This is Yogi. He is a Greater Swiss Mountain dog. He lives in Ventura. He loves treats and loves to sleep and eat. He is after all, ten years old. He’s from Washington DC and still gorgeous and always smiling.
Vol. 15, No. 08 – Jan 12 – Jan 25, 2022 – The Pet Page
∙ SPAN Thrift Store is now open to the public and looking for donations of adult clothing, household items and tools if you’ve got items you no longer use.
SPAN Thrift Store is providing low cost spays and neuters for low income households with cats and dogs.
Two upcoming clinics are:
First one will be at on Tuesday, January 18th at Shiells Park, in the parking lot, located at 649 C St., Fillmore, 93015. The next one will be cats only, at the Albert H. Soliz Library – El Rio, 2820 Jourdan St., Oxnard, 93036, on Tuesday, February 1st.
Please call to schedule an appointment (805) 584-3823.
∙ “If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went.”
Will Rogers
∙ A family was put in a difficult situation as they needed to move from their home and had to give up one of their two dogs. They were able to keep their Chihuahua but had to give up their Rottweiler named Creed. The owners of Creed found a nice family to care for him who lived in a farmhouse so he had plenty of land to run around. They said to the new owners if anything came up where they could not care for Creed then to let them know and they would find him another home.
About a year later a property manager went by to check on the farmhouse and found the occupants had moved out and left Creed behind and inside a chain link kennel next to the house. He fed Creed for a couple of days hoping the occupants would return to pick up their dog but no one came for him. The property manager called Canine Adoption and Rescue League (CARL) as he has in the past when he finds abandoned dogs and so an employee picked up Creed and brought him to their kennel. Creed was checked out by a vet and then placed up for adoption. Creed was cared for by the employees at CARL and exercised by the volunteers for about four months
While some volunteers of CARL were at an off-site adoption event, they were approached by a lady who asked if we had a dog named Creed and we said yes. The lady said, “I think that is our dog”. It turns out they drove by where the new owners used to live and noticed the house was vacant. They discovered a video of Creed that a volunteer at CARL had made and placed on social media.
The original owner made an appointment with CARL to go see Creed the very next day and brought along Creed’s little Chihuahua brother. Once they walked up to his kennel, there was no doubt that this was their Creed! Tails were wagging and lots of tears flowed of the happy reunion. Creed’s original owner is now in a situation where they can keep him and so they brought home their dog from the kennel the same day. All of this is possible due to CARL picking up Creed and caring for him until his original owners could be found. It truly is a Christmas Miracle! For more information on Canine Adoption and Rescue League, their website is carldogs.org.
∙ What can your pet eat?
While you generally should not give pets human food, there are some treats that are safe apples, carrots, green beans and bananas. It is usually better to get treats that are made for them.
No matter how cute those puppy-dog eyes are, do not give your pets these items:
Sweets, especially chocolate.
Grapes
Raisins
Onions
Garlic
Chives
Nuts
Turkey meat, skin or bones
Anything with artificial sweeteners, especially ones using Xylitol
Yeast dough
Cats have been known to eat plants, some of which are toxic to them. Avoid plants like poinsettias and Christmas cactuses if your pet likes to munch on plants.
Keep pets safe, whether you travel or host. If you are traveling with your pet, make sure to use this checklist:
Collar
Identification tags
Usual food and medicine
Contact information for an emergency clinic
A safe space prepared for pets while guests visit
A pet carrier for travel
During holidays, pets will likely have their routines thrown off. Try to take them on walks, play with them before guests arrive and let them have a secure, safe place away from the party.
∙ By Susanne Ruststaff
Bentley seemed to be in a haze. Normally this 12-pound Chihuahua-terrier mix would never refuse hot, fresh French fries from a drive-through fast food joint. But on a recent warm afternoon, he turned his head away at his owner’s offer.
“He wouldn’t take them, so I knew something was wrong. He was just out of it,” said Dana Long, a resident of Tiburon. Long eventually took his dog to the veterinarian, who informed him that his typically sprightly and voracious Bentley was stoned. He had likely picked up a chocolate edible on the fields of a nearby middle school, where Long’s daughter was playing softball.
While excess cannabis consumption by canines is not new, cases are growing as more and more states legalize the drug, and its use becomes more widespread, according to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. The group’s poison hotline suggests that as more and more states have legalized recreational marijuana, reports of marijuana toxicity in dogs have also grown.
Between 2017 and 2020, national call volume for cannabis ingestion rose from 1,436 to 3,923 cases, said Tina Wismer, a veterinarian and senior director of the New York-based ASPCA Poison Control Center.
Those numbers are likely just a fraction of the true incidence of marijuana poisonings — reporting to the control center is voluntary — but the trend is clear. In California, where recreational marijuana was legalized in November 2016, call numbers grew by 276% between 2016 and 2020. In Colorado, those numbers have risen eleven-fold since legalization in 2012.
It might sound funny that so many pooches are getting into the hooch. But for dogs who accidentally ingest potent edibles intended for a human several times their weight, the narcotic effect can be serious. In addition, if dogs are chewing on drugs found outdoors, it is possible those drugs are laced with chemicals other than THC, the active ingredient in pot, said several veterinarians.
∙ Lebanon, N.H. (AP) A German shepherd named Tinsley, first thought to be a lost dog, successfully led New Hampshire state police to the site of its owner’s rollover crash.
Both the vehicle’s occupants were seriously hurt, but thanks to Tinsley’s dogged efforts they quickly received medical assistance once officers discovered the truck, which went off the road near a Vermont interstate junction, WMUR-TV reported Tuesday.
“The dog was trying to show them something,” said Lt. Daniel Baldassarre of the New Hampshire State Police. “He kept trying to get away from them but didn’t run away totally.
“It was kind of, ‘Follow me. Follow me.’ And they did that and you know, to their surprise to see the guardrail damaged and to look down to where the dog is looking at, it’s just, they were almost in disbelief,” he said.
A New Hampshire state trooper and police from the nearby city of Lebanon responded to the crash site late Monday, just across the state line in Vermont.
There were no further details on the condition of those injured in the single-vehicle crash.
Buenaventura Art Association (BAA ) presenting the arts
Lightning in the Harbor by Denise Henderscheid
Members show plus board member appreciation show
January 14 – March 12, 2022
Open Fridays and Saturdays, noon to 4pm
First Friday receptions on February 4th and March 4th
Over a dozen new artist members have joined BAA in the last several months! Explore their work along with the artwork of veteran BAA artists and our hard-working Board of Directors in our upcoming shows at Studio 99!
Elsewhere from Buenaventura Art Association:
A members-only show at
Harbor Village Gallery & Gifts
January 12 – March 15, 2022
Featuring the artwork and artisan crafts of 10 resident member artists, Harbor Village Gallery & Gifts also exhibits the works of over a dozen other BAA members!
Members-Only shows upcoming at
SpiceTopia and Very Ventura Gift Shop & Gallery
January 20 – March 31, 2022
City of Ventura welcomes new Chief Building Official
The City of Ventura is pleased to welcome Shawn Huff as the Chief Building Official in the Community Development Department. Huff joins the Ventura team from the City of Chico where he was the Deputy Director of the Community Development Department. Prior to that, he served as the Chief Building Official for the City of Visalia.
With over 20 years of serving both state and local governments, Huff has a wide range of technical and regulatory experience. He served as an administrator in the State Housing Law Program and helped develop the state’s building standards with the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD). Before starting his public service, Huff worked in the private sector in the trades.
“It’s exciting to bring Shawn onboard with his broad background in both the private and public sectors,” shared Community Development Director Peter Gilli. “His technical and regulatory knowledge brings a diversified skill set in serving our residents and businesses.”
Huff holds a master’s in public administration from Golden Gate University, a Bachelor of Arts degree from California State University Chico, and an Associate of Science degree in Building Inspection Technology from Butte Community College.
“I am looking forward to the opportunity to live, work in and serve the fine community of Ventura,” said Huff. “I look forward to fostering relationships with our citizens and providing safe and efficient building standards that protect our residents.”
The City’s Chief Building Official is responsible for managing all building regulation services and programs. To learn more about the Community Development Department, visit www.cityofventura.ca.gov/CommunityDevelopment.
Weather events December 2021
by Tom Johnston
The following weather report is based on weather stations data located near Ventura College campus beginning 1964 or 57 years of record. The weather events during this December 2021 have for the most part been beneficial and interesting to study. There were 15 days of measurable rainfall for a total of
10.2 inches. Two days each had two inches of rainfall. This month’s rainfall was
the highest December amount on record.
With all of this rain a person would think the current drought is over. Yes it
was beneficial. The demand for irrigation has decreased somewhat but the lakes, the water aquifers (ground water), wells and springs will need several years of above normal rainfall to fully replenish. Another subject is how much of this heavy rainfall is due to climate change. Probably some but I will let the experts answer that one.
The meteorologists with the National Weather Service located
in Oxnard have done an outstanding job of forecasting this weather. Their warnings of hazardous conditions on the highways, on the waters, sky and snow has saved the injury and even death of a number of persons and, yes, animals.
As for the air temperatures the daytime temperatures were
several degrees below normal due to thick clouds blocking
the sunrays. The average daytime temperature was 61
degrees while the average night time lows was 44.5 degrees. The
highest monthly temperature was 69, night 38 degrees.
Other weather-related events you may have missed. Depending
on where you were located you may have seen snow on the Topa
Topa mountain range north of Ojai. On the night of December 24
a weak thunderstorm made it presence known by brief thunder
and lightning. At colder inland locations a few mornings had light frost. As for the wind there were 5 windy days with highest gust 34 mph.
Tom Johnston became interested in the weather at age twelve.
He is now a retired Licensed Clinical Social Worker.
Get a jump start on your Spring cleaning!
On Saturday, February 12, 2022, the City of Ventura’s Environmental Sustainability Division hosts its next Community Cleanup & Recycling Event. These cleanup and recycling events are held throughout the year to help City residents drop off unwanted items to be properly disposed of or recycled. Event space is limited, and registration is required to participate.
Items accepted, but not limited to the following:
- Household, trash, and garage items: appliances, clothing, furniture, and metal.
- Electronic waste: computers, TVs, printers, audio/video equipment
- Paper (limit two banker’s boxes): secure onsite shredding service available
- Tires (limit four per household): for drop-off instructions, visit the registration website
Items not accepted:
- Household hazardous waste (HHW) is the only material type not accepted at the event. These items include but are not limited to aerosol cans, automotive fluids, motor oil and filters, paint, batteries, chemicals, and fluorescent tubes. For more information on how to dispose of HHW or register for an upcoming drop-off event, visit www.cityofventura.ca.gov/hhw.
- Commercial or business waste is not accepted at these events, and vehicles clearly marked for commercial purposes will not be allowed entry.
Register today at www.cityofventura.ca.gov/ESevents. For more information about this event or other questions for the City’s Environmental Sustainability Division, call (805) 652-4525.
Bag food waste, tie it off, and place it in the yard waste cart
The Food Waste Recycling Program for residents launched on January 1, 2022. Residents in single-family homes must bag food waste, tie it off, and place it in the yard waste cart. Food waste includes meat, bones, dairy, bread, fruit, vegetables, as well as all other edible and inedible parts of food typically thrown into the trash. Once at the sorting facility, bagged food waste is separated and composted into soil products. Do not place food waste directly into the yard waste cart, as this will contaminate the yard waste.
E.J. Harrison & Sons is providing complimentary food waste collection pails (2 gallons) to assist Ventura residents with participating in the new food waste recycling program. In December, the City’s Environmental Sustainability team began delivering the pails to all single-family homes in Ventura. The food waste recycling pails are also available by request and to residents in multi-family housing units as the program expands.
Before buying new bags for the pails, consider reusing bread bags, takeout bags, or grocery bags as a liner for the pail to collect food waste. When the bag is ready to be disposed, tie off the bag and place it in the yard waste container. Do not place your food waste recycling pail out for curbside collection.
This new program is required by California’s Senate Bill (SB) 1383. SB 1383 aims to reduce methane emissions by diverting organic material from landfills by establishing statewide food waste recycling requirements for cities. The City is rolling out food waste recycling for all residents, businesses, and multi-family properties to comply with the law.
Vol. 15, No. 08 – Jan 12 – Jan 25, 2022 – Movie Review
Streaming Spotlight by Cindy Summers
Queenpins – Showtime
Breeze rating from 1 to 4 palm trees, 4 being best.
Queenpins is based on actual events involving one of the largest pink collar crimes known to date. Connie Kaminski (Kirsten Bell) and her best friend JoJo Johnson (Kirby Howell-Baptiste) both had overwhelming financial challenges, so decide to turn a causal hobby into a coupon scam that netted them millions of dollars. After discovering that manufacturers were willing to send FREE coupons for complaint letters, Connie came up with the idea to get FREE coupons to sell at a good deal and JoJo was a vlogger who already had a coupon site they could use to sell them.
Connie noticed that the coupons all came from the same address in Mexico, not far from where they were in Arizona, so the two set out to find a way to obtain more FREE coupons directly from the source. They met a Hispanic couple who worked in the factory for only $2 per hour and gladly joined Connie and JoJo for a percentage of the profits, agreeing to mail all the excess printed coupons that were supposed to be destroyed directly to Connie and JoJo in Arizona.
The rush of coupons caught the attention of many stores who reported the issue to the district loss specialist Ken Miller (Paul Walter Hauser), who after searching receipts for 11 days was able to find a shopper’s information from her credit card who told him she bought the coupons online from the SavvySuperSavver website. Miller took the information to the local FBI office, which blew him off after he left and sent the information to headquarters to get buried.
After bankning several hundred thousand dollars in their paypal account, Connie’s account was frozen. Feeling it was the only thing to do, they reached out to Tempe Tina (Bebe Rexha) who was actually the person who caused JoJo’s financial trouble after stealing her identity. Tina picked them up, blindfolded them and took them back to her tech hideout. Tina apologized for her past issues with JoJo explaining that now her specialty was Cyber Security, assisting governments and corporations to deal with cyber attacks, and if paid enough to create them.
Tina gave them multiple IDs and a strategy to handle their money for 10% of the profits, and Connie and JoJo decided to follow Tina’s plan to stay off the radar and not spend any funds for six months. While Miller continued making unanswered calls to FBI headquarters, Connie and JoJo made over $5 million mailing coupons, which became their downfall.
Due to the fact that the coupons were mailed, the U.S. Postal Service sent Postal Inspector Simon Kilmurry (Vince Vaughn) to investigate the situation. Kilmurry got the basics from Miller, who was more like a mall cop wanting to be part of the real action. Though Kilmurry denied him initially, they eventually teamed up on the investigation which eventually lead to a cartel size takedown that included millions in fraudulant coupons, luxury cars, and guns.
Queenpins is based on the true story of three Arizona women: Robin Ramirez, Marilyn Johnson, and Amiko Fountain, who ran a coupon scam and the actual police raid found more than $40 million in fake coupons along with $2 million in other assets including 22 guns, cash, 21 vehicles, and a speed boat. Ramirez received 24 months in prison with 7 years probation while her friends served 3 years probation. They also had to pay Procter & Gamble more than $1.2 million.
Rated: R (Language Throughout)
Runtime: 1h 50m
Free virtual seminar addresses kids and the COVID-19 Vaccine
Are you thinking of vaccinating your child against the COVID-19 virus? If you have questions or are looking for more information, join Community Memorial Health System for a free and informative online discussion about the COVID-19 vaccine and children.
CMHS’s pediatric specialist, Dr. Alison Shuman, will talk about the data, safety, and the most recent FDA recommendations for children and the vaccine. CMHS is hosting this free online seminar at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 13 to kick off the Speaker Series Online for 2022. There will be a live question-and-answer session for participants to have their questions addressed by an expert. To join in, please RSVP at www.cmhshealth.org/RSVP.
Community Memorial Health System is a not-for-profit health system that comprises Community Memorial Hospital, Ojai Valley Community Hospital, a skilled nursing facility, and a network of primary and specialty care clinics that serve communities throughout Ventura County, California.
Campuses will start Spring 2022 semester primarily online
To protect the health of students and employees within the Ventura County Community College District and to help mitigate the surge in the county’s COVID-19 cases, Ventura County’s community colleges will start the Spring 2022 semester primarily online beginning Jan. 10. Spring classes at Moorpark, Oxnard and Ventura colleges and Ventura College East Campus will be mainly remote for a limited time with exceptions for classes requiring in-person instruction. Scheduled in-person class sessions will be reinstated following a reduction in COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations.
“The health and safety of our students and employees has been paramount in operations throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. We made the current decision to help reduce transmission and support ongoing public health efforts. We know we must be flexible in our planning as we approach the start of the Spring semester. Remote instruction will contribute to reducing employee and student absences as we help students attain their educational goals,” said Chancellor Greg Gillespie.
“We need to make sure that our campuses are safe, which is why the board of trustees voted unanimously to mandate the vaccine for all students, faculty and staff on our campuses. Online options are available for students who choose not to be vaccinated,” added Board Chair Dianne B. McKay.
Only vaccinated employees and students, and those with an approved exemption, can be on-site. All health and safety protocols currently in place will continue, including daily screening, wearing face masks and twice-weekly testing for people with medical or religious exemptions.
The District’s action related to remote learning for the Spring semester will be continually monitored with input from the Ventura County Public Health Department and in accordance with applicable laws, regulations and guidelines.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines state the best protection against COVID-19 is to be vaccinated and get a booster shot. Ventura County vaccination information is available at Ventura County Recovers. Vaccination appointments can be scheduled online at MyTurn.