Webcam viewers have been captivated watching tiny bald eagle chicks that hatched in a nest at Sauces Canyon on Santa Cruz Island.

There are 13 active bald eagle nests, with at least 22 known eggs laid thus far in the breeding season. The nests includes two on Santa Rosa Island, five on Santa Cruz Island, five on Catalina Island, and one on San Clemente Island.

“This is a great start to the bald eagle breeding season,” said Dr. Peter Sharpe with the Institute for Wildlife Studies. “Since I joined the bald eagle restoration project on the Channel Islands over 21 years ago, I have seen the number of breeding pairs increase from just three to potentially 21 active breeding pairs this year.”

There are five bald eagle webcams that capture the daily growth, feeding habits, and behaviors of the Channel Islands birds. They are available thanks to the generous support of explore.org and iws.org.

Explore Annenberg installed new cameras for some of the webcams, which now provide dramatic close-up views of the bald eagles and increased viewing quality (you can even see flies).

Bald eagles disappeared from the Channel Islands in the 1960s due the effects of DDT and human persecution. The increasing number of bald eagles due to recovery efforts on the Channel Islands is evident from the growing number of bald eagle sightings on the mainland. This year, Channel Islands birds have been seen far and wide, from British Columbia and Oregon to numerous destinations throughout southern and central California.

To view the bald eagle webcams visit: explore.org. For more information on Bald Eagles visit Institute for Wild Life Studies at iws.org (locations-California-find Santa Cruz on map).

To view a recording of the Sauces Canyon Bald Eagle chicks hatching visit:

A large enthusiastic Ventura crowd joined the March for Our Lives on Saturday, March 24 at Plaza Park.

Many in the crowd held handmade signs high over their heads as they marched from the park through downtown Ventura greeted by many honking horns.

In recognizing what the youth have started one sign read “I’m Joining The Party These Kids Have Just Started” and “Stop Truth Decay” was one of the funnier ones.

The Mitz-Khan-A-Khan Chapter of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR)will be unveiling a 24”x 24” bronze marker of California Historical Landmark No. 310 placed on the front of Mission San Buenaventura on March 31, at 9:30 a.m. This historical marker will be visible and photographed by many visitors from around the world. The mission is located at 211 East Main St. The ceremony will be followed by a reception in the mission courtyard.

Honored guests attending include:

• Adele Lancaster, DAR State Vice Regent
• Patti Swayze, DAR District VII Representative
• Talin Sardarbegians, Coordinator, Office of Congresswoman Julia Brownley

Mission San Buenaventura was founded on March 31, 1782, which is 236 years to the day of the upcoming ceremony of this historical landmark. San Buenaventura Mission is the ninth and last mission consecrated by Saint Junipero Serra. Named in honor of Saint Bonaventura (1221-1274: Cardinal and Doctor of the Church), it is known as the “Mission by the Sea”.

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.

The public is invited to attend this historical event. For further information please contact:
Angelee Conroy, Regent Mitz-Khan-A-Khan, Ventura Chapter California DAR, NSDAR at [email protected].

On Wednesday, Mar. 28, ground was broken on the Rancho Verde Apartments, the first USDA Section 514 rental housing property to be developed by the Housing Authority of the City of San Buenaventura (HACSB). It will be the first net zero energy multifamily residential property in the City of Ventura.

In this new development, 24 USDA Rural Housing units will be constructed as a multi-family site for farmworker households. Rancho Verde Ventura LP, a limited partnership affiliated with the Housing Authority of the City of San Buenaventura, is the owner and the Housing Authority of the City of San Buenaventura will be property manager. It is located at S. Saticoy Avenue and Blackburn Rd.

The project has been designed to achieve the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED for Homes Platinum Certification. The landscaping will be irrigated by an onsite greywater facility. The architect is Mainstreet Architects + Planners, Inc., and the general contractor is Ashwood Construction, Inc.

The HACSB is the largest residential landlord in the City of Ventura, with over 300 public housing units, more than 1,500 Section 8 vouchers, and over 500 non-profit affordable rental units. The agency is actively working to increase the supply of affordable housing and to improve the quality of life for hundreds more of the low-income residents throughout the City of Ventura.

Vendor applications are now being accepted for the 25th Annual Oxnard Salsa Festival, July 28-29, at Plaza Park, Fifth and “B” Streets in downtown Oxnard. The festival celebrates everything salsa…the food, music and dance. An estimated 40,000 people attend the two-day event.

Festival organizers look for vendors who can provide quality, fun and interesting items. Over 100 merchants from around California come to the event each year offering an assortment of unique wares including fashions and jewelry, pottery, custom glassware, gourmet sauces, artwork and home décor. Local restaurants are also encouraged to provide samples of their best specialty salsas in the festival’s Salsa Tasting Tent.

Presented by the Oxnard Downtowners, the Oxnard Salsa Festival attracts festivalgoers from Santa Barbara to Orange County. Besides the vendor marketplace, it features top salsa and Latin jazz bands, non‐stop salsa dancing (dance lessons too), a Kids Zone, international foods and a salsa recipe challenge.

Vendor applications and booth pricing are online at www.oxnardsalsafestival.com. The application deadline for returning vendors is April 30 and May 11 for new vendors. For more information, call 535‐4060 or email [email protected].

The Ventura Breeze sent our contributing photographer Michael Gordon to the Reagan Library to take photos of Ronald and Nancy. He stated “ I tried to raise Ronnie from the concrete slab, but Nancy kept him in place. I was able to capture the Khan and a few other artifacts around the library including the Jam Sran Tsam Mask.”

Environmental Storytellers, a new speaker series from Resource Conservation Partners, starts March 28, from 6pm to 8pm at MadeWest Brewing Co.

Resource Conservation Partners, a non-profit organization formed in 2009 to focus on habitat restoration and enhancement of open spaces and critically degraded eco systems throughout Ventura County, has launched a new speaker series called Environmental Storytellers. Each month industry experts will discuss a key environmental issue and engage attendees in a thought-provoking conversation. Attendance is free, information available at www.resourceconservationpartners.com.

Joel Trumbo, Senior Environmental Scientist at the California Dept of Fish & Wildlife will discuss the safety and regulating operations for glyphosate, the controversial herbicide used to control invasive plants. Is glyphosate safe for humans? Where is it used and which foods contain glyphosate? Can glyphosate affect birds, fish, or other wildlife? Trumbo will present the facts with scientific support and provide a big picture overview of land management issues and strict state regulatory reporting requirements. Based in Sacramento, Trumbo is an expert on land restoration and land management practices. His presentations are engaging, conversational, funny, straight forward and unbiased.

No cost to attend. Food trucks and beverages available for purchase. Venue host, MadeWest will donate 20% of sales to Resource Conservation Partners — a 501(c)(3) local organization.

RSVP at [email protected] or call 889-0529

MadeWest Brewing Company, 1744 Donlon St.

Resource Conservation Partners, a non-profit organization formed in 2009 to focus on habitat restoration and enhancement of open spaces and critically degraded eco systems throughout Ventura County.

Cabrillo Economic Development Corporation will conduct a groundbreaking ceremony for its newest affordable housing development, Phase II of Snapdragon Place Apartments, at 10 a.m., Thursday, April 5, at Snapdragon Place Apartments, 11094 Snapdragon Street, Ventura.

The event will begin at 10 a.m. with a reception in the Community Room at Snapdragon Place Apartments. The program will include a welcome address from Cabrillo and its project partners. Following the program, attendees will walk to the building site for the groundbreaking ceremony and photos.

Cabrillo is developing the project in partnership with the Housing Authority of San Buenaventura, which will serve as the property management company.

Phase I of the project, which included 28 units, in 2015. Phase II will provide another 22 homes.

Phase II will consist of five two-story buildings enclosing a landscaped interior courtyard. The unit mix includes four one-bedroom homes (640 square feet), 10 two-bedroom homes (958 square feet), and eight three-bedroom homes (1,177 square feet).

The project will include 11 special needs units, of which, four one-bedroom units are designated for homeless veterans through the Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing program and seven non-VASH units.

The Cabrillo Economic Development Corporation (CEDC) is seeking nominations for the inaugural Housing Heroes Awards for individuals and an organization making a difference in affordable housing in Ventura County.

“This is an opportunity to recognize and celebrate individuals and organizations who have made exceptional contributions as an affordable housing advocate, leader, and partner,” said Margarita H. de Escontrias, Cabrillo’s CEO. “With the high cost of housing and the shortage of affordable housing in our region, this support is critical to provide safe and secure shelter and resources for those who need it.”

Cabrillo is accepting nomination for the following categories:

• Rodney Fernandez Advocate Award – Individual supporting affordable housing
• Jaime Bordenave Professional Award – Professional in affordable housing
• Outstanding Business Partner Award – Business supporting affordable housing
• Outstanding Community Partner Award – Nonprofit partnership

To submit a nomination, please send a brief explanation describing why the nominee is deserving of this recognition. Please include your name and address and, if possible, the names and addresses of persons who can provide further information on the nominee. A single nomination will place the individual or company name in consideration for the respective award.

Award nominations will be accepted through April 30, 2018.

Submit your nomination via email to [email protected], or by mail to:

The Housing Heroes Awards
Cabrillo Economic Development Corporation
702 County Square Drive, Ste 200
Ventura, CA 93003