Farmers’ Market Association announces status during the COVID-19 Virus Outbreak …

The Ventura County Certified Farmers’ Market Association (VCCFMA) is committed to maintaining its four farmers markets as a vital food facility and local food source during this time of uncertainty with the spread of COVID-19. As a result, the VCCFMA announces that all four markets will remain open for the foreseeable future in Midtown Ventura, Downtown Ventura, Thousand Oaks and Santa Clarita.

In order to provide the safest operations possible, the VCCFMA is modifying its systems by implementing more stringent cleaning and disinfecting protocols at the markets, which include increased sanitization of the equipment and frequently touched areas. Additional hand wash stations and sanitizing products are also available at the markets’ Information Booths. All sampling practices are being discontinued as well as the elimination of cooked foods.

The move of the Thousand Oaks Market scheduled for March 26 to the Front Northwest Outdoor Lot at the Oaks Shopping Center has been postponed during this chaotic time. The market will remain at the East End Parking Lot on Wilbur Road and Thousand Oaks Boulevard until the market operations become stabilized. A new move date, projected for May, will be announced once the site has been approved. Shoppers can assist with safety by utilizing the hand washing stations, washing hands with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds before eating or drinking and washing again thoroughly after using the restroom. Products will be limited, and shoppers are asked to observe social distancing as well. All food products need to be thoroughly washed when taken home. It is also advisable not to touch ones’ face, hair, body or clothes. Keeping these tips in mind will help ensure everyone’s safety at the markets.

Current updates will be available on VCCFMA social media channels – Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. For more information, call 805-529-6266, or visit the website at www.vccfm.org.

The Ventura County Certified Farmers’ Market Association is a non-profit farmers’ cooperative that has been in existence since 1986 and serves the communities of Ventura, Thousand Oaks and Santa Clarita with their four weekly certified farmers’ markets.

Ventura City Fire Department responds to report of smoke at Ventura High School

On Feb.27, the Ventura City Fire Department responded to a report of smoke inside a classroom at Ventura High School. When Firefighters arrived on scene, they discovered a smoldering fire on top of a teacher’s desk. The fire appeared to have burned itself out after burning through the desk and consuming most of the materials on top. The fire did not extend past the desk; however, there was significant smoke damage to the involved classroom and minor smoke damage to a couple of adjoining classrooms. After firefighters ventilated the remaining smoke from the room, the building was turned back over to Ventura Unified School officials for repair.

Food Share looking for volunteers and donations to ensure no one goes hungry

Ventura County’s food bank is stepping up its operations to ensure that those in need have access to food.

As an essential service, Food Share, Ventura County’s food bank, is not only staying open, it’s stepping up its operations to feed even more people in need. In addition to grocery stores, farmers markets, convenience stores, take-out and delivery restaurants, food banks across the state are being asked to stay open by Governor Gavin Newsom, even during the statewide stay at home directive.

Monica White, President & CEO of Food Share, has a straightforward and positive message, “Keep calm and we’ll feed on! We are open for business and will continue to feed those in need in Ventura County. Our mission is more important than ever. We have asked our older volunteers to put their own health first and stay home, but we need help to meet the increasing need. If you are over the age of 12, are not in a vulnerable health group and have no symptoms of illness, please go to foodshare.com/volunteer and sign up for a shift. Our community needs your help.”

Food Share has stepped up its already rigorous food safety and facility sanitation practices to minimize any risk to food recipients, volunteers or employees. Everyone who volunteers will be asked to wash their hands thoroughly on entry to the building, will wear protective gloves throughout their shift and will work 6 feet away from other volunteers.

“We are working diligently with our food pantries and other community partners to implement new methods of food distribution, such as drive-through and drop-and-go models to ensure appropriate social distancing” added White. “We have also waived all delivery fees in addition to the shared maintenance fees to help our pantry partners keep the food flowing to those in need.”

Up-to-date information on temporary pantry closures, pop-up distribution sites and emergency volunteer opportunities will be posted at foodshare.com/covid19/ and on Food Share’s social media channels.

For information on free Senior Food Kit distributions please go to foodshare.com/seniorkits

VCAAA also has information and resources for seniors at vcaaa.org/covid-19/

You can make a donation in support of Food Share at foodshare.com/give

What can I do?

by Jill Forman

Most of us want to help. Heck, most of us just want to do something. If you’re like me, retired and in “that” age group, you’re not even supposed to leave the house.

Everyone I know is busy. They work, they do volunteer stuff, they take care of grandchildren and help out at gardens, theaters, schools, etc. Suddenly it all comes to a screeching halt for a lot of us.

It takes some deep thinking to figure out what you can do to help your family, neighborhood, or town.

I am lucky; I love to read and I work with the Ventura Friends of the Library. We have a warehouse of donated books which we sell to fund library materials and programs. My car is often full of books, going to and from used book shelves, the libraries, book sales, the warehouse….

Put that carful of books together with the fact that our neighborhood has 13 Little Free Libraries, hey, there’s something I can do! This morning I drove around to all of the Libraries, stocked them full, and emptied out the boxes of books in my car. Unfortunately, I didn’t have any kids’ books but will pick some up soon. All gifts from the Ventura Friends of the Library for folks who love books.

So that’s my small contribution. Let’s hear from the Breeze readers with your ideas.

A Message from City of Ventura’s Economic Development Manager regarding Coronavirus

The recent developments regarding the Coronavirus (COVID-19) are rapidly evolving. While county, state, and federal agencies take the lead to address the public health-related concerns connected to the virus, our office is also working closely with the County, Ventura Chamber of Commerce, and other key partners to assist our local businesses through the developing economic impacts. 

On March 17, the County of Ventura issued a Public Health Order outlining new requirements including all permanent food facilities, along with bars and nightclubs that offer food. The Public Health Order also requires closure of the following types of businesses in Ventura County, which includes the City of Ventura: 

•    Bars and nightclubs that do not serve food

•    Movie theaters, live performance venues, bowling alleys, and arcades

•    Gyms, fitness centers, and aquatic centers

•    Wineries, breweries, and taprooms that provide tastings. 

The economic health of our businesses is a key priority. We understand that during these times, our local employees and employers are going to be affected by the impacts of COVID-19.  We are here with you and want to be your partner through these uncertain times.  

While recognizing social distancing is essential during this time, we do not want to overlook the importance of investing in our local economy. We encourage our residents to continue supporting our local businesses through pick up or delivery services.  At last night’s City Council meeting, City Council Leadership set the directive to allow for easier access to businesses offering pick up services.  Effective immediately, all parking meters downtown will not be enforced. Free parking will be available through April 12, 2020.  

If you are an employee or employer affected by COVID-19, please visit the Economic Development Collaborative website for a resource guide on information on economic recovery efforts. As new resources become available, this guide will be updated as needed. 

Lastly, please be considerate of others and help to slow the spread of this virus. Review the CDC’s guidance for more information on how you can do your part.

Little free libraries (LFL)

by Jill Forman

Your intrepid walker/reporter/photographer has found 13 LFL’s in the Lemon Grove neighborhood: Arcade to Mills, Thompson to Channel. One of them is currently serving as a food pantry, and one of them is actually two – one for adults, one for kids. Neighbor giving to neighbor and the community. We are all in this together.

Trash, recycling, composting services continue at Harrison, Gold Coast and Agromin,

With the health and safety of employees, customers and communities of utmost importance, E.J. Harrison & Sons and its partners at Gold Coast Recycling and Agromin are closely following the guidelines set forth by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and all relevant federal, state and local agencies to prevent the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19).

Operations at all facilities are generally continuing unabated. The only significant change affecting customers is at Gold Coast, where the Buy-Back Center at its Colt Street facility in Ventura has been closed until further notice, to protect the safety of customers and employees. Residential and commercial recycling continues as usual.

At Harrison, “we do not anticipate having to change our normal trash-collection operations,” said Contracts Manager Dan Harrison. “We are monitoring the situation closely and if the need arises, we will adapt our operations. We will update the public immediately if we believe any significant changes are required.”

At Gold Coast, “our operation is in full working order,” said General Manager George Harrison. “We’re aided greatly by the recent systems upgrade, particularly to the picking line, where employees can easily stand six feet apart and all employees wear protective gloves and masks.”

At Agromin, “we do not anticipate having any changes to our normal operations,” said CEO Bill Camarillo. “Our facility is open for business based on the guidelines from local government and health officials. We will continue to monitor the situation and email updates as necessary.”

“We are grateful for your continued support,” Camarillo said. “Please take care of one another. Stay safe and healthy.”

Thanking all of the companies’ customers, Harrison spokeswoman Nan Drake said: “We appreciate your understanding at this unique and challenging time. We will continue to provide the essential solid waste and recycle services we have committed to perform. As always, we will operate under our company motto that Service is Everything.”

For additional information, visit the companies’ websites, at ejharrison.com, goldcoastrecycling.com and agromin.com.

Vol. 13, No. 13 – Mar 25 – Apr 7, 2020 – Streaming Spotlight

Streaming Spotlight by Cindy Summers
Hunters (Season 1) – Amazon Prime Video

Inspired by true events, Hunters follows a rag-tag group of Nazi hunters living in NYC in 1977 tracking down Nazis living in the U.S. working together to create a Fourth Reich and take over the world. Released by Amazon Originals, Created and Written by David Weil and Starring Al Pacino.

Jonah Heidelbaum (Logan Lerman) was living in NYC and being raised by his grandmother Ruth, who he called Savta meaning grandmother in Hebrew. While Jonah was home but upstairs, Ruth was murdered by an intruder that Jonah was only able to catch a glimpse as he shot is grandmother and fled. At his grandmother’s funeral Jonah met Meyer Offerman (Al Pacino), a well-known millionaire who shared that he and Ruth were in the camps together during the Holocaust and that due to their experience he told Jonah to contact him if he needed anything, saying it was not charity but a debt he owed his savta.

Angry over his savta’s murder and seeking revenge, Jonah connects with Meyer and learns that along with his savta, Meyer had organized a group of Nazi hunters to seek out the Nazi war criminals brought to the U.S. under Operation Paperclip at the end of the war. The team is introduced to viewers in an avant-garde style Bat Mitzvah: former MI6 agent Sister Harriet (Kate Mulvany) mission and logistics planner; movie star Lonny Flash (Josh Radner ) master of mimicry and surprise; black power activist Roxy Jones (Tiffany Boone) counterfeiter, forger and crime scene cleaner; forever soldier Joe Mizushima (Louis Ozoawa) human weapon home from ‘Nam after three long tours; Holocaust survivors Murray and Mindy Markowitz (Saul Rubinek and Carol Kane), genius gadet-making weapons experts; and millionaire bankroller Meyer Offerman (Al Pacino) titan of design, master plotter and chief vigilante. Jonah had a natural gift at code breaking, which made him valuable to the team, so though his savta tried to keep him away, Meyer recognized Jonah’s natural place with the hunters.

Throughout the series, viewers learn about the hunters through flashbacks of their pasts related to the reasons they joined the team as they hunt down the most visible Nazi’s like rocket engineer Wernher von Braun, while building alliances with local police detective Millie Malone (Jerrika Hinton) to stay out of trouble and further their cause. The Hunters eventually discover that the Nazi’s in the U.S. are trying to secretly build a Fourth Reich led by The Colonel (Leno Olin) and work to stop the Nazis’ efforts in a coordinated attack on the U.S.

The biggest blowback about the series currently is that people in the Jewish community are upset due to some of the fictional events portrayed in the series, such as the human chess game (which there is no actual proof ever happened). Chess is a common theme throughout the series, and coincidentally the only person I met that had family in the camps shared a story about chess and how they used to save bits of their bread and use spit to mold chess pieces to have something to occupy their minds in the camp. Instead of saying these are falsities, they can share that the truth held even more horrific atrocities.

I personally feel this is bringing new light to the devastation of the Holocaust and causing people to question the government’s decisions and outcomes surrounding Operation Paperclip. Basically, at the end of the war with Germany, the U.S. was confronted with a challenging situation – either bring the best and brightest of the Nazi regime to the U.S. in an unprecedented witness protection program to have them work in the highest levels of security, research and science in the U.S. or let the Russians get them, which seemed a non-option during the time due to the U.S. Cold War with Russia.

I saw a recent interview on NBC Today with a Holocaust survivor that is spending his life going to schools to share his experience due to the understanding and fear that this horrible event in history is being forgotten and swept under the rug. Just as random DNA tests on ancestral sites are identifying criminals from the past, this series sheds light on heinous criminals provided a cushy life in the U.S. by our own government and hope it helps to reveal who they are and for them to experience the consequences of their actions.

Hunters is filled with great acting, strong character development, intriguing plot twists, and a completely unexpected turn in the final episode that will shock viewers and leave them longing for what’s next in Season 2.

Intended for Mature Audiences 18+ – Contains Adult Content, Graphic Language, Graphic Violence, Strong Sexual Content and Nudity
10 Episodes: E1- 90 minutes E2-E10 – 60 minutes

Library Foundation receives grant and new board members

The Ventura County Library Foundation has received a $3,000 grant from the California Library Association in support of this year’s Lunch at the Library program at the Avenue Library in Ventura.  The Avenue Library, one of the twelve library branches of Ventura County Library, began offering the program in summer 2019 in partnership with Ventura Unified School District and Ventura County Public Health Agency.

The program provides free lunches to children and teens on the west side during summer when school is not in session, and helps ensure no child or teen in the west side of Ventura goes hungry during their summer school break. The program is open to all children and teens up to 18 years of age. There is no sign-up or income verification necessary. Children and teens are offered a healthy lunch along with Summer Reading programs and activities.

“The Ventura County Library Foundation is proud to support this impactful program that feeds bodies and minds.  Many children and teens do not have access to nutritious lunches over the summer months, and coming to the library for a nutritious meal also encourages them to keep reading so literacy skills don’t slide over the summer.  It really is a win-win,” says Kathy Long, Chair of the Ventura County Library Foundation.

The Lunch at the Library program is sponsored by a grant from the California Library Association and in partnership with Ventura Unified School District and the Ventura County Public Health Nutrition Education and Obesity Prevention Program.

For more information about the Library Foundation visit www.vclibraryfoundation.org .

Retired Ventura County Supervisor Kathy Long will lead the Ventura County Library Foundation board into 2020 as the newly installed Chair, replacing Sandy Berg who served for two years.

At its January 8th meeting, five new board members joined the Foundation.

Somis School District Superintendent Dr. Colleen Robertson and retired LAUSD Associate Superintendent, Special Education, Beth Kauffman bring decades of experience in literacy to the foundation.  Kate Larsen, a retired middle school teacher and part-time substitute, was appointed by the Board of Supervisors to join the Foundation.

Also joining the board is Diana Cervantes.  She is Vice President at Premier America Credit Union, which was a strong financial supporter for the purchase of the Mobile Library for the County.  Local business owner, former Peace Corps volunteer and physical therapist Susan Hanson will also bring business experience to the Foundation.

The highest priority in 2020 will be to fund STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and math) programs and equipment across the library system to help prepare the workforce for more highly skilled jobs, and introduce youth to 21st century careers and workplace skills.

Dear Venturans

by President/CEO of Visit Ventura Marlyss Auster

Once again, we are up against hard times and facing many unknowns. But here’s what we already know. We’ve been here before — and not only survived, but thrived. Because here by the sea we carry something very unique in our hearts and minds. The will to see things made better.

I’ve always believed in being totally up front and honest in both my personal life and as President & CEO of Visit Ventura. Honesty is just right. So, with honesty in mind, during these difficult times Visit Ventura will not be where you should go for the facts. We served that purpose, to a degree, during the Thomas Fire. But this time around, we are looking to our Ventura County partners and government officials to be the source for hard facts.

What is Visit Ventura doing? Right now, we’re working to be the encouraging, and rallying, voice for our remarkable community. I’ve never seen a community will stronger than ours, but even the strongest will can use a boost — and even the strongest will sometimes falters. We’re going to share good things (and we all know from experience that there will be many good things). We’re going to help get good things going (keep an eye on our social media). It’s not complicated. We need each other. And we already know we can depend on each other.

Right now, we are also working so that we will be ready to go full speed ahead (and then some) when this is over. Because it will be over. And when it is, tourism will be the vehicle of recovery — the driving force that sees us back to our feet.

Though Ventura will never truly be knocked down. Not by this. Not by anything. Why? Because I have never seen a community like this one — and, even the hardest times, there’s no better place to be.

Which is why I would like to end this message with my deepest, most heartfelt thank you. There is no place like Ventura because there is no community like Ventura. You are the living, breathing reminders of the things that matter. Invincible spirit. 805 strength. Caring without boundaries.You remind me of how good things always outlast the dark.