the American New Year.

There is, however, one important similarity between the Jewish New Year and the American one. Many Americans use the New Year as a time to plan a better life, making “resolutions.” Likewise, the Jewish New Year is a time to begin introspection, looking back at the mistakes of the past year and planning the changes to make in the new year.

The shofar is a ram’s horn which is blown somewhat like a trumpet. One of the most important observances of this holiday is hearing the sounding of the shofar in the synagogue.

No work is permitted on Rosh Hashanah. Much of the day is spent in temple, where the regular daily liturgy is somewhat expanded. There is a special prayer book called the machzor used for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur because of the extensive liturgical changes for these holidays.

The common greeting at this time is L’shanah tovah (“for a good year”). This is a shortening of “L’shanah tovah tikatev v’taihatem” which means “May you be inscribed and sealed for a good year.”

Yom Kippur on Oct.9, also known as the Day of Atonement, is the holiest day of the year in Judaism. Its central themes are atonement and repentance. Some Jewish people traditionally observe this holy day with an approximate 25-hour period of fasting and intensive prayer, often spending most of the day in synagogue services.

Yom Kippur completes the annual period known in Judaism as the High Holy Days or Yamim Nora’im (“Days of Awe”) that commences with Rosh Hashanah.

Happy New Year to a few famous Jews:

Albert Einstein, Sigmund Freud, Karl Marx, Leon Trotsky, Harry Houdini, Marx brothers, Steven Spielberg, Sandy Koufax, Irving Berlin (Ironically, his compositions included “White Christmas” and “Easter Parade”) ,Mel Brooks, Dustin Hoffman and Peter Sellers.

Museum of Ventura County Library & Archives collection.
by Andy Ludlum, Museum of Ventura County Volunteer

McGonigle was editor of the Democrat for 32 years and his feud with Bowers was legendary. McGonigle, a party-line Democrat, could not stand Bowers who he said, “swells and struts about like a pugnacious turkey gobbler, a man who would umpire a dog fight for notoriety and preside over a hen roost if he thought the chickens could appreciate his greatness.”

McGonigle took delight in supporting almost everything Bowers opposed and called Bowers “the biggest hypocrite and greediest human hog that ever walked the streets of Ventura” adding it was “just as natural for Parson Bowers to lie as it is for him to eat.” “Parson Bowers (says) we have called him a thief, liar, mountebank, disreputable, dishonest, ready to sell out to the highest bidder, etc. He seems to know himself better even than we do, for we have never called him a thief.”

An outspoken prohibitionist, Bowers did not shy away from the big political controversy of the day, alcohol use. Bowers had asked the Ventura Town Council to close saloons at 11 p.m. The hard-drinking McGonigle never passed up an opportunity to mock the Methodist minister, “Bro. Bowers of the Free Press returned from his camping trip on the Conejo Saturday night. He struck a colder climate than anticipated and shortened his stay in consequence. The nights were chilly, and he didn’t have his jug along.” Not to be outdone. Bowers wrote in 1887, “The Democrat intimates that our description of the business of this town was not sufficiently full in-so-much as we omitted the billiard tables and saloons. Well we didn’t want to appropriate the whole ground, so we left this to the Democrat where it properly belongs.”

Read more Ventura County History in the Museum of Ventura County Blog at www.venturamuseum.org/research-library-blog.

The Rotary Club of Ventura South will host its 31st annual Trivia Challenge fundraiser in support of the Ventura County Library’s Adult Literacy Program on Wednesday, November 6.

The event begins at 6:00 p.m. at the Tower Club, 300 E. Esplanade Drive in Oxnard.

The popular event features a “Jeopardy-like” game in which teams of three people compete for trophies by answering a variety of questions on topics ranging from history to entertainment to sports and general trivia. Teams fall into four categories: Youth (under 25), Service Club (e.g., Rotary, Kiwanis, etc.), Business, and Community. Entry fees are $375 per team ($300 if paid by October 23) and $125 for individuals ($100 if paid by October 23). Businesses and individuals are also encouraged to sponsor teams (in whole or in part) and will be recognized in the evening’s program. Spectators are welcome for $10. Hors d’oeuvre will be served, and cocktails and soft drinks will be available for purchase.

All proceeds from the event will support the Ventura County Library’s READ Program, which provides free one-on-one tutoring for adults who want to learn to read. The program also provides free books, special programs for dyslexic adults, computer-assisted instruction, second language reading instruction, and family literacy activities. Since 1984, the program has helped thousands of Ventura County adults achieve personal literacy goals such as passing GED tests, achieving U.S. citizenship, and gaining employment. READ has been recognized as one of the top community-based literacy programs in California.

Additional details and sign-up forms are available on the Rotary Club of Ventura South’s website: venturasouthrotary.org, or by calling 805-677-7160 or 805-217-9012. Information on the Library’s READ program is available online at vencolibrary.org.

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. Our 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.

Young children and their families are invited to celebrate the joy of reading at the 13th annual StoryFest, planned for Saturday, October 12, from 9 am to 2 pm. This free event features storytelling, book giveaways, hands-on activities, Truckfest (opportunity for children to get up close and touch trucks and a fire engine), food for purchase, buy-one-get-one-free book fair and plenty of fun.

This special event is at the Ventura Unified School District Education Service Center, 255 W. Stanley Ave. The event is presented by Ventura Education Partnership and Ventura Unified School District. Major sponsors include Elks Lodge 1430 and First 5 Ventura County.

Community members from all walks of life will be reading books throughout the day in each of the six story tents. Books will be read in English and Spanish, and every child attending the event will receive a free book. Children and families will also be able to sign-up for library cards at the event by presenting a photo identification plus proof of residential address. Special activities will be offered by local organizations serving children.

The event celebrates the importance of reading to children. Sharing books and stories with children, including infants and toddlers, is an important way of helping children prepare to read. According to experts, families that encourage songs, stories, and books at a young age help their children be better students when they enter school years later. StoryFest will showcase many local programs and services available for families with young children.

VEP connects community resources to support and sustain innovation in education to benefit VUSD students.

Ventura Education Partnership (VEP) is an all-volunteer group which fosters community recognition of the work of VUSD district teachers and staff and enlists the participation of parents, businesses, and community members in the education of our district’s children. For more information contact Kay Giles at 805-701-8984 or [email protected].

“The last concert of the 32nd summer concert series, Music Under the Stars, is over. Held at the Olivas Adobe, all of the 2019 concerts sold out quickly. Next year promises to be another great season, so when tickets become available, be sure to buy them early, www.cityofventura.ca.gov/957/Music-Under-the-Stars.

Next up, the Olivas Adobe’s Historical Interpreters (OAHI), the Adobe’s volunteer docents, are hosting Rancho Days on Sunday, September 29, from 11 am – 3 pm. Enjoy this event with interactive activities for kids including kids Outreach roping and gold panning, candle making, woodcarving, a cactus walk, informational tours and more.

Featured entertainment includes Richard Senate Storytelling (ghost stories), Mariachi, Folkloric las Islas, California State Old Time Fiddler Association and the Frontier Gunfighters walking around maintaining order on the old Rancho Olivas. This is a donation requested event – $5 Family or $3 per Adult and $1 per Child. The Olivas Adobe is located at 4200 Olivas Park Dr in Ventura, next to the golf course.

by Venturans for Responsible & Efficient Gov’t (VREG)

America’s significant retirement pension funds are underfunded by an unfathomable $4.2 Trillion. Thousands of Americans each year find themselves with a mis-sold pension and finding themselves out of pocket. Ventura mirrors this phenomenon. Ventura workers participate in the state pension fund, CalPERS. CalPERS is only 71% funded as of June 30, 2018, despite a 10-year bull market and a growing economy.

Because of the chronic funding shortfall, CalPERs demands increases of at least $2 million per year for five to six consecutive years, and then remain at those levels. Ventura’s pensions are underfunded by $215.1 million.

We respect the work city employees do. Our concern is about the structure by which their retirement is accumulated and paid after retirement.

Most government pension benefits are considered to carry a virtually iron-clad guarantee to the civil workers. Even the smallest attempts to alter future benefits have been met with furious opposition. Governments at all levels are hamstrung between their duties to provide on-going services to their citizens and their ever-increasing financial obligations to pension funds.

A typical city employee would receive a pension almost the same as his or her working salary if they participated for their whole career. The years in retirement can still equal or exceed those worked.

Discussions about pensions get emotional because we’re talking about people’s future and security. What gets lost in the arguments is this. The law and politics guarantee retirement pension benefits, but not the actual returns on investments. The myth is that pensions are safe. They are not. The difference is that taxpayers pick up the difference between reality and what politicians promised.

Politicians have made many attempts to improve the current system, but none have addressed the problem in a meaningful way.

League of California Cities and Government Finance Officers Association recommended actions to confront unsustainable pensions.

1. Reduce the unfunded liability by making annual catch-up payment even more than CalPERS instructs you to pay-if you can afford to pay more.
2. Raise taxes
3. Reduce services
4. Require voter approval of any pension obligation bond, or POB.

These are terrible choices for the public.

There are two other choices for our City Council to consider if they have the political will to do anything about this crisis that will cripple the City of Ventura.

1. Make beneficiaries pay more. Capping the employer contribution at a fixed percentage of salary would cut pension costs for the city. As pension costs increase over the years, the employees will pay all the costs associated with the growth.

2. Change when retired city employees may begin collecting pensions. This alternative solution applies to new employees only. Why would that help? The reason is that even if the city makes no further contributions, the fund will have ten more years to grow. Also, the retirement payment period would be ten years shorter, given the same life expectancy.

Think about it. Today, public employees can get generous pensions by age 50 or 55. Private sector employees don’t get their full social security until 65 or even 67, depending the year they were born. Moreover, Social Security is only going to be one quarter to one-half of your working earnings.

Even with an unprecedented bull market, Ventura’s unfunded pension liability grew over the past ten years faster than market returns can ever expect to make up. CalPERS annual demand will now permanently increase by about $2 million per year for the five to six years and then stay there. Something has to change. Otherwise, the city will either cut back needed services, raise taxes, or both.

Changing the system is the only way these promised benefits can be truly sustainable and dependable for retirees. It’s also the only way that taxpayers can afford to pay for them.