The Museum of Ventura County is excited to announce the launch of “Feast or Flop,” an engaging free online cooking show that combines the world of culinary delights with recipes found in the Museum’s archives. Viewers are invited to join Museum of Ventura County Collections Manager Renee Tallent as she teams up with talented regional chefs to recreate vintage dishes and determines if they are worthy of a feast or a culinary flop. The first full episode spotlights Renee as she collaborates with Chef Adam Hart from the Oxnard College Culinary program to take on a recipe for Lima Bean Loaf, a vintage dish with a unique twist. This first episode is now available for streaming on the Museum of Ventura County’s website, www.VenturaMuseum.org/Feast.

“This is an exciting adventure that lets us dive into the culinary history of our beautiful County. ‘Feast or Flop’ is a fusion of gastronomy and history, showcasing the vibrant and diverse flavors that have shaped our community. It’s where vintage recipes meet modern chefs and the outcomes will be fascinating,” commented Renee Tallent, Collections Manager for the Museum of Ventura County.

In the second episode, Renee joins forces with Chef Luis Sanchez, Owner and Chef of Mouthful Eatery in Thousand Oaks, as they test a vintage recipe for Avocado Soup, offering a taste of the past with a modern twist. The “Feast or Flop” series will feature a total of six episodes, with new installments released every two weeks through November. Upcoming episodes include Chicken Poached in Champagne, Spanish Liver, Potato Caramel Cake, and Fattigmand Cake, each uncovering a different facet of Ventura County’s culinary heritage.

Season 25 begins! Rubicon Theatre, Ventura County’s premiere non-profit professional theatre company, dedicated to entertaining, engaging and enriching the lives of the region’s residents and visitors through innovative live performances, is thrilled to launch the company’s 25th “Silver” Anniversary Season, entitled Truly Yours, with The Fountain Theatre’s acclaimed West Coast Premiere production of The Lifespan Of A Fact running October 4 – 21, 2023.

Based on the nonfiction book by John D’Agata and Jim Fingal named “Best of the Year” by the Huffington Post, this fast-paced, funny, smart and timely play follows the conflict between an ambitious young fact-checker trying to make his mark and a prominent writer who has created a groundbreaking and poetic essay that may save a flailing magazine from collapse. The two come head-to-head in what Charles McNulty of the L.A. Times described as “an epic journalistic battle over the meaning of truth…ratcheted up for comic effect.”

Written by Jeremy Kareken, David Murrell and Gordon Farrell, The Lifespan Of A Fact had a successful run on Broadway in 2019 with Daniel Radcliffe (“Harry Potter”), and Tony winners Bobby Cannavale and Cherry Jones. The production ran for more than 100 performances.

The Fountain Theatre transfer directed by Simon Levy stars Ron Bottitta, Jonah Robinson and Inger Tudor. The production garnered more than a dozen rave reviews. McNulty lauded the play as an “engaging comedy,” noting that the authors don’t take sides and that the play offers an opportunity to “reexamine our assumptions.” BroadwayWorld hailed the production’s “sizzling performances,” while The Hollywood Reporter called the play “ingenious.”

Creator Gordon Farrell posted of the upcoming run, “Do not miss it! The best production of my play since Broadway — and in some ways better! A total treat! Get your tickets now!”

The Lifespan Of A Fact opens Saturday, October 7 at 7:00 p.m., with low-priced previews October 4 – 6. Performances during the regular run are Wednesdays at 2 and 7 p.m. (talkback following), Thursdays and Fridays at 7 p.m., Saturdays at 2 and 7 p.m., and Sundays at 2 p.m. Ticket prices range from $30 – $79.50 with discounts available for subscribers, students, military and equity.

by Richard Senate

For decades the Great Robbery at the Olivas Adobe was an enigma. Everyone knew something big had happened but the fact of the event were obscured over the centuries. No one knew who robbed the house, what year and date it happened or even how much was taken.

Storytellers had added much—the outlaw could only have been Joaquin Murrieta, the celebrated bandit who terrorized all California, and the amount taken must have been staggering. With one suggestion it was $75,000 in gold. The riddle was cracked by the hard-working research skills of Olivas Docent Lisa McGuirk who searching old newspaper clipping discovered a brief article in the Santa Barbara Gazette from the 1856 issue, dated September 18th. This find put all the stories to rest (at long Last).

To quote the article:

“We learn that a robbery was committed on the Olivas Rancho, below San Buenaventura, on Sunday evening last, by a large party of men (one report says thirty), who broke into the house and succeeded in carrying off $4,500. Two men have been arrested, and are in the custody of authorities at San Buenaventura.” $4,500 dollars in 1856 would be worth $157,307.07 in today’s purchasing power. Family legends say that the two captured men were taken to a tree in Ventura and hanged. The money was never recovered. Thanks to the hard work and eagle eye of Ms. Lisa McGuirk fact can now replace folklore at the Olivas Adobe.

by Mary Olson

Ventura County Library Offers Local Adults Scholarships to Earn Diplomas through Career Online High School.
According to the 2020 census, almost 15% of adults over the age of 25 residing in Ventura County are without a high school diploma. If you are over the age of 19 and ready to finish high school, the Ventura County Library is offering Career Online High School (COHS), a fully accredited online diploma program for you!

COHS scholarships are available through the VCL’s partnership with the California State Library and Smart Horizons Online Education, providing a 24/7 online classroom, personal academic coaches, and real-world career training.
The program includes courses in a variety of career pathways such as childcare and education, commercial driving, food services, home care professional, hospitality, introduction to manufacturing, office management, retail customer service, security professional, and general career preparation along with regular academic subjects.

Upon graduation, you will have an accredited diploma, a certificate in your chosen career path, a ready to use resume and cover letter, and other tools to start or advance your career.

For more information about the Career Online High School, visit www.vencolibrary.org/cohs or contact Antonio Apodaca—Education, Literacy, and Outreach Manager for Ventura County Library—at [email protected] or (805) 677-7159.

Former FBI and DOJ Special Agent Kenneth Strange will visit the Ojai Library at 2 pm on Saturday, October 14, to talk about his newest book, A Cop’s Son: One G-Man’s Fight Against Jihad, Global Fraud and the Cartels.

Strange served with three distinct and distinguished U.S. government agencies pursuing criminals and bad actors, including some of the most heinous criminals on the planet. His service to those agencies brought him into direct conflict with Jihadists, International Fraudsters, and the Cartels. What sets this book apart from any other in the law enforcement genre are not only the true crime investigative stories accrued over a remarkable career or the posthumous homage paid to his father’s storied 38-year NYPD career, but the fact that few federal agents could cobble together such fascinating and diverse investigations across the globe.

This event is free and open to the public. For additional information, contact Ron Solórzano, Regional Librarian, at (805) 218-9146 or [email protected].

Women’s Economic Ventures presents a Financial Empowerment Class, in the Topping Room in E.P. Foster Library on Saturday, October 7, 10:30 am to 1:30 pm

In this free 3-hour class, you’ll learn how to: Take control of your personal finances: understand your “money mindset” and create new financial habits to increase your financial confidence and resilience; Set meaningful financial goals: Create a budget, pay off debt, manage your money and achieve your long-term financial goals and Become a more effective and financially confident business owner.

Learn more and register at https://www.wevonline.org/classes-resources/financial-empowerment/

The Teen Advisory Group meets in E.P. Foster Library on the 2nd & 4th Mondays, 5 to 6 pm. Teens plan fun TEEN and CHILDREN’S events and earn community service hours. For more information, call 805 626 READ

Game On! Board Games for All Ages at Hill Road Library, Sundays, 11 am to 1 pm. Drop by and choose from over 35 games to play! For all ages. Fun for families or a great reason to meet with friends.

During the 2022-23 school year, two exceptional students, Jasmine Paramo and Madison Hawley, enrolled in Mr. Yorke’s AP Environmental Science class at Buena High School, and embarked on a remarkable journey to make their school an official Ocean Guardian School. The dynamic duo led by their teacher successfully applied for a grant through the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Ocean Guardian school program. Their vision was to transform Buena High School into an eco-conscious institution with a particular focus on a mixed-use garden.

The project’s primary goals were to cultivate herbs and vegetables, serving as a resource for Buena High’s Culinary Program, while also nurturing native plants to support local pollinators and biodiversity. Their dedication has borne fruit as Mr. Yorke recently received the exciting news that they have been awarded a $4000 grant, officially designating Buena High School as an Ocean Guardian School.

This year, 13 Environmental Field Studies capstone students from Buena High School will be leading the charge in planning and executing this transformative project. As project managers, they are eager to take on the challenge. The impact of this endeavor will extend beyond the school’s walls. By growing organic fruits, vegetables, and herbs the culinary arts classes will reduce their pesticide and nutrient pollution footprint, sourcing ingredients from a sustainable, on-campus garden rather than potentially nonorganic suppliers. The installation of drip irrigation and rain collection barrels will not only support the garden’s growth but also conserve water resources that would otherwise go unused. Additionally, the creation of native plant habitats will reduce water usage and promote water filtration over harmful runoff.

Mr. Yorke also serves on the education seat for the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary Council. Through this role, he became acquainted with NOAA and its programs. Mr. Yorke commented, “I firmly believe that hands-on, real-world opportunities are incredible vehicles for students to learn scientific practices and principles. These kinds of real-world opportunities help foster deeper understanding, practical skills, and critical thinking. Students involved in projects like this become well-rounded, engaged, and scientifically literate individuals prepared to contribute meaningfully to the world and make it a better place.”