Category Archives: This ‘n’ That

Shell-Ebrate all things mermaid

A tail of a good time awaits you.

A tail of a good time awaits mermaids and mermen as they return to the sea for the 8th Annual “March Is Mermaid Month” at Ventura Harbor Village, a mer-mazing, month-long celebration. All events are free to the public with the exception of vendor activities, dining, and retail merchandise.

Visitors across all oceans can meet to enjoy a myriad of mermaid activities. Kicking off Mermaid Month is a Kid’s Free Scavenger Hunt, which runs from March 1-March 31, 2023. Pick up the scavenger hunt sheets at the Mermaid Gallery, which houses original mermaid art and tons of mermaid merchandise in Ventura Harbor Village, and return for special prizes. Participants are encouraged to dress in festive mermaid attire.

Taking center stage is a series of ocean-spired special events and live mermaid meet and greets scheduled on Saturday, March 4 and Sunday March 19 from noon to 3pm (weather permitting). Lovers of the sea can revel in seaside fun, including interactive booths, a mermaid craft station for kids, chalk art, mermaid dance party, live entertainment, and more! Vendors will showcase their skills for visitors including face painting and exotic bird photo ops on March 4 and 19, and glitter tattoo and hair braiding on March 19.

On both March 4 and 19, members of Surfrider Foundation Ventura Chapter will be present at an interactive booth to share tips and information about keeping the oceans clean. On March 19, prior to the special event, beach lovers of all ages can also participate in the Surfrider Foundation’s family-friendly beach clean-up at Harbor Cove Beach, Surfers Knoll Beach, and Harbor beaches.

In addition, kids will delight in a mermaid craft station on both March 4 and 19 presented by Las Posas Children’s Center (LPCC) Inc., which operates school aged childcare centers on six campuses in Ventura Unified School District, creating a joyous atmosphere for children.

Visitors can view the wonderful artistry of Lysa Ashley as she creates mesmerizing mermaid art in front of Le Petit Café & Bakery on March 19 and catch Village makers with themed-crafted items.

DJ Darla Bea will put her own spin on Mermaid Month with a lively dance party on March 4 and 19. Come dressed up in sea-inspired attire for a family-fun dance party. Show off fin-tastic moves for a chance to win bubble wands and more! A walking mermaid will lead kids in fun activities from noon- 3pm.

Sway to the live tropical tunes of Anacapa Ukulele, local ukulele musicians who will perform along the Village’s Seaside Promenade on March 4 from noon- 3pm. Also, plan to bask in the sunshine with the melodic tunes of steel drums on Saturdays (March 4, 11, 18th and 25 from noon – 3pm) along the Village’s Seaside Promenade.

Kids can go in search of sirens(aka mermaids) in the sea! Climb aboard the pirate ship to look for mermaids below and then slide down to climb up again! Free kid’s activity on the Village Main Lawn on Saturday, March 4 from noon- 3 pm, next to Deep Sea Wine Tasting Room. And again, on Sunday, March 19 from 1- 4 pm.  (weather pending).

Vol. 16, No. 11 – Feb 22 – Mar 7, 2023 – As I See It

Ventura art is alive and well. This is our first issue with a full page covering the Ventura Art Scene. We always have a full page of the Ventura Music Scene. For a city of our size we have some wonderful talent here.

Akbar Alikhan has been appointed as interim Ventura city manager. The City Council unanimously approved his contract, and he will earn about $249,000 a year. A permanent appointment it is expected to take about 6 months. He was hired as assistant city manager in June, 2019.

The city manager is like the CEO of a large corporation. He basically runs the city. The city council hires the city manager and city attorney (and can fire them).

A Michigan man has been sentenced for assaulting law enforcement officers and inflicting bodily injury during the breach of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. Justin Jersey, 32, of Flint, was sentenced to 51 months in prison. In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Court Judge Rudolph Contreras ordered 36 months of supervised release and restitution of $ 32,165.65. Good, I hope we continue to convict all of the people who tried to destroy our democracy, no matter who they may be.

Pope Francis was backed by the ceremonial head of the Anglican Communion and the top Presbyterian minister in calling for gays to be welcomed by their churches as he again decried laws that criminalize homosexuality as unjust. The three Christian leaders spoke on LGBTQ rights during an unprecedented joint airborne news conference. I certainly hope this helps change the attitude of those who oppose people who are not the same as them based upon their interpretation of the bible.

I was impressed with Biden’s speech. Not even if I believe, or don’t believe in what he said, but in the manner in which he delivered his speech. Very forceful and well presented.

With an especially cold and wet winter, a temporary shelter program run by the city of Ventura and River Community Church needed a cash infusion to keep going. The city approved an additional $60,000 from the general fund to continue the effort through the end of March.

Now in its third year, the foul weather shelter plan, provides motel vouchers for homeless residents. It becomes available when temperatures drop below 45 degrees or when it rains.

The city used $25,000 of community development block grant money from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to pay for this season’s operations. The program was launched because there was nowhere for homeless people to go when the weather turned bad.

The city reserves approximately 20 motel rooms in Ventura and gives priority to homeless people age 65 and older or who live with chronic health conditions. Rooms are located at Motel 6 on Harbor Boulevard and three sites on Main Street: Bayshore Inn, Loop Motor Lodge and Mission Bell.

To get a voucher when the program is activated, people must stand in line from 5-6 p.m. at River Community Church. The church is located at 859 E. Santa Clara St. The voucher includes a room and three meals a day.

On the government’s 1099 form (that comes in 4 parts), it says “Do Not Cut or Separate Forms on This Page” even though the pages need to be separated to send to recipients. I hope I don’t go to jail for separating the pages.

The second day of a diet is always easier than the first.
By the second day you’re off of it.
~ Jackie Gleason

Chamber ribbon cutting at Cynthia Bullard Photography.

Photo by Michael Gordon

The Chamber held a ribbon cutting at Cynthia Bullard Photography.
Located just off Market Street and Goodyear Ave. at 1891 Goodyear Ave, #607.

“I know that you have options in choosing the photographer that perfectly suits your needs. I strive to make your experience with me a remarkable one.I have been photographing in and around Ventura County for well over 30 years.”

Vol. 16, No. 11 – Feb 22 – Mar 7, 2023 – Ojai News & Events

Chamber On The Mountain, a chamber music concert series in Ojai , presents the GRAMMY®–nominated Neave Trio on Sunday, February 26, 2023, at 3:00 pm in Logan House (located at the Beatrice Wood Center for the Arts in Upper Ojai). Tickets $30.00 at ChamberOnTheMountain.com. Audience members are invited to meet the artists at a lovely outdoor patio reception following the performance, with a special wine tasting by Stevenson Oaks Vineyard & Winery.

Since forming in 2010, Neave Trio – violinist Anna Williams, cellist Mikhail Veselov, and pianist Eri Nakamura – has earned enormous praise for its engaging, cutting-edge performances, and has emerged as one of the finest young ensembles of its generation.

Neave Trio has performed at many esteemed concert series and at festivals worldwide, including Lincoln Center’s “Mostly Mozart Festival,” Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall, Smithsonian American Art Museum, 92nd St. Y, Rockport Chamber Music Festival, Norfolk and Norwich Chamber Music Series (United Kingdom), and the Samoylov and Rimsky Korsakow Museums’ Chamber Music Series in St. Petersburg (Russia).

Celebrating its Tenth Season, the chamber music series brings internationally recognized musicians to Happy Valley in Upper Ojai – home of the Besant Hill School, the Happy Valley Cultural Center, and the Beatrice Wood Center for the Arts. For more information visit www.ChamberOnTheMountain.com.

“Elemental” featuring the work of six Ojai artists (Ingrid Boulting, Carlos Grasso, Gretchen Greenberg, Susan Griffin, Thomas Hardcastle, and Mariana Peirano) will be on display the month of April at the Ojai Art Center.

The four classical elements: earth, water, air, and fire have been interpreted in art, philosophy and science since ancient times presenting a wealth of inspiration as well as broad parameters for interpretation. See how six local artists interpret these elements…

Opening reception is Sunday April 16th from 3-5 PM.

A Patio Pop-Up Show of recent work will be featured Sat. & Sun., April 15 & 16, from 11AM – 4PM.

The Ojai Art Center is located at 113 So. Montgomery St. in downtown Ojai.

The Bookmark About Libraries and Friends

by Mary Olson

In celebration of Black History Month, author David Calloway will deliver a presentation of his book, If
Someday Comes: A Slave’s Story of Freedom. This historical novel fictionalizes the story of the author’s
enslaved Black great-grandfather. Calloway shares a unique perspective of the lives of his ancestors while providing an honest depiction of slavery. Born in Chicago, Calloway grew up in Palo Alto and Berkeley and now works and resides in Los Angeles. He holds an MFA in Film Production from UCLA and has worked as an Editor, Cinematographer, and Producer of features and television. Meet the author on Thursday, February 23, 1:30 to 3:30 pm at E.P. Foster Library. A Q&A and booksigning will follow the talk, with copies of the book available for sale.

Local Ventura County author Olaf Engvig will visit the Ojai Library at 6 pm on Thursday, February 23, and the E.P. Foster Library at 2 pm on Saturday, February 25, to deliver a talk on his book The Ships That Built the West: The Scandinavian Navy, WAPAMA and VÆRDALEN. The Scandinavian Navy refers to ships and/or seamen from Scandinavia in the 1880-1945 time period. The US West Coast was built with the help of these ships and men. The book also shares the stories of related ships, such as the
steam schooner WAPAMA and the restoration of the hybrid ship VÆRDALEN. Mr. Engvig will sign and sell his book at a discount after his presentation. Born in Norway, Mr. Engvig now resides in California. He holds a graduate degree in maritime history and received the Karl Kortum Maritime History Award in 2018.

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

Micaela Ellis, teen author, will visit the Hill Road Library on Saturday, March 4th, at 11:00 am to deliver a presentation on her book, Autism Over The Years.

In her presentation, Micaela will share her experiences as a young adult navigating autism in today’s world. She hopes to expand community perceptions and educate others on some of the challenges that autistic people may face, as well as share the many opportunities for growth that are available to children and young adults like her when their needs are respected, understood, and celebrated. This event is free and open to the public. For additional information, contact Linda Cherry, Hill Road Librarian, 805-677-7180.

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.

Annie’s Portside

And you can even read the Breeze like Catherine Espinoza was doing. Photos by Patricia Schallert

Annie’s Portside, located at 864 Schooner Dr, suite 107,
in the Portside Ventura Harbor beautiful apartment complex.

A great place to meet up.
Watch tennis tournaments on a big screen.
Chat with friends.
Bring your dogs to visit.
With great views of the harbor and sunsets.
All the while shopping for beautiful clothes, gifts and accessories.

323-855-2783 for hours and directions.
And next year you can enjoy their Valentine’s party.

Elmhurst Elementary 5th graders take advantage of new opportunities.

After a challenging few years of COVID, Anacapa Middle School’s popular instrumental music program found itself lacking students. Rather than cutting the program, Ventura Unified decided to utilize the opportunity and think outside the box. District administrators worked with Anacapa’s music teacher, Mr. Gabriel Garnett. They had him continue teaching some classes at Anacapa while also starting a pilot program at its local elementary school, Elmhurst Elementary.

“The idea was to have Mr. Garnett continue with his classes and then spend time at Elmhurst in the mornings teaching our fifth-grade students in an attempt to stir up interest, expose more students to music, and share the joy of music but so much more than that occurred,” stated Principal Deanna Baczek. “Students have gained confidence, shown grit, and have demonstrated a growth mindset through this process,” said Baczek.

Students were allowed to choose strings or band and then the opportunity to choose which instrument they would like to play. Parcel Tax Funds earmarked for music education in the Ventura Unified School District were utilized, and instruments and instruction were made available to each fifth-grade student, with many of the instruments on loan from Anacapa Middle School, allowing them to take the instrument home with them to practice in the evenings and on weekends. “Considering they had never picked up these instruments or read music before this class, their improvement is impressive. As a former band participant, I understand the value of music in our students’ lives, and I am extremely appreciative our students were given this opportunity,” stated Baczek.

Every student has continued through the program, even when it seemed too complicated. “While the benefits of learning music are universal, teaching music to students at an early age is noticeably impactful. Elementary students begin to quickly demonstrate more self-control, organization and focus. They are eager to work within a team and are excited to be a part of something where everyone counts. What has surprised me most is that Elmhurst’s music students genuinely want to assist their colleagues in learning and help their teacher help everyone succeed; these young people’s empathy, compassion and team-work are wonderful to work with,” stated Mr. Garnett

Initially, there was concern that the music classes would take away from their fifth-grade classroom time. However, it has proved to do just the opposite. It has given the fifth-grade classroom teachers time to work with students in smaller groups to address areas that need more focus.

Concerning declining enrollment in Anacapa’ s Middle School Music program, it appears that it might have resolved itself with this program. According to Elmhurst’s counselor, all but one of the fifth graders who took part in this pilot program have signed up for music next year at Anacapa. “At this point, we can say with confidence that this pilot program was wildly successful, and it is something that Ventura Unified hopes to continue to have the means to offer its students,” stated Assistant Superintendent of Educational Services, Dr. Greg Bayless. “Ventura Unified has always prided itself on finding creative ways to fund music programs for our students. We intend to look for additional avenues to continue these types of opportunities for our students.”

Island Adventures just beyond our shores

Cherryl Connally the dream still lives within her and her family.

by Ross Williams

We often can take for granted that which is always there. All my life I’ve looked out across our ocean and the Anacapa Islands have stared back at me. Warm sunny days, cold wind-swept mornings and hazy sunsets as I watched the orange glow of daylight recede into cool pinks and purples silhouetting those islands.

The distance, so close and yet so far has made the islands just a background of summer days on the beach. And on very special days when driving down the grade you can see out to forever and the islands dot the horizon. But for most of us, we don’t see the adventure. The wild. The truly magical experience that lies just out of reach.

In 1967, when Bill M. Connally looked out across the ocean expanse, he saw so much more. He saw a treasure for all that yearned to be explored and shared. He saw adventure and beauty and he wanted to be its docent. The fact that within a mere 20 miles you could leave the hustle and bustle of Southern California and find an island that belonged solely to nature and time was pure magic to Bill.

With that the Island Packers was born. In fact, it became a family affair, for the first two years the boat actually did not have an outboard motor and so Bill’s sons, Mark, Kirk and Brad took turns rowing the boat to and from the islands while Daughter Cheryl served snacks to the patrons. With kids in tow, Bill and wife Lillian Mae created a path to the islands for those who had never been before, connecting them to an untouched nature and the islands to the mainland for all to enjoy.

55 years later the Island Packers is still doing what it does best, scheduling trips to and from the islands, setting up whale watching tours and connecting the public to the magic of the Anacapa Islands. In the 70’s they became the official Concessionaire to the Islands with deep ties to the Channel Islands National Park Staff. The Island Packers themselves have grown to a staff of over 50 employees and pilots out of both Ventura Harbor and Oxnard Harbor. The options have changed as well. You can kayak through the kelp forests and camp on Anacapa and Santa Cruz Islands. You can hike from Prisoners Harbor to Scorpion Cove or just enjoy lunch away from the rest of the world. Adventure is only an hour away.

Cherryl Connally is still at it. The dream still lives within her and her family. Her son Jason now captains a boat out of Oxnard harbor. When asked what her favorite part of being part of the Island Packers story is, she replied, “Being on the ocean, seeing marine life in the wild. Thousands of dolphins dancing near our vessels and welcoming us to the islands. Whales almost year-round too. Every day is special and a different experience even after all these years. I love the islands so very much. I feel the ocean frees your soul, you are released of all the day to day worries and challenges. I love seeing our passengers get that experience and bringing joy to their day exploring the Channel Islands.”

You can reach out to the Island Packers to schedule your next adventure.

Island Packers Cruises
1691 Spinnaker Dr #105B, Ventura, CA 93001
805-642-1393
And book online at
Islandpackers.com