Application to Request Funds From Conejo Valley Victims Fund Now Open, through February 18, 2019

Following the tragedy that occurred at Borderline Bar & Grill on November 7, 2018, Ventura County Community Foundation (VCCF), in coordination with other local organizations established the CONEJO VALLEY VICTIMS FUND.  After immediately distributing $310,000 in cash assistance and $500 prepaid gift cards related to the Borderline shooting, VCCF is now inviting individuals affected by the tragedy to submit applications for funding.

Funding Application for Conejo Valley Victims Fund: conejovalleyvictimsfund.org
Deadline for application submittal: February 18, 2019.

100% of the funds that have been raised will be used to assist the families of those who lost loved ones, the victims who were physically injured and those present inside the Borderline Bar & Grill the night of November 7, 2018. The payments from the Conejo Valley Victims Fund are to be apportioned in accordance with the severity of the injury to the victims arising from the event. 

VCCF has partnered with Give An Hour, which will lead efforts to provide mental health, emotional and case support to victims during the application process. In addition to opening up their Provider Network for mental health support, Give an Hour providers and staff are available to help those needing assistance with the Victim’s Fund Application. Three Victim Assistance Clinics will provide assistance to those who need help with the application. Licensed mental health clinicians will be on site at the Victim Assistance Clinics to offer support. 

Victims’ Assistance Clinic Dates, Times at Community Room Engage, 660 Hampshire Road, Suite 101, Westlake Village:

• Monday, January 14, 12:00 noon to 8:00pm

• Wednesday, January 16, 9:00am to 6:00pm

• Saturday, January 19, 9:00am to 5:00pm

Additionally, VCCF will host two public forums to give concerned community members and those impacted by the Borderline shooting an opportunity to provide feedback and ask questions about this Draft Final Protocol which will determine the process and distribution protocols for awarding financial support to qualified applicants. The Final Distribution Protocol will be developed by the Special Oversight Committee, incorporating feedback from the Public Forum meetings held on January 3, 2019, and is subject to approval by the Ventura County Community Foundation.

The Draft Final Protocol document can be found at www.ConejoValleyVictimsFund.org. To submit your feedback on the Draft Final Protocol, please submit your comments to info@conejovalleyvictimsfund.org or attend a public forum held on:  

Thursday, January 3, 8:00am - 9:30am or 6:00pm - 7:30pm. 
at the Scherr Forum at the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza.   

Financial contributions are still welcome and can be made at www.vccf.org. 

For more information, please contact Vanessa Bechtel at (805) 330-6676.

Historic Structures Destroyed and Other Areas Burned by the Woolsey and Hill Wildfires in the Santa Monica Mountains

The Woolsey Fire of November 2018 has burned nearly 100,000 acres of land, including 20,839 of the 23,621 National Park Service (NPS) owned acreage within the boundary of the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area (SMMNRA).

Other partners in management of the SMMNRA include California State Parks, the Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority and the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy.

The Western Town at Paramount Ranch was destroyed. The only buildings left intact are the church building and train station. The NPS has announced “The Paramount Project” campaign to raise fund and rebuild Western Town in 24 months. Also destroyed was the residence of a park ranger. NOTE: PARAMOUNT RANCH WAS RE-OPENED TO THE PUBLIC ON 12/3/18.

Farmer’s Exchange structure in the Western Town at Paramount Ranch

The aftermath at Paramount Ranch’s Western Town.

The Morrison Ranch House in the Cheeseboro Canyon area of Agoura Hills, was destroyed. Rancher John Morrison and his family occupied this house in 1904 and lived and worked in the home for nearly 60 years. The original ranch house, modified over the years, dates back to the late 1800s. It is now gone.

Morrison Ranch House one year ago - November 2017.

Morrison Ranch House after the Woolsey Fire (Photo courtesy of Friends of Morrison Ranch House at twitter.com/SantaMonicaMtns/status/1062025537927827456)

Peter Strauss Ranch was decimated by the Woolsey Fire. The Rocky Oaks ranger residence and archives building were destroyed and Rocky Oaks park was just devastated; you can barely recognize it. The Arroyo Sequit ranger residence was destroyed.

The National Park Service’s Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area website at www.nps.gov/samo/index.htm will post updates.

Other structures destroyed in the Santa Monica Mountains falling into lands maintained by other organizations include the historic Sepulveda Adobe, Red House, White Oak Barn and Reagan Ranch. Malibu Creek State Park updates at www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=614.

KTLA reported on November 11th that the Woolsey Fire also destroyed the MASH set. After the park reopened on December 18th, I checked it out and found that nearly the entire set is still there.. The iconic sign is still in place, though it is barely readable and needs some work.

Iconic sign post Woolsey Fire. Faded but still standing!

Iconic MASH sign last March.

NOTE: THE TAPIA DAY-USE AREA WITHIN MALIBU CREEK STATE PARK WAS RE-OPENED ON 12/3/18.

MALIBU CREEK STATE PARK DAY-USE AND BACKCOUNTRY TRAILS REOPENED 12/18/18. CAMPGROUND REMAINS CLOSED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE.

Other California State Park properties impacted by the Woolsey and Hill Fires, include Leo Carrillo State Park (fire burned through the campground, the visitor center, sector office, employee residences, three lifeguard towers, Leo Shop structures, the Junior Lifeguard Complex and several restrooms) and El Matador Beach. www.parks.ca.gov/NewsRelease/852 REOPENED 11/27/18

Also temporarily closed, but not on fire, include Point Mugu State Park, Malibu Lagoon State Beach, Point Dume State Beach, La Piedra and El Pescador Beaches and Topanga State Park. THESE WERE REOPENED 11/27/18.

The Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority announced a number of parks it manages are closed as a result of the Woolsey Fire, including Escondido Canyon Park, Las Virgenes View Trail, Triunfo Creek Park, Upper Las Virgenes Canyon Open Space Preserve, Charmlee Wilderness Park, Zev Yaroslavsky Las Virgenes Highlands Park and others. (Updates at mrca.ca.gov/press/mountains-recreation-and-conservation-authority-issues-list-of-park-closures.) Amazingly, while much of Charmlee was burned, the structures survived. UPDATE 1/11/19: MRCA ANNOUNCED ALL OF THE ABOVE TRAILS, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF ESCONDIDO AND CHARMLEE, HAVE REOPENED.

On to Camarillo…Camarillo Grove Park sustained fire damage from the Hill Fire and is closed until further notice. Updates at www.pvrpd.org/parks/dog/grove.asp or 805.482.1996.

MASH set at Malibu Creek Park in pre-Woolsey Fire days.

Reagan Ranch house in pre-Woolsey Fire days.

Charmlee Wilderness Park entrance post-Woolsey Fire (Photo Credit: MRCA)

Charmlee entrance is greener, yet still dry, times.

The replica Chumash Village at the Chumash Indian Museum / Oakbrook Regional Park was destroyed by the Woolsey Fire, which is so unfortunately as the place was just magical. However, most of the beautiful oak trees canopying the grounds were saves.

Kristy’s Roadhouse Malibu and SIP Malibu at the corner of Kanan and Sierra Creek Road were destroyed by the Woolsey Fire.

Simi Valley and Oak Park: Update 12/7/18 - RSRPD indicates Challenger Park in Simi Valley and Eagle View Park in Oak Park remain closed. The public is asked to stay out of Corriganville Park, the Wood Ranch Trailhead open space and trails west of the Long Canyon Trail. Oak Canyon Community Park, including the dog park, are closed until further notice. Updates at rsrpd.org.

Calabasas: The Calabasas Bark Park at 4232 Las Virgenes Road is currently closed as a result of the Woolsey Fire.

Brush Fire Information and Links for Hill Fire and Woolsey Fire November 8, 2018

Hill Fire around 3:15pm on Thursday, Nov 8th, seen from west Los Robles Trail in Newbury Park.

The Conejo Valley and nearby areas have been inundated by emergencies, including the Borderline Bar & Grill shooting and the fires - Hill Fire (originated 2:03 pm in the Hill Canyon area of Thousand Oaks/Newbury Park) and the Woolsey Fire (originated 2:25 pm in the Simi Hills near the old Rocketdyne facility, 25000 Woolsey Canyon Road - bordering Canoga Park in Los Angeles County).

While CVG is not a news site and we cannot provide up to the minute updates, we do want to provide information and links to help local resident stay closely dialed in.

For updates including evacuations, shelters, etc., visit www.vcemergency.com. Or call (805) 465-6650.

For evacuation notifications, sign up by texting VCAlert to 313131 or visit www.vcalert.org.

If you are a Twitter user, the Ventura County Fire Department Public Information Officer provides periodic updates via Tweets at twitter.com/VCFD_PIO. The VCFD Twitter page also provides updates and some useful "Retweets" from other sources at twitter.com/VCFD.

Ventura County emergency alert radio stations: KVTA 1590 AM, KHAY 100.7 FM, KMLA 103.7 FM (SPANISH)

VISIT VCEmergency.com FOR THE LATEST UPDATES ON MANDATORY AND VOLUNTARY EVACUATIONS, ROAD CLOSURES AND EVACUATION CENTERS.

City of Westlake Village emergency updates: (Woolsey Fire): www.wlv.org/AlertCenter.aspx

Donations:

• Ventura County Community Foundation has established a Hill Fire/Woolsey Fire Sudden and Urgent Needs Effort Fund

• Founded in response to the destruction of the Woolsey Fire, LV Fire Relief raises money and collects goods for families who lost their homes or have been displaced long-term by severe damage to their homes. LV Fire Relief is a community effort by local parents, staff, students, and business owners. Donations are processed with support of the Southeast Ventura YMCA and are tax-deductible. For more information, visit lvfirerelief.org.

Other Updates:

• National Park Service announced the Western Town at Paramount Ranch has been destroyed by the Woolsey Fire.

• Peter Strauss Ranch was largely destroyed by the Woolsey Fire.

• The Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority announced a number of parks it manages are closed as a result of the Woolsey Fire, including Escondido Canyon Park, Las Virgenes View Trail, Triunfo Creek Park, Upper Las Virgenes Canyon Open Space Preserve, Charmlee Wilderness Park, Zev Yaroslavsky Las Virgenes Highlands Park and others. (Updates at mrca.ca.gov/press/mountains-recreation-and-conservation-authority-issues-list-of-park-closures.)

  • Update 1/11/19: All of the above parks have been re-opened, with the exception of Charmlee and Escondido.

  • Update 1/30/19: Escondido Canyon is now open. Only Charmlee remains closed.

• The MASH set and Reagan Ranch at Malibu Creek State Park were destroyed by the Woolsey Fire, according to the L.A. Times.

• Malibu Creek State Park was closed until 12/18/18 due to the Woolsey Fire. State Parks lost some structures, such as employee residences, the historic Sepulveda Adobe, Red House, White Oak Barn and Reagan Ranch. For the latest information on how the wildfires have impacted state parks, visit www.parks.ca.gov/newsroom. 

• Other California State Park properties impacted by the Woolsey and Hill Fires, include Leo Carrillo State Park (fire burned through the campground, the visitor center, sector office, employee residences, three lifeguard towers, Leo Shop structures, the Junior Lifeguard Complex and several restrooms) and El Matador Beach. www.parks.ca.gov/NewsRelease/852

  • Also temporarily closed, but now re-opened, were Point Mugu State Park, Malibu Lagoon State Beach, Point Dume State Beach, La Piedra and El Pescador Beaches and Topanga State Park.

• The Morrison Ranch House in Cheeseboro Canyon in Agoura Hills was destroyed by the fire.

• The Hill Canyon Bridge in Thousand Oaks was torched and we be closed for at least several weeks until repaired.

• The replica Chumash Village at Oakbrook Regional Park in Thousand Oaks was destroyed by the Woolsey Fire.

• Conejo Open Space closed until further notice. Follow the COSCA Facebook Page for updates.

  • Opening 11/16: Los Robles, Rancho Potrero, Dos Vientos, Tarantula Hill

  • Opening 11/17: Wildwood

  • Closed until further notice: Hill Canyon, Western Plateau, Conejo Canyons, Lang Ranch, Woodridge, Oakbrook, Hillcrest and North Ranch open space areas.

  • As of mid-January 2019: All open except Hill Canyon Bridget and Oakbrook open space.

• Rancho Simi Rec & Park District parks/trails closed (as of 11/19/18):

  • Corriganville, Coyote Hills and Challenger parks in Simi Valley and Eagle View Park in Oak Park.

  • Wood Ranch Trailhead open space area and Long Canyon Trail

  • Oak Canyon Community Park

  • Update at rsrpd.org

• ABC News list of homes burned by Woolsey Fire.

• Woolsey Fire

  • 83,250 acres as of 7pm 11/10. 5% containment. Full containment expected by 11/15. 177 structures destroyed; 2 damaged.

  • 83,275 acres as of 7am 11/11. 10% containment. Full containment expected 11/17. 177 structures, destroyed, 2 damaged.

  • 85,500 acres as of 7pm 11/11. 15% containment. Full containment 11/17. 2 civilian casualties. 3 firefighter injuries.

  • 11/12 7pm: 93,662 acres, 30% containment. Full containment now 11/15. Preliminary estimate 435 structures destroyed;.

  • 11/13 7am: 96,314 acres, 435+ structures destroyed; 24 damaged. 35% containment. Full containment pushed back to 11/18.

  • 11/13 7pm: 97,114 acres, 40% containment; full containment still 11/18.

  • 11/15 7am: 98,362 acres, 57% containment. 504 structures destroyed (483 prelim; assessment ongoing - 370 confirmed destroyed and 96 confirmed damaged). Full containment expected by 11/19.

  • 11/15 7pm: 98,362 acres, 62% contained, 548 structures destroyed, 157 damaged. 3 civilian casualties, 3 firefighter injuries. Full containment by 11/19.

  • 11/16 7am: 98,362 acres, 69% contained. 616 structures destroyed; 183 damaged. Full containment by 11/19.

  • 11/16 7pm: 98,362 acres, 69% contained. 713 structures destroyed; 201 damaged. Full containment 11/19.

  • 11/17 7pm: 98,362 acres, 84% contained. 1,008 structures destroyed; 271 damaged. Full containment 11/22.

  • 11/18 7pm 96,949 acres (must have done a reassessment), 91% contained. 1,452 structures destroyed, 337 damaged.

  • 11/19 7am 96,949 acres, 94% contained. 1,500 structures destroyed, 341 damaged. Full containment 11/22.

  • 11/19 7pm No change other than 96% contained.

  • 11/20 6:30pm: 96,949 acres, 98% contained; full containment expected tomorrow. 1,643 structures destroyed; 364 damaged.

  • 11/21 6:30pm: 96,949 acres, 100% contained!

• Hill Fire

  • 4,531 acres as of 7pm 11/10. 65% containment; full containment expected by 11/15. 2 structures destroyed; 2 damaged.

  • 7am 11/11 - No change other than 70% containment.

  • 7pm 11/11 - No change other than 75% containment.

  • 7pm 11/12 - 4,531 acres; 80% containment.

  • 7am 11/13 - same acreage, 90% containment

  • 7pm 11/13 - same acreage; 92% containment

  • 7am 11/15 - same acreage; 97% containment. Full containment anticipated tomorrow.

  • 7pm 11/15 - same acreage; 99% containment; full containment 11/16.

  • 11/16: Fully contained! Cal Fire seeks the public’s help determining what appears to be human cause to the fire. Possible $10K reward.

• Pepperdine University has announced that classes will be cancelled until after Thanksgiving as a result of the Woolsey Fire.

• CSUCI has announced it has suspended classes through Thanksgiving, though the campus itself will be open November 15-21.

• Schools in the Conejo Valley, Oak Park and Las Virgenes Unified School District have closed through the Thanksgiving holiday.

Donate to "The Paramount Project" to Rebuild Paramount Ranch's Western Town

The iconic Western Town at Paramount Ranch was destroyed by the Woolsey Fire of November 2018. The only surviving structures were the church and the train station.

The Santa Monica Mountains Fund, in cooperation with the National Park Service, has launched “The Paramount Project,” a campaign to rebuild Paramount Ranch’s Western Town, recently destroyed by the Woolsey Fire.

The site, long popular with location scouts looking to replicate a rustic town with a Western motif, was also used for many of the special events that take place at Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area, including weddings, star parties, music festivals, classic movie nights and a variety of other activities. A National Park Service employee, along with her family, lived in Western Town and was one of three employees who lost park housing in the Woolsey fire.   

The new fundraising initiative is expected to restore the only National Park Service site that interprets American film history. It was purchased by the National Park Service in 1980 and is on the National Register of Historic Places.

DONATE TO “THE PARAMOUNT PROJECT” AT THIS LINK.

The focus of the campaign is to tap into the creativity, expertise, and resources of both the entertainment community and the general public to create a temporary set and then, ultimately, a number of permanent structures that will retain the rustic features of the past, but with more fire-resistant materials.

The National Park Service and the Santa Monica Mountains Fund have already been contacted by members of the entertainment industry who would like to be involved in the project.

In 1927, Paramount Pictures purchased 2,700 acres of the old Rancho Las Virgenes for use as a "movie ranch." Thus began an era of film production that had continued until last week with more than 300 films, television shows and commercials being shot here. The current ranch is comprised of 765 acres.

Famous Hollywood actors, from Bob Hope and Marlene Dietrich to Sandra Bullock and Bradley Cooper, have strolled around the dusty streets that could be magically transformed into a real town that included a general store, a sheriff’s jail, a saloon, drugstore and a variety of other settings. After it was purchased by Paramount Pictures, a veritable who's who of Hollywood, such as director Cecil B. DeMille and actors Gary Cooper and Claudette Colbert, practiced their craft here for the next 25 years.

But it was the diverse landscape that was the real star of the show. It offered filmmakers the freedom to create distant locales such as colonial Massachusetts in The Maid of Salem (1937), ancient China in The Adventures of Marco Polo (1938), a South Seas island in Ebb Tide (1937), and numerous western locations including San Francisco in Wells Fargo (1937). The art of illusion was mastered in this landscape.

In the 1950s, Western Town was created for television shows, such as The Cisco Kid. More recent television productions at Paramount include The Mentalist, Weeds, episodes of the X-Files and Hulu’s Quickdraw.

More recently, Western Town gained attention as Main Street in HBO’s hit series “Westworld.” For five years in the 1990s, it stood in as Colorado Springs, Colorado, providing the backdrop for many of actress Jane Seymour’s frontier adventures on the popular TV show Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman.  Also, Sandra Bullock had a leading role in The Lake House here.

Less known is the history of the Paramount Racetrack. The track operated from 1956 to 1957 and was known as one of the most challenging in the nation. The movie, The Devil’s Hairpin, was filmed on the course, which closed down after three fatalities within 18 months from its opening. Most of the track still winds through the grass and oak woodlands of the park.

Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area (SMMNRA) is the largest urban national park in the country, encompassing more than 150,000 acres of mountains and coastline in Ventura and Los Angeles counties. A unit of the National Park System, it comprises a seamless network of local, state, and federal parks interwoven with private lands and communities. As one of only five Mediterranean ecosystems in the world, SMMNRA preserves the rich biological diversity of more than 450 animal species and 26 distinct plant communities. For more information, visit www.nps.gov/samo.

The Santa Monica Mountains Fund works to protect and encourage appreciation and understanding of the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area. The Fund achieves this by supporting National Park Service efforts in education, science, research, improved facilities, citizen engagement, stewardship and philanthropy. For more information, visit www.samofund.org.

The General Store seen prior to the Woolsey Fire.

Mass Shooting at Borderline Bar and Grill in Thousand Oaks on Wednesday, November 7, 2018

As a resident of Thousand Oaks for 25 years, never would I have thought that the city where I’ve raised two boys, both born at Los Robles Hospital, would land itself tied for 15th place in all-time deadliest mass shootings in modern U.S. history.

But here we are today, in shock over the worst tragedy ever experienced in the Conejo Valley. The hospital where my wife gave birth to our sons treated many of the 23 victims of last night’s shooting at Borderline Bar and Grill, 99 Rolling Oaks Drive, Thousand Oaks (south of the 101, off of Moorpark Road).

Our thoughts and prayers go out to the victims, their friends and families, first responders and others impact by this horrific tragedy.

The facts:

• Shooting took place on Wednesday, November 7, 2018 at 11:20 pm.

• There were 12 victims who died at the hands of the active shooter, who was also confirmed deceased.

• One victim was Ventura County Sheriff’s Sgt. Ron Helus.

• Other confirmed deaths: Cody Coffman, Justin Meek, Alaina Housley, Noel Sparks, Blake Dingman, Jake Dunham, Kristina Morisette, Sean Adler, Telemachus Orfanos, Dan Manrique, Mark Meza

Other:

• Visit www.vcemergency.com for updates.

• Visit City of T.O. website at www.toaks.org/residents/borderline-shooting-information for updates.

• Monetary donations can be made at vccf.org/donate/make-a-donation to help those impacted by the tragedy.

TOPD asks well wishers to mail all cards, letters, care packages for Borderline victims and families to station. Pls no food or flowers. 2101 Olsen Rd T.O., Ca 91360 #TOakstrong pic.twitter.com/l423P0nZGB

— Thousand Oaks Sta. (@toaksvcso) November 13, 2018

Fundraising Events:

• Tue 11/13 All Day at Shake Shack Westlake Villlage at The Promenade at Westlake - 100% of proceeds to be donated to VCCF Conejo Valley Victims Fund (Borderline and Fire tragedies).

• Wed 11/14 11am to 9pm at Ameci Pizza, 1724 E. Avenida De Los Arboles, Thousand Oaks - 100% of proceeds to benefit families and victims of the tragic event.

• Thu 11/15 11am to 9pm at Bandits Grill & Bar Thousand Oaks - 100% of proceeds to benefit families and victims.

• Thu 11/15 noon - Memorial Services for Sergeant Ron Helus at Calvary Church Westlake Village

  • Facebook Live Stream: www.facebook.com/VenturaCountySheriff (live stream starts at 11am with music until services start; ends 1:15 to 1:30).

  • Calvary Live Stream: calvarywestlake.churchonline.org

  • Traffic impacts: Road closures 8am La Tienda and Via Rocas near the church. There will be traffic in the area until about 3pm.

• Fri 11/16 11am to 5pm at 2860 E. Thousand Oaks Blvd (at Skyline) - The Most Epic LemonAID Stand Ever - Local kids (who are currently out of school as a result of the wildfires) will be selling lemonade and treats. Proceeds go to families of Borderline shooting victims and Woolsey/Hill Fire families through the VCCF.
  

The following was written by Jenn Zimmerman, Cal Lutheran’s veterans coordinator, about Justin Meek.

Justin worked in the Veterans Resource Office for two years as a VA work study, and his impact will not be forgotten. His gregarious and outgoing attitude allowed him to instantly bond with the veterans who entered the office. He worked with the Veterans Club to plan events and help veteran-students with their VA certifications. Not only did he work with us, he was an active student on the campus. The busier he was, the more he interacted with his peers, the more he thrived. He was a kind and compassionate person who really cared for others.

Justin was a criminal justice and criminology major who had a passion for doing what was right. I’m not shocked he took action to protect the people at Borderline.

He was a part of the Kingsmen Quartet and loved singing in choir. He sang the National Anthem at graduation and was lined up to sing with the Disney Carolers for the holiday season. Justin came back to Cal Lutheran after he graduated to support the Country Line Dance Club with Borderline. He loved running college night and always seemed to draw a crowd.

He was planning to join the US Coast Guard; a compromise between his Air Force veteran mother and his Navy SEAL father. He enjoyed cooking for others and often brought his leftovers for us to share as we envied his cooking skills. He was going to be the chef our Veterans Day Celebration this Monday. Since he can no longer be with us, we will hold a memorial in his honor. Justin was a real go-getter and had his whole life ahead of him. He will be deeply missed in our community.

CSU Channel Islands is Ventura County's Only Four-Year Public University

Aerial view of the campus

California State University Channel Islands (or CSUCI) opened in 2002 as the 23rd campus in the California State University system and is the only four-year public university in Ventura County. It is located in Camarillo at the juncture of the Oxnard Plain and northern edge of the Santa Monica Mountains. The 1,187 acre campus is accessible via Lewis Road in Camarillo and Potrero Road from Newbury Park.

As of Fall 2017, CSUCI had enrollment of 7,053 students. CSUCI offers 26 majors and 26 minors, with a focus on business, sciences, liberal studies and teaching credentials, among others.

Learn more about CSUCI at www.csuci.edu.

CSUCI is located in the former Camarillo State Hospital, which operated from 1936 to 1997. At its peak in the 1950s, the hospital served over 7,000 patients.

On the north side of the campus is the 367 acre University Park, where a dairy farm that served the hospital was disbanded. It has informally been coined the "Scary Dairy."

West of the campus is the prominent, 538 foot elevation Round Mountain.

Aerial of the former Camarillo State Hospital (Photo Courtesy Pleasant Valley Historical Society)

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.