Vol. 12, No. 20 – July 3 – July 16, 2019 – Police Reports

by Cindy Summers

Police reports are provided to us by the Ventura Police Department and are not the opinions of the Ventura Breeze. All suspects mentioned are assumed to be innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Stolen Vehicle, Brandishing

On June 21, at approximately 5pm, the Ventura Police Command Center received a 911 call of a subject being detained for brandishing a handgun at McConnell’s Ice Cream. As officers arrived, they learned that the suspect, 63-year-old Thomas Young, approached the two victims as they sat in a van parked next to the business. Young told the victims that the owner of the van owed him money. Neither of the victims knew who Young was, and the three became engaged in a verbal argument which escalated into a physical altercation.

During the fight, a handgun fell from Young’s clothes and onto the ground. Young picked up the gun and pointed it at one of the victims. The victims continued to fight with Young and were able to subdue him and disarm him of the gun. After taking the gun away, the victims waited for the police to arrive and turned over the gun to the police. During the arrest, the gun was found to be unloaded, and Young was found to have illegal drugs on his person. It was also discovered that the vehicle Young was driving was a stolen vehicle.

Young suffered minor injuries during the incident but refused medical attention. Neither of the victims or any officers were injured during the call. Young was arrested for possession of a stolen vehicle, possession of controlled substance, and brandishing. Young is a PROS offender.

Stabbing

On June 22, at approximately 12:30pm, officers responded to a report of a stabbing victim in a vehicle to the front of the Ventura City Fire station in the 700 block of N. Ventura Ave. It was reported the stabbing had occurred at an unknown location in the Ventura River bottom. Officers, along with Ventura City Fire and AMR personnel, found the victim, later identified as a 31-year-old male, suffering from non-life-threatening stab wounds to his neck and torso. He was immediately transported to VCMC for treatment of his injuries. The victim was admitted to the hospital and his current condition is not known.

During the investigation, officers learned that the suspect is possibly none to the victim and both were in the river bottom when the suspect stabbed him. The victim fled to a nearby residence and got a ride from the homeowner to the fire station. The victim was not cooperative with the investigation and officers were unable to locate a crime scene.

The investigation is ongoing. There is no additional information to be released at this time. An additional press release will be sent out when the information is available.

Anyone with information about this crime is asked to contact the Ventura Police Department at 339-4488.

Prowling, Peeping, and Resisting Arrest

On June 23, at approximately 2:30am, VPD officers responded to a call of a prowler seen in the backyard of the victim’s residence. The victim awoke to their motion activated flood lamp and saw a male suspect wearing a beanie looking into their sliding glass door. The victim immediately called 911.

VPD patrol officers quickly arrived and observed the suspect, 51-year-old Ventura resident Carl Valadez, after he climbs over the victim’s fence to exit the yard. The first officer tries to make contact and the suspect runs. The officer engaged in a foot pursuit and is joined by a K9 officer. The suspect ultimately gives up peacefully and is taken into custody without incident.

The suspect was booked at Ventura County Jail for Prowling, Peeping, and Resisting Arrest.

Assault on a Peace Officer

On June 28, at approximately 7:30pm, officers responded to a Subject Disturbing call at the Travelers Beach Inn. The suspect, 43-year-old Andrew Hodges, was reported disturbing guests of the hotel, and he was not a registered guest of the hotel. As officers went to contact Hodges, he attempted to walk away from them. Eventually, the officers were able to stop Hodges on the second floor, landing next to a staircase.

Immediately upon the contacting Hodges is was uncooperative and refused to listen to the officers repeated requests sit down. As the officers continued to try and gain compliance with Hodges, he began to fight with the officers. The fight was so fierce that the officers requested additional officers respond immediately. Upon the arrival of the additional officers, they were able to gain control of Hodges and take him into custody.

No officers were injured during the incident, and Hodges was treated for minor abrasions at a local hospital. Hodges was arrested for Felony Resisting a Peace Officer, Felony Attempting to Remove an Officers Weapon and Felony Vandalism.

A search of the County of Ventura Superior Court records shows that Hodges was convicted earlier in 2019 for Misdemeanor Possession of a Controlled Substance and Resisting a Peace Officer. He also has prior felony convictions in 2016 and 2017 Resisting a Peace Officer.

Vol. 12, No. 20 – July 3 – July 16, 2019 – Mailbox

Dear Editor:

“They got what they deserved.” That’s what I hear, when the anti-immigrant individuals talk about the two innocents, who died, trying to reach the United States.

Where’s the compassion? Where are the heartaches.? Not on this side of the border. These are the people who mimic Trump’s policy of keeping immigrants out of our country. The people who implement Trump’ policies.

“Sad story, but not our fault. They wanna come here? Sorry, not enough room.”

What would our country be like, without the mix, and talent, and hard work, of all immigrants, from all parts of the world?

Maybe our First Americans would be in charge. Interesting idea.

I know our first Americans had big hearts. Willing to share what they had.

They did not sneer at immigrants.

Esther Cole, Ventura

Dear Editor,

Bravo to the women on the Ventura City Council for preserving the city’s participation in the Clean Power Alliance for the majority of its electricity accounts. They understand that the Clean Power Alliance offers more value in terms of transparency and local control. The city’s electricity bill payments to Clean Power Alliance stimulate the supply of more clean energy that is increasingly local in comparison with a future in which taxpayers’ money goes to Edison shareholders and long-distance transmission investments that we don’t need, that should be replaced by distributed generation. Leaders who support Clean Power Alliance understand that it is the most aggressive path to lessen the negative impacts of climate change.

We seriously need that kind of leadership in Congress as well. Bipartisanship is needed to pass such solutions. This month’s relaunch of the Climate Solutions Caucus is a hopeful sign in that Republicans and Democrats can find common ground for solving climate change, making it a bridge issue rather than a wedge issue. Representative Salud Carbajal makes everything a bridge issue, especially climate. He joined the original Climate Solutions Caucus as soon as he arrived in Congress in 2017. Representative Julia Brownley could also join the caucus. We have many local women leaders who are putting climate as the priority concern and pulling together to quickly arrive at solutions that reduce the risk of climate change.

Jan Dietrick

Letters:

A federal judge recently blocked President Donald Trump from tapping into Defense Department funds to build parts of his US-Mexico border wall.

Judge Haywood Gilliam of the Northern District of California blocked the administration from moving forward with specific projects in Texas and Arizona, saying Trump couldn’t disburse the funds without congressional approval. The lawsuit that prompted the ruling was filed by the American Civil Liberties Union on behalf of the plaintiffs, the Sierra Club and Southern Border Communities Coalition.

Thank you

Charles Burn Ojai

As long as there is algebra there will be prayer in school.
~ Larry Miller

New campaign aims to protect children and youth from child exploitation

Ventura County’s READY TO STOP Initiative launches campaign distinguished by a blue check mark to raise awareness about the commercial sexual exploitation of children.

Just when you think your county and your home are safe, your child can fall victim to exploiters and predators in the blink of an eye. Ventura County’s Commercially Sexually Exploited Children’s (CSEC) READY (Respectfully Empowering and Defining Yourself) Program is stepping in with their first campaign, READY TO STOP Child Trafficking in Ventura County, to ensure our children and our community stay protected, informed and vigilant around increased levels of exploitation here in Ventura County.

The READY Program is a program within the County’s Children and Family Services Agency. The program provides support to social workers as they seek to identify and offer assistance to children and youth within the child welfare system who are experiencing commercial sexual exploitation or are at high risk of such. The program liaisons with stakeholder agencies, non-profits, law enforcement, and other partners to build a network of response to address child trafficking.

The commercial sexual exploitation of children is one of the largest criminal industries in the world. According to the Child Welfare Council CSEC Action Team, the FBI has determined that three of the nation’s thirteen High Intensity Child [Trafficking] areas are located in California in the metropolitan and surrounding areas of San Francisco, San Diego, and Los Angeles.

It is crucial to understand this is taking place right in our own backyards. In Ventura County alone, an average of 1.4 referrals per week have been made to the child abuse hotline in 2019. In 2018, there were 17 identified youth in care at high risk of CSEC.

The READY TO STOP campaign aims to raise awareness by educating the public about the warning signs surrounding sexual exploitation of children. The campaign will inform members of the community about existing hotlines for those who need immediate assistance, as well as what resources are available for survivors.

“The people of Ventura County have proven their compassion for one another many times. It is time for the Ventura County community to learn about and acknowledge the vulnerability of our children and youth to predators,” said Ronna Bright, READY Program Coordinator. “It is time for all of us to come together to protect our kids and to stop trafficking and exploitation in our neighborhoods. We are READY TO STOP.”

In addition to raising awareness, CSEC’s READY Program works closely with local initiatives and nonprofits to amplify the businesses and organizations who are already fighting for the protection of our children in Ventura County. These organizations include, Forever Found, Interface Children and Family Services, Coalition for Family Harmony, Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA of Ventura Co.) and Casa Pacifica.

For more information about the READY TO STOP campaign, visit http://fostervckids.org/ready-to-stop.

Rubicon Theatre Company offers its Fearless Shakespeare Camp

Rebecca Graham as Prospero works her Tempestuous magic while daughter Miranda (Lauren Sherman) and spritely servant Ariel (Jonny Sinklier) look on in wonder.

Once again, Rubicon Theatre Company offers its Fearless Shakespeare Camp, marking the tenth season the organization has presented a youth production by the Bard. The 2019 production of The Tempest will be special though. For the first time ever, Rubicon is making free tickets available for students and teachers in our region. Kirby and Beverly Ward, Co-Directors of Education and Outreach at the theatre, got the idea after hearing about the inception of Joseph Papp’s famous Shakespeare in the Park in NYC. “I was watching a TED Talk with Oskar Eustice,” says Beverly, “when he referenced his predecessor at The Public Theatre, the great Joe Papp. According to Eustice, Papp believed that the classics should be free for everyone – not just the wealthy.” “More importantly, he thought they should see the very best renditions of these plays,” says Kirby Ward, Beverly’s husband and partner at Rubicon. “Anyone who’s seen one of Joseph Fuqua’s Fearless Shakespeare productions knows, his spin on these Masterpieces is spectacularly creative and his direction is first-rate.”

Fuqua is a Yale Drama grad and a member of the professional company at Rubicon. His students are fiercely loyal to him, often returning many years in a row. He’s known for his humor and insight into the minds of teenagers. “When adapting these plays for Fearless Shakespeare, my focus is to make them easily understood by an American audience. We use modern dress, put it in a contemporary setting, but still honor Shakespeare’s exalted language,” says Fuqua. He brings a verse coach, Louis Lotorto, into the camp to work with the kids to make certain they’re fully grasping the meaning behind Shakespeare’s words.

Rubicon’s policy is that no child should be excluded from their camps because of financial limitations. “We meet the need of every student who applies for financial assistance,” says Kirby. Beverly adds, “So why wouldn’t remake the performances free? It’s a natural next step toward our mission of entertaining, enriching and educating the community.”

The Tempest opens Friday, July 12 with a performance at 7:00 p.m. and runs Saturday, July 13 at 2:00 and 7:00 p.m., closing on Sunday, July 14 with a 2:00 p.m. matinee. This full-length adaptation will run approximately 2 hours with an intermission. Tickets are $16 plus a $4 service fee for adults. All children and students or teachers with ID can access their free ticket to any performance by visiting the Rubicon website at www.rubicontheatre.org or calling Guest Services and using the code FREESHAKES. Guest Services is open Tuesdays through Saturdays, from noon until 6 p.m. Tickets can also be purchased at the door, based on availability. Adults who aren’t teachers will pay a $5 up-charge for purchasing at the door. All performances are at the Theatre, 1006 East Main St.

At the Buenaventura Gallery: Ventura Harbor

Reception: Friday, July 5, 6 – 9pm during First Fridays gallery crawl

Award-winning artist Brent Hanson exhibits many of his bold, vivid, colorful and intense arboreal works. “I’ve always loved trees,” says Hanson. “They share many similarities to people. They have a character all their own and stories to tell.”

Showing until July 21, 2019.

Pastel Society of the Gold Coast “Passion for Pastels 2019” to benefit Camarillo Hospice

The Beauty of our Coast by Lynn Byrne Simon

The Pastel Society of the Gold Coast, a nonprofit, is pleased to present their award-winning, professional paintings and sale “Passion for Pastels 2019” to benefit Camarillo Hospice, a program of Livingston Memorial Visiting Nurse Association. The month-long show runs from July 8 to the 27^th, Monday through Saturday, 11:00 to 5:00 at the Thousand Oaks Community Gallery, 2331 Borchard Road, Newbury Park. “Meet the Artists Reception and Fundraiser” for the Hospice will be held Sunday, July 14^th, 1:00 to 3:30.

Vol. 12, No. 20 – July 3 – July 16, 2019 – Cartoons

Shoe

Mother Goose and Grimm

Crock

Hi and Lois

Moose and Molly

Dustin

Baby Blues

Dab Art is pleased to present Latent Ability at H Gallery

Dab Art is pleased to present Latent Ability at H Gallery in Midtown Ventura. This interactive exhibition is comprised entirely of 3D artwork and large scale installations. Eight years in the making, this is a first for Dab Art.

This exhibition concentrates on the philosophical aspects of material, form, time, presence, and places in our natural world. The works featured in this exhibit bring to fruition the off-center and unorthodox concepts 6 multifaceted artists.

Dab Art
1793 East Main Street
805 626 8876
www.DabArt.me

The Art of Hilda Kilpatrick-Freyre

“A dream come true. It all started about six months ago when I was asked to paint a painting for the cover of The Montecito Magazine, which would be featuring an article about the new Rosewood Miramar Beach Hotel in Montecito Santa Barbara.”

“This had been a dream of mine since I move to the US and started painting… “I want to be on the Montecito Magazine one day”!

The new issue of Montecito Magazine has an article “My Miramar Beach” where several of my paintings are featured. And, it also has an article about my art “Storyteller Inspired by Nature”

Essay awards presented at Sunset Elementary

Dad Ryan Bernardi reading Brandon’s essay to the assembly at Sunset school. Photos by Bernie Goldstein

On Tuesday, June 4, Ventura City Fire Chief David Endaya visited Sunset School to present a fire safety essay award to the winning students at an assembly at the school. He brought with him fire-fighting gear and a fire truck was brought there.

More than 800 students submitted their essays and one winner, and two runner ups were chosen.

Fire Chief Endaya with essay winner Cyrik Bodel and his parents.

This is a portion of Brandon Bernardi’s runner up essay:

In this informative essay I will write about what I learned at the Ventura County Fire Academy. Three things that I learned and will tell you about are how to keep you and your family safer, the gear that the firemen need, and cool things I was told about being a firefighter.

First I will tell you about how to keep you and your family safer. One way is to sleep with your door closed. The reason why you do this is because if there was a fire in your house it will reduce smoke from going into your room. The next thing is to check and have a smoke alarm. The last thing is to have a spot where your family would meet if there was a fire.

I will tell you about the gear that the firemen need. One piece is their helmet. The helmets are cool because if they are red that means the person that wears that helmet is a boss or a chief. If the helmet is yellow they are not the boss. Another thing are the suits that they wear are fireproof even the ones that they wear when they are not fighting fires. The last thing that I will tell you about is the piece of equipment that they have on their shoulder. What the device does is if you’re in trouble is there is a button you can push and it will give an alert to the other firefighters and they can help them as soon as possible.

This was the part that I was looking forward to. I get to tell you about cool things when you’re a firefighter. I know I’m not a firefighter, but these are all thing that I was told. One you get to help people. Another thing is you get to drive a firetruck with a bunch of cool stuff. You also are able to spray a firehose that has quite a bit of power. And the last thing that I will tell you about in this paragraph is a ladder that will go 100 feet in the air, which I think is pretty cool.

In conclusion, you have learned about how to keep you an your family safer, the gear the firemen need to do what they do, and cool things about being a firefighter. I hope you liked my essay, and I hope I have a chance at winning this contest.

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