Moorpark College, Oxnard College, Ventura College and Ventura College East Campus are holding free Cash 4 College workshops to help students apply for funds to help with college costs. Funds can be used for tuition, books, housing, transportation, childcare, computers and more.

In-person workshops are scheduled for Feb. 11 and 25. The workshops are free and open to the community; anyone may attend a workshop on either date and can drop in at any time during the events.

Bilingual financial aid staff will assist students in completing applications for the 2023-2024 school-year Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or the California Dream Act Application (CADAA). Students can also access information about basic needs support (food, clothing and housing assistance), tutoring, academic counseling, mental health services and other student services.

AB 469 now requires school districts to confirm seniors have completed the FAFSA or California Dream Act Application before graduating in 2023. Cash for College events can help students get ahead.

For more information, visit vcccd.edu/cash4college.

by Mary Olson

In celebration of Black History Month, author David Calloway will visit E.P. Foster Library to discuss his debut novel If Someday Comes. This historical novel fictionalizes the story of the author’s enslaved Black great-grandfather. Meet the author on Thursday, February 23, 1:30 to 3:30 in the Topping Room at E.P. Foster Library. A Q&A and booksigning will follow the talk, with copies of the book 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.

Program staff from Women’s Economic Ventures (WEV) will join the Ventura County Library to lead a Financial Education Webinar titled “How to Navigate your Budget with Confidence and Purpose.” This program will take place virtually via Zoom, and will be offered in English on Tuesday, February 28, and in Spanish on Wednesday, March 1.

This 75-minute workshop will help you to identify your financial priorities so you can manage your numbers and budget with confidence and purpose. This interactive session will be facilitated by Irene Kelly, WEV’s Financial Education and Community Engagement Manager.

The program in English begins at 5:30 pm on Tuesday, February 28. To register, visit bit.ly/VCLWEV17 . The program in Spanish begins at 5:30 pm on Wednesday, March 1. To register, visit bit.ly/VCLWEV18.
These events are free and open to the public. For additional information, contact Ron Solórzano, Regional Librarian, at (805) 218-9146 or [email protected].

Ventura Friends of the Library Bookstore in E.P. Foster Library is open Tuesday through Saturday, 11:00 am to 4:00 pm. And we are still able to keep the store open on Sundays, 1:30 to 4:00 pm in February.

Donations of books, CDs and DVDs can be left in the blue bins inside E.P. Foster Library (near the Friends’ bookstore) and Hill Road Library. Large donations of materials can be taken to the Friends’ warehouse at
11251 Riverbank Drive, off Wells Rd and County Dr, within the County’s Saticoy General Services/Public Works Yard on Fridays from 9 am to 11 am or by appointment. For more information on donating to Ventura Friends of the Library or to volunteer, please email [email protected].

What years did you serve on the Ventura City Council?

I served as a council member from December, 1995 thru 2003. I served as Mayor from 1998 to 2000. After a 15-year hiatus, I was elected again in 2018 and completed my term at the end of 2022.

Why did you run a second time?

It was a unique opportunity to serve my community again, but this time, it would be as the city’s representative in my neighborhood district, District 5. The city council voted to change voting in our city to districts in 2017, so I had an opportunity to be the first elected city councilmember to represent my neighborhood district. I really enjoyed my first eight years as a council member, so I thought this would be a great opportunity to serve again and hopefully make a positive difference in our community.

You are the only person to have run and served under the “at large” and “district systems.” What are your thoughts and the pros and cons of each?

Campaigning in the district system was much more rewarding than at large. I walked almost every home in District 5. It proved to be a wonderful opportunity to personally meet the voters and find out what was on their minds.

When I ran city-wide, walking neighborhoods was not done very often. The city is simply too large to walk every home, so voters had to get to know me through numerous community forums and mailing pieces that my campaign sent out.

The biggest negative to districts is that the talent pool is more limited, but that’s the price to be paid for local neighborhood representation. I was originally concerned that districts would bring about Chicago style politics (if you vote for this in my district, I’ll vote for what you want in your district). I can say that I never saw that happen and I sincerely hope that doesn’t change in the future.

What are Ventura’s major concerns?

Money, or I should say, the lack there of. Just about everything everyone wants in our city costs money and without healthy revenues coming from economic development, residents will continue to complain about the level of core services that the city provides.

Will you be serving Ventura in the future in some capacity?

After serving 12 years on the City Council and six years on the Port Commission I am looking for a more spontaneous lifestyle, so for now, I am not committing myself to any appointed or volunteer positions. It’s time to spend more time with my wife, family and friends.

The Ventura Gem & Mineral Society (VGMS) is pleased to announce our “Diamond Jubilee” 60th Annual Gem, Mineral, Fossil & Jewelry Show taking place March 4 & 5 (10:00 AM–5:00 PM, Saturday; 10:00 AM–4:00 PM, Sunday) at the Ventura County Fairgrounds (10 W. Harbor Blvd, Ventura). The show is open to the public and admission is free, although the Fairgrounds charges a parking fee if using the Fairgrounds lot.

The Ventura Gem Show has been a fun family event for six decades with its focus on kids and education, gemstone cutting and jewelry-making, and rocks and fossils. At the show, we’ll announce the recipient of our $1,000 Scholarship Award, given annually to a local college student. Upon entering the show, kids are given a free polished stone at our Welcome Booth, where we also will have free rock samples and educational packets for teachers. At the Kids Booth, children can enjoy activities offering an assortment of rocky prizes. A nearby display offers info about the society’s two-room museum in Ojai, where teachers, home-schoolers, and other youth groups can arrange tours by appointment.

Here in California, there’s gold in them thar hills (try Lake Piru!), and you can learn how to pan for it at the Show. At one booth, expert prospectors will guide you through basic steps of gold panning, and you can purchase “pay dirt” to pan for real gold nuggets and flakes at the show or in your own backyard. In addition, this free show will feature some 50 displays of gems, minerals, fossils, and award-winning handcrafted jewelry. These include educational exhibits of fossils collected locally in and around Ventura County, as well as a display of our State Rock, Mineral, Fossil, and Gemstone (including a gold nugget, an Ice Age saber-tooth cat, and “Auggie”, the California State Dinosaur). Still other displays will show how stones collected locally have been crafted into jewelry. Demonstrations give visitors up-close looks at artists pursuing their crafts: gemstone cutting, silver work and jewelry making, beading, and other arts and crafts made from nature. Raffle prizes include fine jewelry, carved stones, a $100 bill, mineral and fossil specimens, and more. In addition, enjoy hourly silent auctions for rocks, minerals, and fossils, as well as a “Country Store” white elephant sale, a plant sale, and 15 dealers selling beads, opals, jade, gemstones, crystals, fossils, jewelry and jewelry-making supplies, and gift items.

VGMS was founded in 1944 to encourage interest in rocks, minerals, fossils, jewelry-making, and related areas through education, activities, and exhibitions such as this annual show, which is open to the community.

The Ventura Gem Show is the society’s major fund-raising event helping to underwrite educational activities, including the annual college scholarship and school visits and donations. For further details, call (805) 312-8467, email [email protected], or visit our web site at www.vgms.org.

The Ventura Gem & Mineral Society, Inc., is a nonprofit educational organization.

by Ross Williams

Troop 65019 was created in December of 2019 with a handful of friends rallying a dozen kindergarteners, with big plans and high hopes. Troop leader Shelly Williams was excited for the group of girls to create lifelong friendships, discover new experiences and to provide them with the tools needed to grow and excel in an ever changing world. “It was a tough start, but we had amazing and committed moms and eager scouts. We hit the ground running.” That was until COVID happened.

The rookie troop moved most of their meetings online for the majority of 2020, continuing their work and learning about the world of community service, creating environmental projects and earning badges via zoom chats on computer screens. As time progressed they slowly began to meet in person, finding new adventures while keeping them outside. Their focus was on wilderness conservation, eco systems and adjusting to the new ways of the world. Learning how to make a difference, even with the boundaries placed before them was a top priority. ”I think I was more saddened for them, and all that had been stripped away. Having to continually say how this plan or goal had to be changed or tweaked due to COVID rules and social distancing. But they didn’t flinch, it showed their resilience, their optimism and taught me just how brave and tough a group of 6-year-olds can truly be.” Said Shelly as she unloaded a trunk full of Girl Scout cookies readying for a new season.

One very large aspect of being a Girl Scout is “Cookie Season.” And that first year their season was cut short. Cookie Season is 3 months of cookie selling madness. From booths in front of local grocery stores, to walking door to door throughout the neighborhood, the girls do their best to raise the funds that they’ll use the rest of the year and build deep connections to their community. “Walking door to door is my favorite part because we get to meet neighbors and hear their stories about Girl Scouts in the olden days and talk to them. Sometimes we get to pet their dogs”. Says the youngest Daisy scout in the Troop.

The girls learn money management, entrepreneurship and people skills, just to name a few. “We have yet to begin Cookie Booths this year, but witnessing them boothing each year has been a favorite part of mine personally. It’s just so amazing to have seen them grow and progress, and the confidence they exude is what Girl Scouts is about. These girls have me in awe all the time.” Says Shelly as she stacks boxes of Thin Mints and Lemonades. “When boothing, the girls are together and feed off of each other’s energy. They get so excited about the process, and genuinely enjoy every bit of it. From unloading to stacking, restocking, helping supporters with their cookie choices, giving change and packing up. They’re doing it all and it’s a party.” Boothing sessions are allocated to different troops at different times and different days. It’s all very organized and systematic. A troop can’t just show up to a shop and set up a booth, they have to be approved.

The hottest cookies every year are the Caramel Delights and of course Thin Mints. “Thin Mints are delicious frozen, crushed and sprinkled over ice cream.” Shelly suggests. This year due to inflation, the cost of cookies went up a dollar a box to $6 each. The troop has no control over costs, and has seen a raised eyebrow or two over the increased costs. But they’re pushing through and pushing those delicious cookies anyway.

“Just remember that it’s absolutely ok to not buy cookies. But a positive word of encouragement goes a long way. A Girl Scout is more than cookies. It’s service, it’s community, it’s effort and kindness. It’s a lifelong bond. It’s not a cookie hustle. It’s for the greater good. And you’ll never hear one of our scouts discouraged if you choose to pass, they will still thank you and wish you a great day”.

Shelly has two daughters, both a Brownie and a Daisy.

For cookie sales, donations and community activity opportunities contact Shelly at [email protected] or you can use the attached QR code.

by Ross Williams

At the corner of Poli and North Fir the office of Matthew Jones CFP® sits looking out over the Pacific. There in the Elizabeth Bard Memorial Building the Spanish revival aesthetic leads to a feeling of comfort and calm in an area of life that can often lead to anxiety and stress. Financial planning.

This year is going to be a year of transition. “A turning point,” says Matt as we sit down in his brightly illuminated office. He is warm and welcoming, excited to be able to get into the depths of what he knows the best. Comprehensive financial education and wealth management.

“The market is stabilizing and the current volatility should lead to a bull market later in the year. As such, It’s the perfect time to re-evaluate your current positions and look at how the new year will play out.” Matt provides financial services in partnership with Edward Jones(EJ).

Every year Edward Jones will release a market outlook for the coming year.

Here are Edward Jones key views for 2023

Historically we see higher unemployment than we are currently experiencing at the start of a recession, and the fact that we are not is a good sign.

Unemployment rises but stays below 5%

Although unemployment will be ticking up a little bit, the unemployment rate should remain fairly low. We’ve already been seeing some job cuts especially in tech, but overall the rest of our economy has remained relatively steady.

Core inflation falls, approaching 3% as the year progresses.

Core inflation is inflation of our overall economy with the subtraction of food and energy because energy and food are very volatile.

The Fed pauses when the policy rate hits 5%.

As of mid-January the Fed Funds rate sits at a range of 4.25-4.5%, the Fed may pause when the rate is in the 5% range and discussions of rate cuts could emerge later in the year.

The US Dollar will weaken further.

For many years the US dollar has outperformed. Thus, international markets appear to be undervalued relative to international markets. This transition may benefit an investor whose portfolio is diversified internationally.

“We’re a global economy, aren’t we? And international markets should be a part of any investor’s diversified portfolio.” Matt states. “ We here at Edward Jones offer a range of products to cover all our investors’ bases.”

Bonds are bouncing back.

Fixed income investments, such as bonds and CD’s, are offering higher yields now than they have in many years. As such, it may be the time to adjust these holdings in your portfolio to take advantage of the current opportunity.

Equity leadership becomes more balanced.

Last year, value and defensive sectors such as consumer staples outperformed relative to the traditional growth sectors. Value is still in fashion, but now that growth valuations have come down, we may see more balance between these styles.

We’ve seen some nice increases in how much you can contribute to 401k’s and IRA’s. This is a great time of year to look at contributions and although the market declined in 2022, don’t let that derail you from making your 2023 contributions and even increasing them if you are able. “The market is the only thing that people don’t like to buy when it’s on sale.”

Matthew Jones helps a range of clients solve for many different financial goals. “Investing is for the long term and in many area’s of life, we don’t know what we don’t know, that’s why reaching out to a professional such as a CFP® (Certified Financial Planner) to help you navigate today’s complicated and nuanced financial landscape can be a real help.” If you’d like to sit down for a free consultation with Matthew Jones, he’d be happy to provide that help.

Matthew Jones CFP®

[email protected]

805-643-0072