Ventura Restaurant Week returns on Jan. 22-29, and it’s a great time to visit Downtown and Midtown and explore a diverse mix of tastes and plates, all for $20 or less.

Downtown Ventura Partners, in conjunction with California Restaurant Month, is heading efforts to return the ever-popular Restaurant Week to town. Find a complete listing of restaurants and special offers at www.downtownventura.org/RW.

“What began as a simple initiative to promote local businesses has grown into an annual statewide collaboration promoting culinary tourism in California,” said Visit California President and CEO Caroline Beteta.

“We are proud to participate as Restaurant Week continues to grow and position Ventura as a top foodie destination,” said DVP Director Kevin Clerici.

The participating restaurants decided on the theme, “20 under $20,” with a special deal for $20 or less.

Also, get social and win $50. Post about your experience at different locations by using the hashtag, #VenturaEats, and tag @DowntownVentura to be entered to win a $50 gift card to a Restaurant Week Restaurant of your choice. The winner will be chosen on Jan. 30.

Keep your receipt and shop Downtown for 15% off at Spice-Topia, 576 E. Main St.

Some highlights include:

• Barrelhouse 101, 545 E. Thompson Blvd. – Avenue Burger and a local beer flight for $19.
• Paradise Pantry, 222 E. Main St. – Mini wine flight with mini Mac & Cheese and half sandwich for $20.
• Grapes & Hops, 454 E. Main St. – Gourmet 2 Cheese Plate and 2 Glasses of select wine or 2 Paninis and 2 Pints (select Beers) for $20.
• Winchester’s Grill & Saloon, 632 E. Main St. – Steak & Ale for $19.95. Order Chicken, Pork or Steak off the petite menu and enjoy any tap beer under $6.75.
• Cork, 1930 E. Main St. – Plate of three empanadas (your choice) with a glass of either Old Soul Chardonnay or Old Soul Pinot Noir for $20.
• Aloha Steakhouse, 364 S. California St. – Coconut curry pumpkin stew served with creamy coconut rice and fresh herbs. Your choice of crispy tofu or chicken, $19.99.
• VenTiki, 701 E. Main St. – Cali Fresh Roll & a VenTiki Mai Tai for $18.95.

by CMH

As part of the exterior landscaping for the new CMH, our gabion walls are creating considerable conversation as people keep asking why the retaining walls have been left unfinished. The answer is quite simple – they haven’t been.

The word “gabion” comes from the Italian word gabbionee, meaning “bird cage,” and that is exactly what it is. A gabion wall is made of stacked stone-filled gabions tied together with wire. Used for thousands of years by the military and structural engineers, gabions provide an attractive, effective and relatively inexpensive retaining-wall system.

The gabion walls in front of the new hospital will be located near the Dining Terrace and in the Park in front of the main entrance. These walls will hold Ojai sandstones – the same material used for the tiles on the front of the hospital.

Activism is on the horizon and for many the shaping of our future is up for grabs. Our local community is joining millions around the world and marching for justice, equality, civil and environmental rights. On January 21 at 10am at Plaza Park activist are coming together in solidarity to make their voices heard.

Justice For All organizer Catherine Pulisic said, “The time for our community to become active in building an America that we are proud of, one which is inclusive of all, that embraces our differences yet focuses on our commonalities as human beings, is now! We need to start thinking of how decisions, policy and elected officials impact our people. We need to be open to loving more and fearing less”.

She, along with fellow organizer, Kathleen Shore, saw the need to provide a platform that allows communities and local organizations to work collectively as a whole rather than in silos, show support for vulnerable groups and mobilize people into action.

Kathleen understands the importance of equality firsthand. You see, Kathleen has been married to the same person three times. That may seem a little excessive to some, but until more recently there wasn’t a legal way for her and her wife to tie themselves into a family.

But now there is unrest and anxiety over what the future holds. “Our Justice For All March is meant to be an uplifting and peaceful demonstration of the power and trust we can have in each other to do the right thing,” said Catherine.

The Justice For All March will kick off with opening ceremonies. People will take to the streets and travel around downtown Ventura and march in unity and support for women, LGBTQIA, immigrants, disabled, the planet, the poor, refugees, African Americans, Hispanics, Muslims and uphold the dignity and rights of every person.

Following the march there will be a local group and nonprofit showcase, speakers, entertainment, live music, kids activities, food and more! For more information visit https://www.facebook.com/justiceforallventura/ or email [email protected].

The Ventura Chamber of Commerce will hold its Annual Meeting and Board Installation on Thursday, January 19 at The Pierpont Inn from 5:30-7:30pm. The 2017 Ventura Chamber Board will be installed, overview and highlights of the past year will be shared, and long-term Chamber members will be honored.

Networking, hors d’oeuvres and a signature cocktail will be featured. All Chamber members and their guests are invited to attend.

Tickets are $25 for Chamber members and $40 for non-members when reserved in advance. $5 extra at the door.

The Ventura Chamber of Commerce is a membership based organization that advocates on behalf of the business community. With nearly 800 members, representing more than 27,000 employees locally, the Chamber engages on a variety of issues that help to drive a strong local economy as The Voice of Business.

Welcome 2017
by Elizabeth Rodeno

CAPS had quite a year in 2016. The staff and volunteers worked hard and had a lot of fun creating and producing programming for the community. As always we will continue our commitment to the City of Ventura with not only coverage of meetings but video support in other areas. These including producing training videos, working together to support our businesses of the month and celebrating City events. We continue to strengthen our ties with the School district, library, college, public safety and non-profit organizations.

The first quarter of 2017 will be busy for us all. Our unique production studio will receive upgrades including cameras and switcher which will improve capabilities and production values on your next project. Check on our website for further information.

CAPS will be home to the newest addition, CAPS Radio. KPPQ – LP will be found at 104.1 FM on your radio dial come February. Spread the word and contact us at [email protected] about upcoming meetings, training and events. We hope you choose to support our latest venture which will be so vital for the city of Ventura and beyond. CAPS Radio will continue our pursuit to make CAPS Media Center the best media center around.

CAPS continues to encourage and support everyone in the community to share their voice. The community’s citizen’s voices must be heard. You have a tremendous opportunity many cities do not have to share your voices and talk about issues that affect you. We are very fortunate with the opportunity to uphold the first amendment which gives everyone the right to free speech. With CAPS Media center’s public access television channels 6 and 15, and soon our low power FM station, the opportunity is clear and available for a small membership fee.

Our members are sharing their voices today, whether they are covering events and interviewing people in the community, or abroad, from the houses of worship, in front of city council or from the educational institutions. We want you to be part of the discussion to support media, whether it be print, video or via the radio.  Are you involved with a non-profit organization throughout the county? Come support us and we will help you tell your story.  Go to www.CAPSMedia.org for more information

With the opportunity for citizens to share their stories in a different medium that will enhance and support our mission. In such a community oriented city, we will provide an additional resource to everyone. As with our television channels, CAPS Radio will provide top notch facilities, training and opportunities to share stories. This is also a perfect way for the youth to expand their venues and offer those who speak different languages a place on the airwaves.

Watch channel 6 to hear what the public has to say and watch channel 15 to experience the city’s vision to provide the best and clearest information for all and stay tuned for CAPS Radio at 104.1 FM and streaming through our website.  Go to www.capsmedia.org for all the information.

with Ken May
What is social engineering?

A common misconception most people have about cyber attackers is that they use only highly advanced tools and techniques to hack into people’s computers or accounts. This is simply not true. Cyber attackers have learned that often the easiest way to steal your information, hack your accounts, or infect your systems is by simply tricking you into making a mistake.

Social engineering is a psychological attack where an attacker tricks you into doing something you should not do. The concept of social engineering is not new; it has existed for thousands of years. Think of scammers or con artists, it is the very same idea. The simplest way to understand how these attacks work and protect yourself from them is to take a look at two real-world examples. You receive a phone call from someone claiming to be from a computer support company, your ISP, or Microsoft Tech Support. The caller explains that your computer is actively scanning the Internet. They believe it is infected and have been tasked with helping you secure your computer. They then use a variety of technical terms and take you through confusing steps to convince you that your computer is infected. Once they have tricked you into believing your computer is infected, they pressure you into buying their security software or giving them remote access to your computer so they can fix it. If you give them remote access to your computer, they are going to take it over, steal your data, or use it for their bidding.

Another example is an email attack called CEO Fraud. This is when an attacker identifies the name of your boss or coworker. The attacker then crafts an email pretending to be from that person and sends the email to you. The email urgently asks you to take an action, such as conducting a wire transfer or emailing sensitive employee information. Quite often, these emails pretend there is an emergency that urgently requires you to bypass standard security procedures. What makes targeted attacks like these so dangerous is the cyber attackers do their research beforehand. In addition, security technologies like anti-virus or firewalls cannot detect or stop these attacks because there is no malware or malicious links involved.

Fortunately, stopping such attacks is simpler then you may think. If something seems suspicious or does not feel right, it may be an attack. The most common clues of a social engineering attack include:

• Someone creating a tremendous sense of urgency. They are attempting to fool you into making a mistake.
• Someone asking for information they should not have access to or should already know, such as your account numbers.
• Someone asking for your password. No legitimate organization will ever ask you for that.
• Someone pressuring you to bypass or ignore security processes or procedures you are expected to follow at work.
• Something too good to be true. For example, you are notified you won the lottery or an iPad, even though you never even entered the lottery.
• You receive an odd email from a friend or coworker containing wording that does not sound like them.

If you suspect someone is trying to trick or fool you, do not communicate with the person anymore. If the attack is work related, be sure to report it to your help desk or information security team right away. Remember, common sense is often your best defense. Computers having technology support can help keep you safe online, especially when it is in business, there are companies around the country that can help you with your I.T needs, such as it support kansas city if you are living in that area. Don’t feel afraid to get help, always make sure that you are safe and secure in everything you do online.

Ref: SANS OUCH! | January 2017

by James Francis Gray
“Our goal is to strengthen children, families and communities to be safe, healthy and thriving.”

Since 1973, Interface Children & Family Services, a non-profit organization has served Ventura County as a grassroots response to struggling youth and families. Now, Interface is the region’s most comprehensive provider of safety net services, addressing the annual complex needs of 24,000 individuals annually. Executive Director, Erik Sternad said, “Many of Interface’s clients are low and very- low-income adults, children, and youths subject to the stressors of poverty, homelessness, family conflict, domestic violence, child abuse, and even human trafficking. We want the community to know that Interface is a one-stop resource for anyone in the midst of personal or family crisis seeking safety and stability at home.”

Interface, from their beginning, has been on the front line, opening one of California’s first domestic violence shelters. Today, they operate a 24/7 hotline and a Family Violence Response Team that is on high alert to respond to calls from law enforcement and victims of domestic violence fleeing violence day or night. Interface operates one of only two emergency shelters that exist in Ventura County and several dedicated transitional homes. These facilities provide up to 18 months of services to ensure the safety, health and economic well-being of survivors and their children.

Nicholle Gonzalez-Seitz, Interface Director of Family Violence Intervention Services said, “Reducing domestic violence in Ventura County is one of the agency’s highest strategic priorities. The only way to dramatically reduce domestic violence in our region is to coordinate our efforts. We are proud to be among the organizations taking a pledge to #move ToEndDV with Meathead Movers and other high profile partners. Together we can raise awareness of this issue and be a support for victims so they don’t have to suffer in silence. In 2016, we successfully launched our DV Champions for Change campaign and have community leaders, businesses, corporations, clinics and other non-profits joining us to achieve this goal.”

Interface needs your help. Domestic violence prevention services are only possible through donations and grants from individuals and organizations, as well as by the work of dedicated volunteers and staff. Community members who wish to support Interface are encouraged to designate a gift to DV Champions for Change, attend Love is Brewing Luncheon and Tea on May 7 at Limoneira Ranch, or contact Interface at 4001 Mission Oaks Blvd., Suite I, Camarillo, CA 93012,  485-6114, www.icfs.org/DVChampion.