Category Archives: This ‘n’ That

Vol. 11, No. 25 – Sept 12 – Sept 25, 2018 – Person to Person

by Jennifer Tipton
What is your favorite park in Ventura?

Ron Root
age 71
retired from Honda Motor Co.
“Probably the Aquatic Water Park on Kimball because it’s really well laid out. It’s large and great for walking the dog, you just have to go when everyone else isn’t there, it gets pretty busy.”

 

Carmen Rico
age 49
works at Paradise Chevrolet
“Let me see … I live across the street from Huntsinger, that’s not my favorite park but my kids used to like to go there to play football with their friends. I’d probably say Arroyo Verde, it’s more outdoorsy, there’s more nature, when our kids were small, we’d go there all the time. If you put a block of ice on the hill, you can slide down!”

Rob Lambert
age 59
works at Paradise Chevrolet
“Before the fire or after the fire?” (funny guy)
“It’s still Arroyo Verde, I have no choice, I have to go there every day with my girlfriend, she walks up and down the trails and all the way to the top.”
“And what do you do, walk with her?”, I asked.
He chuckled, “No, I just watch … but I must add, they’ve done a great job restoring the park, what they’ve done is pretty nice!”

Pat Halverson
age 73
retired RN
“Marina Park! I love walking by the ocean and they have a wonderful playground too. But what we really need is a fenced dog park in Ventura that’s nice. All we have Camino Real and the area for the small dogs has no grass – it’s all dirt and I have small dogs. My one little guy is a therapy dog for CMH!”
(Pat, we look forward to seeing them on the SCAMP page!)

Emily Bishop
age 34
piano teacher
“The park my boys love is off Bristol and Petit, don’t know if it has a name, it’s really small. It has a gazebo and they like that.” “Love that!”, corrected her son Heath.
Emily continued, “there’s one play structure and a rock-climbing wall, there are other bigger parks, but this is near home and it’s a nice quick play.”
(Could she mean Chumash Park?)

Pat Natzke
age 23
works at Ventura Hardware
“That’s a tough one! I would have to say probably a tie between Camino Real, (it has the dog park and the tree sculpture with the bear climbing up it) and Kellogg Park, the new park on the west end. I lived on the avenue for years and it was always an empty lot with the sign, “Coming Soon” … but they were always developing it and I thought – someday. It’s really cool, they have different exercise equipment, the tables have built in chessboards and the path around it is really a ravine, so that when it rains, it’s like a little stream that goes around the edge!
By the way ladies, Pat is single (he said I could share that).

Olivas Adobe can still be enjoyed after the end of the concert series

Janeen Puente and her Latin Orchestra rocked the house.

The last concert of the 31st summer concert season Music Under the Stars, held at the Olivas Adobe featured Janeen Puente and her Latin Orchestra. The concert was sold out as were 6 of the 8 presented. Next year promises to be another great season so when tickets become available you had better buy them early.

www.cityofventura.ca.gov/957/Music-Under-the-Stars.

The Olivas Adobe’s Historical Interpreters invite you to a Day on the Rancho, on Sunday, September 23 from 11 am- 3 pm. Enjoy this free event which will include hands-on activities, food, mariachi music, Ballet Folklorico Bell Arts dancers, storytelling, and crafts. Tours of the beautiful historic Olivas Adobe will also be offered. The Olivas Adobe is designated as California Landmark No. 115 and was placed on the National Register of Historic places in 1979. Located at 4200 Olivas Park Dr.

Ventura Libraries October events

Avenue Library

Children & Family Events  

Bilingual Early Literacy Class  

10/1, 8 , 15, 22, & 29  Mondays @ 6– 6:45pm  
Join us every week for stories, poems, music, movement, a simple craft & fun!  

One County One Book Event:

Foil Boat Challenge STEAM Box

10/11 Tuesday @ 3-4pm

Explore & discover concepts related to Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, & Math in fun and sometime silly ways. Make a Foil Boat and test it.

Foster Library

Adult Programs & Special Events

Opera Santa Barbara

10/12 Friday @ 12pm

Please join us for a free noontime concert presented by Opera Santa Barbara!  Opera Santa Barbara will offer a concert featuring members of the Studio Artist Program. This concert series features a variety of popular and lesser-known arias and duets.

A California Native Plant Society Lecture 

10/16 Tuesday @ 7-9pm in the Topping Room 

Please join us for an interesting and enlightening lecture series presented by the California Native Plant Society, Channel Islands Chapter.  

One County One Book

For Book Discussions, a Film Screening, and Lectures see our website!

Children’s Events

Early Literacy Class  

10/2, 3, 9, 10, 16, 17, 23, 24, 30, & 31

Tuesdays & Wednesdays @ 10:30am 

A great way to introduce your child to early literacy and the library. Join us every week for stories, poems, music, movement, a simple craft, and fun! 

One County One Book: Foil Boat Challenge STEAM Box

10/23 Tuesday @3-5pm

Explore & discover concepts related to Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, & Math in fun and sometime silly ways. Make a Foil Boat and test it.

Horror in the Stacks: The Summoning

10/24 Wednesday @ 7:30-9pm

A Haunted Library Experience Starting from the Second Floor/Children’s Department Entrance

Kids & Teens of All Ages Welcome & No Free

Ages 9 & Under Must Have An Older Sibling or Guardian, Won’t You Come In?   

Hill Road Library

Children’s Events

STEAM Box
10/23
Tuesday @ 4pm
Why do heavy steel ships float? We’ll explore the principles of buoyant science with this

fun activity. Aimed at ages 6+

Early Literacy Class

10/3, 10, 17, 24, & 31 Wednesdays @ 10:30am

A great way to introduce your child to early literacy and the library. Join us every week for stories, poems, music, movement, a simple craft, and fun! Aimed at ages 0-5.

Adults Programs & Special Events

One County, One Book Discussion
10/16 Tuesday @ 5pm
Join us for a discussion about William Finnegan’s
Barbarian Days.

Endless Summer Film Screening
10/19 Friday @ 6pm
Bring your popcorn and soda pop for a movie night at the library with this iconic surf film.
 

Saticoy Library

Children & Family Events

Early Literacy Class  

10/2, 9, 16, 23, & 30 Tuesdays @ 10am 
Join us every week for stories, poems, music, movement, a simple craft & fun!
One County One Book Event:

Foil Boat Challenge STEAM Box

10/11 Tuesday @ 3-4pm

Explore & discover concepts related to Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, & Math in fun and sometime silly ways. Make a Foil Boat and test it.

No Closures this month

3rd Annual Oxnard Jazz Festival

On September 8th an overcast day didn’t stop thousands of music fans from enjoying the 3rd Annual Oxnard Jazz Festival (OJF) held at Oxnard Beach Park. The OJF is a cultural music celebration offering a diverse mix of Jazz, Latin, Soul, Blues and R&B.

The 2018 star studded lineup featured Mindi Abair and The Boneshakers, Pete Escovedo and his Latin Big Band, Greg Adam’s & East Bay Soul, Paul Brown, Rick Parma, Con Funk Shun, Tierra, and Kelly’s Lot.

The large dance floor held hundreds dancing and swaying to the great sounds. This concert included VIP seating and lawn seating, vendor booth shopping, cultural foods, and many other inviting attractions to close out the summer festival season.

If you love music, you will love the Oxnard Jazz Festival. Be sure to attend next year.

Pedestrian safety

by Ashley Bautista, Community Outreach Ventura Police

Thousands of people each year are killed on America’s roadways, and many of those deaths could have been prevented. In fact, in 2016, 16 percent (5,987) of all roadway-related deaths were pedestrian fatalities. Tragically, in a crash between a vehicle and a pedestrian, the pedestrian is far more likely to be killed or injured. From 2015 to 2016, there was a startling 9-percent increase in fatalities, which is the highest number of pedestrian deaths per year since 1990. Hearing these statistics is quite scary, especially knowing that accidents like these can be prevented. With this being said, if you or anyone you know has recently been involved in a road accident, have got medical help but are not sure where to take this next, it may be worth looking into lawyers such as Sutliff & Stout in San Angelo Texas to help take this further and in the right way. Although this is something you’d rather forget, sorting it out with legal advice from professionals can help make this process a whole lot easier.

As a community, there are simple steps everyone can take to reduce the number of these tragedies each year. Keeping our roads safe is a shared responsibility.

With driving comes enormous responsibility. Getting to a doctor’s appointment, work, or school won’t be important if you strike a pedestrian while driving there. Always look for pedestrians whenever and wherever you are driving. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), in 2016, the majority (74%) of these fatalities occurred when it was dark outside and outside an intersection (72%).

Driving at the posted speed limit, or even slower based on conditions and focusing on the road, instead of an electronic device, also gives the driver more time to “see, identify, and react” in time to brake for pedestrians. In 2016, 26 percent of pedestrian fatalities occurred between the hours of 6 p.m. and 8:59 p.m., and in many places that means its dark, or getting dark, outside. When a driver “sees” something up ahead, they are able to slow down and “identify” what it is. Because the driver can “see and identify,” they are then able to “react” by applying the brakes.

While it is the responsibility of the driver to stay alert and aware of their surroundings, there are also actions the pedestrian can take to stay safe, like being predictable and using crosswalks or intersections if possible and walking on a sidewalk or path when one is available. Pedestrians should also remember to “dress for the occasion.” If you are out during the day, wear bright colors, and at night, be sure to wear something with reflective materials especially on parts that move (like your arms, legs and feet) or carry a flashlight. In short, make yourself visible. Just because you can see a motorist does not mean he or she can see you; the driver may be distracted or even have the sun in their eyes. If you cannot make eye contact or do not see the driver slow down for you, just wait until the vehicle passes, even if you have the right of way. If you have multiple lanes to cross, slow and watch for traffic at each lane.

Both drivers and pedestrians should always keep road safety habits in mind, too, like not using electronic devices or drinking or using drugs while driving or walking because they can impair judgment. Everyone who uses our roads has a duty to drive safely, which, in turn, helps everyone get to their destination unharmed.

To reduce traffic safety risks to pedestrians, safety should always be top-of-mind for those traveling on the road and near the road. Let’s be safe Ventura!

Contact Ashley Bautista, Community Outreach Ventura Police 805-339-4317 with any police related questions.

Friends of the Santa Clara River celebrates 25 years with Silver Streams Gala Celebration

by Candice Meneghin, Friends of the Santa Clara River Board Member

Friends of the Santa Clara was formed in 1993 with the mission of protecting and preserving the biological and cultural resources of the Santa Clara River Watershed, which spans Ventura and Los Angeles Counties. The Friends have promoted all aspects of river health, including public outreach, water quality monitoring, wetland restoration, opposition to floodplain development, and advocating for the protection of several threatened and endangered species that call this watershed home. On Sunday September 16, we will be celebrating the Friends’ 25th Silver Streams Anniversary Gala and Fundraiser at Rancho Camulos in Piru from 3:30-6:30p.m.

Come immerse yourself in the heart of the Santa Clara River Watershed its beauty and its history, with appetizers and sustainably grown eats from our own Santa Clara River valley. Enjoy local wines and beers while perusing the silent auction. Meander beneath the majestic river valley mountain views to live music. We invite our friends – new and old, and watershed community members to come share in our history and learn about our future endeavors. Your support will make possible our ongoing efforts to preserve the natural and cultural heritage of this magnificent river for future generations. Tickets are available at https://fscr.org/25th-anniversary/.

We will be honoring our founder and outgoing board chair, Ron Bottorff as he hands over the chairmanship to Jim Danza after 25 years of service. We will also be celebrating the work of several watershed Champions that include: Ventura County Supervisor’s Steve Bennett and Linda Parks for their instrumental role as co-authors of the Ventura County Save Open Space and Agricultural Resources initiative, and its recent extension until 2050. SOAR is a series of voter initiatives that require a vote of the people before agricultural land or open space areas can be rezoned for development. Dr. John Puglisi, Superintendent of the Rio School District, for the new Rio Del Sol STEAM school on the banks of the Santa Clara River. The goal of the school is to integrate the STEAM framework into all Common Core subject to engage students in authentic learning experiences. We believe these opportunities foster a stewardship ethos in our community and give rise to the next generation of Friends on the Santa Clara River. Paolo Perrone, Trust for Public Lands, for the acquisition of the 51.4-acre Robin’s Nest property in Acton, CA, in the San Gabriel Mountains and 864 acres of Temescal Ranch, a 6,006 acre site, more than nine square miles of hillside terrain east of Lake Piru, that straddles the Ventura County line to the west and Los Padres National Forest land to the north. Two streams on the Temescal Ranch property drain into Piru Creek and ultimately the Santa Clara River downstream. The protection of these properties will allow for the restoration of land which contains tributaries, creeks, and the Santa Clara River, one of the few remaining free-flowing riparian systems in southern California.

Read our summer newsletter, Watershed News at: https://mailchi.mp/0827f9ac69a4/friends-of-the-santa-clara-river-watershed-news-summer-2018?e=945ee1de94. More information on Friends of the Santa Clara River can be found at www.fscr.org.

Ventura Shellfish Enterprise site selection

by Oscar Peña, General Manager

On September 12, at 7:00PM the Ventura Port District Board of Port Commissioners will convene in Open Session at the Four Point Sheraton Ballroom, 1050 Schooner Drive, for its Regular Meeting.

One of the items on the agenda of special interest to the public is the Ventura Shellfish Enterprise (VSE) Site Selection Process. The Board of Port Commissioners will receive an Informational Report on the proposed site in federal waters approximately 3.53 miles from shore, northwest of the Ventura Harbor in the Santa Barbara Channel.

District staff and Seth J. Theuerkauf, Ph.D. with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) will provide the Board of Port Commissioners with information about two alternatives for site selection in federal waters. This agenda item is on the District’s website for your review at www.venturaharbor.com.

The public is invited to receive information on the Ventura Shellfish Enterprise site selection process and provide public comment.

The project consists of twenty 100-acre plots (total of 2,000 acres) located in open federal waters of the Santa Barbara Channel northwest of Ventura Harbor. The closest distance from the growing area to the City of Ventura city limit is 4.5 miles and approximately 4 miles from the Ventura Harbor. The sites will be used for growing the Mediterranean mussel (Mytilus galloprovincialis) via submerged long lines.

VSE Site Selection

The project was initially proposed to be located in waters of the State of California, i.e., within the 3-mile limit. The Ventura Port District, in collaboration with its key participants undertook extensive site selection public outreach that culminated in the decision to instead locate the project in federal waters so as to minimize conflicts with commercial halibut trawlers based in Ventura and Santa Barbara Harbors. NOAA’s National Ocean Service staff undertook a second siting study focused on federal waters proximate to Ventura Harbor.

The siting analysis represents an objective, data-driven approach to identify the locations within federal waters with the highest compatibility with the proposed project. The results of this siting analysis identify two alternative sites proximate to Ventura Harbor given equal consideration of existing use conflicts, including:

Ventura County Watershed Protection District announces community meeting

On Wednesday, Sept. 26, Ventura County Public Works Agency’s Watershed Protection District will hold a community meeting to share the latest developments and anticipated path for the Ventura River Levee (VR-1) Rehabilitation Project.

The Ventura River Levee (VCWPD VR-1, FEMA ID No. 53) consists of bank protection and other improvements intended to provide flood protection for areas along the river such as residential and recreational properties in low-lying areas behind the levee structure within the floodplain of the Ventura River in the City of San Buenaventura in Ventura County.  The VR-1 levee system will ultimately protect 759 homes and structures in Ventura County. The project begins at its downstream end at the Pacific Ocean and extends upstream along the Ventura River to its upstream end downstream of Caňada de San Joaquin. The overall length of the levee is approximately 2.65 miles, with an embankment height up to 10 feet above natural ground on the landward side

Designed by the U.S Army Corp of Engineers in 1949, the VR-1 levee system is now owned and maintained by Ventura County Watershed Protection District. As of 2009, it was determined that the VR-1 levee system does not meet FEMA Levee Certification standards, and requires rehabilitation to repair VR-1 levee deficiencies.

VR-1 requires bank protection and other improvements designed to provide flood protection for approximately 2.65 miles along the Ventura River that will ultimately protect 759 homes and structures in Ventura County.

“The VR-1 community meeting serves to educate the general public of the current rehabilitation project, and offers a platform for our community members to ask questions and provide valuable feedback about project’s direct impact on Ventura County residents,” said Glenn Shephard, Director of Ventura County Watershed Protection District.

Wednesday, Sept. 26 at 6:30 p.m.
Bell Arts Factory-Janet Addison Community Room, 432 North Ventura Ave.

Could boosting lymphatic function combat age-related cognitive decline?

Findings could point to a new possible target for preventing or delaying age-related symptoms.

by National Institute on Aging

Scientists only recently discovered lymphatic vessels in the brain that remove cellular debris and other waste. Now, new NIA-supported research published in Nature on July 25 suggests these vessels could play a role in age-related cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s disease.

Researchers from the University of Virginia, Charlottesville, studied the performance of lymphatic vessels in the brains of mice and the drainage of cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) from blood vessels into the lymph nodes—also known as the brain’s waste-removal system.

Using methods that impaired the function of the lymphatic vessels in younger mice resulted in decreased drainage of large molecules from CSF into lymph nodes, reduced flow of CSF in certain areas of the brain involved in learning and memory, and reduced spatial learning and memory abilities.

Researchers compared the function of lymphatic vessels in younger and older mice. They found that in older mice, lymphatic vessels were narrower, and large molecules did not drain out of the CSF into the lymph nodes as well. Using a method to boost lymphatic function in older mice resulted in improved cognitive function.

Researchers also found that impairing brain lymphatic vessels in mouse models of Alzheimer’s disease led to higher levels of amyloid-beta deposits in the tissue covering the brain as the mice aged. Abnormal buildup of the protein amyloid-beta is a factor in Alzheimer’s disease. The researchers’ findings in the mouse models were mirrored in postmortem analysis on the brains of nine people who had Alzheimer’s disease.

According to the researchers, determining whether altering lymphatic vessels in people would have similar benefit to what was seen in the mouse models requires further study, but these initials findings could point to a new possible target for preventing or delaying age-related cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s disease.

Reference: Da Mesquita S, et al. Functional aspects of meningeal lymphatics in ageing and Alzheimer’s disease. Nature. 2018 Jul 25. doi: 10.1038/s41586-018-0368-8. [Epub ahead of print].