I'm Getting Hungry. Is It Time for the 138th Annual Ventura County Fair Yet?

It's about that time. In fact, tomorrow, Wednesday, July 31st, is the first day of the 138th Annual Ventura County Fair. This year's theme is "Boots, Barns and Banjos."

This year's 12 days of fun includes all the usual great activities...rides, exhibitions, live entertainment, livestock, motor sports, rodeo, games, vendors, socializing and whatnot. But the big draw for many of us is the FOOD! Learn more about the fair at venturacountyfair.org.

Here's a sneak peak at just a few of the many great fair foods in store. CLICK HERE for scenes from the 137th Ventura County Fair in 2012. And check out the AMAZING entertainment lineup at the 2013 event, including such well known acts at Styx, Hall & Oates, Air Supply, Plain White T's and Kool and the Gang among other great artists!

Make a Splash: Stay Healthy Under the Sun and In the Water This Summer

Make a Splash!

Stay healthy under the sun and in the water this summer - a reminder from the CDC

As schools let out and summer approaches, remember to stay healthy and safe under the sun and in the water. Skin cancer is the most common kind of cancer in the United States, and melanoma is the most deadly kind of skin cancer. Just a few serious sunburns at any age can increase a person’s risk of skin cancer. We all share the water we swim in, and each of us needs to do our part to help keep ourselves, our families, and our friends healthy while swimming.

To help protect yourself and others from disease and germs, here are a few easy and effective steps to take this season:

• SEEK shade- especially during midday hours (10 a.m. to 4 p.m.). Ultraviolet (UV) rays from sunlight are the greatest during the late spring and early summer in North America.
• PROTECT your body- wear clothing that protects the skin such as a wide-brimmed hat to shade the face, head, ears, and neck; and wraparound sunglasses that block as close to 100 percent of ultraviolet A (UVA) and ultraviolet B (UVB) rays as possible (sunglasses safeguard the eyes from UVA and UVB rays, protect the tender skin around the eyes from sun exposure, and reduce the risk of cataracts).
• APPLY sunscreen- sunscreen with sun protective factor (SPF) 15 or higher, and both UVA and UVB protection. Remember to reapply sunscreen at least every 2 hours and after swimming, sweating, and toweling off.
• CHECK pools– before getting into the water, check the pool to see if it is at the proper chlorine level (1–3 mg/L or parts per million [ppm]) and pH (7.2–7.8) to maximize germ-killing power.
• KEEP the poop and pee out of the water while swimming- don’t swim when ill with diarrhea; chlorine and other disinfectants don’t kill germs instantly; mixing of chlorine with pee and sweat uses up the germ-killing chlorine in the pool and creates those chemicals that sting your eyes and make you cough.
• DON’T swallow the water you swim in.

Enjoy your time outdoors and in the water, and take steps to be healthy.

Here are some great outdoor activities in and around Ventura County this summer:

Beaches spanning from Carpinteria to Ventura

Beaches spanning from Oxnard to Malibu

4th of July festivities and fireworks

Water parks, splash pads and community swimming

Summer concerts in the park

Earth Day Events In and Around Ventura County

Earth Day has been celebrated on April 22nd each year since 1970. Earth Day events celebrate the planet we live on and helps to renew our commitment to building a safer, healthier and cleaner world. Plan ahead for one of these upcoming Ventura County area Earth Day events (as well as some Arbor Day events to boot).

Earth Day 2013 has come and gone...so we shall see you here next year. In the meantime, stay green!

Celebrate Conejo Recreation & Park District's 50th in 2013 with the Play Conejo Challenge!

The Conejo Recreation & Park District turns 50 in 2013! To celebrate, CRPD presents the Play Conejo Challenge! The Play Conejo Challenge entails completing activities and attending events throughout the year, accumulating at least 50 points and receiving a cool "PLAY CONEJO CHALLENGE CHAMPION - 50 FOR THE 50TH" t-shirt for your efforts!

Visit www.crpd.org/playlist to download the Play Conejo Challenge activity list, find things to do, and start accumulating points. Then either have a CRPD staff member write in the completion date or keep track yourself by writing down an observation. You have the entire year to acccumulate points!

This is about more than getting a free t-shirt! This is about having fun and celebrating along with CRPD! There are over 100 activities to choose from and as many as 151 points achievable. Activities and events on the list include the following CRPD locations and available points:

• Conejo Valley parks (up to 5 points)
• Borchard Community Center (up to 11 points)
• Conejo Community Center (up to 11 points)
• Thousand Oaks Community Center (up to 14 points)
• Dos Vientos Community Center (up to 7 points)
• Goebel Senior Adult Center (up to 12 points)
• Alex Fiore Teen Center (up to 13 points)
• Hillcrest Center for the Arts (up to 14 points)
• Therapeutic Recreation Unit (up to 8 points)
• Aquatics (up to 7 points)
• Districtwide/General Activities (up to 33 points)
• CRPD Partner Events (up to 16 points)

Have fun with the Play Conejo Challenge!

Pepperdine’s Annual Waves of Flags Display Honors Victims of 9/11 Attacks

Pepperdine’s Annual Waves of Flags Display Honors 9/11 Victims

To honor the victims of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, Pepperdine will once again stage a display of flags on its expansive lawn at Alumni Park, Malibu—with one flag, of the victim’s nationality, for each of the nearly 3,000 lives lost on that tragic day. 

The installation of the flags, which will be on display until Founder's Day and the close of Pepperdine's 75th anniversary celebrations on September 19, was conceived and led by the University's chapter of the College Republicans in 2008.

Since that time, the display has come to be a focal point in the Malibu community to gather in remembrance and meditation of the innocent lives lost on 9/11, including Tom Burnett, alumnus of the Graziadio School of Business and Management.

Burnett's heroism as a passenger on United Airlines Flight 93 has been well documented. As a result of the passengers' attempt to take control of the hijacked airliner and divert it from reaching the terrorists' target, United 93 crashed in a field in Pennsylvania rather than striking a building or landmark in the nation's capital, causing more loss of human life.

As it has annually since September 2001, the University will conduct a brief prayer service on September 11 at the Heroes Garden, a 14,880-square-foot outdoor sanctuary that overlooks the Pacific Ocean on one of the highest bluffs on the Malibu campus. This year's service will begin at 8:30 a.m., led by University Chaplain, Dave Lemley. The garden serves as a public space to pause, reflect, and honor those who sacrificed their lives on 9/11, including Burnett.

Source: www.pepperdine.edu

Great Labor Day Weekend Culminates in a Rainbow Above the Conejo Valley

The weather was seasonably warm this Labor Day weekend and under partly cloudy skies most of the day. To me the weather seemed picture perfect, and I believe this rainbow photo taken from the North Ranch section of Westlake Village sums up what a great weekend it was.

Photo courtesy of Ed Garnett. Speaking of Ed, he is a Board Member of the Conejo Free Clinic, which provides medical and legal services to local residents in need. I encourage you to take a look at this worthy local non-profit that helps our local community. .

Here were some of those clouds a little earlier tonight above Conejo Mountain, seen from the 101 Freeway in Camarillo.

Sand Sculpture Contest at the 2012 Hueneme Beach Festival Was a Hit!

The 14th Annual Toni Young Hueneme Beach Festival took place the weekend of August 18-19, 2012. I had the opportunity to beat the Conejo Valley heat and head out to the festival on the 19th. What a treat it was!

While not the largest festival around Ventura County, the Hueneme Beach Festival sure is one of the more engaging and relaxing festivals around town. Like other festivals, there were vendors, a fun car show (lots of low-rider cars on display), great entertainment and family fun with games and rides.

View of the Hueneme Beach Festival from the beach.

To top it off, the 4th Annual Sand Sculpture Contest was a blast! As you can see below, competitors carved away as we watched them work their magic in the sand. With the Hueneme Beach Pier in the backdrop, attendees were able to enjoy cool ocean breezes while gazing upon these master sandcrafters.

The Hueneme Beach Festival generally takes place the 3rd weekend of August each year. The event is now dedicated to Toni Young, former Port Hueneme Mayor and city councilman for 16 years, who passed away after a sudden illness in December 2008. This is a wonderful event in her honor and definitely worth going out of your way for.

For information about public beaches spanning from Santa Barbara to Malibu, click here.