Category Archives: What’s New

Community Memorial Health System recognized for outstanding stroke care

Community Memorial Health System has once again been awarded the American Heart/American Stroke Association’s “Gold Plus Achievement Award” as well as the association’s “Target Stroke Honor Roll Elite Plus Achievement Award” which highlights the health system’s dedication to the highest standards in stroke care. Both recognitions will be featured in US News & World Report.

Attending a recent awards presentation ceremony at Community Memorial Hospital in Ventura were members of health system administration, the CMHS Stroke Champions, members of the CMHS Stroke Multidisciplinary Team, and American Heart/American Stroke Association Regional Director Bliss Rayo-Taranto.

“Our stroke team works hard to help patients achieve the best outcomes possible when a patient has a stroke. We truly appreciate this recognition for our excellent care and ongoing efforts,” said CMHS Stroke Coordinator Stephanie Lara-Jenkins, RN.

In addition to these recognitions from the American Heart/American Stroke Association, Community Memorial Hospital has been awarded the Primary Stroke Center designation from DNV GL Healthcare and the Ventura County Emergency Medical Services Agency. Their certification programs incorporate elements from hospital accreditation standards as well as requirements from the Guidelines of the Brain Attack Coalition, and recommendations of the American Heart/American Stroke Association. The programs emphasize deploying a disciplined management system and using clinical best practices.

Community Memorial Health System is a not-for-profit health system, which is comprised of Community Memorial Hospital, Ojai Valley Community Hospital, along with the Centers for Family Health serving various communities within and located in Ventura County, California.

The League of Women Voters of Ventura County returns from National Convention

Matty Park, Pat Butler, and Betsy Patterson are members of the League.

League of Women Voters of Ventura County (LWVVC), a nonpartisan political organization, was represented by Betsy Patterson, President, Pat Butler, Membership Director, and Matty Park, Director at Large, at the League of Women Voters of the United States (LWVUS) 53rd National Convention held June 28 – July 1 in Chicago, IL. More than 1,000 League leaders from 49 states and the District of Columbia attended leadership workshops and heard from guest speakers about League priorities.

Founded in Chicago in 1920, the League of Women Voters is active in all 50 states with more than 750 chapters across the country.

“Convention was an incredible opportunity to connect with and learn from League leaders who are actively working in their communities to empower voters and defend democracy,” said Betsy Patterson.

The Convention kicked off with A Conversation on Redistricting where attendees heard from Ruth Greenwood and Nick Stephanopoulos. Greenwood served on the legal team for the plaintiffs in the United States Supreme Court case Gill v. Whitford which the Court remanded back to the lower courts.

Over the four-day Convention, delegates voted on the priorities that the national organization should focus on for the next biennium. The Campaign for Making Democracy Work® includes ensuring a free, fair, and accessible electoral system for all eligible voters by focusing on Voting Rights, Improving Elections, and advocacy for the National Popular Vote Compact, Campaign Finance/Money in Politics, and Redistricting.

The final night of Convention, attendees heard from Elaine Weiss, author of the Women’s Hour at a banquet where Leagues were recognized with awards for their work on Strengthening Democracy .

“Hearing Elaine Weiss recount the final push for women’s suffrage in this country reminded me how important the League of Women Voters is to this day,” said Pat Butler. “The number of women in elected offices does not reflect the demographic makeup of women in our communities. This is an important midterm election year and the League is committed to making sure the voters in California continue to have the resources they need to participate in November.”

About League of Women Voters

The League of Women Voters, a nonpartisan political organization, encourages informed and active participation in government, works to increase understanding of major public policy issues, and influences public policy through education and advocacy. Membership in the League is open to men and women of all ages. With more than 93 years of experience and almost 800 local and state affiliates, the League is one of America’s most trusted grassroots organizations.

Contact: Betsy Patterson Tel: 805-798-4685
Email: [email protected]

Vol. 11, No. 22 – Aug 1 – Aug 14, 2018 – Ojai News & Events

The Ojai Playwrights Conference (OPC), one of the nation’s most acclaimed new play development programs, announces two extraordinary “Intersection” events during its annual New Works Festival, including an opening night cabaret with original works and performances by twelve OPC playwrights and a special performance event with new plays by Jon Robin Baitz and Bill Cain and new music theatre piece by Quetzal.

The Ojai Storytelling Festival will present Scott Ainslie as one of the featured tellers at the 18th annual festival, Oct. 25-28. Ainslie is a man who can speak about the Blues with the same compelling passion and authority that drives his musical performances. On stage, he brings the African and American roots, history, and soul of the music. During the Ojai Storytelling Festival, Ainslie will be featured as a solo artist, but he will also be showcased with poet Glenis Redmond in “Southern Voices: Black, White and Blues”. The two performers will weave stories, poetry and music together in a presentation of power and depth that features the works of Muddy Waters and Zora Neale Hurston; Robert Johnson and Fannie Lou Hamer.

A Cancer Prevention & Healing Class Series will be held on August 7th, 14th, 21st and 28th

from 7-8:30PM at Healing in America 107 W. Aliso Street.

Food Medicine Chef Bianca Rose will share the most powerful cancer fighting foods, spices, herbs and teas to boost the immune system and support natural abilities to heal the body. Includes talk and live cooking demo. Please visit compassionateating.com/classes or call 805-701-9858 for information and sign-up.

Pascal Baudar, author and renowned professional forager for L.A.’s top chefs, will return to Ojai as Herb Walks with Lanny Kaufer’s special guest on Saturday, August 11, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. for a workshop on brewing wild beers with local plants. He will demonstrate techniques described in his latest book, The Wildcrafting Brewer. A limited number of copies of both books will be available for sale and signing.

Baudar will get back to the basics of making beer. During this workshop, participants will learn about plants that have been used during history as brewing ingredients, how to extract wild yeast, creating sugar sources from fruits and berries and much more.

After the walk, the group will go back to a community kitchen where Pascal will show the group the process of making a simple wild beer on location. The $75 fee includes the walk and all foods and beverages to be sampled. To register, visit www.HerbWalks.com, or contact Lanny Kaufer at 805-646-6281 or [email protected].

Quin Shakra and Goda Trakumaite will visit the Ojai Library on Saturday, August 11, at 1 p.m. to deliver a free workshop titled How to Save Squash Seeds. Shakra and Trakumaite are offering this free seed saving workshop to celebrate the release of their comic Adventures in Seed Saving #1: Squash.

The workshop will cover the process of seed cleaning, extraction, pulp removal via water, seed fermentation, and winnowing and cleaning dried squash seed.

Jill Swaim will visit the Ojai Library on Saturday, August 18, at 1 p.m. to deliver a presentation entitled Road Scholar: Adventures in Lifelong Learning. Do you love to travel? Do you enjoy learning new things, exploring interesting places, and meeting people who share a love of adventure? Join us for a lively discussion of the many programs offered by Road Scholar, a not-for-profit organization whose mission is to inspire adults to learn, discover, and travel.

Road Scholar is the world’s largest—and America’s first—educational travel organization for adults, offering nearly 5,500 affordable programs each year in about 150 countries worldwide.

For additional information, contact Ron Solórzano, Regional Librarian, at (805) 218-9146. The Ojai Library is located at 111 East Ojai Avenue in Ojai.

Sunset Mixed Media by Wendy Winet

Buenaventura Art Association (BAA)call for entries at Community Memorial Hospital “The Sky’s the Limit”

Deadline Saturday, Midnight, July 14, 2018.

Exhibit July 22 – October 21, 2018.

Clear skies or cloudy skies, sunset or sunrise, azure, atmosphere, heavens or firmament, submit your expanses of sky! Juror CMH and BAA panel.

For entry details go to BuenaventuraGallery.org.

Spring Carnival Business Expo

The Ventura Chamber of Commerce held its Spring Carnival Business Expo on May 17 at the Four Points by Sheraton Ventura Harbor Resort. The Expo presented over 80 exhibitors, wonderful food, prizes and the Ventura Breeze. Making sure no one kidnapped the Breeze publisher were Jaime Baker, Ana Baker, Karen Leslie and James Francis Gray who really didn’t care.

Learn about visiting Ventura’s sister city – Loreto, Mexico

Loreto was the first Spanish settlement on the Baja California Peninsula.

For the first time since former Ventura Mayor Cheryl Heitmann officially exchanged keys to the city with Loreto, Mexico, in 2015, the Ventura/Loreto Sister City Committee is inviting Venturans to travel with them to explore their sister city.

Planning is underway for biannual visits to Loreto including hotel and non-stop flights from LAX. These trips are meant to promote and strengthen the sister city relationship between the cities, and the cost of the trip includes a donation to support the Ventura/Loreto Sister City Committee whose objectives include collaboration on tourism, culture, education, environment, and business initiatives.

Loreto is a small city of approximately 17,000 people that sits on the east coast of Baja California, facing the Sea of Cortez. It was the first Spanish settlement on the Baja California Peninsula and is the starting point for the historic El Camino Real corridor that follows north along the ancient route of the Spanish missions.

Loreto is also home to Loreto Bay National Park where Coronado, Del Carmen, Danzante, Montserrat and Santa Catalina Islands are home to over 800 species of marine life. With breathtaking cliffs, spectacular beaches and dramatic rock formations, these islands are a perfect landscape for the ecologically-minded or those who delight in a vast array of marine life.

For more information, visit visitventuraca.com/sistercity. Trip inquiries should be directed to Stephen Joyce with Ventura Travel Professionals at 805-218-1962.

For more information on, or to join the Ventura/Loreto Sister City Committee contact Fiorella Calderoni at [email protected] or visit visitventuraca.com/sistercity.

Simple Steps to Good Health – June 2016, Fitness Tips

by Elisabeth Mondragon

5 Ways to Sneak in Exercise This Summer

Summer is the perfect time to check in with your healthy lifestyle goals. You might be spending less time in a gym but that doesn’t mean you have to skimp on exercise. Be creative and exercise outside! Spending active time with your family or friends outdoors is an easy way to sneak in exercise and summer fun in the sun. Here are five fun ideas.

1. Early morning walks
The thought of being outside in the summer afternoon heat can be daunting. Why not take a morning walk instead? You can even take your coffee with you, just make sure you’re walking fast enough to get your heart rate up. A lap around a scenic park, a brisk stroll down the beach or even a couple of loops around your block will ensure your day gets off to a healthy start. Bring your dogs and kids if you have them!

2. Pool exercises
There are endless opportunities to enjoy time at the pool during hot summer months. Whether you have a club membership, access to a neighborhood pool or even a day pass to the public pool, why not turn this essential summer pastime into a workout! Instead of lounging on the edge of the water, jump in! If you have kids, play Marco Polo or judge a handstand contest. If not, grab a buddy and work up a sweat racing laps or even doing water aerobics! Bonus points if there’s a water slide – all that walking up stairs is a great workout for your legs.

3. Family field day
This is a fun, active way to celebrate a summer birthday or family reunion. Take the focus off the treats and concentrate on good old-fashioned competition instead! Kids and adults can participate in a backyard games, making this a good activity for the whole family. Burlap sack races, water balloon fights, basketball and hula hooping are activities that will get your hearts pumping. Don’t forget to drink water! The hardest part will be deciding who will be on each team!

4. Volunteer
Feel good and do good – what could be better? There are thousands of outdoor volunteer opportunities across the country. Pick an active one, like rebuilding hiking trails, picking up trash at a local beach, planting trees or building a house for the less fortunate. Even if you only have one open weekend to commit, chances are there’s a need to fill in your community.
5. Recreation Leagues
Your city likely has sports leagues for all ages, whether it’s a 20-somethings kickball league, a weekly tennis game or a family softball tournament. You probably won’t even notice the exercise part — you’ll be distracted by the competition and socializing! Don’t forget to walk around, stand or cheer when it’s not your turn to participate. Getting your friends and family involved will help you stay motivated to attend.

Harbor Waterways Entrance Now Open

Harbor Waterways Entrance Now OpenThe Ventura Harbor waterways entry is open for normal boating traffic as of Friday, February 19 at 2 p.m.

The dredging at Ventura Harbor will remain in and around the harbor for the next month to continue efforts to remove hazards in the harbor entrance. Boaters should be aware and carefully navigate around the dredge and its equipment.

The modified Safety Zone will remain in effect to warn boaters of the hazards associated with the dredge and its pipes, but otherwise allow for boaters to maneuver through the entrance with caution. The dredge can be contacted on Marine Channels 16 & 67 for questions or passing instructions. Information on the Safety Zone can be locatedatwww.venturaharbor.com under News.

Ventura Harbor businesses are fully operational in the Harbor including all boatyards, fuel docks, restaurants, shops, activities, hotels, excursions, and onsite events. Inner Harbor boating and paddle craft traffic is allowed.

On February 9, 2016, the District was advised by Congresswoman Julia Brownley that the 2016 FY U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Work Plan includes an additional $2.5 million for the dredging project currently underway. This brings the total dredging allocation for this year to $7.3 million.

Manson Construction, who was contracted by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, began mobilizing their equipment in the Ventura Harbor the week of January 25, 2016 and is currently dredging in the harbor entrance. Once Manson completes the dredging in the main channel, the Safety Zone initiated by the U.S. Coast Guard will be lifted. The second phase will include dredging of the sand trap. Dredging is a 24hr. operation (weather permitting) and will continue for approximately thirty days.

The District is grateful to Congresswoman Brownley and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for their efforts to secure the supplemental funding to adequately dredge the channel entrance and sand trap.

Harbormaster John Higgins states three factors which have led to making the entrance very dangerous — unusually large waves and swells from the El Nino condition, shoaling and a strong current running along the inside of the breakwater.

Dredging Manager Richard Parsons and Ventura Port District Commissioners Everard Ashworth and Greg Carson have met with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, who are responsible for the dredging of the harbor, that helped secure the additional $2 million for dredging.

The depth of the entrance channel, normally about 40 feet, was as shallow as 14 feet and narrow to the point that two boats could not safely pass one another in the entrance, said Higgins. The district estimates there were 900,000 cubic yards of sand in the harbor sand trap and entrance.

The Corps contract calls for dredging 460,000 cubic yards of sand. And with the additional funding, 340,000 more cubic yards of sand is scheduled to be dredged.

The Harbor Patrol can also be reached on Marine Channels 16 and12 and at(805)-642-8618. Business assistance opportunities for those affected by the closure, please visitwww.venturaharbor.com and click on the News article for thelink.

Ask Event benefitting Step Up Ventura Feb. 19th

Come enjoy a little wine, a little cheese, a little chocolate,
And do a whole lot of good….
It’s an Ask Event benefiting Step Up Ventura

Take this opportunity to learn about an exciting new organization that provides homeless children and their families with much needed preschool and child care.

This is a fundraising event and your support is appreciated at any level you choose It’s being held on Friday, February 19th from 5:30 to 6:30 pm at 499 Arnett Ave in Ventura.

Ventura launches its 150th anniversary celebrations on November 8

A special reception, free and open to the public, officially launches the city’s 150th anniversary celebration on Sunday, November 8, from 2 to 4 pm at the Museum of Ventura County, 100 East Main Street.

Attendees are invited to enjoy refreshments and special limited edition 150th anniversary souvenirs as they take part in a rich menu of festive activities: stories by a panel of descendants of historic families (Chaffee, Harrison, Smith-Hobson, and Tumamait), a presentation on our local history and performances courtesy of the Ventura Music Festival.

A video created by (CAPS-TV) Community Access Partners of San Buenaventura will introduce the Ventura Legacy project. Also on display will be simulations of the 1860 census, finalists in the poster contest presented by the Boys and Girls Club, Friends of the Library and the Ventura Unified School District and the museum’s current “Portraits” exhibit featuring local historic photos.

Guests are encouraged to bring copies of family photos from past decades to post on special photo boards which will travel to various events and be on display at the Pacific View Mall. The sesquicentennial finale on April 2 will be a free community fair and picnic in downtown Ventura, followed by a concert in Mission Park by “hometown boys made good,” Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, a partnership between the City and the Ventura Education Partnership to benefit arts in our schools.

The City’s 150th anniversary is made possible by the generous donations of the Ventura Auto Center Dealers and Ventura Townehouse; and this inaugural event is supported by EJ Harrison and Sons.

The City of Ventura turns 150 on April 2, 2016. To observe this milestone the city is working with community partners to present a series of special events, programs and activities over five months (150 days) celebrating the amazing span of Ventura history and culture reaching before and after the California State Senate approved “An Act to Incorporate the Town of San Buenaventura” on March 10, 1866 that took effect on April 2 – from the indigenous Chumash to the waves of Spanish, Mexican, Chinese, European, Yankee and today’s international immigrants who have enriched our city over the years.

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