Category Archives: This ‘n’ That

AN OPINION

by VREG Editors

Mayor Matt LaVere filled his 2019 State-of-the-City address with images of a better Ventura. Unfortunately, it lacked specifics on addressing Ventura’s most pressing issues, budgets, water, staff and retirement costs.

Ventura’s Homeless Center

The first goal was opening a permanent, full-service homeless shelter by December 31, 2019. Opening the center doesn’t begin to solve the problem. Mayor LaVere and the City Council equate opening a homeless center with improving Ventura’s homeless situation. They are not the same thing.

Homelessness has risen the past three years to 555 persons from 300 in 2016.

The city is hoping the new homeless shelter will stem the tide, but there will only be 55 beds. Filling every bed will still leave 500 unsheltered homeless persons on the street.

A shelter is a start but it has been planned for years. The details on the next steps to keeping homeless off the street were not shared. We hoped for more.

Update The General Plan

The second goal was to reinitiate the General Plan update by conducting public outreach throughout 2019. New innovative ways will be tried to reach more citizens. Mayor LaVere does plan to include more young people but the details were missing.

Economic Development

The third goal is to create a comprehensive economic development strategy. The strategy would include several key focus areas, including the Auto Center, the Johnson Drive corridor and Front Street.

Economic development begins with other people’s money. It takes investors, willing to put up the capital, to improve the business environment. How the City of Ventura will encourage new investors was not shared.

Ventura has a reputation among developers as a difficult city to do business. Stifling regulations, fees and planning delays force investors to look elsewhere. It is hoped that the new economic development plan will review, streamline or remove building codes and regulations wherever possible in the city.

Ventura Beautiful

The fourth goal is to beautify the community. Mayor LaVere wants to end “blight.”

Like the economic plan goal, this goal relies on “other people’s money.” Homeowners must invest in eliminating the so-called blight. There is no compelling reason for property owners to reinvest in some properties.

If the mayor is serious about decreasing blight, reduce the building permits and fees for rebuilding.

Coastal Area Strategic Plan

The fifth goal is also unmeasurable and unspecific. Mayor LaVere says we must develop a Coastal Area Strategic Plan.

The same faults of gaining input for the General Plan apply to the Coastal Area Strategic Plan. Find ways to reach all citizens.

Building Community

The sixth goal is for the Ventura community to come together. Building community was a goal of both Mayor Nasarenko and Mayor Andrews. Three years and three administrations later, this goal remains.

Mayor LaVere has targeted Mission Park as the way to build community. The specifics on rebuilding Mission Park were missing. Budgets, timelines or measurable results would have been helpful. Moreover, this plan has one fault the others don’t have, public safety.

Mission Park is home to some of Ventura’s homeless population. To prepare the area, the homeless must move elsewhere. Also, after they move, someone would have to clean the park of discarded needles, drug paraphernalia and human waste.

Stopping The Bleeding

To fulfill any of our mayor’s goals requires adequate staff. The final goal is to stabilize and strengthen our city government. The city has eight unfilled, critical managerial positions and sixty vacant jobs.

We hope City Manager Alex McIntyre will fill those management positions soon but, if he doesn’t, how will the City Council help and support our City Manager?

Editors’ Comments

This year’s speech painted a utopian vision. It was a feel good speech. How these goals will be achieved and by whom remains to be seen.

Love with a Capital “L”

Stookey has played at the Rubicon many times. His new show is “In These Times”

by Amy Brown

Noel Paul Stookey has been changing the world, one song and one key social concept at a time since his world-famous band Peter, Paul and Mary burst onto the folk music scene in the 1960s. The platinum-selling trio took the music world by storm, performing at the civil rights March on Washington in 1963 and at political rallies all over the world, with influential songs like ‘Blowing in the Wind,’ and ‘If I had a Hammer.’ Today, Stookey still performs with Peter Yarrow (Mary passed away in 2009), as well as doing solo shows, and will be gracing the stage of the Ojai Rubicon with his latest on April 28 and 29th.

Stookey has played at the Rubicon many times, including when he chaired the 2017 Music for Changing Times Festival there, produced in conjunction with Music2Life, the not-for-profit organization Stookey started with daughter Liz Stookey Sunde to amplify the voices of contemporary activist-artists and highlight the impact that music has in social justice movements around the world. “A large part of the credit for founding the organization goes to Liz, who, since at an early age, like six or seven, travelled with the trio on tour, saw us do benefits, and realized the impact music has, and how it uniquely transcends the mosh pit,” says Stookey. “She saw the power of the lyrics, and became a real fan of the fact that music can not only be inspiring, as it does move us, whether it’s dance, folk or jazz, but she saw that it was informative as well as compelling.”

There’s a world of difference in the types and methods of social change now versus in the 1960s when his trio was changing the world with their message of social responsibility and hope, according to Stookey. He says that the concept of improving society through music, however, is still shared across other genres, from reggae, rap, and jazz, even metal—and that many of them are actively addressing inequities in our society. “There is no doubt that in the 60s, when folk music surprised the popular music world by being relevant, that musicians were focusing on causes like equality for blacks and whites, and addressing concerns about nuclear annihilation,” says Stookey. “Those plain-spoken words were never thought of as pop music. There was authentic passion, and folk music had no glossy arrangements—and it was performed by people with a stake in the cause, with real skin in the game. So much of folk music’s power was the articulation of commonly held values.”

Stookey’s Rubicon show is called “In These Times”, and he has some specific feelings about both what is now relevant, and what some of the major issues are in these times. He says that there are two major problems, and that they intersect. “One is our inability to speak to each other with compassion, because we are encouraged through many media, as well as by some of our leaders, to be disparaging of another person’s point of view. Two: the issues themselves, compounded by our inability to talk, from climate change to immigration, as there are always two sides,” he says. He references the well-known Chinese curse: May you live interesting times. “Well baby, we are there,” he laughs. “We often communicate these days about those ‘interesting times’ in an immediacy (through social media), therefore, our compassion is really being tested.”

Stookey, who has a home in Ojai where he and his wife reside part of the year, has written a new song for his upcoming Rubicon performances. It’s called ‘Love With a Capital L’ which he says, given the chaos of the modern world, is about processing all the news and the difficulties we have as a society. He believes that, given the challenge of maintaining an even perspective, people have the potential to better understand if they process everything in Love. “It’s been really been fun to write, and reminds me that one of the most thankful aspects of learning folk music, both the ethics of it and its breadth, is that it co-opts a lot of musical styles, and so I have,” says Stookey. “I’m not great at rapping, in fact, I’m very poor at it—more in the Woody Guthrie vernacular, and less of Snoop Dog.”

Stookey, who shares that there is a book in development about his life, and who has written a number of short stories, believes that ultimately, the direction we’re all being drawn to is that of overcoming the perceived differentiations of organized religion and concentrating on what is commonly shared. “What you begin to see is that we’re all so much more alike than we are different, in the heart space in particular. That’s why the big ‘L’ in Love becomes the synergistic magnet that I think is going to provide the answer. We will then be able to say ‘Namaste’ and when we can pass each other as complete strangers and smile, there is trust in the world again.”

NICO is coming to the U.S.A!

The musicians play from memory.

by Richard Newsham

Think music that takes classical masterpieces “off the beaten track” to reveal beauty with a new edge as the Lithuanian string ensemble known as NICO (for New Ideas Chamber Orchestra) turns 13 under the baton of its charismatic young composer Gediminas Gelgotas. The players–solo and group award winners of many international competitions–have appeared at the world’s leading venues while their albums and concert recordings ride the radio air waves of Europe.

And now NICO makes its U.S. debut in Ventura on Friday, May 10, at 8 p.m. as part of the Ventura Music Festival’s 25th season at the Ventura College Performing Arts Center. The musicians play from memory, mixing classical with new music idioms and non-traditional techniques for a glorious and sublime fusion of sound that is captivating younger and new audiences for classical music wherever they go. Their concerts are a grooving postmodern jukebox featuring a newer generation of Baltic, British and German composers dedicated to reimagining the classics (Mozart, Vivaldi) to make them new and exploring myth and mystic visionaries (Hildegard von Bingen, St. Teresa of Avila, Goethe and Lithuania’s M.K. Čiurlionis) as pathways to compelling contemporary music full of color, dramatic melody and elemental peace.

Family Treasures Video Workshop @ CAPS Media

Do you have a family treasure to share?

Community members are invited to learn how to create their very own personalized and professional Family Treasures video – using family member stories, interviews, photos and memorabilia. Come to the FREE workshop on Thursday, May 30, 4pm at the CAPS Media Center, 65 Day Road in Ventura. Space is limited; reserve your spot today by emailing us at [email protected] or calling 805.658.0500.

During the 1-hour workshop, CAPS staff will help guide participants with step-by-step instructions on making their own video. Attendees will learn how to gather special family stories, get tips for interviewing relatives (parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, siblings, children, etc.), scan precious photos, and include sentimental memorabilia to enhance the family video keepsake.

Once storytellers are ready to create their video, a $25 annual CAPS Media producer/membership fee will allow them to use the CAPS cameras, editing facility, and production studio all year long to record their family story. Throughout the process CAPS staff will assist the family in combing all the elements into their own compelling Family Treasures video.

Interested but not able to join us on May 30th? Contact us to get on the Family Treasures Workshop interest list for upcoming events!

ECTV students win another national ACM Hometown Award. Students in the CAPS Media/El Camino High School media internship program won another national award for outstanding journalism. The ECTV episode entitled “Artists – Gayel, Shamsia & Jab” was selected from among hundreds of entries all across the country in the category of Entertainment & Arts. The Alliance for Community Media Hometown Media Awards honors community media and local cable programs that are distributed on Public, Educational and Government (PEG) access channels. Entries are evaluated by a team of qualified judges and recognized at the Hometown Media Awards Celebration at the Annual Conference in July.

Community organizations – consider using CAPS Media to help you share your message. Organizations in Ventura are encouraged to join the CAPS Media family and have your events air on CAPS Media. Its easy to do. To learn more, drop by the CAPS Media Center or send us a note to [email protected] or give us a call at 805.658.0500.

The CAPS Media Center belongs to the community of Ventura. Our mission is to create an engaged and informed community through participation in electronic media. What does that mean to you? All of the training and resources at the CAPS Media Center are available to you, and If you have a story to tell or a message or information you want to share, we will help you share your story.

To find out more go to capsmedia.org/events, sign up for the next orientation class on the first Thursday of the month and discover that for a low annual membership fee of $25 you can receive hands-on instruction in videography, video editing, radio production (additional fee required) and more. Then you will have access to CAPS Media’s state-of-the-art facilities including video cameras, editing systems, the fully equipped television and radio studios. Don’t miss out. All of the information is online at capsmedia.org, or you can call 805-658-0500 to get complete information.

Women Beyond Borders

Zilah Mendoza is one of the stars of Women Beyond Borders.

Rubicon Theatre Company continues the 2019 “Coming of Age” season with the World Premiere of Women Beyond Borders, a play inspired by and loosely based on the remarkable journey of Lorraine Serena and a dynamic group of California-based artists who founded the non-profit Women Beyond Borders (WBB).

Determined to “make art as if the world matters,” Serena and associates fell upon the idea of box as metaphor: hope chest, treasure chest, womb, coffin, etc. They replicated miniature wooden boxes no bigger than a human heart and sent them to curators and friends in other countries with the goal of encouraging dialogue, collaboration and community among women and honoring creativity. The founders of WBB were astonished at what came back to them – eloquent expressions of the enormous depth and variety, but also the universality, of women’s experiences throughout the world. The boxes were accompanied by equally astonishing artists’ statements, in the form of letters, poems and stories asking about transcending barriers: geographical, social, racial, economic, emotional, gender-related, spiritual, etc. The play interweaves the journey of the organization and the artist’s statements. Actors (including Tony, Obie and Emmy Award-Winners) will rotate weekly and the script will be read at music stands in the style of Love, Loss and What I Wore or The Vagina Monologues. Jenny Sullivan directs.

Rubicon Theatre Company, Ventura’s Downtown Cultural District
1006 E. Main St.
Box Office (for single and group tickets): 805.667.2900

Ticket Range: $20 – $55 ($150 for opening night including post-show party at Water’s Edge
Previews: $20-$40
Prices above do not include a $4 ticket service fee
Discounts Available for Groups of 10+
Discounts for Seniors 65 and over, Students, Teachers and active Military available

A packed room celebrated this year’s theme Women Elevated

Outstanding women in business honored. Photo by Nicole Wise Photography

On a beautiful Spring day in mid-April, The Ventura County chapter of the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO VC) honored nine outstanding women in business and leadership at its 20th Annual BRAVO Awards luncheon. With Camarillo’s picturesque Serra Center serving as the backdrop, honorees were awarded for their achievements in industries that include solar energy storage, cybersecurity, health and fitness, retail, law, construction, and the nonprofit sectors.

A packed room of close to 200 business owners, community leaders and active members of the business community, celebrated this year’s theme, Women Elevated! Celebrating the fearless pursuit of success. Compelling videos told each honoree’s story of success which was followed with the presentation of beautifully artistic awards.

2019 BRAVO Honorees

  • Woman Business Owner of the Year – Catherine Von Burg, SimpliPhi Power, Oxnard
  • Innovator of the Year – Michelle Wilner, VIRTIS, Newbury Park
  • Rising Star of the Year – Breanne Cochran, The Vent Human Performance Center, Ventura
  • Community Advocate of the Year – Christina Shaffer, The Law Office of Christina Shaffer, Thousand Oaks
  • Education Advocate of the Year – Lisa Barreto, Ribbons of Life Breast Cancer Foundation, Ventura
  • Young Woman Entrepreneur of the Year – Alison Kenis, Sugar Lab Bake Shop, Ventura
  • NAWBO-VC Member of the Year – Brenda Terzian, Doug Terzian Construction, Camarillo
  • Leadership in Public Policy Award – Senator Hannah-Beth Jackson, 19th District and Betsy Berkhemer-Credaire, Berkhemer Clayton Inc.

BRAVO 2019 is the signature event of NAWBO Ventura County and would not be possible without the generous support of its sponsors and partners, including Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, Montecito Bank & Trust, Meyers, Widders, Gibson, Jones and Feingold, LLP, Southern California Edison, and BNY Mellon Wealth Management, among many other supporters.

Learn more at www.nawbovc.org.

First 5 encourages parents and caregivers to talk, read, and sing with young children

2019 marks First 5 Ventura County’s 20th Anniversary of helping young children and families in our local community. On Friday, On May 3 at 10 a.m., more than 55 celebrity readers will be reading to young children throughout Ventura County to kick off the fourth annual Take 5 and Read to Kids campaign, a partnership between the Ventura County Star and First 5 Ventura County to raise awareness about the importance of early childhood literacy.

“We know that the first five years of life lay the foundation for a lifetime of learning. For young children, early exposure to books – including being read aloud to each day – is critical for long-term academic success,” said First 5 Ventura County Executive Director Petra Puls. “Reading aloud, telling stories, and singing actually build the pathways in the brain that will later be used to learn letters and to read and think critically,” Puls adds.

First 5 encourages parents and caregivers to talk, read, and sing with young children ages 0-5 to support their early language and literacy development. Studies have proven that when you talk, read and sing to children from birth on, you promote and support early language and literacy development. 90% of a child’s brain is developed by age 5, and children are affected by experiences from early on, even before birth.

In Ventura it will be held at the Ventura Police Department, 1425 Dowell Drive.

Ventura author featured at EP Foster Library

John is working on a third book of short romance stories.

Local author, John Darling, had two books added recently to the shelves of the E.P. Foster Library in downtown Ventura.

The first book, entitled In A Million Years, is a science fiction novella told in three interweaving parts where each show the results of what can happen when man meddles with time.

The second book, entitled Into the Dark Desolate Night: The Detective Anderson Mysteries, is comprised of 11 short mysteries revolving around Detective Anderson and his assistants as they tackle a variety of tough cases. In the book, Anderson starts out as a low-paid 20-year homicide detective in a small town in California to being the owner of the largest Private Eye firm in Miami.

He is working on a third book of short romance stories, which is almost complete, entitled Anticipating Sunrise.

He will also be giving some talks at local libraries on the subject of what inspires his creativity and why he is a multi-genre author. The first one is scheduled for Saturday, June 8, from 1 to 3 PM in the Ojai Library where the public will have a chance to win a prize by playing, “Stump The Author”.

All of his books are available on Amazon.com in electronic and paperback formats.

To find out more about Mr. Darling, visit his author website at: http://johndarlingauthor.com/

6th Annual Owl Festival

The sixth annual Owl Festival, a free family event, was held on Sunday, April 14, at the historic Olivas Adobe. The Ojai Raptor Society brought live owls and hawks for visitors to see and learn about. Olivas Adobe Historic Interpreters, who present the Owl Festival, lead costumed docent-led tours during the event, as they do every weekend, between 11 am and 3 pm.

Mary Thompson, Vice President of the Board of Directors for the Olivas Adobe Historical Interpreters (And Breeze staff member) was the “chairperson” for the Festival. She contacted and enlisted all the vendors, the food truck, etc. Organized the docent participation. Mapped out the courtyard to coordinate the booth layout for vendors. Purchased all needed supplies tablecloths, children’s craft items, etc. Coordinated and assisted in setting up the tables, canopies, signs, displays, and exhibits. Then just sat back and enjoyed the fruits of her labor.

Mary stated “It was a great event. Thanks to all the vendors showing their support. The children’s mariachi group was absolutely fabulous! The raptor show was also fabulous as usual! Even though we are short on docents we all came together including my friends showing their support to help make the owl festival a success. Everyone seemed to have a great time. More people attended than ever before. “

Evin Brown was proud of the pinecone owl that sister Viv made.

Blanche Reynolds’ Carnival May 10th in Rainbow Bridge Park

Everyone is invited to Blanche Reynolds’ biggest and most exciting Carnival yet! On May 10th in the Rainbow Bridge Park (located behind Blanche Reynolds School). From inflatable slides and obstacle course ,to free crafts, and more than 10 games at just $1 each! Karaoke, Face Paint, Hair Chalk, Photo Booth, Cake Walk, Silent Auction, Raffle, Food Trucks, Music, Scouts, VPD & Fire Dept, Martial Arts Performances and more with free entry!! It is not only about the kids – there is plenty of fun for the adults too – buy some yummy food at SoCal Comfort Food or Big Joes Tacos, enter the silent auction and shake your bones to the beat of the karaoke music. All funds raised go back into supporting the students.