Barbara Quaid, Chief Executive Officer and General Manager of the Ventura County Fairgrounds, has been elected as President of the Western Fairs Association’s (WFA) Board of Directors. She was inaugurated at the Association’s annual conference in Anaheim.

Quaid will serve a one-year term as WFA President. She has served as 2015 Vice President and 2014 Treasurer.

As President of the 19 member elected Board, Quaid will represent the more than 800 WFA members and will work on their behalf for legislative advocacy, as well as govern the activities and policies of the association.

Barbara Quaid’s association with the Ventura County Fair began in 1972 as a volunteer in the exhibits department. Her career included many roles as a Fairgrounds staff member, earning the position of deputy manager. She currently serves as the Fairgrounds General Manager and CEO. Quaid serves on the Board of Directors of the Ventura Chamber of Commerce, the Ventura Visitors Bureau and is active in the Ventura County Fairgrounds Foundation.

The Western Fairs Association is a non-profit trade association serving the Fair industry throughout the Western United States and Canada. WFA serves fair-related businesses, fair management, fair board directors, festivals, and industry associations.

The 2016 Ventura County Fair, “A Country Fair with Ocean Air,” is August 3 – 14.

For information about the Ventura County Fairgrounds visit www.venturacountyfair.org or call 648-3376.

by Mira Reverente

When it rains, it pours. Blessings, that is. That pretty much sums up the past year for Meghan Long, a single mom of twin young boys.

Divorced, broke and in treatment for substance abuse, the 32-year-old’s future was uncertain for a while. One step at a time, she tackled her issues, starting with a detox program, at Prototypes. “The program provided me with some much-needed structure,” says Long of her four-month stint at the women’s treatment center off of Victoria Avenue.

“We got up at the same time every day, completed our chores and attended classes, meetings or counseling sessions regularly,” she says. “We had to ‘act’ like we were getting ready to go to work every day.”

Upon “graduation” from the program, Long tackled her housing situation next and was fortunate to land a spot at The City Center, a transitional living center for families, along Thompson Boulevard.

“It’s a working program for families in transition,” says Jim Duran, executive director of the center. “It’s for adults with children and the adults are required to get a job within 30 days.”

That is exactly what Long accomplished in the first month of her stay. As a server at a local restaurant, she works Monday to Friday, while the boys are in pre-school. Occasionally, she’ll pick up an evening or weekend shift, if her mom or dad can watch the boys.

For some of them with little or no financial literacy training, a few concepts like savings, budgeting and bill-paying are new. “The residents are required to allocate 30% of their pay for rent, 20% for savings and the remainder for groceries and other day-to-day expenses,” says Duran. “We help them come up with a budget and we teach them the concept of interest – how their savings can grow in interest-bearing accounts.”

The young mom appreciates all the new life skills she’s picking up, including time management and personal accountability. She says, “We rotate through chores. This week, I’m supposed to sweep the laundry room.”

“We also have to be home by 9 pm every day,” she says of the curfew. “I don’t mind because it’s so peaceful and safe in here.”

For anything and everything, the residents get support from the staff. Olga Hamra is a case manager who screens and interviews potential residents and helps them get settled once they’re in.

“We talk about anything and I help them process whatever issues they’re facing,” she says. “In situations like Meghan’s, stress and anxiety are fairly common.”

Unfortunately, Long’s journey at the center did not have the much-anticipated happy ending. She was evicted right around the holidays for breaking the rules.

“She had just earned a weekend pass,” says Duran, explaining that residents earn weekend passes by completing assigned chores, achieving set goals – a reward for good behavior basically.

Long was given a second chance but had to make some amends by attending a couple of meetings. “She dragged her feet with the process,” says Duran. “So we had to let her go.”

He says, “We’re all about chances and we’re in it for people to win, but they need to do their part. They also need to learn that there are consequences to their actions.”

Meantime, another resident has taken Long’s place, joining many others on the journey to independence, full of promise and potential. Good wishes and high hopes abound at the center.

For more information on The City Center, visit thecitycenter.org.

Applications are now being accepted for the 8^th annual Henry Schwab Ventura
County Violin/Viola Competition. The contest is open to Ventura County residents up to the age of 22.  This competition is sponsored by a grant from the Henry Schwab Charitable Fund and encourages young musicians and also furthers their musical education.

The preliminary audition will be held March 19 at the Ventura College Recital Hall. Three candidates will be selected who will compete on June 18

at the Ventura College Performing Arts Center, accompanied by the Ventura College Symphony Orchestra. The competitions are open to the public. Free admission to the preliminary competition; for the final competition there will be a charge of $15.00 general, $5.00 for seniors/staff/students.

First prize is $1,500, second prize $1,000 and third prize $500.00. Questions can be addressed to Connie Hood at 323-610-7704 or Ann Kosinski at 658-8180.

If you have a question you would like answered send it to [email protected] and we will try to get an answer for you.

Q.   What is proposed on the triangle lot where the closed Joes Crabshack is located ?
Walt Mattace

A.   The proposed project, at 567 Sanjon (or is it San Jon?)  is a 231-unit multi-family residential apartment project and the demolition of a 7,000 square foot restaurant building on approximately 11 acres. The project includes 137 one-bedroom units, 91 two-bedroom units, and 3 three-bedroom units.

Additionally, the project includes a new bluff-top public promenade with overlook areas fronting onto Hwy 101 Freeway. Additionally, a 20,000 square foot publicly accessible park space is proposed to be developed at the western edge of the project site adjacent to the southern terminus of Ash Street. The project proposes one new street designed as a two lane collector (it will be called Vista Del Mar)with public parking available on both sides of the street. Sidewalks are located on both sides of the street for pedestrian access.

The proposed project was reviewed by the Design Review Committee on Jan.20. The Committee had several concerns about the project as submitted including the possibility of incorporating the shuttered Crabshack into the plans. The project will be going back to the Committee after their concerns have been considered. It will still be several years away from development while securing the many approvals required.

If you want more information regarding this the city planner handling the project is Jared Rosengren, AICP at 658-4737.

“I didn’t know that Scamp wrote for the Ventura Breeze. I will get his pawtograph next time that I see him?”

Crooked Eye Tommy appearing on Ventura Rocks at CAPS.

Your Media Center
By Elizabeth Rodeno

CAPS Media Center has a dedicated staff, Board, volunteers and members. This is something most non-profit organizations would love to have. This year we have committed to sharing our knowledge and experience with the community. The projects in the pipeline are many and varied. Our team of media makers is strong. The volunteers committed. Ventura and its people, places and history are our palette.  Channel 6, 15 and the web are our venues.

Our part-time staff is a great bunch – skilled film makers who happen to have degrees from Oxnard and Brooks. Jamie and Aaron are out filming and editing projects they’d like to call their own. Aaron is having fun using his creativity to share stories about kids and programs in Ventura. Jamie is making Ventura Rocks come together and pulling together the legacies of Ventura. We have film and animation fan Manny who started as a volunteer and is now supporting CAPS and is out filming projects and events.  Our rock musician programmer, Kristina, works the mixing board at our Ventura Rocks productions as well as getting your shows on the air.  Phil, producer, poet laureate and teacher, has put together a terrific training program for young producers and continues to work on the multi-cam productions with Evan.

The edit bays are buzzing and the cameras are getting a workout these days. Our members are in the studio producing talk shows and stand-ups. The cameras go out all week and every week. They are used to capture stories, events, church services and more. These producers are always looking for volunteers for their shows.  If you’re interested in learning how to make video, stop by for more information, join and take the free training classes to get you ready to go.

Ventura Rocks @ CAPS is now on Episode 3. We invited Medicine Hat and Crooked Eye Tommy in and have 50 Sticks of Dynamite ready to go. A big thanks goes out to Ventura Breeze music writer Pam Baumgardner and her beloved music scene.

We will be launching the new and improved CAPS Media website featuring online class registrations, video links to shows and a new streaming feature!!! You’ll hear from us as we will need your support to help make CAPS Radio a reality. Stop by CAPS Media at 65 Day Road or call us at 658-0500.