Ventura County Public Health Reminds Residents to Avoid Wildfire Smoke

Ventura County Health Officials Warn Residents to Avoid Wildfire Smoke

Smoke and ash from the Camarillo Springs fire are affecting air quality in Ventura County. Due to the combination of high winds and the spreading blaze, smoke and ash are currently present in the air and may pose a health threat for some individuals.

Smoke and ash irritate the eyes, nose and throat and may be harmful to breathe but, according to Ventura County Public Health (VCPH) officials, not everyone who is exposed to thick smoke will have health problems.

“The level and duration of exposure, age, individual susceptibility, including the presence or absence of pre-existing lung or heart disease, and other factors play significant roles in determining whether or not someone will experience smoke-related health problems,” said Dr. Robert Levin, Ventura County Public Health Officer.

In areas near or downwind from the fire that are impacted by blowing dust, smoke and/or ash, VCPH officials urge people to exercise caution and remain indoors. Residents should stay inside their homes, bring pets inside, keep windows and doors closed, use air conditioners on the recycle or re-circulate mode and avoid vigorous physical exertion both indoors and outdoors. At the first sign of discomfort, individuals should relocate to another area that is smoke-free.

Residents who develop symptoms such as shortness of breath, wheezing, exhaustion, lightheadedness or chest pain with decreased activity are advised to stop all activity and seek medical attention. This is important not only for people with chronic lung or heart disease, but also for individuals who have not been diagnosed previously with such illnesses. Smoke can “unmask” or produce symptoms of such diseases.

The onset of the California fire season reminds us that it is important to have enough food, water and medication on hand to last five days. Foods stored for use during the fire season should not require cooking, since cooking can add particles to indoor air. 

For more information about the health impacts of wildfire smoke, go to: http://bit.ly/17zRtXm and for Ventura County air quality reports, visit www.vcapcd.org.

Myron Freedman Named New Executive Director of Museum of Ventura County

Myron Freedman Named New Executive Director of Museum of Ventura County

The Museum of Ventura County’s Chairman of the Board of Directors, Richard Pidduck, has announced the appointment of Myron Freedman as its new Executive Director. Freedman joins the Museum from Hayward, California, where he served as Executive Director of the Hayward Area Historical Society since 2008. Freedman will be overseeing both the downtown Ventura location and the Agriculture Museum in Santa Paula.

Freedman is a southern California native who grew up in Reno, Nevada. He relocated to Chicago, where he began his museum career at the Chicago History Museum. With a background in theater, his stagecraft and design skills quickly led to his appointment as the Museum’s Director of Exhibit Design. From there, Freedman moved to St. Louis, where he oversaw a major expansion of exhibition galleries as Director of Exhibitions at the Missouri Historical Society. Later, he was named the Exhibits Curator for Jefferson National Expansion Memorial, a national park best known for its Gateway Arch.

Among the exhibits Freedman developed while with the Jefferson National Expansion was a commemoration of the Lewis and Clark bicentennial. During this time, he also taught Museum Studies at Webster University. Freedman’s exhibition work has received national recognition by the American Association of Museums, the U.S. National Park Service, and the Council for Advancement and Support of Education, as well as the commercial film industry.

Freedman says the Museum of Ventura County’s focus on history and art, along with its proximity to the coast, has motivated him to seek the Executive Director position. He and his wife are thrilled to be calling Ventura County their home.

The Museum of Ventura County is located at 100 East Main Street in downtown Ventura. Hours are 11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday. The Museum of Ventura County’s Agriculture Museum is located at 926 Railroad Avenue, in historic Santa Paula. Hours are 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday.

Admission to each Museum is $4 adults, $3 seniors, $1 children 6-17, members and children under 6 are free. Paid events include free admission to the galleries, and the first Sundays of every month are free general admission for the public. For more Museum information, please visit www.venturamuseum.org.

Conejo Valley Unified School District Recycling Program Mascot is Selected!

A competition to select a mascot for the Conejo Valley Unified School District’s (CVUSD) recycling program has ended.  “Recyclops,” the recycling Cyclops was chosen to become the new green face of CVUSD recycling.

The competition took place across all middle and high schools in the district. Students were asked to vote for their favorite mascot, either by texting or through the program’s Facebook page. ReCyclops will be featured in an upcoming video to help promote and encourage bottle and can recycling at CVUSD campuses. Hundreds of votes were received over the three-week period the competition ran, and dozens of students won prizes for voting.

“The whole aim of the contest was to get the students engaged with the program,” says CVUSD Recycling Coordinator Joanie Burns. “We not only wanted to give them some ownership, by letting them select their mascot, we also wanted to draw attention to the new www.CVUSDRecycles.org website and Facebook page.

CVUSD Recycles is a joint effort between the Conejo Valley Unified School District and the City of Thousand Oaks. The program is funded through a grant from the State of California and provided recycling containers for all CVUSD campuses, allowing the schools to effectively collect California Redemption Value (CRV) containers. 

Additional information can be found at www.cvusdrecycles.org.

Cal Lutheran to Launch Gallegly Center for Public Service and Civic Engagement

CLU to launch Elton Gallegly center  

Internships, research to be part of new program

California Lutheran University is launching a new center and academic program in collaboration with former Rep. Elton Gallegly.

The Elton and Janice Gallegly Center for Public Service and Civic Engagement at CLU will be dedicated to preparing a new generation of leaders. As part of the university’s Master’s in Public Policy and Administration program, the nonpartisan center will provide students with extensive experiential learning opportunities at the local, state and national levels. The focus will be on developing public servants of character and integrity.

MPPA Director David Powell and faculty members Haco Hoang and Herb Gooch are developing a combined undergraduate and graduate degree program to put students on a fast track to careers in public service. The students who are selected for the program will be Gallegly Center Fellows. They will be able to pursue internships in Washington, D.C., Sacramento and locally. As graduate students, the fellows will complete a research project and field practicum that will prepare them for public service careers. The first two fellows are seniors Nina Kuzniak, a political science and global studies major from Las Vegas, and Zachary Zabo, a political science and criminal justice major from Louisville, Ky.

Gallegly, who just left Congress after completing his 13^th term, is loaning his legislative and personal papers to CLU so that students and faculty can use them for research. He is also donating his desk and other office furniture for display at the university. The Simi Valley resident is the longest serving congressional representative in Ventura County history. He began his public service when he was elected to the Simi Valley City Council in 1979.

Future plans for the center include providing student scholarships and public affairs research grants, bringing in visiting scholars and speakers, and hosting forums on public service highlighting leadership and civic engagement.

CLU and Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation & Library officials are discussing a partnership that could provide additional opportunities. Possibilities include students interning at the library, scholars conducting research at the library while teaching at CLU under joint appointments, and the library’s distinguished speakers working with students during their visits. Eventually, CLU may help the library develop graduate seminars in crisis decision-making.

With Gallegly’s help, CLU will begin a $3 million fundraising campaign for the center.

5th Annual Oxnard Tamale Festival Announces Top Tamales in 2012

The 5th Annual Oxnard Tamale Festival took place on a wet Saturday, December 1, 2012. This year's overall, and now two-time winner is BG's Cafe, 428 South A Street, Oxnard. If you're looking for a great tamale, BG's apparently is where it's at! Visit their website at www.bgscafe.com or call 805.487.0700. They are open 7 days a week.

BG's Cafe has been in business for over 40 years. Originally founded by Bill and Gloria Stuart (hmm, their initials are B and G, I wonder if that's a coincidence) in 1971 and was sold to Jose and Veronica Rodriguez in 2004, who have expanded the menu and added catering services.

Top 3 savory and sweet tamales at the event as determined by a panel of hungry judges:

Savory Tamale:

• First Place; Frias Catering of Oxnard
• Second Place; El Taco De Mexico of Ventura
• Third Place; Panaderia La Mexicana Bakery of Oxnard

Sweet Tamale:

• First Place; BG's Coffee Shop and Deli (aka BG's Cafe) of Downtown Oxnard
• Second Place; Sugarbeets Restaurant & Bar of Downtown Oxnard
• Third Place; Me Gusta Gourmet Tamales of Pacoima

This year's tamale tasting judges included: Hon. Steven Hintz, Ventura County Treasurer/Tax Collector, Catherine Hintz, Wife of Hon. Steven Hintz, Hon. Mark Lunn, Ventura County Clerk/Recorder,, Hon. Fred Bysshe, Ventura County Superior Court, Joe Mulrooney, Treasurer of Ventura County Deputy Sheriffs Association, John Ragan, ARC of Ventura County, Chef Gerard Turbush, Chef Paul Tavakoli, Nakita DiGuardi, Toni Valdez, Board Member of Big Brothers Big Sisters Ventura County, Chef Henry Patey of the Oxnard College Culinary Arts Program and Terrel Harrison, Director of Oxnard Police Activities League.

Stay tuned for next year's 6th Annual Oxnard Tamale Festival at www.oxnardtamalefest.com or by following their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/oxnardtamalefestival.

Proceeds from the Oxnard Tamale Festival supports local non-profits and recreation projects that benefit local youth. Community grants have supplemented programs for at-risk youth, veterans, prevention of homelessness, cancer research, food pantries, recreation centers and mentally disabled individuals. Past recipients have included Oxnard City Corps, Oxnard Police Activities League, Food Share of Ventura County, ARC of Ventura County, Salvation Army, Boy Scouts Troop #228, Society of St. Vincent de Paul, Santa Clara Church, American Cancer Society, and Oxnard College Veterans Club.

Cinépolis Luxury Cinemas in Westlake Village to Debut on Friday, September 21st

Cinépolis Luxury Cinemas To Debut Its First Greater Los Angeles Location at The Promenade At Westlake

Cinépolis Luxury Cinemas, the largest cinema exhibitor in Latin America and fourth largest in the world, will open its fourth luxury U.S. location at The Promenade at Westlake, a Caruso Affiliated Property. Bringing its completely revolutionized concept in movie theaters to Westlake Village, Cinépolis enhances the traditional movie-going experience by pampering customers in an intimate and comfortable environment.

The theater will open on Friday, September 21st for movie showings.

With successful U.S. locations in Del Mar, La Costa and Laguna Niguel, Cinépolis is the go-to theater for a first-class movie-going experience. The Cinema, at The Promenade At Westlake, includes eight state-of-the-art, digital auditoriums, leather reclining chairs, swivel tables and call service buttons that summon cinema servers to take moviegoers’ food and beverage orders during a film.  Ticket prices range from $13.50 -$19.50—with a surcharge for 3D films.

Guests are invited to socialize with friends in the lounge-style lobby or outdoor patio dining area beforehand, complete with full dining and bar service. The menu offers restaurant-quality favorites such as a chopped short rib burger, Cobb salad, spicy buffalo chicken wrap and sushi. Guests can also enjoy traditional movie snacks such as popcorn (available in Butter, Light, Caramel and Spicy Chili), soft drinks, specialty coffee drinks, milkshakes, gourmet finger foods and desserts such as Chocolate Godiva Cheesecake.

“Cinépolis offers an unparalleled entertainment experience,” said Paul Kurzawa, Chief Operating Office of Caruso Affiliated (owners of the Promenade at Westlake). “Their customer service philosophy mirrors ours, and we are delighted to welcome them to the Promenade at Westlake.”

“Our luxury cinemas are a whole new concept that has revolutionized the way moviegoers will watch movies. Relax, order your food and beverages inside the theater and enjoy the movie. Make every movie memorable by coming to Cinépolis Luxury Cinemas which is a new level of a premium movie experience” said Cinépolis Luxury Cinemas Brand Development Manager Alejandro Saenz.

Movies will be shown in both 2D- and 3D-formats. Cinépolis Westlake Village is 32,000-square-feet with eight screens and 600 seats. This location has fully digital projectors and sound.

Guests interested in hosting group or private events can contact Cinépolis Corporate office at asaenz@cinepolis.com                                                                   

Tickets will be available soon online at www.Cinépolisusa.com or inside the Cinema (100 Promenade Way, Westlake Village) at the Concierge desk. Hours of operation will be 11am to midnight.

About The Promenade at Westlake

The Promenade at Westlake, developed by Caruso Affiliated, is a 210,000 square foot Mediterranean-style shopping, dining and entertainment center located in Thousand Oaks, CA. Featuring an expansive offering of unique boutiques, al fresco restaurants and pedestrian-friendly outdoor courtyards the center has evolved into a lively gathering place for the surrounding community.  The Promenade at Westlake has won multiple design awards, including the 1997 Gold Nugget Grand Award for the "Best Commercial Project for Retail," and the 1998 International Council of Shopping Centers 22nd International Design and Development Award for "Innovative Design and "Construction of a New Project." For more information on the Promenade at Westlake please visit www.shoppromenade.com.

Ventura County Sheriff Removes Over 3,800 Marijuana Plants in Newbury Park

Earlier this month, the Ventura County Sheriff’s Narcotic Unit concluded an investigation into an illegal marijuana cultivation operating in the Hill Canyon area of Thousand Oaks. This area is located in the 1500 block of Rancho Conejo Boulevard in Thousand Oaks near a gated community.

A number of investigators descended into the area where they discovered a large marijuana garden with over 3,800 plants in various stages of growth. The area was searched for suspects, but none were found. Investigators spent several hours eradicating the plants and collecting evidence.

Anyone with information on the suspect(s) involved in the cultivation can provided the information by calling the Ventura County Sheriff’s Department or Crime Stoppers.

Ventura County Crime Stoppers will pay up to $1,000 reward for information, which leads to the arrest and criminal complaint against the person(s) responsible for this crime.  The caller may remain anonymous.  The call is not recorded.  Call Crime Stoppers at 800-222-TIPS (8477).

Source: Ventura County Sheriff's Department