The Power of Social Media - Case Study: Getting Myrtle the Turtle Back Home

On Friday night, May 19, 2017, the Weathersfield School (@GoWeathersfield) Twitter page tagged @ConejoJoe asking that I share a photo of a turtle found at the school.

I retweeted the post on my Twitter page.

And then I decided to also to post the photo on the CVG Facebook page, which at the time had over 13,000 followers and a lot more interaction than Twitter.

Sure enough, comments started rolling in with suggestions…non-profit animal rescue, “we can give him a home,” “I remember someone posting a missing turtle on a neighborhood board,” etc.  There were 18 comments and 14 shares. Not viral, but apparently enough to get the attention of its owner, Paula Nathan, who at 9:10AM the next day posted:

Given the turtle was found literally across the street from the owner’s home, without social media, perhaps signs posted around the neighborhood would eventually have reunited the owner with Myrtle the Turtle. But with the social media’s help, Myrtle’s owner was able to connect quickly with her turtle.

Register to Vote for the November 6, 2018 General Election by October 22nd

The State of California makes it easy to register to vote online at registertovote.ca.gov. The system will search the DMV database for your California driver license or ID card, date of birth and last four digits of your Social Security Number.

While registering to vote, you will be asked if you want to disclose a political party preference, which currently includes: American Independent, Democratic, Green, Libertarian, Peace and Freedom, Republican and "Other." Or you can indicate that you prefer not to disclose your preference.

While registering, you can also choose a permanent vote by mail ballot, which is a nice feature that I've used for years.

The Ventura County Clerk and Recorder Elections Division will contact you when the registration is approved or if additional information is needed.

You can also use the online registration to re-register when you 1) move to a new permanent residence; 2) change your name; or 3) want to change your political party preference.

All U.S. citizen residents of California age 18 or older on Election Day are eligible to vote, unless you are found to be mentally incompetent by a court or are in jail, prison or on parole for certain felonies (described in more detail at this link).

You can also register to vote the old fashioned way by picking up a paper voter registration application at the Ventura County elections office, library, DMV or post office.

Can you vote online? Nope. You'd think that we'd have figured out a way to do that by now, but the State indicates "For security reasons, California law prohibits casting a ballot over the Internet. This also means that county elections officials cannot accept marked ballots sent via email from military and overseas voters." (who may only vote by mail or fax).

To vote for the November 6, 2018 Statewide General Election you must be registered by October 22, 2018!

Registered Voters in Ventura County

Here in Ventura County, as of October 12, 2018 there are 442,333 registered voters, compared to 433,324 on October 29, 2014. That’s a 2% increase. (Update 11/3/18: 449,053 registered voters in Ventura County.)

By party:

• 176,426 Democrats, up 6,560, or 7.5%, from 169,866 registered October 29, 2014. (Update 11/3/18: 178,471)

• 131,884 Republicans, down 16,272, or 11%, from 148,156 registered October 29, 2014. (Update 11/3/18: 132,970)

• 110,375 Non-Partisan, up 18,751, or 20.5%, from 91,624 registered October 29, 2014. (Update 11/3/18: 113,459)

• 23,648 Other Parties, almost the same as the 23,628 registered October 29, 2014. (Update 11/3/18: 24,153)

Exercise your right to vote! Learn more about Ventura County elections on the Ventura County Registrar of Voters website at recorder.countyofventura.org/elections.

CPUC Reminds Customers of New Dialing Procedure for 805 Area Code in Preparation for 820 Area Code Overlay

The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) approved an area code overlay in the 805 Area Code Region in May 2017. Why? Because we're running out of 805 phone numbers!

The new overlay area code to be added beginning June 30, 2018 is 820.  

The 805 region serves most of San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, and Ventura Counties and small portions of Monterey and Kern Counties.

The 805 area code was created in 1957, splitting from the 213 area code and covering the coastal and inland areas north of Los Angeles. The 805 area code was reduced to its current configuration along the coast when the 661 was split off of it in 1999.

But wait...aside from an additional area code, there's another slight inconvenience involved that we all need to be aware of. For those that actually dial the phone (yes, that includes you, Millennials), you will be required to dial, on land lines, 1 + area code + telephone number for ALL calls in the region - even 805 to 805 calls - beginning June 2, 2018. Yes, MANDATORY.

Slightly different for cell phones - you can dial the area code + phone number or the 1 + area code + phone number.  Yes, you save a digit on cell phones!

This new dialing procedure is encouraged to be used beginning December 1, 2017, which gives us 6 months to get used to it. The CPUC calls this the "permissive dialing period." 

The CPUC also reminds the public to reprogram any equipment that currently relies on just the 7-digit phone number to dial the 1 + area code + phone number, as you will be impacted starting June 2, 2018.

2018 Amgen Tour of California May 13-19 Includes Ventura to Santa Barbara Stage May 14

Cycling fans can begin plotting their roadside viewing points along the 2018 Amgen Tour of California route.

The 13th edition of America's premier cycling stage race will cover 645 miles of roadways, highways and coastlines during seven stages from Long Beach to Sacramento May 13-19.

Three of the sport's greatest are confirmed to race this year: Mark Cavendish (Team Dimension Data), Marcel Kittel (Team KATUSHA ALPECIN) and "King of California" Peter Sagan (BORA-hansgrohe), cycling's first three-time consecutive World Champion, who also holds the California race record for most stage wins (16).

Sagan, who recently won his 2018 season opener, will come into the Amgen Tour of California defending his seventh California Green Jersey for dominating the race's overall Sprint competition.

The Amgen Tour of California Women's Race empowered with SRAM, showcasing the world's best women cyclists, will run concurrently May 17-19, covering upward of 187 miles over three stages.

Presented by Visit California, a visual overview of the men's and women's courses is viewable at www.amgentourofcalifornia.com/2018-route-overview.

With seven new courses between them, the annual professional cycling events are the only U.S. races on the UCI WorldTour calendar and attract some of the most renowned cyclists and teams in the world. The Amgen Tour of California is designed to cover a variety of terrain, allowing different types of specialists among the field of the world's greatest cyclists to shine throughout the week. 2018 will mark the third time the race will run south to north.

Signed apparel from these all-star sprinters, along with other past Amgen Tour of California favorites, are available through an Amgen Tour of California online auction benefiting American Red Cross Disaster Relief in light of the devastation brought on by wildfires and mudslides throughout the state. Race fans - and California fans - will be able bid on exclusive items from merchandise to behind-the-scenes race experiences to help people affected by disasters. 100 percent of the proceeds from the Amgen Tour of California auction organized by STAPLES Center Foundation support American Red Cross Disaster Relief. More details soon at www.amgentourofcalifornia.com.

With parts of the state still impacted by wildfires and subsequent mudslides, affected portions of the route will be inspected up until race time, and race routes are subject to change to ensure fan and rider safety.

STAGE 1 PRESENTED BY AMGEN'S BREAKAWAY FROM CANCER®
SUNDAY, MAY 13, 2018
LONG BEACH CIRCUIT RACE
83 miles / 133 kilometers
Expected Outcome: Field Sprint

The 7-mile circuit will start and finish on Shoreline Drive near Shoreline Village and the Long Beach Convention Center. The 11 laps of the circuit will utilize portions of Shoreline Drive, Ocean Blvd. and Pine Avenue. Several Long Beach neighborhoods will get a ring-side seat as the peloton races through Bixby Park and Bluff Park, as well as Retro Row and Downtown.

STAGE 2 PRESENTED BY LEXUS
MONDAY, MAY 14, 2018
VENTURA TO GIBRALTAR ROAD (Santa Barbara)
97.6 miles / 155 kilometers
Expected Outcome: Select group of 2-3 riders

Gibraltar Road has been the most requested mountaintop finish since the race began. After the mountain road was paved and therefore able to be contested in the 2016 race, it became an instant fan favorite.

The City of Ventura warmly welcomed the race in 2016 as the peloton bid a quick hello passing through to Gibraltar. This year, Ventura will host its first stage - the start of the "Queen Stage" just a few feet from the Pacific Ocean near the Ventura Pier. Will the riders be relaxing and taking in the sun at the start? Probably not. Most will be thinking about the coming assault of Gibraltar Road.

After a neutral parade route through downtown Ventura, the race will head through Oxnard, Santa Paula and Ojai. The riders will climb out of Santa Paula to the first of three King of the Mountain climbs (KOMs) on the day. The 97.6-mile stage has 7,700' of elevation gain, with the journey to the top of Gibraltar featuring a 3,100' climb over the final eight miles of the stage.

UPDATE: The stage passes through the Ventura County cities of Ventura, Oxnard, Camarillo, Somis, Santa Paula and Ojai after beginning at the Ventura Pier at 11:15am. Here are some directions transcribed from the course map at THIS LINK:

• Ventura Pier
• East on Harbor Boulevard
• Right (North) on Figueroa St
• Left (West) on E. Santa Clara St
• Right (North) on S. Ventura Ave
• Right (East) on Main St
• Right (South) on California St
• Left (East) on E. Santa Clara St
• Right (South) on S. Hemlock St
• Left (East) on E. Thompson
• Right (Southwest) on San Jon Rd
• Left (South) on Harbor Boulevard
• Left (East) on W. 5th St
• Right (South) on S. Victoria Ave
• Left (East) on W. Wooley Road
• Left (North) on S. Rice Ave
• Right (East) on E. 5th St
• Left (North) on Lewis Road/Somis Road
• Right (East) on E. Los Angeles Ave
• Left (North) on Balcom Canyon Road
• Left (West) on S. Mountain Rd
• Right (North) to Highway 150 (Ojai Santa Paula Rd)
• Then towards Santa Barbara via Ojai Rd, Ojai Ave, Baldwin Rd, Casitas Pass Rd, Foothill Rd., etc.

STAGE 3 PRESENTED BY LEXUS
TUESDAY, MAY 15, 2018
KING CITY TO LAGUNA SECA RECREATION AREA (MONTEREY COUNTY)
122.4 miles / 197 kilometers
Expected Outcome: Mass sprint of 15-20 riders

STAGE 4 PRESENTED BY TAG Heuer
WEDNESDAY, MAY 16, 2018
SAN JOSE/MORGAN HILL INDIVIDUAL TIME TRIAL
21.6 miles / 34.7 kilometers

STAGE 5 PRESENTED BY VISIT CALIFORNIA
THURSDAY, MAY 17, 2018
STOCKTON TO ELK GROVE
109.4 miles / 176 kilometers
Expected Outcome: Field Sprint

STAGE 6 PRESENTED BY VISIT CALIFORNIA
FRIDAY, MAY 18, 2018
FOLSOM TO SOUTH LAKE TAHOE
122 miles / 196.5 kilometers
Expected Outcome: Mass Sprint of 10-15 riders

STAGE 7 PRESENTED BY AMGEN'S BREAKAWAY FROM HEART DISEASE
SATURDAY, MAY 19, 2018
SACRAMENTO
90.7 miles / 146 kilometers
Expected Outcome: Field Sprint

Muvico Brand is No More in Thousand Oaks After Placement of AMC Signs

Muvico Theater at The Oaks Shopping Mall in Thousand Oaks opened its doors on February 27, 2009.

Four and a half years later, Carmike Cinemas purchased nine Muvico theaters in Florida, Illinois and California, including the Thousand Oaks Muvico. However, Carmike did not re-brand the Conejo Valley based Muvico as it continued to operate as Muvico.

On November 15, 2016, Carmike announced it was purchased by AMC Theatres. The merger was completed on December 20, 2016. 

While the theatre promptly changed its online branding to AMC Dine-In Thousand Oaks 14, the iconic Muvico sign continued to be prominently displayed. Until now.

The Muvico signs are finally gone.

Sauces Canyon Bald Eagle Footage on Santa Cruz Island During April 5 Earthquake

There is a live cam in place in the Sauces Canyon of Santa Cruz Island that allows researcher and the general public to observe a bald eagle nest. This nest was in for some action today as a 5.3 magnitude earthquake originated just south of the island! 

Watch the video feed below for live action.

Breaking News: Volcano Erupts on Conejo Grade in Thousand Oaks Easter Sunday

Hill north of the 101 on the Conejo Grade seen erupting as an active volcano this morning after millions of years in dormancy.

Thousand Oaks residents were startled this morning when a dormant volcano north of Highway 101 erupted.

Newbury Park resident Marvin Molten and his family were halfway up the Conejo Grade when the smoke started spewing out and the lava started flowing down the sides of the prominent hill north of the 101.

"We were on our way to grandma's house for Easter ham when we see this orange lava coming down the hill to the right," said Marvin's wife, Marcy. "We  stopped for a family selfie on the right shoulder, when the heat from the lava literally melted the See's Chocolate Easter Bunny in my daughter's lap. The melted chocolate made a huge mess all over the car!"

This Easter surprise lasted only about 10 minutes. Terry Tectonic of the National Weather Service in Oxnard indicated "the morning fog rolled in from Camarillo and put a damper on the lava flow;  thankfully now I can get back to my family's backyard Easter egg hunt."

Mandy Mantle was hiking on a nearby trail in the Conejo Open Space when she heard an explosion. She looked up and saw ashes flying everywhere. "For a second I thought it was Ash Wednesday," said Mantle.

APRIL FOOLS'!

Happy April Fools' Day!

April Fools' fun in prior years

Now go take a hike at one of over 50 local area trails and hikes around Ventura County.