2021 Rose Parade Cancelled Due to COVID-19 But Other Plans in the Works

Press release from Tournament of Roses Association:

PASADENA TOURNAMENT OF ROSES UNABLE TO HOST 2021 ROSE PARADE ON NEW YEAR’S DAY

With reluctance and tremendous disappointment, the Pasadena Tournament of Roses Association announces that, in accordance with Governor Newsom’s Phase IV re-opening schedule, and after thoughtful consideration of the restrictions and guidelines in place as a result of COVID-19, we are unable to host the 2021 Rose Parade.

“The health and well-being of our parade participants and guests, as well as that of our volunteer members, professional staff and partners, is our number one priority,” said Bob Miller, 2021 President of the Pasadena Tournament of Roses Association. “Obviously this is not what any of us wanted, and we held off on announcing until we were absolutely sure that safety restrictions would prevent us from continuing with planning for 132nd Rose Parade.”

Enjoyed by millions around the world, the Rose Parade is held each January 1 in celebration of the New Year. Since its inception in 1891, the Parade has not occurred only three times – the wartime years of 1942, 1943 and 1945.

While the parade itself is more than five months from now, the preparation for such a large event typically begins in February. “In addition to the advance planning required by our band and equestrian units, the construction of our floats takes many months and typically requires thousands of volunteers to gather in ways that aren’t in compliance with safety recommendations and won’t be safe in the coming months,” said David Eads, Executive Director/CEO. “While we are extremely disappointed that we are unable to host the parade, we believe that not doing so will prevent the spread of COVID-19, as well as protect the legacy of the Rose Parade for generations to come.”

The Pasadena Tournament of Roses Association also hosts the Rose Bowl Game each January 1. The planning for this year’s Rose Bowl Game, which will serve as a College Football Playoff Semifinal, is still ongoing. “We continue to work with the College Football Playoff and our collegiate partners to explore what this year’s college football season will look like amidst COVID-19 and social distancing guidelines. While the safety and well-being of the student athletes, university personnel and fans is our top priority, we remain hopeful that the Granddaddy of Them All will take place on New Year’s Day,” continued Eads.

“I know that I speak on behalf of our 935 volunteer members, and the hundreds of thousands in our community for which the Rose Parade is an annual tradition, when I

say we will miss the joy of coming together and the making of memories,” said Miller. “But know that we will not miss this opportunity to celebrate a New Year and healthy new beginnings on January 1, 2021.”

“We all know what the Rose Parade means to us here in Pasadena, as well as to New Year celebrations around the world. To know that we won’t get to experience this great tradition on January 1, 2021, is extremely disappointing. However, we also know that we must act responsibly to protect our community in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Pasadena Mayor Terry Tornek. “We look forward to working with the Pasadena Tournament of Roses on their reimagined New Year celebration, as well as the return of the Rose Parade on January 1, 2022.”

In considering the options for the 2021 Rose Parade, the Tournament of Roses commissioned a feasibility and safety report for hosting the Rose Parade during the COVID-19 Pandemic, conducted by public health experts from the Keck School of Medicine of USC. That report showed that even with intensive effort to ensure compliance with public health measures such as six-foot distancing and face masks, it is likely that Rose Parade activities before, during and after the event would inevitably lead to large numbers of individuals (many of whom represent high risk groups for COVID-19 complications, such as retirees over age 60) in close proximity to each other, potentially, in some cases, without masks. This creates a high-risk environment for viral spread, including super-spreader events. In addition, thousands of parade participants and spectators will travel to the Los Angeles region from across the nation and even the world, in many cases by plane. Such travel represents infection risk to the travelers, but also may lead to the importation of the virus to the area from other regions of the country and world as well as exportation of the virus to other regions of the nation and world when these spectators return home.

Although the Pasadena Tournament of Roses Association will not be hosting its 132nd Rose Parade, they will celebrate the New Year on January 1, 2021. Working in conjunction with our broadcast partners and sponsors, the Tournament of Roses has plans underway for a new kind of New Year celebration for those across the country and around the world. “Each year, the country turns its eyes to Pasadena for America’s New Year celebration and we plan to deliver on that important promise,” said Eads. “We may not be able to host our traditional five-mile march down Colorado Boulevard, but we are exploring new and safe ways we can collectively share in the celebration, and we look forward to announcing further details about our exciting new plans in the coming weeks.”

Farmers' Markets to Continue Operating in Midtown Ventura, Downtown Ventura and Thousand Oaks

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.

About the Ventura County Certified Farmers’ Market Association (VCCFMA)
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.

Young Artists Art Exhibit Winners Announced by the Arts Council of the Conejo Valley

1st Place: Hadley Brady, Grade 8, “Lady in Black” Charcoal (Photo by Paul Cranmer)

The Arts Council of the Conejo Valley held its annual HANG WITH THE BEST 20/20 art show featuring art by young artists in grades 6 through 12 in different mediums including paint, photography, 3D and drawing. An awards reception was held on February 12 form 4:00 to 6:00 pm at the Hillcrest Center for the Arts in Thousand Oaks.

Cash and prizes were awarded to winning entrants, along with certificates. Over sixty students participated in this show, and the largest category was photography.

Hang with the Best provides an opportunity for young people to display their art in a professional public gallery. All eligible entries are placed on exhibit and funding for this event is provided through the Arts Council of the Conejo Valley.

WINNERS IN THE HIGH SCHOOL SPECIAL CATEGORIES INCLUDE: ARTS COUNCIL OF THE CONEJO VALLEY (ACCV) BOARD AWARD: Katie Kersnick, Grade 10, “La Mariposa de Immigrante” Digital Photography, HCFA STAFF: Enola Lagrave, Grade 12, “Ocean of White” Digital Photography, GREG COLE MEMORIAL AWARD: Kate Robinson, Grade 9, “Flower Girl” Painting Brian Racalbuto, Grade 12, “Kid Culture” Painting.

CERAMICS/SCULPTURE: Special Award: Francie Pavon, Grade 12 “Winged Figure” Mixed Media Sculpture.

DRAWING: 1st Place: Kaiden Pemberton, Grade 11, “Liftoff ” Ink & Colored Pencil 2nd Place: Aidan Purcell, Grade 11, “Peace in the Land of Giants” Charcoal, 3rd Place: Grace Pei, Grade 9, “A Portrait of a Young African Lady” Charcoal

PAINTING: 1st Place: Emily Crain, Grade 12, “Muerte Vida” Ink Wash 2nd Place: Charissa Shang, Grade 10, “Untitled” Watercolor 3rd Place: Julia N Kulyk, Grade 12, “Bird of Happiness” Painting

PHOTOGRAPHY: 1st Place: Tyler Peterson, Grade 12, “Drip” Digital Photography 2nd Place: Vivek Kanchi, Grade 12, “Got Milk?” Photography 3rd Place: Leon Burg, Grade 12, “Pursuit of Happiness” Photography Honorable Mention: Alex Hahn, Grade 11, “Untitled” Digital Photography Honorable Mention: Ryan Paige, Grade 12, “Together” Digital Photography.

WINNERS FROM MIDDLE SCHOOL INCLUDE: 1st Place: Hadley Brady, Grade 8, “Lady in Black” Charcoal 2nd Place: Catherine Xie, Grade 8, “Koi Fish” Oil Honorable Mention: Sierra Bernhardt, Grade 6, “Friendships” Watercolor Honorable Mention: Eileen Zhang, Grade 8, “On Wings of Autumn” Watercolor

The Arts Council for the Conejo Valley (ACCV) was established in 1969. During its over four decade span, the ACCV has gone through extensive changes in its programs and services. Established as a regional Federation of Arts organization that was formed to promote the community’s cultural development, the ACCV has evolved into a membership support agency that also delivers and co-sponsors many cultural programs. Member services include marketing, technical assistance workshops, and lowered rent at the Hillcrest Center for the Arts. The ACCV has a history of successful partnership in the community. It has joined forces and worked toward a common with three major partners – the City of Thousand Oaks, the Conejo Recreation and Park District, and the Conejo Valley Unified School District. The ACCV, in collaboration with Art Trek, created the Conejo Cottontail Project to promote public art throughout the community.

The Hillcrest Galleria is open during business hours and some evenings and weekends and is free to the public at 403 W. Hillcrest Drive, Thousand Oaks.

Katie Kersnick, Grade 10, “La Mariposa de Immigrante” Digital Photography (Photo by Paul Cranmer)

Newbury Park High School Boys AND Girls Cross County Teams Win State Championships and Earn a Spot to the Nike Cross Nationals (NXN)

Today, the Newbury Park High School Cross Country program achieved a number of historic firsts.

For the first time in school history, the Girls Cross County team won the state championship at Woodward Park in Fresno. The top 5 scoring team members on the 5 kilometer (approximately 3.1 mile) course were Sam McDonnell (17:56.4), Hailey Golmon (17:57.7), Fiona Hawkins (17:58.5), Ailish Hawkins (18:27.4) and Gretchen Slattum (18:31.9). Other varsity teammates included Archana Mohandas and Hannah Round.

For the first time in school history, the Boys Cross County team won back to back championship titles, led by two-time overall state championship winner Nico Young (14:28.5) followed by Jace Aschbrenner (2nd overall in 14:53.7), Colin Sahlman (15:09.8), Nick Goldstein (15:17.0) and Daniel Appleford (15:37.7). Up and comer Leo Young was the top freshman finisher in the race in 15:41.6) - in fact, he was the top freshman finisher among all CIF divisions today. Thomas McDonnell also competed for the team.

There were 1004 finishers in the combined Division 1-5 boys races today. The Newbury Park team had the 1st and 3rd (Jace) fastest seniors, the 5th (Nicholas) fastest junior, the 1st (Colin) and 5th (Daniel) fastest sophomores and the fastest overall freshman. That’s some serious firepower.

Head Coach Sean Brosnan was excited to report via his Twitter account tonight that BOTH teams received invitations to participate in next Saturday’s Nike Cross Nationals (NXN) in Portland, Oregon. The boys team competed at NXN for the first time last year and placed 6th in the nation, led by Nico’s 4th place overall finish. This year the team is looking to top the charts as it competes with strong teams from Temecula (Great Oak), Loudoun Valley, Virginia and other schools.

Senior Nico Young in clear command of the CIF Division 2 Championships race at Woodward Park in Fresno. I asked Nico before the race if he was going for the course record of 14:24 set by German Fernandez in 2007. His answer was no. Nico’s plan was to win the race but to save his top effort for NXN next Saturday. His 14:28.5 was the 2nd fastest of all time on the course, which is even more impressive given he was not going “all out.” Earlier this year, Young ran an 8:40 3200 meters on the track, the fastest time in the country this year and 3rd fastest 3200 of all time.

The boys team was an automatic qualifier into NXN, having not only the fastest team time of the day at 75:27 (15:06 average) but the fastest team time in Woodward Park course history. Let’s break this down a bit. 15:06 equates to a tad over a 4 minutes, 52 seconds per mile, for 3.1 miles, on average, for 2 high school seniors, 1 junior and 2 sophomores. Now THAT is impressive!

The previous fastest team score among all divisions was Great Oaks’ 2015 team time of 76:10. Newbury Park’s 2019 boys team destroyed that record by 43 seconds. That’s almost 3 seconds per mile per kid faster than the fastest team time of all time!

The Great Oak boys team won for the 6th straight year in the Division 1 race with a combined time of 76.23, nearly a minute slower than the record-setting Newbury Park team in Division 2, but still the 3rd fastest team score in course history (excluding Newbury Park’s new record).

However, the fastest team time DOES NOT guarantee a team win in the sport of cross country. The Great Oak team, ranked #1 in the nation recently by Dyestat, finished today’s race with an extremely tight gap of under 17 seconds between runners 1 and 5. This was today’s tightest gap of any team among all divisions.

In cross country, the team with the lowest finishing score wins the race, with a lowest possible score of 15 (1-2-3-4-5). So effectively, it does not matter how fast Nico runs when he finishes first; he still scores 1 point for the team. What often matters most is how the 5th place team finisher scores. For example, in today’s race, if the boys’ team’s 5th place finisher, who scored 19 points, finished 5 seconds slower, he would have scored 29 points. In a tight team race, 10 points is devastating. Inversely, Nico could have run 25 seconds slower and still won the race, having no impact on the team score.

And speaking of team score, the boys’ team score of 37 was the lowest Division 2 winning team school in CIF history. The previous record team score was set in 1987 (Walnut High School) and tied in 1988 (Katella High School). Newbury Park will now sit alone atop this record.

But let’s not ignore this fantastic Newbury Park girls team. The girls ran a combined time of 90:52 for its top 5 runners (18:11 average 5K time per girl). That was the 5th fastest time on the course in Division 2 history.

The Great Oak girls team won a record-breaking 8th straight Division 1 title today in a team time of 90:33, only 19 seconds faster than the upstart Newbury Park team. It’s gonna be some race to watch at NXN!

To follow the Newbury Park teams at NXN, visit https://nxn.runnerspace.com or watch a live webcast of the race at cdn.runnerspace.com/nxnlive.html. Congratulations!

NPHSXC: www.newburyparkcrosscountry.com

And here’s a rundown of other local team top performers at the state championships today:

• Madelene Locher of Ventura finished 5th overall (17:43) and Jill Walker of Simi Valley finished 7th (17:49) in the Divison 2 girls race.

• Thousand Oaks High School finished 6th overall in the boys Division 2 race, led by Michael Mireles, who finished 4th overall in 15:03.

• Agoura High School boys finished 3rd overall in the Division 3 race, led by Beau Bordelon, who finished 6th overall inn 15:34. Royal High School finished 7th overall.

• Brooke Secreto of Foothill Tech won the Division 4 girls race in 17:33. Foothill Tech boys won the Division 4 race, led by 5th place Joshua Villasenor (15:28).

PennyMac Corporate Headquarters to Relocate From Moorpark to Thousand Oaks

At yesterday's "State of the City" address at Cal Lutheran, City of Thousand Oaks Mayor Al Adam shared the news that Moorpark financial services provider PennyMac is moving its corporate headquarters from Moorpark to Thousand Oaks, along with about 300 jobs. Earlier this year, PennyMac inked a deal for 60,466 sq ft of space at 3043 Townsgate Road in Westlake Village.

PennyMac Financial Services, Inc. trades on the New York Stock Exchange under symbol PFSI. More information at www.pennymacusa.com.

The Mayor also indicated that China based Herri Holdings Corp is in the process of building out an 88,000 sq ft pharmaceutical manufacturing facility at 2300 Corporate Center Drive in Thousand Oaks.

We were also reminded that Easton Baseball/Softball will be relocating from its current Van Nuys location to Thousand Oaks when its current lease ends in 2016. Its CEO noted in video footage that Easton has outgrown its current space and looks forward to moving to the Conejo Valley, with its great local baseball/softball tradition. According to an August Pacific Coast Business Times article, Easton's new headquarters at 3500 Willow Lane, Thousand Oaks will entail 90,000 sq ft and will include a 15,200 sq ft indoor training facility where new products will be developed.

And lastly, we heard about the first ever NCAA national championship in Ventura County history earned on November 21st by the California Lutheran University Women Regals Volleyball Team. The 9th ranked Regals topped 6th ranked Wittenberg University of Ohio 25-23, 25-18, 25-16 in their third NCAA title game appearance. More at www.clusports.com/volleyball/news/11980.

Gateway Community School in Camarillo For At-Risk Kids Lauded in New Book

Gateway Community School in Camarillo, which serves some of Ventura County’s most troubled kids, is receiving recognition for major reforms that have made it a model for schools across the country.

It’s About Time: Planning Interventions and Extensions in Secondary School, edited by Mike Mattos and Austin Buffum, dedicates a full chapter to the changes Gateway has undergone since it began implementing reforms in 2010. In the chapter titled “From a Last Resort to a Model School of Choice,” the book describes Gateway’s transformation from a troubled, underperforming school to an example of success. The chapter was authored by Dr. Jane Wagmeister, the Executive Director of the Curriculum and Instruction Department at the Ventura County Office of Education.

Students are sent to Gateway Community School from their home districts due to repeated suspensions, expellable offenses, severe substance abuse and gang involvement. Prior to the reforms, Gateway suffered from low attendance and frequent disciplinary problems, with only 30% of students passing the state high school exit exam.

To address these issues, the Ventura County Office of Education, which operates the school, began a complete restructuring that included the hiring of James Koenig as the new Principal. After a careful assessment of the reasons for the school’s troubles, an extensive series of reforms were put in place. These included improved training of teachers and staff, an updated curriculum, adjustments to the school schedule and separating the middle school from the high school. Perhaps the most important change was shifting the school culture to one that gives students positive feedback, emotional support and a clear understanding of expectations.

The results were dramatic: the daily attendance rate at Gateway increased from 75% to 88%, the number of eleventh and twelfth graders passing the high school exit exam rose from two to 15, and the number of suspensions due to physical altercations decreased from 451 to 14.

Another positive outcome is that Gateway students have a newfound respect for service to the community. They are working at giving back by organizing blood drives, serving as volunteers at the local animal shelter and collecting donations for the homeless in Ventura County.

About the Ventura County Office of Education

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 and coordinates countywide academic competitions including Mock Trial and the Ventura County Science Fair. Learn more at www.vcoe.org

Ventura County Public Health First in California to Receive National Accreditation

Ventura County Public Health (VCPH) announced today that it has achieved 5-year national accreditation through the Public Health Accreditation Board (PHAB). VCPH is the first public health department in California to earn this important distinction.

The national accreditation program, jointly supported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, sets standards against which the nation’s more than 3,000 governmental public health departments can continuously improve the quality of their services and performance. To receive accreditation, VCPH underwent a voluntary rigorous, multi-faceted, peer-reviewed assessment process to ensure it meets or exceeds a set of quality standards and measures.

"I couldn't be more proud of the VCPH team for helping us achieve this extraordinary accomplishment,” said Rigoberto Vargas, Ventura County Public Health Director.  “The accreditation process, which took more than two years to complete, is a testimony to our department’s hard work, dedication and ongoing commitment to continuous improvement.”

Public health departments play a critical role in protecting and improving the health of people and communities. In cities, towns, and states across the nation, health departments provide a range of services aimed at promoting healthy behaviors; preventing diseases and injuries; creating safer neighborhoods; administering life-saving immunizations; and preparing for and responding to public health emergencies.

“I want to congratulate Ventura County Public Health on receiving national accreditation from the Public Health Accreditation Board,” said Dr. Ron Chapman, California Department of Public Health director and state health officer.  “Accreditation is a distinction which means that the Ventura County Public Health department meets nationally accepted standards.  Many public health departments nationwide are preparing for accreditation but only a handful have actually achieved accreditation.  Ventura County is truly ahead of the pack.”

VCPH employs approximately 300 people, operates four clinics and seven Women, Infant & Children (WIC) centers and, frequently collaborates with medical providers, schools, businesses and community partners to mitigate health disparities and improve community access to care.

The national accreditation program was created collaboratively over a 10-year period by hundreds of public health practitioners working at the national, Tribal, state, and local levels. Since the program’s launch in September 2011, nearly 130 health departments have applied to PHAB for accreditation, and hundreds of public health practitioners from across the nation have been trained to serve as volunteer peer site visitors for the program.

To learn more Ventura County Public Health, visit www.vchca.org/public-health and to learn more about PHAB or sign up for the PHAB e-newsletter, visit www.phaboard.org.