Ventura County Library announces a new mobile app, MyVCLibrary, allowing users access to print and digital collections

Saticoy Library is one of four Ventura libraries.

The MyVCLibrary app helps library customers continue to access Ventura County Library collections and services in a user-friendly way. Users may access a digital library card, search for materials, place or cancel holds, manage their account, renew items, and even self-check, all from their mobile device. Other features include an ISBN search to see if the library has a specific book and the ability to manage several accounts on one device.

“We’re really excited that our new and improved app brings the library to life in the hands of our users. We’re happy to be able to extend our reach into the community and provide customers convenient access to our collections and services, wherever they are, whenever they’d like,” says Nancy Schram, Ventura County Library Director.

The app allows users to explore the library without entering a building. While in a library building, our app allows users to easily pull up their digital library card on their device and check out.

Download this new Ventura County Library app by going to the Android or Apple app Store and searching for “MyVCLibrary” on your smart device today.

For additional information, contact Nancy Schram, Ventura County Library Director at (805) 256-8535.

See our hours of service at https://www.vencolibrary.org/locations

El Rio Branch:

  • Albert H. Soliz Library, 2820 Jourdan Street, Oxnard, CA 93036

Heritage Valley branches:

  • Fillmore Library, 502 2nd Street, Fillmore, CA 93015
  • Piru Library, 3811 Center Street, Piru, CA 93040

Mobile Library https://www.vencolibrary.org/locations/mobile-library

Oak Park branch:

  • Oak Park Library, 899 North Kanan Road, Oak Park, CA 91377

Ojai Valley region branches:

  • Meiners Oaks Library, at Meiners Oaks Elementary, Fall 2021
  • Oak View Library, 555 Mahoney Avenue, Oak View, CA 93022
  • Ojai Library, 111 East Ojai Avenue, Ojai, CA 93023

Port Hueneme branch:

  • Ray D. Prueter Library, 510 Park Avenue, Port Hueneme, CA 93041

Ventura region branches:

  • Avenue Library, 606 North Ventura Avenue, Ventura, CA 93001
  • E.P. Foster Library, 651 East Main Street, Ventura, CA 93001
  • Hill Road Library, 1070 S. Hill Road, Ventura, CA 93003
  • Saticoy Library, 1292 Los Angeles Avenue, Ventura, CA 93004

 

Bringing the joy of art & community to Ventura since 1985

Art City Studios in Ventura means different things to different people.
For some it is a font of imagination and freedom of artistic expression.
For others it is a haven and a refuge from the troubles in the world.
For others, the hundreds of international who have worked here in the 36 years
since it moved to Ventura from Santa Barbara,
Art City is a source of deep personal expression and their foremost way of staying connected with their patrons and the community as a whole.

Art City has been through a lot in its over three-decades of existence in Ventura.
It has weathered many a storm and always come out swinging for the Arts in our community. There simply is no other place like Art City in our increasingly mechanized and inhibited society. All the more essential that this proud resource not be allowed to be destroyed or altered beyond all recognition.

There is nothing that says Art City Studios should not have to adapt and change with the times. But any wholesale assault on its independence, its right to exist, would bring shame on those whose misguided efforts in this regard fail to take into account the unique place Art City Studios has in Ventura.

Our major collaborators over the years, including the City of Ventura, the Museum of Ventura County, The Ventura Botanical Gardens, Cal State Channel Islands, Bell Arts Factory, and many more, all believe that there must be a way forward for Art City that assures it of remaining what it has always been, a place like no other here on earth.

197 Dubbers Street
Ventura, CA. 93002
www.artcitystudios.com / [email protected] / 805 653-6380

Answer In a Breeze

Question:
I often see Coast Guard boats going into the Ventura Harbor. What are they doing in the Harbor?
Diane Brown

Answer:
We asked Tim Burrows from the Ventura Harbor Patrol to answer this.
The US coast guard serves many functions, one of which is boarding vessels for safety inspections and or suspicious activity. They will enter the Harbor and look for suspicious activity or for violations.

They also are part of Homeland Security, so they patrol all water ways (inland / international).

Also, it is easier to board vessels in calm waters, so they will sometimes bring vessels to our dock for inspections and investigations.

Help Shape Ventura’s Future by Getting Involved in the General Plan

by Ventura City Manager Alex D. McIntyre

“The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.”
Lao Tzu, Chinese Philosopher

Right now, there’s an incredibly important initiative going on in the City of Ventura that will guide our future for the next 25 years or more. The steps that we take right now truly matter.

The Ventura General Plan, themed “Our Vision, Our Future,” is a long-range land use policy document that builds a framework for maintaining Ventura’s unique charm and character. It also identifies opportunities to enhance the community’s quality of life, economic vitality, and sustainability.

Cities are not static; they are constantly changing and evolving. The steps and actions we take through the General Plan will address important community needs like housing, transportation, economic development, climate change and environmental sustainability, public safety, arts, parks, and more.

Since its launch in 2020, the General Plan has collected thousands of ideas and suggestions from community workshops, public meetings, surveys, stakeholder interviews, and various activities. An additional way the City gathers public input is through the General Plan Advisory Committee (GPAC), which meets publicly on the third Tuesday of every month at 6 p.m. Chaired by Councilmembers Lorrie Brown and Doug Halter, the 22-member GPAC is comprised of residents, business owners, educators, students, and other Ventura community members.

As part of the General Plan, the City is also actively working on updating other long-term planning efforts, including the:

Climate Action and Resiliency Plan: A Roadmap for how the community will reduce greenhouse gas emissions and prepare for climate change impacts, future natural hazards, and increase resiliency.

Active Transportation Plan: Focuses on bicycle and pedestrian mobility and transit use. This effort will develop detailed policies, actions and implementation programs that will support the General Plan effort.

Housing Element: This is a state mandated document that is part of the General Plan and provides an analysis of Ventura’s housing needs and strategies to preserve, improve, and promote housing for all income levels in the community. In 2021, the City will update its Housing Element to meet the State’s deadline and requirements. This element will then be revised in 2022 to be consistent with the remainder of the updated General Plan.

These policy documents are ambitious long-term undertakings that will help our community thrive while maintaining its charm.

Please don’t miss the opportunity to help shape Ventura’s future and what it means to live, work, play, and do business here. Your participation is critical to the process and highly encouraged.

To learn more, visit www.planventura.com to learn about pop-up events, activities, surveys, GPAC meetings, and registering for email updates.

Public health strongly recommends all community members wear masks indoors

With cases of COVID-19 rising locally and increased circulation of the highly transmissible Delta variant, the County of Ventura Public Health Department strongly recommends that everyone, regardless of vaccination status, wear masks indoors in public places. This serves as an extra precautionary measure for those who are fully vaccinated and will further limit spread of the Delta variant in the community at large.

“The Delta variant is spreading quickly in our State. All community members should take action to protect themselves and others against this potentially deadly virus,” said County of Ventura Health Officer Doctor Robert Levin. “While vaccines remain our best tool against COVID-19, masking in indoor and crowded outdoor settings will help us curb the spread of this latest wave of infection. Ventura County data have recently shown that unvaccinated people are 22 times more likely to become infected and hospitalized than vaccinated residents. Several of our hospitalized people have been vaccinated and that is several too many.”

In June, the Delta variants comprised 43 percent of all specimens sequenced in California. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) noted that Delta variants are now responsible for 58 percent of new infections across the country. Fully vaccinated people are well-protected from infections and serious illness due to known COVID-19 variants including Delta variants, and vaccinating as many people as possible, as soon as possible, continues to be our best defense against severe COVID-19 infection, and the harm it can do to our region. Vaccines are safe, effective, free, and widely available to everyone 12 and older. “For the most part this is a surge of cases among our unvaccinated and it is preventable. Get vaccinated,” said Doctor Levin.

Out of an abundance of caution, people are strongly recommended to wear masks indoors in settings like grocery or retail stores, theaters, and family entertainment centers, even if they are fully vaccinated as an added layer of protection for both themselves and unvaccinated residents. Businesses are asked to expect universal masking for customers entering indoor areas of their businesses to provide better protection to their employees and customers. Workplaces must comply with Cal/OSHA requirements and fully vaccinated employees are encouraged to wear masks indoors if their employer has not confirmed the vaccination status of those around them. For masks to work properly, they need to completely cover your nose and mouth and fit snugly against the sides of your face and around your nose.

Public Health will continue to monitor transmission rates, hospitalizations, deaths and increasing vaccination rates throughout the County and will reevaluate the recommendation in the coming weeks. COVID-19 information can be monitored at www.vcrecovers.org.

COVID-19 vaccines are available at multiple locations throughout the County of Ventura for all community members 12 or older. Information about locations can be found at www.myturn.ca.gov or by calling 833-422-4255.

Crowd gathers to protest SoCalGas compressor site in Ventura

The Westside Community Council was there supporting the cause.

On July 17, from 11:00 am until 2:00 pm, hundreds of community members from around California including Ventura, Culver City, Playa Del Rey, and Aliso Canyon met at Kellogg Park to demand Gov. Newsom instruct the California Public Utilities Commission to conduct an Environmental Impact Review before any further work can be completed on the SoCalGas facility, and to phase out oil and gas drilling immediately.

More than 200 people attended the ‘Fight to Stop Ventura SoCalGas Compressor’ protest. They displayed signs opposing the compressor station and lisend tgo speakers opposing the site.

For years, Ventura’s Westside community has lived near the Southern California Gas Company compressor station. It has been considered by NASA as a super-emitter of methane.

SoCalGas has initiated efforts to double the size of the facility that sits across the street from an elementary school and Boys and Girls Club. Approximately 500 people live within a quarter mile of the facility, but as many as 4,750 live within a half mile radius close enough to be impacted by a gas explosion. The site s located at 1555 N. Olive St.

Ryan Gellert, CEO of Patagonia, Inc. stated “As CEO of Patagonia, I am working in solidarity with the community of West Ventura and Patagonia’s 500 Ventura based employees to oppose this dangerous project. Patagonia’s headquarters has been located down the road on West Santa Clara Street since our founding in 1973. As a global company that is in business to save our home planet, it’s our responsibility to use our resources to protect our employees, neighbors and community from harm. We believe it’s urgent to put people before the interests of the fossil fuel industry.”

“Oil and gas infrastructure has no place near homes and schools. Patagonia applauds Mayor Rubalcava and our city councilors, along with community groups and environmental activists, for protecting residents. We urge our elected and appointed officials to continue to block the expansion of this dangerous facility. We want SoCalGas to safely clean up this site under the watchful eyes of government officials and local activists and shut down this compressor station.

To learn more about the efforts to stop SoCalGas’ expansion of the gas compressor on Olive Street, please visit westsidecleanair.org. Their demands are:

The Department of Toxic Substance Control (DTSC) must hold a bilingual community hearing with residents that would be affected, including parents of children who attend EP Foster Elementary School;

There must be an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) and Health Impact Assessment of the entire scope of the cleanup and expansion project at 1555 N. Olive St;

Rather than expand this facility, SoCal Gas must create a plan to clean up the toxic soil and shut down the compressor station. We do not want this in our neighborhood.

Kindness Really Matters Now

Ventura’s wonderful Park Safety Ambassadors would be a fine place to start.

Why, Here in Ventura — and Throughout California — Kindness Really Matters Now

Now that California and Ventura have reopened, folks are flooding out into the world with joyous abandon. That is happy news. We all can use plenty of joy. But there is a flip side to this flood. Businesses that had gone to a skeletal staff (or no staff) are suddenly short staffed. The simple, unequal math is reduced to this — many of our Ventura businesses are struggling to do a lot more with fewer people. Our Ventura businesses — from hotels, to restaurants, to retail — are working hard to hire staff, but it takes time. Lines are a little longer. Waits are a little longer. Phones ring a little longer.

Our businesses are doing the best they can in the face of a happy deluge of visitors and locals eager to greet life, all of them boosting our economy (for which we are deeply grateful). And our businesses are working equally hard to do better. Until they catch up — and they will — we ask for some simple, but game-changing, things. Like patience. An understanding smile. A kind word. Maybe even an unasked for thank you. Ventura’s wonderful Park Safety Ambassadors would be a fine place to start (They’re easy to spot; wearing bright red colored shirts with Ventura’s logo, they’re perpetually cleaning and graciously answering every kind of question).

That’s right, who better to get the kindness ball rolling than the locals? We Venturans know how to do this. No town knows better. We know how to move a little more slowly; see what’s important and what isn’t. These businesses that are working so hard to adapt to this bright world, most of them are run by our friends and neighbors. These are people we know. How could we not be patient and understanding?

Venturans and visitors, we all walk through this time together. Who wouldn’t want to make it more pleasant? And it requires pretty much nothing. No effort (how hard is a smile?). No real inconvenience (how hard, a few extra beats of patience?) No timetable. “Be kind whenever possible,” the Dalai Lama once said. “It is always possible.”

Why not even be proactively kind? There’s the story of a man who sets his phone alarm so that it goes off a few times a day. At that moment, he does something kind.

Makes you feel good just reading that, doesn’t it?

Why not spread that feeling?

 

Where happiness comes in waves at the Ventura Harbor

Celebrate seaside entertainment all summer long.

The sights and sounds of Summer continue weekly at Ventura Harbor Village through Labor Day with a stellar line up of live seaside entertainment and an array of after dark experiences.

Set sail into the weekend with harborside entertainment at Ventura Harbor Village where a menagerie of summer seaside vibes is in the air on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. Revel in genres that include Blues, Pop, Rock Soul, Caribbean, and Reggae.

A roster of top-notch local DJs set the stage and take turns showcasing an ongoing musical variety (made possible by Party Proper!) as part of NEW Friday Nite Seaside DJ Set from 4-7 pm every Friday through Labor Day weekend. Stroll the Seaside Promenade Stage and embrace some evening bliss as the sun goes down and sound turns up. Enjoy the sea-inspired soundtrack while meandering the waterfront and sipping cool cocktails on the patio of a nearby restaurant.

Amid a toe tapping upbeat tropical vibe, visitors celebrate the return of the destination’s popular live Steel Drum Performances with Steel Drum Saturdays from 1-4 p.m. at the seaside Promenade Stage which showcases breathtaking views of both the harbor and mountains. Arrive early to shop, dine and relax at one of the Village’s scenic restaurants and savor fresh seafood, a variety of cuisine choices, and toast to summer with refreshing hand-crafted cocktails

Showcasing a variety of duos and trios with a musical line-up that includes pop to soul and rock to a blend of Caribbean and reggae, Ventura Harbor’s live Summer Sundays live musical performances, from 1-4 p.m. on the oceanfront Promenade Stage, are the perfect way to spend the afternoon. With an array of options to sit back, relax and listen to music on the scenic Promenade patios, on the water aboard a kayak, SUP, electric boat, or on a paddle boat, all offer ways to get the best floating seats in the harbor.

 

Combatting teen vaping is focus of new website

Nearly a third of Ventura County eleventh graders say they have tried vaping.

The Ventura County Office of Education has launched a new website called The Triple Threat to Teen Health that’s aimed at combatting the serious problem of teen vaping. The website is available in English and Spanish at vaping.vcoe.org. “While many may think vaping is a safer alternative to smoking cigarettes, the most popular vaping products all contain nicotine and have a high potential for addiction,” said Dr. César Morales, Ventura County Superintendent of Schools. “This new website gives parents, guardians, students and educators an important tool to learn about the real risks that vaping poses to our students,” he said.

Nearly a third of Ventura County eleventh graders say they have tried vaping. Many young people are attracted to the thousands of sweet flavor options and slick new device designs used by the vaping industry. In addition to vaping nicotine products, students are using e-cigarettes to consume concentrated cannabis (marijuana). Both nicotine and cannabis use can permanently affect adolescent brain development.

Just before the start of the coronavirus pandemic, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention was investigating cases of severe lung injuries caused by the vaping of these unregulated cannabis products. A recent Stanford University School of Medicine study showed a strong link between youth vaping and an increased risk of lung injury related to COVID-19 infection. Additional research by the University of California and Stanford University has found a concerning connection between nicotine, cannabis, and electronic vaping products.

In an effort to address this risk, the Ventura County Office of Education’s Comprehensive Health and Prevention Programs department has created a new website called The Triple Threat to Teen Health. The site is intended for use by parents, guardians, families, and school staff. It provides an initial introduction to these three intersecting issues that pose a significant health risk to today’s young people. It also offers local resources for those who would like to learn more or to get help with addiction.

While the California Healthy Kids Survey (CHKS) shows that Ventura County students’ use of conventional cigarettes has been on a downward trend for the last two decades, vaping devices are being used at dramatically higher rates at every measured grade level. Only recently has the initial data from the most recent CHKS suggested that student vaping behaviors have dropped slightly. In addition, students’ “perception of harm” caused by vaping devices has increased dramatically – across all grade levels and in nearly every demographic. While additional analyses are pending, this suggests that public messaging and education on the risks of vaping are having an impact on teens.

The Ventura County Office of Education provides a broad array of fiscal, training and technology support services to local school districts, helping to maintain and improve lifelong educational opportunities for children, educators and community members. VCOE also operates schools that serve students with severe disabilities and behavioral issues, provides career education courses, and coordinates countywide academic competitions including Mock Trial and the Ventura County Science Fair. Learn more at: www.vcoe.org.