Opening of "essential ingredients" Painting Exhibit at Buenaventura Gallery on Sept 9th

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Opening September 9 at the Buenaventura Gallery in downtown Ventura is "essential ingredients," an exhibition of paintings by Gail Pidduck.

“This show is different from my normal work,” said the longtime Santa Paula artist known for colorful plein-air California landscapes and her depictions of rural life and people in the Santa Clara River Valley. “I wanted to explore visually the things that are important to me in life, and have some fun.”

On display through October 4 will be 15 of Pidduck's oil-on-canvas works created over the past year. She will attend an opening reception 5-7 p.m

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Las Virgenes Municipal Water District Adopts Even/Odd Irrigation Schedule

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Las Virgenes Municipal Water District (LVMWD) provides water to over 65,000 residents in Agoura Hills, Calabasas, Hidden Hills, Westlake Village and unincorporated areas of western Los Angeles County.

In response to the statewide drought, LVMWD has adopted outdoor irrigation restrictions to three days a week. The LVMWD Board of Directors approved this restriction on August 12th.

Properties with even-numbered addresses may irrigate Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Properties with odd-numbered addresses may irrigate Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. The restriction applies to potable and recycled water users.

Watering is permitted at any time using a hose with an automatic shut-off nozzle, a 5-gallon bucket or a drip irrigation system. Customers will be given time to make adjustments to their irrigation controllers. Enforcement begins September 1st.

Customers violating the outdoor irrigation restrictions and conservation measures below can be fined. After a written warning for the 1st violation, additional violations within a 12 month period can result in fines of $100, $200 and $500. Fifth violations can result in the installation of flow restrictors or even termination of service.

The following conservation measures are in effect:

  • Potable water shall not be us
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The Conejo Free Clinic Provides Medical and Legal Services to Those in Need

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The Conejo Free Clinic (CFC) is 501(c)3 non-profit organization founded in 1976 that provides medical and legal services to those who may have no access to care. The CFC provides services to over 5,000 people annually in our community.

Medical services provided by CFC include primary and preventative general medical services, pediatric clinics, including childhood and school-required immunizations, women's health services such as health exams, mammograms and other tests as well as patient advocacy services when necessary. Legal service clinics take place the first four Tuesday nights of each month.

All CFC providers (physicians, nurse practitioners, RN's, medical assistants, receptionists, etc.) are volunteers. The office is managed by a staff of four employees, supported by a 15 member Board of Directors from the community.

CFC helps those who don't have adequate access to medical car

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City of Simi Valley Level 1 Water Shortage Restrictions Became Effective August 1st

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To comply with the State Water Resources Control Board emergency regulations requiring all water retailers in California to mandate water use reductions, a Level 1 Water Supply Shortage is in effect as of August 1, 2014. The Board of Directors of Waterworks District No. 8 (the Simi Valley City Council) has declared a Level 1 Water Supply Shortage, effective August 1, 2014.

(The Golden State Water Company is currently considering similar restrictions, their customers may reference www.gswater.com for updates. Note – City restrictions apply to Golden State Water Company customers also.)

All residents and businesses provided water by the City of Simi Valley, must immediately:

  •  Reduce landscape irrigation, limiting to 45 minutes per week per irrigation station/zone through October 31 (with exceptions for “smart” controllers, drip or low water emitting fixtures, and stream rotors with 70% efficiency)
  • Fix leaks, breaks, or malfunctions promptly, in no case longer than 72 hours.
  • All residents and businesses within the City of Simi Valley must:
  • Irrigate before 9:00 a.m. or after 5:00 p.m., no more than 15 minutes per irrigation station/zone;
  • Cease any excessive irrigation flow and/or runoff;
  • Cease washing or spraying pavement (or any exterior hard surfaces) with exceptions when necessary, to alleviate safety or sanitary hazards;
  • Only wash a vehicle using a hose with an automatic trigger shut-off nozzle;
  • Use only recirculated water in decorative fountains or water features.

Commercial restrictions within the City of Simi Valley include:

  • Restaurants and bars may only serve water upon customer request;
  • Lodging establishments must provide guests the option to decline daily linen service;
  • Commercial car washes and decorative fountains must use recirculated water.

And irrigation restrictions to customers provided water by the City will change November 1:

  • Further reduce irrigation beginning November 1, 2014 to only 30 minutes per irrigation/zone, through March 31, 2015.

Visit www.bewaterwise.com for water supply updates, water conservation resources, rebates, incentive programs and more. For local information and resources such as Water Wise Gardening in Ventura County, visit www.simivalley.org/waterconservation.

Help Track Recovery From Springs Fire in Point Mugu State Park and Rancho Sierra Vista with Your Cameras

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If you're out and about in Rancho Sierra Vista/Satwiwa and Point Mugu State Park, you may come across one of these photo stands on the trails.

The sign, sponsored by the National Park Service and California State Parks, says the following:

Much of Point Mugu State Park and Rancho Sierra Vista burned in the May 2013 Springs Fire. We are monitoring how the ecosystem responds. YOU CAN HELP!

Place your camera or camera phone on the L-shaped bracket and take a photo of the view (no zoom or filters).

Post your photos using hashtag #springsfire__ to Twitter and flickr.

Photos will be used to create a time-lapse of the recovery. See your photos come to life on our Springs Fire Recovery Map!

While I don't know exactly how many of these photo brackets are out there, I've come across three of them on the Hidden Valley Overlook trail in Rancho Sierra Vista/Satwiwa.

View from SpringsFire03View from SpringsFire04

I'm not the only one that noticed these contraptions. Some folks have posted photos to Twitter already. Like these #SpringsFire04 photos.

City of Oxnard Mandatory Water Conservation Measures Effective 7/29

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The Oxnard City Council declared a Stage 2 Water shortage condition within the City and adopted mandatory water conservation measures to address the ongoing severe drought conditions.  The resolution was adopted during the July 29, 2014 council meeting and became effective immediately.
 
The State Water Resources Board (SWRCB) adopted resolution No 2014-0038 on July 15, 2014, in which SWRCB imposes emergency regulation for statewide urban water conservation. This resolution required that water suppliers, such as the City of Oxnard, implement mandatory conservation measures by August 1, 2014.      
 
The City’s resolution, prohibits and imposes a range of water conservation measures that are designed to reduce consumption of potable water in a variety of uses. Residents, commercial establishments, municipal and schools are required to implement the following water conservation measures:

  1. The use of running water from a hose, pipe, or faucet to clean buildings, pavement, tile, wood, plastic, driveways, parking lots, and other paved surfaces, is prohibited, except for compelling public health and safety reasons. If allowed, a hose with a positive shut-off nozzle must be used;
  2. All restaurants that provide table service shall post, in a conspicuous place, a notice of water shortage conditions and shall refrain from serving water except upon specific request by a customer;
  3. Use of potable water to fill or refill recreational or ornamental lakes, ponds or fountains is prohibited;
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California State Water Board Emergency Conservation Regulations Effective 7/28/14

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In response to the ongoing severe drought, last month the State Water Resources Control Board approved an emergency regulation to ensure water agencies, their customers and state residents increase water conservation in urban settings or face possible fines or other enforcement.

The new conservation regulation is intended to reduce outdoor urban water use. The regulation mandates minimum actions to conserve water supplies for 2014-2015. Most Californians use more water outdoors than indoors. In some areas, 505 or more of daily water use is for lawns and outdoor landscaping.

Many communities and water suppliers have taken bold steps over the years and in this year to reduce water use; however, many have not and much more can and should be done statewide to extend diminishing water supplies.

With this regulation, all Californians will be expected to stop: washing down driveways and sidewalks; watering of outdoor landscapes that cause excess runoff; using a hose to wash a motor vehicle, unless the hose is fitted with a shut-off nozzle, and using potable water in a fountain or decorative water feature, unless the water is recirculated. The regulation makes an exception for health and safety circumstances.

Larger water suppliers will be required to activate their Water Shortage Contingency Plan to a level where outdoor irrigation restrictions are mandatory. In communities where no water shortage contingency plan exists, the regulation requires that water suppliers either limit outdoor irrigation to twice a week or implement other comparable conservatio

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