Category Archives: This ‘n’ That

Renaissance of Railroading

Vintage passenger and dining cars date back as far as 1914.

On April 28th-29th prepare to be entertained and amazed by what can only be imagined as the “Renaissance of Railroading.” Steam Railfest 2018 is a celebration of the steam engine, railroading, antique tractors, vehicles and engines, vintage wares and oddities, unique performances, early transportation and culture mixed with a bit of Steampunk fun. There will be live steam locomotive train rides, a Citrus Packing House Caboose Ride Adventure, Dr. Solar’s Gypsy Wagon Medicine Man Show, Gene West “The Toymaker”, antique carousel rides, creative vendors & artisans, unique exhibits, model railroads, movie props, the Orchard Bluegrass Band, delicious food & more! Admission to the festival is free! There is no other family festival quite like this one. So mark your calendars for one of the biggest events in Ventura County’s little historic town of Fillmore, CA! Visit http://steamrailfestival.com for more info.

The Santa Clara River Valley Railroad Historical Society non-profit organization is hosting this one-of-a-kind event. Established in 1993, the Santa Clara River Valley Railroad Historical Society’s mission is to assist in the preservation and restoration of the railroad corridor between Montalvo and Saugus, California. This railroad corridor, commonly referred to as the Southern Pacific’s Santa Paula Branch, is a unique and historic asset to the residents of the Santa Clara River Valley and surrounding areas. To maximize the economic, educational and recreational value of this asset, the organization will acquire, preserve, exhibit and operate historic railroad equipment; in addition, it will collect and display artifacts, photographs and operational documents unique to the region.

Sponsoring the event is Fillmore & Western Railway. This legendary railroad is home to vintage passenger and dining cars that date back as far as 1914. It’s also home to a 1913 fully restored and operating #14 Baldwin Steam Engine. Fillmore & Western is known as the “Home of the Movie Trains” that have been used in film productions such as Disney’s Lone Ranger, Water for Elephants, Sea Biscuit, Get Smart, Bedtime Stories, Race to Which Mountain, Tall Tail, Inception, Anger Management, Fear Factor, X-Files, Bones, Westworld, American Horror Story, Criminal Minds, CSI and many more. They welcome all production companies to visit and contract with them to film either on-site or on location throughout the United States. Additionally, they have a wide variety of train related props for use on sets.

Another amazing part of this railroad is the opportunity to ride the movie trains! All year long they offer train tours such as Weekend Scenic adventures, Murder Mystery Comedy Lunch & Dinner trains, Holiday trains, Special Event trains, Steam train rides, School trains & privately chartered Group trains. Visit fwry.com or call 524-2546 for more details.

Ventura Breeze “un-official” Name The Green Pig Contest

The Ventura Breeze is holding an “un-official” Name The Green Pig Contest for the pig that was back in the St. Pats Parade. Send you suggestions to [email protected]. They will be submitted to the pig committee for consideration. The Breeze will select our winner and the lucky person will win ham and eggs at their favorite restaurant.

Patty Jenkins sent her suggestions even before the contest started. “ShamHock” or HamSchock.

Photo by Michael Gordon

Family Justice Center coming to Ventura

District Attorney Totten working on Family Justice Center.

by Jennifer Tipton

The Family Justice Center is a program of Alliance for Hope International that serves more than 150,000 survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault in the United States each year. Hope International was contracted by Ventura County in 2016 to assist in the development process for the creation of a Family Justice Center, a collaborative effort which will bring all services together in one location for the victims of trauma and abuse and their children.

According to Ken Corney, Chief of Police for the City of Ventura, “it’s long overdue”. In 2012, Ventura County law enforcement agencies received 7,478 domestic violence calls.

After many years of working in partnerships and multi-disciplinary approaches in addressing child abuse, sexual assault, domestic violence, elder abuse, and human trafficking, Ventura County, under the leadership of District Attorney Greg Totten, decided to pursue the creation of a Family Justice Center model.

District Attorney Totten tells us, “victims are traumatized and then thrown into a system that is spread out and difficult to navigate, the Family Justice Center will pull all of our existing services together under one roof”.

And because the system is so hard to navigate, many victims become frustrated and return to their abuser. Between 2009 and 2013, Ventura County experienced 24 deaths resulting from family violence.

The Alliance team met with survivors in Ventura who had experienced the criminal justice system and it became apparent that victims were fearful because they didn’t understand the process and needed help navigating it. While they appreciated brochures, they needed more personal assistance, but they said the courthouse was the scariest place to seek help and all the continuances made the process even more difficult. Some described having to go to 15-20 different places for services and it was traumatic to repeatedly tell their story. They unanimously endorsed the Family Justice Center model.

The plan is to partner with K-12 school districts, law enforcement and victim advocates amongst others. Agencies will include provision for legal assistance, transportation, medical and financial services.

Currently, the estimated costs of family violence in Ventura County are between $2.6 million and $10.4 million per year. The Ventura County Family Justice Center Prospectus, April 2016 makes the business case for the Center, current plans for funding include creating a justice center foundation and grant writing.

The primary objective is to provide a safe place to go but the 24-hour facilities also proposes to offer transportation, job training, a dance studio, a community garden and an ice cream parlor.

For more information visit www.familyjusticecenter.com.

Focus on the Masters is on the move and needs the community’s help to find a permanent home

FOTM’s collection of artist biographies is a living time capsule, they need a new home.

Focus on the Masters (FOTM) Archive & Library is about to embark on one of the most challenging chapters in their 24-year history and needs the community’s support. FOTM is looking for a new home. They are asking for your help in their search for a donated building or location to lease to own that can not only accommodate the extensive FOTM Archive & Library, but includes a space for exhibitions and a gathering place where they can increase their community outreach.

The ideal location would be in a high-profile area with lots of foot traffic to increase their interaction with the public. The Archive & Library needs about 3,000 square feet to accommodate the historic collection, the staff and volunteer offices, research facility and community gathering space. Ideally, the new FOTM Archive & Library will be a hub of activity celebrating the arts through exhibitions, arts education and scholarship. The goal is to have a facility that will allow FOTM to showcase their unique cultural assets and enrich our thriving art community. The vision is a new age Archive & Library with a focus on the arts.

FOTM is one of the most unique non-profit organizations in California. Its collection of artist biographies, oral histories, digital library of artists work, publications, video recordings and ephemera is a living time capsule that continues to document our shared humanity daily. Its extensive community outreach stems from the artists in the archive including their popular Artist Spotlight monthly meet-the-artist interview series and their Learning to See Outreach – an 8-week cross curricular in-school, hands-on art program teaching about the artists who live and work in our community. FOTM mounts student exhibitions throughout the year in the communities in which the students live. Class locations include Ventura County school districts, Turning Point Foundation (serving adults with mental illness), community centers and youth organizations.

The fall of the economy in 2008/09 hit FOTM very hard. All income streams were reduced and expenses were cut in every capacity. To stabilize and restructure, FOTM moved into a vacant building in 2010, located at 505 Poli St., behind Ventura City Hall. FOTM leased a 2,000-square foot facility in the City of Ventura’s newly established Non-Profit Sustainability Center (NPSC). The stability of the NPSC has allowed FOTM (and many other non-profits) the opportunity to stabilize and continue to serve our community. As a result of their restructuring, FOTM hired a new Education Director, Aimee French, and three Learning to See instructors to teach in the Ventura County schools.

In 2016, when the City of Ventura allowed Brooks Institute to displace the NPSC, FOTM moved the collection to two small offices suites on third floor of the 505 Poli building. With city plans to develop the 505 Poli building soon, FOTM needs the stability of a permanent home. Please contact Donna Granata at [email protected] or call 653.2501 with any leads you may have. Thank you. To learn more about FOTM please visit www.FocusOnTheMasters.com.

Mitz-Khan-A-Khan DAR Chapter unveils California Historical Landmark No. 310 at Mission San Buenaventura

Photo by Stephen Adams

The Mitz-Khan-A-Khan Chapter of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) unveiled a 24”x 24” bronze marker of California Historical Landmark No. 310 that was placed on the front of Mission San Buenaventura on March 31. Present were the Daughters of the American Revolution Ventura Chapter Mitz-Khan-A-Khan, along with other statewide California DAR chapter members and Fr. Tom Elewaut, Pastor, at San Buenaventura Mission.

The Mitz-Khan-A-Khan Chapter of the NSDAR was organized February 20, 1931, and is named for the Chumash Native American village of Mitsquanaqa’n, where the Mission San Buenaventura was founded.

Vol. 11, No. 14 – Apr 11 – Apr 24, 2018 – Tech Today with Ken May

Stingrays in DC?

The federal government has formally acknowledged for the first time that it has located suspected and unauthorized cell-site simulators in various parts of Washington, DC.

The revelation, which was reported for the first time by the Associated Press, was described in a letter recently released from the Department of Homeland Security to the offices of Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Oregon).

“Overall, [DHS’ National Protection and Programs Directorate] believes the malicious use of IMSI catchers is a real and growing risk,” wrote Christopher Krebs, DHS’ acting undersecretary, in a March 26, 2018 letter to Wyden.

The letter and attached questionnaire say that DHS had not determined who is operating the simulators, how many it found, or where they were located.

DHS also said that its NPPD is “not aware of any current DHS technical capability to detect IMSI catchers.” The agency did not explain precisely how it was able to observe “anomalous activity” that “appears to be consistent” with cell-site simulators.

The devices, which are also known as ‘stingrays’ or IMSI catchers, are commonly used by domestic law enforcement nationwide to locate a particular phone. Sometimes, they can also be used to intercept text messages and phone calls. Stingrays act as a fake cell tower and effectively trick a cell phone into transmitting to it, which gives up the phone’s location.

Given that cell-site simulators have been used for years at home, it would be naive to think that malevolent actors, including criminals and foreign governments, would not attempt to set up stingrays in major American cities, particularly the capital.

DHS’ answers also say that the agency is “aware” of the use of stingrays in other US cities, although it did not name them.

“NPPD is aware of anomalous activity outside the [National Capital Region] that appears to be consistent with IMSI catchers,” Krebs also wrote. “NPPD has not validated or attributed this activity to specific entities or devices. However, NPPD has shared this information with Federal partners.”

In 2015, various federal law enforcement agencies, including the FBI, said that, in most circumstances, they will require a warrant when they use a stingray. Some states also impose similar requirements.

In 2014, the Federal Communications Commission began a task force into the “illicit” use of stingrays in America, but the investigation doesn’t appear to have produced any public reports or taken any meaningful actions.

There is currently no way for regular cellphone users to tell if their calls are being intercepted by one of these stingrays.

Volunteers hand out over 80 donated sleeping bags to homeless

Before sunrise on a cold Easter Sunday, good Samaritans Roy Foster and Kathy Powell, along with a few other dedicated volunteers, handed out over 80 donated sleeping bags to the homeless at the Armory in Ventura. These bags have been donated by neighbors and friends and collected by Roy and Kathy. The Armory, which is used as a winter shelter for homeless people, was being closed for the season. Roy stated ”It makes me feel wonderful when I see some homeless in Ventura in possession of the sleeping bags that they were given. This will keep them much more comfortable during the cold nights.”

Photos by Bernie Goldstein (our hero for being there at 5:30am)

State of the City summary

by Marie Lakin

The Thomas Fire hangs heavy over city events these days. And while green is returning to our hills, we are still healing. So it went with Ventura’s State of the City Address March 26.

In a change from previous years, staff gave the department reports, ever cognizant that our budget will need to cover fire-related expenses. Props go to Mayor Neal Andrews for delivering opening and closing remarks while recovering from double pneumonia.

Fire Chief David Endaya and his staff are our heroes, but they are also working under a challenging situation. While Measure O funding now keeps our East End Fire Station 4 open permanently, our first responders are only meeting their goal of arriving at an emergency in five minutes or less 56 percent of the time because of an ever-increasing call load.

Still, he is grateful that 27,000 citizens, mindful of the tragedy in Santa Rosa, evacuated from the hills in 90 minutes. “We survived this with zero loss of civilian life and this is something I will hold onto for the rest of my career,” Endaya said.

Whitewashing our city’s recent crime statistics did not seem to be part of Police Chief Ken Corney’s playbook. He noted that serious violent crime is up by 25 percent, the highest totals since 1992. Sixty eight percent of those crimes resulted in arrests. Property crimes decreased slightly and business crime decreased due to focused patrols.

More officers are being added through Measure O funding, Corney said.

Our homelessness team has strengthened partnerships with County Behavioral Health to address key issues. The reconnect program has reunited 145 homeless people with their families.

As we are currently in a Stage 3 drought situation, water is on everyone’s mind despite the recent deluges. Ventura Water General Manager Kevin Brown explained that the city is working with other districts on tapping into the state water pipeline and that project is due to be completed in 2021-22. A potable reuse program should be in place by 2025 that will produce 2,000 extra acre feet of water a year.

Public Works has been paving streets, including a big resurfacing project on Loma Vista, and working on storm drains, bridges, alleys and the pier. A parking lot at Palm and Santa Clara will become a parking structure. Kellogg Park on the Avenue is due for a grand opening April 14.

Arroyo Verde Park is open again but lost trees and structures in the fire. Grant Park is still closed, but both the Ventura Botanical Gardens and the Serra Cross Conservancy, which manages Serra Cross Park, are making repairs.

Community Development Director Jeff Lambert reported that Community Memorial Hospital is getting ready to open its new wing, the county hospital has opened theirs, and Kaiser has a new, highly visible presence on the 101. The auto center is expanding and the city is looking for other commercial entities to fill the area behind it. A Marriott Residence Inn will be built by the Golden China Restaurant near Seaward and the Elks Lodge downtown is being turned into a boutique hotel.

Housing development has been rapid on the west and east sides with infill projects, including affordable housing, appearing after a recession-era lull.

In his conclusion, Andrews called for the city to pull together. “I hope you appreciate how strong we are and how strong we will continue to be.” For more of his comments see page XXX.