Photos by Patricia Schallert
The Ventura Chamber held a gala ribbon cutting at Portside Ventura Harbor. Portside is a coastal community with apartments for lease in a spectacular location on Pierpont Bay. The ribbon cutting featured food, drinks, music and tours of Portside. Development team representatives were present with Ventura dignitaries.
Portside 805-819-2053 1196 Spinnaker Dr.
by Ana Baker
Wanna Play Bridge? Join us for ACBL-sanctioned duplicate bridge games.
Every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday at 12:30 p.m. All levels of play, and we will guarantee to have a partner for you if you need one. Lessons are available. Contact: Richard 805-850-8011 or Rose 805-659-9223 or [email protected]. All Welcome.
The Ventura County Philatelic Society’s meetings are held every first and third Monday of the month at the Church of the Foothills. Meetings start at 7:30 p.m. Website with more information can be found at https://venturacountyphilatelicsoc.org
Monthly Beach Cleanup First Saturday of every month. Meet your neighbors and help keep our beach looking fresh. Pierpont Beach Community Council hosts us in partnership with Surfrider. Meet up at the end of Seward near the beach. (1140 S Seward St) 8:30-10:30 a.m. Arrive any time during the timeframe. Fun for the whole family! Supplies provided BYO water.
Sept. 3: Old-Time Country Bluegrass Gospel Music Assoc. Sunday 2-4 p.m. at the Poinsettia Pavilion, 3451 Foothill Rd. Live Music on stage. Jamming in the Canada Room. Free admission and parking. Open to the Public. For more information call 805-517-1131 or visit Facebook: OTCBGMA Current Ventura County Covid regulations will apply.
Sept. 3: Open house tours of the 1892 Dudley Historic House Museum will take place on Sunday from 1 – 4 p.m. Admission is free. The museum is at the corner of Loma Vista and Ashwood Streets (197 N. Ashwood). For information, please call (805) 642-3345 or visit the website at dudleyhouse.org.
Sept. 5 & 19: The Ventura Senior Men’s Group continues to meet for a social lunch and program at the Poinsettia Pavilion in Ventura on the first and third Tuesday of each month. Men of all descriptions are welcome to stop to sample our shenanigans. Lyle Hotzler at 805-341-9820
Sept. 5 – Mary Cathcart from the Community Memorial Hospital. She’s an officer in the Auxiliary and will speak on the many men and women that volunteer in the many services of the hospital. This ranges from the pharmacy and ICU to greeters and those in records. It’s a very rewarding activity with varied work days and reasonable hours. They’re always in need of people who have leadership skills.
Sept. 19 – Bob Harris from the Gold Coast Veterans Foundation. Should be an informative talk on the needs and services available for veterans on the central coast. I imagine we will get some interesting stories about unusual cases of veterans in our community.
Sept. 5: Beach City Neighbors and Newcomers (BCNN) – Women’s social organization serving women in Oxnard, Ventura, and Port Hueneme. Wednesday from 9:30 – 11:15 a.m. at the Ventura Yacht Club. 1755 Spinnaker Dr. The speakers are Kellie Tyndall and Deputy District Attorney Melissa McMurdo. They both will discuss prevention and everything available in our community. BCNN has dozens of small groups off-shoots, from sports activities to wine tasting, bridge, games, book groups, and more.
Sept. 8: Sespe Fly Fishers of Ventura will be conducting our monthly “First Saturday” introductory Fly Rod Casting and Intro to Fly Fishing clinic. It will be on September 8 due to the Labor Day Weekend. There is no charge and all are welcome.
Whether you are an experienced fly fisher or a complete novice we want to help you improve your casting and learn to enjoy this great sport. If you don’t yet have a fly rod, don’t worry, just come and use one of ours.
Please join us at Chumash Park, Petit and Waco, 9:00 to 11:00 am, in East Ventura, off Telephone Rd. For everyone’s safety we ask all those attending to please comply with any current recommendations by the Ventura County Health Department.
While vacationing in Kauai Hawaii Edwin Harkins took time to catch up with Ventura news.
by Mary Olson
The Ventura County Library has announced its sixth annual One County, One Book community reading program. One County, One Book aims to unite the Ventura County community around a common narrative, spreading interest in and facilitating discussions about the selected book.
This year’s One County, One Book selection is Solito, by Javier Zamora. Solito is Zamora’s memoir of his migration from El Salvador to the United States at the age of nine. To participate in One County, One Book, pick up a copy of Solito from one of the 12 library branches or Mobile Library. In addition to regular holdings, each library branch will have an Honor Book Shelf set up with additional copies.
Throughout September, 2023, people across the county will have a chance to attend discussions and other special events related to the themes of the selection.
Cal Lutheran will present a panel of professors— Dr. Julia Fogg, Dr. Jamshid Damooei, and Dr. Jose Alfredo Torres—who will talk about border crossings, the criminalization of immigration, and the economic impact of immigrants in Ventura County. This event will take place in Cal Lutheran’s Lundring Events Center at 7 pm on Thursday, September 21. For more information about the panel, contact Michaela Reaves at [email protected] or (805) 493-3381.
Hill Road Library’s Book Club will discuss Solito at the September meeting, 5:00 pm on Tuesday, September 26. For more information on this Book Club, please email [email protected].
The One County, One Book capstone event will be an author presentation by Javier Zamora that will be held as part of the Ventura County Celebration of Books and will take place on September 30 at 2 pm on the campus of CSU Channel Islands. The presentation will be in English, with Spanish translation available.
The 2023 One County, One Book program is sponsored by the Ventura County Library Foundation
The Ventura County Library Foundation is hosting an author reception prior to the author talk featuring A Taste of Central America. Attendees enjoy lunch, complimentary paperback copy of Solito, and book signing with the author. Tickets are required for the author reception and can be purchased for $75 each at www.vclibraryfoundation.org. Proceeds support the Library Foundation.
E.P. Foster’s Young Readers Book Club meets on Saturday, August 26, 1:00 to 2:00 pm to discuss The Human Kaboom by Adam Rubin & create a character sheet (DND style)
For children ages 9-12 (4th or 5th grade reading level).
Ventura Friends of the Library invite you to visit our Bookstore in E.P. Foster Library Tuesday through Saturday, 11:00 am to 4:00 pm and Sunday 1:00 to 4:00 pm
We also invite you to browse anytime at our Online Bookstore for local sales.
https://venturafol-107753.square.site/s/shop In August, Notable Books for Youth are 10% off! Just order and pick up at the bookstore in E.P. Foster in as few as two days.
The Topping Room in E.P. Foster will be a stop in Art Walk Ventura, September 23 & 24. Ventura Friends of the Library will be participating. In 2019, the Friends received a generous donation of original watercolors and photographs from the family of Hank and Susan Stoutz. A selection of these works will be offered for sale at the Art Walk, along with a selection of Art, Architecture and Photography books.
The Bright Horizons Foundation for Children will be opening a Bright Space at The City Center, 837 E. Thompson Blvd., Ventura, on Thursday, August, 24. Bright Spaces, the signature program of the Bright Horizons Foundation for Children, provide engaging environments for play that are cheerful, inviting, safe, and fun, and support non-profits like The City Center and the children and families in their care. The Bright Horizons Foundation has created over 300 Bright Spaces in the United States. This Bright Space will be a play space for families with young children who are experiencing homelessness.
The City Center provides a safe place for homeless families to learn the skills need to become productive members of society.
“Our goal with Bright Spaces is to give children the opportunities they deserve to develop resilience and form stronger bonds with their families and other caring adults. We strive to promote healing, offer nurturing and stimulating activities, and provide a stable, enriching environment for each child who walks through the door.” stated Yvonne Lynch, President of The Bright Horizons Foundation for Children.
Bright Spaces are customized based on the needs of the non-profit organization. The space created at City Center will allow preschool-aged and school aged children to experience a sense of normalcy and stability through play and learning. Through the collaboration between Bright Horizons foundation for Children, Amgen Foundation, The Rotary Club East, and a very special donor Fred C. Ferro, there is new furniture, toys, learning materials, and computers. Each area was intentionally designed to engage a variety of ages. The walls are adorned with beautiful candid photos of the children living at The City Center, courtesy of Tana Hayes Photography.
The City Center is a transitional living center for homeless families with children in Ventura County, equipping them to rebuild their lives and become self-sufficient. Almost 100% of our graduates do not return to homelessness. We provide our residents with a safe place where they can receive support through counseling, mentoring, case management, financial coaching & employment assistance. They learn life skills necessary for self-sufficiency, acquire transportation, obtain employment, and no longer require government assistance.
Bright Horizons® is a leading global provider of high-quality early education and child care, back-up care, and workforce education services. For 35 years, we have partnered with employers to support workforces by providing services that help working families and employees thrive personally and professionally. Bright Horizons operates approximately 1,100 early education and child care centers in the United States, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Australia, and India, and serves more than 1,400 of the world’s leading employers. Bright Horizons’ early education and child care centers, back-up child and elder care, and workforce education programs help employees succeed at each life and career stage. For more information, go to www.brighthorizons.com.
Up next, the CAPS staff is gearing up for an Open House at the CAPS Media Center.
In June the CAPS Media Center reopened on a limited basis, by appointment, for existing CAPS Members. Among the first to take advantage of the CAPS resources are the self-described “Artists in Exile.” Under the guidance of Phil Taggart, CAPS’ “Artist in Residence,” the eclectic ensemble of musicians, poets and other artists gather one evening per week to record live performances in the CAPS production studio.
The summer months have kept CAPS Media crews busy with a variety of productions, highlights include recording and live streaming graduation ceremonies for Ventura, Buena, Pacific, and El Camino high schools and Ventura College as well as recording and live streaming the Ventura Unified School Board meeting.
For the City of Ventura, CAPS crews continue to provide weekly coverage, broadcasting and streaming of meetings at City Hall including City Council, Design Review, Historic Preservation, and Community Development. In addition, videographer/editors Gary Roll and Alex Uvari recorded, edited, broadcast, and streamed public information meetings for the City at the Westside Community Center and Pierpont Elementary.
CAPS crews continue collaborations with the outstanding staff at the Museum of Ventura County on engaging productions commemorating Ventura County’s 150th anniversary. The diverse projects include Interviews with Innovators – informative discussions on current and past events with Lucas Zucker from CAUSE, Carlos Ortega the MVC curator, and Regina Crawford from the NAACP Ventura County. Feast or Flop is a savory series of tasty recreations of historic Ventura County recipes cooked up from the MVC archives by host Renee Tallent, the MVC collections manager with chefs throughout the county. Thus far the menu has included lima bean loaf, avocado soup and other local creations prepared by Adam Hart, director of the culinary arts program at Oxnard College, and Luis Sanchez, chef, and owner of Mouthful Eatery in Thousand Oaks.
The CAPS/MVC collaborations for the 150th celebration also include Voices of Ventura County a series of historic interviews selected from the MVC archives by Deya Terrafranca, the research and archives director at the museum. The fragile cassette recordings were restored, digitized, and formatted into programs by CAPS staff members Elizabeth Rodeno and Manny Reynoso.
KPPQ – CAPS Radio’s DJ of the month is Kevin Wallace. Kevin is director of the Beatrice Wood Center for the Arts as well as a singer/songwriter. He says his interest in visual art, conceptual work, design, storytelling, and poetry can all be traced to the albums that he collected, listened to, and studied as a young boy, rummaging through the remainder bins at his local record stores in Detroit. A member of KPPQ from the start, he has produced 2 shows: an arts and music show and his current venture, Ojai Dream. Kevin shares his passion for the musical arts on Ojai Dream, airing Mondays and Fridays at 8pm and Saturdays at Noon on KPPQ-LP 104.1 FM and streaming on MyTuner.
Up next, the CAPS staff is gearing up for an Open House at the CAPS Media Center in the coming months. The Open House is an opportunity for the public to drop in and discover all the media resources and talent available for everyone in Ventura. More information on the upcoming Open House will be available in the coming weeks on the CAPS website at capsmedia.org, on KPPQ, on social media, and elsewhere.
CAPS Membership will be open to anyone who lives, works, or attends school in Ventura. Annual membership fees are currently $40 for an individual or $100 for a nonprofit organization.
Approximately 900 riders participated.
by Patricia Schallert
The “Cool Breeze Century“ bike ride, took place on August 19th with approximately 900 riders from cycling communities throughout Southern California. “Channel Islands Bicycle Club” and the “Kiwanis Club of Ventura Foundation” have partnered for over 20 years to host the “Cool Breeze Century”. Channel Island Bicycle Club is a nonprofit, recreational organization for beginning and experienced road bicyclists, providing enjoyable and safe rides in and around Ventura, Santa Barbara, and LA Counties. They also provide grants to improve and heighten the biking community, promote bicycling, encourage youth cycling, support other cycling programs, while encouraging ridership growth, and promoting safe cycling.
The Kiwanis Club of Ventura Foundation is a group of dedicated volunteers serving the needs of Ventura with an emphasis on youth and vulnerable adults, while providing its members opportunities for fellowship, leadership, and business relations. The Kiwanis also support students with special needs, scholarships, volunteers while supporting the Salvation Army, Pier Under the Stars, and other organizations.
Additional supporting sponsors can be found on coolbreezecentury.com
The event began with registration April 1, and provided five rides, one for everyone. The Classic Century was a 100-mile ride, which had the right number of hills and plenty of ocean. Hilly Century had more hills. Double Century with more hills and more distance, but is considered a “reasonable” ride. Metric Century was rather flat and shorter for those not quite ready for a Century and the Mini was listed as a fun 30 miles primarily along the ocean.
Over 100 friendly volunteers along each ride provided support, popsicles and water. Riders finished in historic downtown Ventura’s Mission Park and were treated to an after-ride buffet from Peirano’s and a no-host beer drinks. DJ Joe provided the music.
James Sears, a first time rider in the Cool Breeze ride, took the 30 mile Mini bike ride to Carpenteria and back. James suffered from a stroke 15 years ago but prior to his stroke, he had been riding his bike for 30 years. He was tired but is ready to ride the more challenging Century rides next year.
Councilmember Doug Halter, Phil Foster Ranger and Doug’s crew working to remove the fountain.
The last remaining fountain E.P. Foster hand crafted has been sitting in front of the former Foster house at 2717 N. Ventura Ave. Orpha (Pearle) Foster gifted the house and 7.5 acres to the school district.
Joa Cahill, VBG Executive Dirctor had been waiting for the right donor to come along and that person finally did. The first canyon as you walk up into the gardens behind city hall will be a 3-stage site called “The Fernery.”
After digging below the base of the fountain they separated it from the much larger base and transported it to Ventura Botanical Gardens. The VBG Fernery site will require at least a year, if not two, to be completed, but it will eventually become a home where thousands of people walking through the gardens will be able to learn about the Fosters and all they did as philanthropists for the betterment of those living within Ventura County from the late 1870’s until 1932 when E.P. passed away.
Midland’s trio jamming out at the Fair.
by Kylee Brown California Polytechnic University San Luis Obispo
In the early 2010s, Mark Wystrach (lead vocals), Cameron Duddy (bass guitar, vocals), and Jess Carson (guitar, vocals) got together and formed a country music trio named Midland. The band initially bonded over their shared love of classic country music and aspired to add a retro flair to modern country music. From Midland, Texas, the band reportedly chose their name in homage to an old Dwight Yoakum song, “From Here to Midland.” Their eclectic brand of music is said to make old country new and appeals to a broad range and age of fans. Much like the Ventura County Fair itself, which brings young and old together to share live music, rides, and other excitements, the trio brought a large and enthusiastic crowd of all ages when they performed at the fair on August 2nd, 2023, kicking off the entertainment for the fair’s opening night.
22-year-old Ventura native David Koger attended the concert with his dad John Allen Koger. David shared that Midland is his favorite country band after being introduced to the band a little over a year ago. “This is definitely the best country concert I have ever been to,” he said. “It feels more local and more energetic, and granted, I was at the front; it felt pretty amazing.” David had attended Ventura County Fair concerts in the past and gushed about Midland, stating that it was his favorite country music experience. When asked what appeals to David about live music, he responded, “It’s slightly different every time you go to a live show–it’s not the same recording you hear every time on the radio.” David’s father, John Allen Koger, is a fan of a wide range of country music, from Kenny Rogers, Brad Paisley, and Garth Brooks to Midland. John said, “Classic country has a ‘feel-good’ to it and tells a really good story which is kind of the definition of country music in general.” John shared that upbeat styles of country music appeal to him, and that’s what he enjoys about the Grammy Nominated band the most.
The crowd included many local Ventura folks as well as people who traveled to attend the concert. Hailey Johnson is a self-proclaimed cowgirl, a dedicated country music fan, and spent many years as a competitive equestrian. The 20-year-old college student drove down from her hometown in Santa Ynez to see Midland live at the fair. “I was happy to make the drive out to Ventura for this concert,” said Johnson, “I think this was the first concert where I was able to get close and right up front, the energy was immaculate, and the people up front were true fans. I loved it.” Johnson said she also appreciated the diverse crowd that attended. ‘I liked being with my friends in real-time, bonding over a band we would listen to in our cars, and now finally seeing them live and being able to sing along with the band,” she said.
As John Koger reflected, the concert was a unifying event for the entire crowd. “I’d heard Midland on the radio, and I knew they were one of David’s favorite bands,” he said. “The highlight was just the fun vibe and people all having a good time, dancing and singing together.”
Claudia Hoag McGarry is a local playwright who taught English at VC for years. She has a play coming to Namba Performing Arts Space on September 9 named I Can Hear You,Damn It. It is presented at 3 and 7pm.
The director, Jordana Lawrence, lives in Ventura and works for the Alzheimer’s Association. Stage manager, Shannon Dalton, also lives in Ventura.
47 S Oak St, (805) 628-9250
