Category Archives: This ‘n’ That

Do you know which paper products are recyclable?

Paper items accepted in the curbside recycling program include: newspaper, colored paper, white computer paper, cardboard, magazines, catalogs, wrapping paper, junk mail, and envelopes (with or without clear windows).

Paper products to keep out of the recycle bin include: paper towels, napkins, tissues, receipts, wax paper, and paper coated with plastic or wax.

Please do not throw loose shredded paper directly in the recycle bin. Shredded paper can be bagged or contained in a cardboard box or a cereal box and then placed in the recycle bin.

The Great storm of 1969

“Sending water and mud into the harbor and sending boats out to sea.”

by Richard Senate

Sixty-four years ago, January of 1969, a chain of storms hit California and resulted in forty-seven deaths. Anyone who was in Ventura County at that time remembers the terrible destruction that took place in that disaster. Ten in Ventura County lost their lives in the storms.

The Santa Clara River turned into a raging killer. By the time the rain and debris filled waters reached Ventura  it reverted to its old bed that emptied into  the new Ventura Harbor sending water and mud into the harbor and sending boats out to sea, to  be washed ashore and pounded to kindling in the surf.

The harbor was filled with mud and sunken boats, masts protruding at odd angles that had the harbor resemble a war zone.   One surprising find in the river was a dead twelve foot long alligator that had escaped from the Africa USA Compound and been  beaten to death by rubbish in the water.

Sadly, several boys at a camp were lost when the Sespi Creek flooded and they were trapped in a camp. The Adults unwisely tried to cross the rain swollen creek using a bulldozer. The boys lashed to the vehicle. They got mid-stream before water got into the engine and they were stranded in the surging water. The foolish adults tried as best they could but were swept away. Then, one by one, the boys were pulled from the tractor into the rushing water, where only one managed to survive the ordeal and make it to dry land to tell the tale.

The storm brought wood down all the rivers and streams to the sea, where it was washed onto piles on the beach. In time the wood was burned, filling the sky with black clouds of smoke. It caused the most devastation to hit Ventura  in many decades and no one who lived through the storm can forget  the destruction it caused.

Exotic Treasures

Is there gold buried under the mission?

by Richard Senate

Ventura County has some exotic treasure yarns that implies that treasures still are to be found here. These include the lost padre’s gold mine (at the headwaters of Piru Creek) to the lost Olivas Gold (buried on Red Mountain) But few realize that some treasures exist within the city limits of Ventura! This is a partial list of the lost gold rumored hidden beneath our feet. Now are these just stories or could they really exist? You be the judge. Have they been found but not reported? Perhaps but still, they are worth examination.

The Lost Mission Vault. The story is that the padre’s of Mission San Buenaventura operated a gold mine and formed the gold into crude ingots. They were taken down the Santa Clara River Valley and stored in a hidden vault at the mission Church. Once a year a black painted galleon of the Jesuit Order would come and take away the gold for the use of his Holiness the Pope in Rome. The galleons stopped coming with the Mexican War for Independence and the gold is still there! Some say it was within the thick walls of the church, others say it was under the Mission Padre’s Quarters, still others believe it is located in an underground room in the hill behind the church.

The iron bound chest at the Cross. In 1818 a pirate threatened California so the mission treasures were hidden and the settlement abandoned for several weeks. They saw the pirates as godless men who would be repelled by the cross–so they buried the contents at the foot of the cross on the hill. Native people saw them and curious dug up the goods, only to re-bury them on the hill. When they padres returned the treasure chest had vanished. The present site of the cross was not the original location. Maybe the rusted chest could be found with a metal detector?

The gangster’s loot. In prohibition times gangsters smuggled Canadian Whiskey into LA though Ventura. The ships would carry in the booze and fast boats would take it ashore, all the while avoiding the Coast Guard Cutters. The ship captains demanded to be paid in cash. So, the gangsters brought cash in suitcases to pay them. This was hidden in a tunnel under the city. But, before the ship came, an earthquake caved in the tunnel and buried the bag of cash. Those gold certificates would be worth a fortune today!

Ventura Harbor Parade of Lights

Ventura Harbor Parade of Lights

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Photos by Patricia Schallert.

On December 16 & 17 the Ventura Harbor held the Parade of Lights “Out of This World.” The boat parade was ended with a beautiful display of fireworks.

Vol. 16, No. 07 – Dec 28, 2022 – Jan 10, 2023 – Community Events

Events by Ana Baker

Grief support during the holidays

It’s that time of year when the expectations we place on ourselves can be unrealistic, especially when faced with the absence of a loved one. Livingston Memorial’s Grief and Bereavement Program can offer compassion and understanding during this difficult time of year. Livingston offers multiple support groups that focus on restorative activities, seeking meaning and purpose, identifying changes to self, and receiving support in making life good again. All support groups are free for the community. Visit www.LMVNA.org for more information.

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 always welcome to stop to sample our shenanigans. Lyle Hotzler at 805-341-9820 or Rick Follenweider at 650-520-1098 can supply details.

Do you want a Play Bridge? Join us for ACBL-sanctioned duplicate bridge games every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday at 12:30. All levels of play, and we guarantee 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.

Jan. 7: Sespe Fly Fishers of Ventura will conduct our monthly “First Saturday” introductory Fly Rod Casting and Intro to Fly Fishing clinic.

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 still need a fly rod, don’t worry; just come and use one of ours. Please join us at Chumash Park, Petit, and Waco, 9 – 11 a.m., in East Ventura, off Telephone Rd. For more information: Casting Program Coordinator Thomas Hall (805) 377-5249

www.sespeflyfishers.org

Jan. 8: Old-Time Country Bluegrass Gospel Music Assoc.

Sunday 2 – 4 p.m. Poinsettia Pavilion 3451 Foothill Rd. Live Music on stage. Jamming in the Canada Room. Free Admission. Free parking. Open to the Public. For more information, call 805-517-1131 or visit Facebook: OTCBGMA.

Jan. 17: At 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, 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. Are you ready to navigate your financial mindset and its role in your finances? Join us during this 75-minute workshop to identify your financial priorities so you can manage your numbers and budget with confidence and purpose. This session will be facilitated by Irene Kelly, WEV’s Financial Education, and Community Engagement Manager. A Spanish-language version of this program will take place on Wednesday, January 18, from 5:30 – 6:45 p.m.

This event is free and open to the public. To register for this event, visit bit.ly/VCLWEV17. Contact Ron Solórzano, Regional Librarian, at (805) 218-9146 or [email protected]. Instructions for registering for this event on Zoom can also be found on our online calendar at www.vencolibrary.org/library-events.

As I See It

This is the time of the year when I usually reflect on what has been good and bad about the Ventura Breeze. What has worked and what hasn’t? What needs improving or changing?

But this year, I’m only reflecting on one thing which is the untimely passing of the most wonderful Breezy Gledhill. There are very few days that I don’t think of her (maybe none).

I’m usually wanting to share a Breeze moment by texting her, but she is not here. Wanting to share a photo by emailing her, but she is not here. A new restaurant would open, and we would have lunch there to check it out, but she is not here.

I (and all that knew her) miss her dearly. Take care – keep your loved ones close. Thanks for the Breeze support in 2022. A toast to a brighter and happier 2023.

Vol. 16, No. 07 – Dec 28, 2022 – Jan 10, 2023 – Ojai News & Events

Historian and writer Vincent Burns and professor of journalism Stephen Bates will visit the Ojai Library at 1pm on Saturday, January 14, 2023, to speak about their book Rincon Point in a presentation titled “A History of Rincon Point in Photographs.”

Rincon Point is renowned as the Queen of the Coast, one of the premier surfing spots in the world, but that is only a fragment of its rich history. Before the arrival of Europeans, it was a Chumash village called Shuku. Banditos, nudists, movie stars, long-boarders—they have all shaped Rincon Point, a place immortalized by novelists, poets, painters, photographers, and the Beach Boys.

Vincent Burns has deep roots in the area. He helped build his grandmother’s house on Rincon Point and writes regularly on surf history. An historian, he had a 30-year career in publishing, bringing tens of thousands of books into print. He has a PhD in History from the University of Wisconsin.

Stephen Bates is a professor of journalism at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and the author of five books, most recently Rincon Point. His family owned the Rincon del Mar Ranch in Carpinteria for more than a century.

The book features unique photographs from the Bateses and other early settlers, pioneer surfers of the 1950s and 1960s, the Carpinteria Valley Museum of History, and elsewhere. This presentation will include a slide show of historical photos, particular information on the surfing history of Rincon Point, and tips on how (and how not) to write a local history book!

Rincon Point is available for purchase through Amazon and at www.arcadiapublishing.com/.

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

The Ojai Library is located at 111 East Ojai Avenue in Ojai, CA. Hours of service are 10am to 8pm Monday through Thursday and 12pm to 5pm Friday through Sunday.

Biggest-ever group of Ventura County students graduate from pre-engineering program

More than 30 high school students from around Ventura County graduated from Naval Surface Warfare Center, Port Hueneme Division (NSWC PHD)’s fall 2022 Pre-Engineering Program — the biggest cohort to date for the rigorous after-school program.

The Dec. 13 graduation ceremony at the Oxnard Harbor District office in Port Hueneme culminated a 12-week career exploration course in which 32 students from Oxnard Union High School District, Ventura Unified School District (USD) and Santa Paula USD learned from real-life naval engineers and gained hands-on experience.

“One of the beauties of this program is what we call positive professional touch points,” said Ramon Flores, NSWC PHD’s science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) coordinator, speaking to families at the graduation. “Your students had the opportunity to engage with more than 30 engineers and scientists over the course of 12 weeks to learn all things engineering.”

NSWC PHD facilitates the Pre-Engineering Program twice per year in partnership with the school districts and other naval organizations. The fall 2022 session was the first to include students from Santa Paula USD, which signed an Educational Partnership Agreement with NSWC PHD in July, enabling the naval command to share educational resources with the school district.

During the Pre-Engineering Program, students rotated through engineering instructors to hear their career stories and to design, build and test projects that represent several disciplines, from systems and electrical engineering to environmental and aeronautical engineering. The instructors were professional engineers with NSWC PHD, Naval Facilities Engineering and Expeditionary Warfare Center (NAVFAC EXWC) at Naval Base Ventura County, the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California, and the Engineering Duty Officer School on the NSWC PHD campus.

After applying for the competitive Pre-Engineering Program through their school counselors, the selected participants took the weekly classes at Fathomwerx Lab on top of their regular academic schedules. After completing the program, the students earned credit toward graduation, a certificate of achievement and a letter of recommendation signed by NSWC PHD Deputy Technical Director Michael Ladner.

During the graduation ceremony, naval officials and school district administrators praised the students for dedicating their time and efforts to expand their STEM knowledge and their career prospects.

Joe Bova, career technical education administrator at Ventura USD, said that his district and others across the county are working to bring more skill-based opportunities like the Pre-Engineering Program to more students.

“This program is a shining star of the community that everyone should be looking to in terms of work-based learning,” Bova said.

Students from Ventura were:

  • Buena High School Peter Nguyen Jordan Tran
  • El Camino High School Christian McGrath Maximus True Bashar Zaher
  • Foothill Technology High School Alexander Edwards Antonio Franco Andrew Hotzler
  • Ventura High School Léo Crampé Jeannie Ortega Fuentes Liam Genkel Arkiran Khaira
  • Pacifica High School Kalia Lomeli

For more information, contact Theresa McKenrick, NSWC PHD public affairs officer, at

(805) 228-0332 or [email protected].