Category Archives: This ‘n’ That

The Auxiliary volunteers work in most areas of the hospital

CMHS Auxiliary installed new officers and presented awards at luncheon.

Members of the Community Memorial Healthcare System Auxiliary recently attended a luncheon and installation of incoming Executive Board members. In addition awards were presented for those attaining milestones in number of hours and number of years of volunteer service.

Board President for the next year is Linda Petit, and she is also in charge of Data Base Management. 1st Vice President is Cynthia Broaddus, and 2nd Vice President is Mary Wdowicki. Recording Secretary will be Bobbie Mendez and Corresponding Secretary is Linda Wilson. Cheryl Volden is Treasurer, Marilyn Beal is the Junior Coordinator, Judy Miller is Parliamentarian, and Edie Marshall is Past President. John Crandall and Lynn Ridout will serve as Directors.

Awards for volunteering 100 hours were presented to Tomas Guillen, Debbie Kost, Cheryl Lewis, JoAnn O’Beirne, Brenda Ogden, Ani Toran, Roberta Vollmert, and Trisha Williamson. Those attaining 500 hours of service were Cynthia Broaddus, Argie Mandakas, Jan O’Donnell, Cheryl Volden, and Linda Wilson. John Crandall and Mike Patton both contributed 1000 hours, and Marilyn Beal, Ellen Bugaj, and Stephanie Coray volunteered 2000 hours, while Maria Kapp had 3000 hours of service. Trudy Cook and David Howard served 7000 hours and Mary Wdowicki, 8000. Both Sandra Frandsen and Linda Petit contributed 10,000 hours, and Frank Cavallero served 13,000. Judy Miller was honored for volunteering 24,000 hours! Both Connie Ferritto and Marjo Gardner were recognized for 25 years of service.

CMHS Auxiliary treasurer Cheryl Volden presenting a big check to CEO Mick Zdeblick.

Community Memorial Healthcare System Auxiliary treasurer Cheryl Volden presented a check for $50, 000 to CMHS CEO Mick Zdeblick at the luncheon. The funds are from donations, bequests, and fund raising by the Auxiliary. In addition to monetary contributions, the Auxiliary contributes many hours of volunteer service to the hospital each year. The assistance of these volunteers saves the healthcare system thousands of dollars and is a welcome contribution.

The Auxiliary volunteers work in most areas of the hospital, from the front desk to the gift shop to assisting the nurses and other staff in most departments. Information about joining this group may be found at the front desk of the hospital. In addition, you may call 805-948-4299 to leave a message and an auxiliary member will contact you.

Award winners were recognized at an in-person event in Los Angeles on February 23

Visit Ventura Director of Business Development Michele Gilmour, Visit Ventura President & CEO Marlyss Auster, and Wanderlust Content Studios Co-Founder Nicole Bordges accepting the Adrian Award.

Maintaining an ongoing streak, Ventura Visitors & Convention Bureau (VVCB) was recently honored for travel marketing excellence by the Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International (HSMAI) at the 66th annual Adrian Awards Celebration, the world’s largest global travel marketing competition. The award ceremony took place at the JW Marriott LA Live on Thursday, February 23, 2023. Visit Ventura accepted the award in partnership with Wanderlust Content Studios, the inspiration guide’s publisher.

Visit Ventura received a Bronze Adrian Award for its winning entry in the Print Advertising category for the 2022 Inspiration Guide. This is the fifth Adrian Award VVCB has been awarded in the last five years.

The goal of Ventura’s 2022 Inspiration Guide was to set Ventura apart from its competitors at first glance while diving deeper to capture Ventura’s community. Ventura’s people, places, and partners tell their stories with page after page of engaging content that marries both advertising and editorial in cohesive themes. The result: There are no competing fonts, calls to action, or loud logos. Instead, native content blends organically with editorial. “Ads” are placed within corresponding editorial sections. This gives readers a fuller understanding of all that Ventura has to offer.

And at the forefront of Ventura’s Inspiration Guide? The people of Ventura. Readers will not find paid models posing in photos featured in the guide. People photographed are true local Venturans, who go to the same grocery store and eat at the same restaurants as any other community member in Ventura. The incorporation of local Venturans and local artists alike is at the heart of the inspiration guide, resulting in an authentic and genuine guide that readers recognize from the first page.

“Ventura is a true gem of a City that offers outdoor adventure, historic and cultural attractions, one-of-a-kind retail, and a blossoming culinary scene,” said Ventura Interim City Manager Akbar Alikhan. “Visit Ventura’s annual Inspiration Guide is a stunning magazine that thoughtfully captures the local feel and flavor that makes our community unlike any other!”

VVCB’s work was judged to be exceptional by expert hospitality, travel, tourism, and media professionals. Judges were asked to evaluate each entry based on its own merit and success in achieving its objectives. Past winners of this coveted award include such industry giants as Choice Hotels International, Visit California, Hilton Worldwide, Marriott International, and Royal Caribbean International. VVCB’s wins are a “little engine that could” fairytale come to life.

Vol. 16, No. 12 – Mar 8 – Mar 21, 2023 – Ojai News & Events

Wooden sculptures, charcoal portraits and fine ceramics are just a few of the treasures featured March 11 as part of the Ojai Studio Artists’ Second Saturday tour, which this month offers access to the private studios of artists across the East End of the Ojai Valley.

The second in a series of monthly events that runs through August, this East End tour offers neighbors, collectors and the merely curious a rare opportunity to experience world-class artwork in a casual and intimate setting unlike the busier, bigger October tour. 

The East End Tour includes OSA founder Gayel Childress, an Ojai original whose colorful canvases depict otherworldly landscapes and exuberant emotions, a family art compound containing work by famed glass artist Susan Stinsmuehlen-Amend and world-renowned abstract painter Richard Amend, and the backyard studio of botanical artist Elizabeth White, whose close-up pastels are a favorite of local collectors.

This tour will be followed in April by a Downtown group, the Arbolada in May, Mira Monte in June, the West End in July and Meiners Oaks in August. Check the OSA website for a full list of participating artists. 

Ojai Studio Artists supports community education that promotes art awareness, preparing the next generation of artists, and celebrating the importance of the arts within the region. To date, OSA has given more than $200,000 in art scholarships. It also purchases art books for local libraries, partners with schools in teaching classes and mentoring students, and supports public art projects and other community programs.

For more information and a full list of artists, see the OSA website: https://www.ojaistudioartists.org/second-saturday-tour-march-11/

Book Publishing 1-2-3. Grab a pen and join us for this lively 90-minute workshop, sprinkled with ideas and stories to inspire and empower writers of all types. We’ll start by checking out today’s book business (both traditional and indie publishing), then share valuable resources to help aspiring authors connect with literary agents and editors.

We’ll offer ideas you can employ to add pizazz to your prose, including a gem courtesy of a gutsy comedy star. Thursday, March 23, 1 to 2:30 pm

Oak Park Community Center & Gardens, 1000 N. Kanan Road, Oak Park 91377

Cost $20 – cash or check only

Registration Requested. Call the presenter to reserve your seat at (858) 635-1233 or email her at [email protected].

Presenter Laurie Gibson is a professional editor with decades of experience serving hundreds of individual writers, as well as publishers.

Ten percent of every admission will be donated to a local conservation group for habitat restoration in Ventura County, kicking off the presenter’s “Let’s Endow a Forest!” campaign.

Ventura Chamber ribbon cutting at Strange Beast

The Ventura Chamber held a ribbon cutting at Strange Beast in Downtown. Strange Beast is a contemporary cocktail izakaya, and is situated in the historic Bank of Italy building.

Their cocktail menu celebrates Japanese flavors, and the cocktails, sake, beer, and wine are best paired with Japanese tapas prepared by the Michelin Bib Gourmand chefs of Sama Sama Restaurant Group.

394 E Main St,

photo by Michael Gordon

Amazon gives Oxnard a disproportionate sales tax advantage

Bill Frank, Ventura County Taxpayers Foundation

You’ve probably seen the Amazon warehouse off the 101 in Oxnard, but you’ve never stopped to consider the tax implications. They are substantial. The sales tax revenue generated by Amazon’s distribution warehouse in Oxnard causes a loss of revenue for other cities in Ventura County as those municipalities are not collecting the sales tax. Here’s why.

California passed a law, AB147, because of the ruling in the Wayfair case in the US Supreme Court. Called California’s new online sales tax collection law, AB 147 allows the state to collect sales tax revenue based on the city where the buyer lives. In other words, if you live in Ventura and buy something online, you pay Ventura’s sales tax rate of 7.75%.

The sales tax rate in Ventura County is 7.25%. In some cities, it’s higher because voters have approved extra sales taxes for specific purposes. For most cities, however, the basic 7.25% sales tax is divvied up this way. California’s General Fund receives 3.9375%. Ventura County Realignment receives 1.5625%. County Public Safety gets 0.5%, and the Countywide Transportation Fund receives 0.25%. That leaves 1% for each city’s General Fund, a part of the sales tax known as the Bradley-Burns portion.

Having an Amazon warehouse in Oxnard matters. Under AB 147, if Amazon ships goods from a warehouse outside the state, the 1% Bradley-Burns part of the sales tax goes to the city where the buyer lives. Yet, because Amazon has a warehouse in Oxnard, the 1% Bradley-Burns part of the sales tax goes to Oxnard rather than the city where the buyer lives. As a result, the other nine cities in Ventura County lose out.

Cities are only now realizing the exact effect of the change. For example, the Director of Finance of Ventura estimated what the city would lose. He calculated Ventura would lose between $750,000-$1,200,000 per year from online sales through Amazon. The amount in other cities will differ, but there is no doubt that each city’s General Fund will suffer.

Did city officials in Oxnard know of the sales tax windfall to the city of locating the warehouse there? It’s uncertain. One thing is sure, though. The other nine cities in the county were unaware of how the Amazon warehouse in Oxnard would hurt them.

It’s early, and each city is learning the total sales tax revenue loss it faces. One thing is sure, though. The General Funds of the other cities in Ventura County will lose revenue because of the Oxnard Amazon warehouse.

What that revenue loss will mean for the residents of those cities is this. Cities will cut services, or there will be a scramble to replace the lost revenue through increased user fees or taxes. Unfortunately, none of these prospects is good.

This situation highlights the complexities of sales tax collection in the digital age. Yet, it’s surprising that City Councils throughout Ventura County are not more concerned about the loss of revenue.

The city of Moorpark is the one city in Ventura County that acted. In September 2021, Moorpark joined the League of California Cities to call on California’s legislators to pass legislation to create a more fair and equitable distribution of the Bradley-Burns 1% local sales tax.

At first, you may not have thought about how the Amazon warehouse in Oxnard impacts you. What appeared to be a simple real estate transaction turned into an inequitable sales tax windfall for one city at the expense of nine others. When it comes to distributing sales tax, it takes time for the impact to reach residents. Yet, in this case, the pattern is evident early. Nine cities will suffer unless voters and elected officials take steps to diminish the effect of AB147.

Celebrate Arbor Day planting trees

Enjoy a beautiful morning outdoors making a difference in Ventura. Grab your family and friends and join the Ventura Tree Alliance (in partnership with the City of Ventura) enhance our urban canopy. Volunteers are needed to help plant fifteen trees, which will someday provide shade and habitat for plants and animals, as well as carbon sequestration for our environment. Meet at Barranca Vista Park, 7050 Ralston on Friday, March 10, from 10 to noon.

The funds for purchasing the trees are provided by the Ventura Tree Alliance (VTA) and the generosity of donors who understand the value of trees in our community, on our streets and in our parks. Last year, VTA planted over a hundred trees with a multitude of partners and over 200 volunteers.

Wear your hat, sunscreen, and gloves. Bring water and a shovel (with your name on it). Wheelbarrows are also helpful.

For those interested in volunteering, contact [email protected].

The Ventura Tree Alliance is a 501(c)3 nonprofit public-benefit corporation that brings community members, educators, and business professionals together to enhance the urban tree canopy in the city of Ventura.

The mission is to “plant trees to augment Ventura’s urban forest, beautifying Ventura and counteracting climate change. Our goals are to inspire, engage and support Venturans in planting and caring for trees through education, advocacy, volunteerism, and fundraising.”

To find out more, visit www.VenturaTreeAlliance.com and join us on Facebook.

The Bookmark About Libraries and Friends

by Mary Olson

Ventura County Library is offering a series of family-friendly sustainability-themed programs. English/Spanish interpretation services and children activities will be available for all the following programs at the Piru Library, Saticoy Library, and Soliz Library branches.

Purchasing an Electric Vehicle 101
Tuesday, March 14, 5:00 -7 :00 pm at Saticoy Library
(1292 Los Angeles Avenue, Ventura) 805 671-5148
Wednesday, March 15, 5:00 – 7:00 pm at Piru Library
(3811 Center Street, Piru) 805 521-1753
Wednesday, March 22, 10:00 am – 12:00 pm at Soliz Library
(2820 Jourdan Street, Oxnard) 805 485-4515

Home Weatherization 101
Thursday, March 30, 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm at Soliz Library
Thursday, April 6, 5:00 pm-7:00 pm at Piru Library
Thursday, May 4, 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm at Saticoy Library

How to Get Green Business Certified
Thursday, April 13, 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm at Soliz Library
Thursday, May 11, 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm at Piru Library
Thursday, May 18, 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm at Saticoy Library

These programs are made available through a Sustainable California Libraries Grant from the California State Library, and in collaboration with the County Executive Office’s Sustainability Division. To learn more about the Sustainable California Libraries grant, visit their website at www.library.ca.gov/services/to-libraries/sustainable/.

The Ventura County Library Foundation has announced its second Rising from the Ashes tour to take place on Saturday, April 22, 12:00 to 4:00 pm.

The Thomas Fire of 2017 caused devastation, but not defeat. The Ventura County Library Foundation invites you to witness the resilience of Ventura during a tour of some of the beautifully rebuilt homes and hear the stories of rebirth.

Proceeds will help fund important literacy programs, the Mobile Library, broader access to the internet and computers to close the digital divide, homework tutoring, STEAM initiatives, and much more.
For more information and to buy tickets, go to: https://www.vclibraryfoundation.org/events/

And Ventura Friends of the Library invite you to another
Ventura Friends of the Library Book Sale
at the Vons at Telegraph & Victoria
Saturday, March 18, 10 am to 3 pm

Pick up some quality used books at bargain prices. We also have a large selection of Cds and DVDs. Your purchases benefit the libraries of the city of Ventura.

Please stop by to shop and learn about the Friends of the Library. We are always looking for new volunteers – right now we especially need volunteers to help sort and categorize our incoming book donations. Please email [email protected] if you’d like to help.

Museum of Ventura County celebrates the Spring Equinox during Nowruz Festivities

The Persian New Year, or Iranian New Year, begins on the Spring Equinox. The celebration, known as Nowruz, rings in a season of rebirth and good luck and is celebrated worldwide including right here in Ventura County. Nowruz: Persian New Year Celebration will be hosted at the Museum of Ventura County on Saturday, March 18, 2023, from 12:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. Grab a friend and immerse yourselves in an exciting display of Persian culture at this free event, made possible with a generous grant from the Charles D. and Mary A. Bauer Foundation.

Experience the sights, sounds and taste of Persian culture during the Nowruz festivities at the Museum of Ventura County. An array of items from Kazakhstan such as tea pots, rugs and a traditional instrument known as a dombra will be on display. Guests will be encouraged to try traditional Persian tea, sweets and food from Diar Kitchen in Thousand Oaks. Traditional handson crafting will include making paper hyacinths and goldfish. As per the traditions of Nowruz, a haft-sin display will feature symbolic items, most of which represent good luck for the new year. Guests can also participate in mock fire jumping, a tradition that takes place before the actual New Year’s Day, for good health. Traditional music will also be playing throughout the celebration.

“I am half-Persian, so creating this event is very special to me,” said Leila Kaseke, the Museum of Ventura County’s Interpretive Site Coordinator. “The Persian community is a melting pot of cultures and customs from across the globe, and the Museum is celebrating Nowruz to highlight the diversity of people living throughout Ventura County.” Leila organized this celebration, the first of its kind in the city of Ventura, with support from women in the community who were also looking for a way to celebrate Nowruz communitywide.

The Museum of Ventura County celebrates, preserves and interprets the art, history and culture of Ventura County, the California Channel Islands and the surrounding region through its collections, exhibitions, events, educational programs, publications and its research library, and serves as a gathering place for the community. The Museum has two locations – the main museum is located at 100 East Main Street, Ventura, California (805-653-0323). The Agriculture Museum is located at 926 Railroad Avenue,

An American President comes to Ventura

President McKinley visited Ventura at the invitation of Senator Thomas R. Bard.

by Richard Senate

Over the decades many American Presidents have passed through  Ventura. Some visited before they were in office, like Ronald Reagan as Governor of California and Herbert Hoover after he left office. Some even say that  John  Kennedy and his new wife passed though on their Honeymoon in Santa Barbara.

But the first sitting president to come calling had the most impact on Ventura. It was President William McKinley who came here at the invitation of Senator Thomas R. Bard on May 10th 1901.  When his train came into the station it was greeted by a brass band and the whole town was decked out with welcoming signs and flowers. A decorated horse drawn open carriage was waiting to give him and his party a tour of the town.

They made there way up Front Street to Main, still an unpaved dirt roadway, to the cheers of the residents, all the way to the Old Mission San Buenaventura. Parishioners, some Chumash Tribesmen, were in the bell tower, at all the historic bells and rang them in a musical tribute to the President and first lady.

Father Grogan, the priest at the Mission and a historian in his own right, was on the steps of the Mission to give the party a tour of the ancient chapel.  They were shown the Mission treasures and the Native Daughters of the Golden West Presented President McKinley with a large silver plate inscribed with the image of the Mission. After the tour, the presidential party were driven on Poli Street to view the Pacific Ocean and community before returning to the train station. Here, from the train, President McKinley gave a patriotic speech  before heading north to Santa Barbara on his tour of California.

Sadly, in just a few months, he was assassinated. His successor; Teddy Roosevelt,  would also visit Ventura and be given the same royal treatment.  But, the visit by McKinley left the biggest impact on the young city of Ventura.

Students rally to protest the VC President’s choice that hurts transfers

Ventura College is in short supply of a course required by students transferring to a Cal State University. Since 2021, new students graduating from a Cal State University (CSU) are required to pass one course in Ethnic Studies. This semester, only 460 spots were available in a course that fulfills the new CSU requirement at Ventura College (VC).

VC currently has 1.5 full-time faculty in the Department of American Ethnic Studies (AES). Students in MEChA met with VC President Hoffmans last November asking to hire another AES professor. The VC Academic Senate ranked a new hire in AES as their top hiring priority for 2023. The recommended position also included a specialization in Native American Studies. Recently, President Hoffmans publicly refused to hire a new full-time professor in AES despite the various pleas and advocacy by VC faculty concerned with the student transfer rate.

In 2025, the University of California (UC) will also incorporate an Ethnic Studies requirement. Community Colleges already have this requirement, however, there is no plan to address the scarce courses offered at VC for their 12,548 students who plan to transfer to a CSU.

Latino students do not want to pay more or delay their graduation. While the overwhelming majority of VC’s general student population seeks to transfer to a CSU, VC’s Office of Institutional Effectiveness reports little more than 700 students actually transfer each year. The inability of community colleges to effectively support their student transfer population, of which the majority are Latino, is well documented. However, President Hoffmans’ decision is out of touch with student experiences and new graduation requirements.

MEChA held rally on Tuesday, February 14 (Valentine’s Day) on campus to demand the VC President hire an Ethnic Studies professor with an emphasis on Native American Studies. Student.