Conejo Valley Guide Social Media Followers Highlight Something Fun They Did Over the Weekend

What did I do this weekend? Spent some time the Channel Islands Harbor, enjoyed Silverstrand Beach and the CI Harbor Farmers’ Market, spent some time in Downtown Ventura, Shopped at The Oaks and the Camarillo Premium Outlets, spent some time on local trails, had a boba, ate some sushi, did errands around the house, replaced the battery in my watch….the list goes on!

We asked Conejo Valley Guide social media followers in Facebook and Instagram to tell us something they did that was fun this past warm June weekend, as part of a drawing for tickets to the 66th Annual Conejo Valley Days coming up June 16 to 26. The response was great and we thought it would be fun to share some of the responses here.

• Attended “Summer is Here” parties

• Baby shower

• Baseball team party

• Birthday parties

• Went to a free concert in the park

• Baby’s first trip to the beach

• Baseball tournament

• Beach walk and lunch at the Ventura Harbor

• Universal Studios

• Estate sale shopping

• Graduation parties

• Pool parties

• Watched a movie (Jurassic World, Top Gun: Maverick)

• Went on a hike

• Dodger game

• Got a kitten, got a puppy

• Indulged in ice cream

• Romantic dinner

• Went to the park

• Went to a splash pad

• Day in Santa Barbara

• Swimming and pool time (probably the most mentioned activity)

• Family time

• Went camping

• Underwood Family Farms

• Hung out with friends at a local taproom

• America’s Teaching Zoo at Moorpark College

• Disneyland and Knotts Berry Farm

• Stagecoach Inn in Newbury Park

• Mountain biking

• Relaxed at home

• Went to a farmers’ market

• Lots of graduation parties

• Annual kids and adults kickball game

• Trip to San Diego

• Cornell Winery

• Went on a run in a local park or trail

• Did some gardening

• Bike ride with the kids

• Water gun fun with the kids

• Backyard movie night

• Reagan Presidential Library

• Went to a local beach

Underwood Family Farms in Moorpark

The Roadrunners R/C Club Brings R/C Racing to Freedom Park in Camarillo

The Roadrunners R/C Club manages a facility at Freedom Park near the Camarillo Airport that has several tracks sanctioned for national R/C events. There are off-road and paved tracks that are fun for R/C enthusiasts of all ages, as well as onlookers. The facility is open to the public during the week.

Freedom Park is located at 528 Freedom Park Drive, Camarillo, on 30 acres featuring soccer and softball fields, BMX track and inline-hockey rink. Learn more about the Roadrunners R/C Club at www.roadrunnersrc.com.

Stop by and check it out! It's a lot of fun to watch!

Comparing In-N-Out Burger to Whataburger

Whataburger location that I visited in Birmingham, Alabama.

I was born and raised in Southern California and thus I am very familiar with the allure of an In-N-Out Burger. In-N-Out Burger originated in Baldwin Park, California in 1948 and has grown to over 350 locations in California, Arizona, Nevada, Utah, Texas, Oregon, and Colorado, In-N-Out Burger is known for its fresh, delicious ingredients and simple menu. I grew up with In-N-Out Burger.

Whataburger was founded in Corpus Christi, Texas in 1950 and was family-owned until 2019, when a majority stake in the company was purchased by a private equity firm. There are currently (as of spring 2022) over 880 Whataburger locations, including over 700 in Texas. But there are no Whataburgers in California at the current time.*

On a recent trip to Birmingham, Alabama, there was a Whataburger directly across the street from my hotel. I've seen Whataburger from time to time in my travels, but never dined at one - nor did I know anything about Whataburger.

The topic of Whataburger came up with some folks I was hanging out with. They noted they were hungry the previous night, late at night, and that their hunger was resolved by a meal from Whataburger. Grandparents Bob and Gloria noted the deliciousness of their Whataburger late night snack. And thus, I decided it was time for me to try a Whataburger for the first time.

The layout of the Whataburger I ate at was very similar to the layout of an In-N-Out Burger. There multiple busy drive-through lines but there was also a large indoor dining area. The clean, bright, fairly spartan layout reminded me of the layout of In-N-Out Burger.

Simplicity of the In-N-Out Burger menu, circa Fall 2020..

Whataburger's menu is much more extensive than the simplistic In-N-Out Burger which I’ve always loved and appreciated. Whataburger’s menu was not overwhelming in size, but includes items such a chicken sandwiches, chicken strips, onion rings, breakfast items and more.

Staff was very friendly and attentive as soon as walked in. The manager was walking by and greeted me. The order taker was prompt. I decided to go with a simple Whataburger combo meal that came with fries and a drink. The burger comes with a 5" bun and beef patty, tomato, lettuce, diced onions and mustard. I also ordered some onion rings just to taste them. Oh, and I went with the sweet tea - which was very good.

I ate right there at Whataburger. They gave me a number to put on the table, and after a 5 minute wait, they brought my meal to me. Along with my meal, the employee gave me an assortment of condiments to choose from - ketchup, spicy ketchup and a few others. I went with the spicy ketchup (which was good, though not particularly spicy).

My first look at a Whataburger after opening up the package. Looked, smelled and tasted good.

The burger was delicious. Everything was hot and fresh - the burger patty was substantial, the tomato, lettuce and onions were very fresh, and the bun was toasted and tasted great.

The only big difference between a regular In-N-Out Burger and a regular Whataburger is the sauce. The Whataburger is made with mustard, while the In-N-Out Burger as we know is made with that delicious, addictive, special spread. Thinking about the taste of an In-N-Out Burger as I type this is really making me hungry.

From my vantage point, the Whataburger and In-N-Out Burger are equally delicious. If you don't like the taste of mustard, you can order the Whataburger with mayo, ketchup, honey BBQ or creamy pepper. If you prefer grilled onions to raw onions, that is also an option at both places. But if the In-N-Out Burger signature sauce is what you have a hankering for, you will be best served with an In-N-Out Burger.

Whataburger fries, with a cameo appearance by onion rings.

I'm ok with In-N-Out Burger fries, though I know some folks that are not fans of them. The Whataburger fries were very good. Cooked nice and crispy and more substantial in size than In-N-Out Burger fries, they also tasted very fresh. I'd have to give a slight nod overall to Whataburger in the fries department. The onion rings were ok to me but were not a standout.

Would I be happy to have a Whataburger in the Conejo Valley? Absolutely! As much as I enjoy In-N-Out Burger along with everyone else, I think Whataburger offers a fresh, delicious product that would do well here in Southern California.

Are there plans for Whataburger to expand to Ventura County, California? Not that I am aware of. But I would certainly welcome, now that I have tried it! Will I continue to be an In-N-Out Burger fan? Is the sky blue?

*Back in the 1970s until the mid 1980s, there were a number of Whatburgers in California, including locations in Thousand Oaks (400 Thousand Oaks Blvd - where Cho Cho San resides today), Oxnard (155 S. Oxnard Blvd - where A-Burger is today), 2250 East Main Street, Ventura (now Taco Bell), 1579 East Los Angeles Ave, Simi Valley (now Jack in the Box) and 1650 E. Daily Drive, Camarillo (now Jack in the Box).

Level 4 Emergency Water Conservation Measures Go Into Effect by June 1, 2022 (Conejo Valley Water Providers)

Here is a compilation of Level 4 water conservation measures issued by local water providers in the Conejo Valley and some surrounding areas that are to go into effect on June 1, 2022.

California American Water Announcement:

Due to the significant statewide drought conditions severely reducing water supplies to Southern California Emergency Water Conservation Measures will go into effect on June 1, 2022.

The Metropolitan Water District and Calleguas Municipal Water District (California American Water’s wholesaler) have passed down requirements to limit watering to one-day-per-week.

On June 1, 2022, California American Water’s Ventura County District customers should follow the below updated watering schedule.

Thousand Oaks, Newbury Park and Camarillo Customers Watering Schedule

ONE-DAY-A-WEEK
Residential Odd Address (Addresses ending in 1, 3, 5, 7, 9): Saturday
Residential Even Address (Addresses ending in 2, 4, 6, 8, 0): Sunday
Non-residential (including multi-family apartments, retail and commercial properties, churches, schools, and parks): Wednesday
No Watering Monday through Friday for Residential Properties
To avoid evaporation, we recommend customers please water outdoors before 9:00 a.m. or after 8:00 p.m.
Watering is limited to a total of 15 minutes per station per allowed day
Hand watering with a garden hose/nozzle and Low-flow irrigation systems (Including drip irrigation and micro spray) that emits less than two gallons per hour are exempt from day of week and time limitation except for irrigation of turf
Turf grass irrigation (irrigation timer or garden hose) only permissible on allowed watering day

www.amwater.com/caaw/Conservation/District-Resources/Ventura/

City of Thousand Oaks Water Announcement on May 25th

City of Thousand Oaks Water announced the adoption of Level 4 water conservation measures effective immediately. The city indicates it must reduce water use by 50% to avoid banning all outdoor water use later this year. More details at www.toakswater.org.

Irrigation

1. Watering hours: NO watering allowed between 8:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m.

2. Watering days: One day per week; Saturday for odd-numbered addresses and Sunday for even-numbered (and no) addresses.

3. Extra irrigation day for specific permitted uses: Wednesday is the allowed extra day for active playing fields, active play areas at licensed daycare centers, golf course greens and fairways, school play fields, vegetable gardens less than 300 SF, engineered slopes, and fuel modification zones.

4. Trees and shrubs: Hand-watering is allowed on additional days to keep trees and shrubs alive, as necessary. Hand-watering includes the use of a hand-held bucket or similar container, or a hand-held hose equipped with a positive self-closing water shut-off nozzle or device.

5. Fix leaks, breaks, or malfunctions within 48 hours.

6. No excessive water runoff or overspray.

7. Rainfall: No irrigation during and within 48 hours after rainfall measuring 0.25 inches or more.

8. Low volume system: Irrigating with other than low volume systems or hand-watering is prohibited except for active school and public playing fields, active play areas at licensed daycare centers, golf course greens and fairways, engineered slopes, and fuel modification zones.

9. Sprinkler systems: Traditional sprinklers (other than low volume) may be used only until July 31, 2022, to provide 60 days for transitioning sprinkler systems to low volume. Sprinklers are subject to the one day per week watering restriction with a limit of 15-minutes of watering per irrigation zone.

Other Requirements

1. No washing down hard or paved surfaces.

2. Vehicle washing: Use of potable water for washing vehicles at home, by mobile services, and for community events is prohibited.

3. Water misters: Use of water misters is prohibited.

4. Swimming pool covers: Outdoor swimming pools shall be covered when not in use.

5. Swimming pools and spas: Draining and re-filling pools and spas of more than one foot with potable water is prohibited. A City waiver is required to drain pools and spas for leak repairs.

6. Ornamental lakes, ponds, or running-water features: Filling or re-filling ornamental lakes, ponds, or running-water features with potable water is prohibited, except to sustain aquatic life of significant value.

7. Dust Suppression: Potable water use for dust suppression is prohibited unless approved through a City waiver.

See full press release at www.toaks.org/Home/Components/News/News/13578/993.

California Water Service Announcement:

(Cal Water's Westlake District was formed in 1983 with the purchase of the Westlake Water Company. Cal Water purchases imported surface water from the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (MWD) through Calleguas Municipal Water District.)

Stage 2 Irrigation Day Restrictions:

• Street address ending in odd number: Watering allowed on Tuesday and Saturday

• Street address ending in even number or no number: Watering allowed on Wednesday and Sunday

• Exceptions: Landscape that uses exclusively drip and/or micro-spray irrigation systems, irrigating with hand-held bucket or similar container, with continuously monitored hose fitted with shut-off nozzle.

• Penalties: 1st violation - real-time water measurement device installed on customer meter. 2nd violation $50 penalty. 3rd violation $100 penalty. 4th violation or egregious violation - flow restricting device installed.

• Conservation rebates for high efficiency clothes washer, toilet, smart irrigation controller, high efficiency sprinkler nozzles, lawn to garden and spray to drip.

• Lawn to garden program: $3 per sq ft of lawn removed, with 50% converted to drought-tolerant landscaping.

• Spray to drip program: $.50 per sq ft of landscaping converted from standard spray irrigation system to drip system.

calwater.com/conservation and calwater.com/drought

Calleguas Municipal Water District Announcement:

(Calleguas Municipal Water District (Calleguas) operates as a member agency of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (Metropolitan). Metropolitan provides Calleguas with imported water supplies, which Calleguas in turn distributes on a wholesale basis to water agencies that serve the communities and cities (Simi Valley, Thousand Oaks, Moorpark, Camarillo, Oxnard, and Port Hueneme) in southeast Ventura County. Imported water supplies account for approximately 80 percent of all potable water uses in this area.)

Mandatory Irrigation Watering Schedule for Ventura County Waterworks Districts 1 (Moorpark), 17 (Bell Canyon), 19 (Somis) and 38 (Lake Sherwood) Customers

• Even numbered addresses: Sundays only

• Odd numbered addresses: Saturdays only

• Only applies to non-functional, ornamental turf (lawns) and excludes turf located in parks, sports fields, and school playground fields.

• Hand watering or efficient drip irrigation of trees, shrubs and/or plants is permitted as needed to support their health and ability to recover.

• No irrigation between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m.

• Irrigate no more than 15 minutes per zone (does not apply to low-flow drip irrigation).

• Does not apply to areas that are irrigated with recycled water.

• Applies to all customer classifications except agriculture.

• Residential Swimming Pools and Spas: Refilling of more than one foot and initial filling of residential swimming pools and spas is prohibited. Those with an already approved building permit (as of 5/31/22) for a pool or spa are exempt from this prohibition.

• Penalties: 1st violation - written notice of violation. 2nd violation - $100 if within 12 months of 1st violation. 3rd violation - $250. 4th violation - $500.

www.vcpublicworks.org/wsd/waterconservation

Fourteen Percent Increase in Registered Voters in Ventura County Since May 2019

The Ventura County Registrar of Voters website has up to date counts showing the number of registered voters in Ventura County. From time to time we like to take a look at that data and compare it to prior years.

On May 11, 2022, there were 506,028 registered voters in Ventura County, a 14% increase in three years. Here is the breakdown by affiliation:

• 219,956 Democrats (a 24% increase since 2019) (43% of all registered voters)

• 143,227 Republicans (a 10% increase) (28% of all registered voters)

• 105,961 Nonpartisans (a 4% decrease) (21% of all registered voters)

• 36,884 Other (a 31% increase) (8% of all registered voters)

In May 2019, there were 445,217 registered voters, including:

• 176,712 Democrats

• 130,228 Republicans

• 110,225 Nonpartisans

• 28,052 Other

On May 12, 2012, there were 406,644 registered voters in Ventura County, consisting of:

• 157,539 Democrats

• 150,919 Republicans

• 77,994 Nonpartisans

• 20,192 Other

Can’t remember if you are eligible to vote? Look it up at THIS LINK. What I’ve found with this Voter Eligibility Search function is that, unlike a search engine, your search terms have to be precise. If you are registered as Richard King, if you type Rich King into the search, it will not find you.

Register to vote online at registertovote.ca.gov.

Sweeten Your Day with a Visit to Bennett's Honey Tasting Room in Fillmore

We were in the Santa Clarita area ready to head back home to the Conejo Valley, when I decided, how about if we take Highway 126 for once. So we did.

It was a leisurely drive on a late Sunday morning, when we came across a sign that caught my interest.

After passing the sign, I asked my son if he would like to do some honey tasting, to which he replied, "SURE!" So we turned back!

Bennett's Honey Tasting Room is located just north of Highway 126 at 3176 Honey Lane in Fillmore. It feels really off the beaten path, but is just 5 miles east of central Fillmore.

There's a small parking lot in front of the retail store. We walked up the steps, opened the door, and found ourselves in a small, one room shop, where we were greeted by smiling staff and stacks of honey jars and products.

But what really caught our eye, the reason for our stopping by on this mild, Sunday morning, was the honey tasting kiosk in the middle of the room. We treated ourselves to samples of honey derived from orange blossoms, sage, wildflowers, buckwheat, avocado, clover, eucalyptus and cactus. Honey heaven!

How is honey made? Worker bees suck nectar from a blossom and carry it back to the hive in their honey sacs (i.e. stomachs). On its way home, acid secretions in the sacs start changing the nectar to honey. In the hive, the honey is passed to a receiving bee where it is processed and concentrated for storage in empty honeycomb cells. 70,000 nectar "loads" become one pound of honey. Housekeeping bees "dry" the honey by fanning their wings in unison, then the cells are sealed for beeswax. Honey will keep for years.

My top choice was the cactus flavored honey as well as the "creamed" honey. We inquired about a honey that would be best for combating pollen allergies, and were told the wildflower honey was the best bet. And then we asked about the raw honeycomb shown above.

We were immediately offered a sample of the honeycomb. Heck, why not! Are we supposed to eat the wax comb? Some people do, but most swallow the tasty honey and spit out the wax.  The honeycomb was a delicious treat and we bought one of those too!

Bennett's Honey Farm was founded by Red and Ann Bennett and is currently owned by Chip and Taydee Vannoy. They produce their own honey right here in Ventura County under brands "Topanga Quality Honey" (found at Whole Foods and other specialty markets) and "Piru Canyon Honey" found at farmers' market and fruit stands in local counties.

To learn more, visit www.bennetthoney.com or call 805.521.1375.

Breaking News: City of Thousand Oaks to be Renamed City of Westbury Oaks

Breaking news! City of Thousand Oaks announces its new name, Westbury Oaks!

Incorporated in 1964, the City of Thousand Oaks expanded in the 1960s and 1970s to include two-thirds of Westlake Village and most of Newbury Park. However, the name Thousand Oaks remained the same.

Yesterday, after years of petitioning by local residents, City Council announced the renaming of the city to better reflect its components.

According to city spokesperson Ivana Fulya, Westbury Oaks beat out the other two top choices, Thousand Newlakes and Bury Thousandvillages by a slim margin.

Joe King of Westlake Village remarked, "Everyone's always been confused about where we live. Is it Westlake Village or is it Thousand Oaks? Now we'll all be one big happy, less confused family of Westbury Oaks residents!"

CVUSD representative Jess Kiddeen added "Thousand Oaks, Westlake and Newbury Park High Schools will be renamed Westbury Oaks I, Westbury Oaks II and Westbury Oaks III, respectively in light of this fantastic change."

Descendants of Egbert Starr Newbury, namesake of Newbury Park, had no comment.

APRIL FOOLS'!

April Fools' fun in prior years