Basore Named Ojai’s Records Manager
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Newly appointed Ojai records manager Rhonda Basore is looking forward to her job and new home.Photo by Mary M. Long
assistant city manager
By Mary Long
Rhonda Basore has accepted the position of records manager for the city of Ojai. A native of Nebraska, moving to Ojai gives country girl Basore the opportunity to return to a small-town way of life. Leaving her job as assistant city clerk for the city of Murrieta, Basore will also enjoy a pay raise, moving from $58,000 a year to a starting salary of $60,000 for the city of Ojai. “I was topped out in Murrieta,” said Basore, who hopes that the Ojai job will also offer her more opportunities for advancement as well as giving her the chance to work in a smaller office, which she prefers.She became aware of the job opening through her membership in the City Clerks Association of California, and started the application process. She was first interviewed by a panel including Ojai’s interim city clerk Cynthia Burrell, city manager’s assistant Steven McClary, and city manager of Port Hueneme’s assistant Carmen Nichols. According to McClary, it’s a common practice to bring in representatives from other cities to sit on interview panels to “help maintain the integrity of the hiring process.”Impressing the panel, Basore advanced to an interview with interim city manager John Baker, who she said, “… made me feel very comfortable in the interview process. To me, he’s very down to earth and he’s very smart.” Basore has impressive credentials holding the title of master municipal clerk which is a designation that’s given by the International Institute of Municipal Clerks. “It’s quite an accomplishment,” said Basore, with only about 600 city clerks in the state of California holding that level of qualification, which requires a bachelor’s degree and completion of additional studies. With over 20 years working in city government, Basore has spent the last 15 years working in the city clerk and records management field. While she stayed only one year in the city clerk’s office in Murrieta, she earned the respect of her co-workers, according to City Clerk Kay Vinson, who said Basore proved to be “an ambitious, hard worker, who provided excellent customer service.”
Prior to accepting a job in Murrieta, Basore spent 10 years in northern California in the small town of Pittsburg, where she held the title of deputy city clerk. According to McClary, one of the qualities they were looking for was “somebody with the experience level that could come in and do the job right away,” which he feels they have found in Basore.
Moving to Southern California is like coming home for her husband, Duane, who was born in Alhambra and grew up in Temple City. Relocating to Ojai, fulfills their desire for small-town living and still keeps them within driving distance of two of their three children. Daughter Amber is attending UCLA and son Sean is enrolled in the University of San Diego, while their oldest son, Kyle, makes his home in Michigan. Basore and her husband will be looking to buy a home in Ojai where they hope to eventually retire with their husky dog, Nala. While her husband is looking forward to trying out Ojai’s tennis courts, Basore can’t wait to enjoy Ojai’s extensive walking and cycling paths. She also hopes to renew her equestrian skills and is looking forward to living in a community where she can walk to work.
“We’ll be moving this weekend,” said Basore, whose busy life still includes plans to attend Ojai Day as the kickoff for her involvement in her new community of Ojai.
Ojai Lifestyle Lured Judge Joe Brown
Judge Joe Brown, from his self-titled syndicated TV show, takes notes about the chilis up for judging at the Rotary Club of Ojai-West’s “Big Chili Cook-Off” at Lake Casitas on Saturday; 27 entries in the cook-off’s four categories squared off under the scrutiny of the judges. Photo by Logan Hall
With its close proximity to Los Angeles and Hollywood, the Ojai Valley is home to several superstars of film and television. Judge Joe Brown, of the hit TV show by his own name, is proud to call the valley his home. On Saturday, Brown put down the gavel and picked up a spoon to be a judge in the Ojai Rotary Club West’s “Big Chili Cook-Off” at Lake Casitas. The OVN caught up with him between rounds to talk Ojai, television, and the youth of America.
OVN: When did you move into town and what made you decide on Ojai?
JB: I had lived in Los Angeles for many years. My wife was staying in Ojai, so when we moved in 2001, we came here.
OVN: Ojai has been your home for almost 10 years. What are some of the things about the valley that you like the most?
JB: I enjoy riding the bike and going hiking on the trails around here. My wife, Deborah, enjoys running and hiking with her friends. We enjoy coming out to the lake and walking around toward the dam. There are many fine events that take place here like the Wine Festival and the Chili Cook-Off.
OVN: What were your first impressions of the valley?
JB: The first thing that I noticed was the eclectic group of people that have inhabited this fair land. It’s a very interesting mix. I also noticed all of the lovely pastel shades of dirt. It took awhile, but I finally found some green grass too.
OVN: What are some of the other things you do in your spare time?
JB: I enjoy taking pictures with any of my cameras. I like the new digital aspect of taking photos, but I will always have a special interest in the old film cameras. You have to adjust everything by hand and you usually only get one chance to get the shot. I always like to be doing anything that involves the great outdoors. This is a beautiful area and we need to keep it that way.
OVN: You have had great success with your TV show, “Judge Joe Brown.” What have you accomplished with the series since it began?
JB: This is year 13 for the show. It’s the No. 3 daytime-syndicated show on TV and No. 10 overall. We’re sharing the success of daytime television with Oprah.
OVN: All of the proceedings on the show appear to be very realistic. Are the cases that come through your courtroom the real deal?
JB:: This is not just a TV show. The Supreme Court ruled in 2001 that what we do is binding and contractual.
OVN: What are some of the things that you have seen in your years with the show?
JB: I’ve noticed that something is going wrong with the American public. There seems to be a complete and total ignorance of rules of the game in this country. Hollywood icons display it, and all of the kids follow in the footsteps of their idols in music and TV.
OVN: You mentioned the kids that are heading down the wrong path. What are some of the issues that you have seen with the youth in the United States.
JB: They have the idea that their dreams will come even if they don’t work for them. There seems to be a profound lack of sweat, blood and personal investiture in what they want. The youth of America today is trending toward a sense of entitlement.
OVN: How can the current issues with youth be resolved and turned in the right direction?
JB: Well, I’ve been involved with Rotary Clubs all over for the last 30-something years. They seem to be the ones that can help get the kids on track. I’m glad we have Rotary locally that is getting involved, and teaching kids about civics and civility. Someone needs to be teaching the kids common courtesies and that life isn’t a free ride. You have to earn it.
Cyber Bullying Starts Early
Schools say most junior high school incidents go unreported
By Misty Volaski
By Misty Volaski
Who doesn’t remember being bullied on the playground? Maybe you were a little pudgy. Maybe you got shoved against the lockers, or your pigtails pulled, or your milk money stolen. It was cruel, sure. But, with the advent of texting, MySpace, Facebook, and the like, memories of schoolyard tiffs suddenly seem like the good ol’ days.
Now, when students dislike each other, there are multiple venues for them to vent their hostility — mass text messages or e-mails, post threats and comments on MySpace pages, steal each others’ passwords and send hurtful messages, take inappropriate pictures and post them on Facebook walls — the list is only limited to the bullies’ creativity and access to technology and the internet.
Several studies have been conducted, but the actual number of cyberbullies and their victims varies widely. According to the i-SAFE Foundation, more than one in three young people have been threatened online; the Hartford County Examiner reported the number was more like 50 percent; Cyberbul
lying.us, meanwhile, found 20 percent of kids 11 to 18 had been bullied.
But victims are not without options. Sites like stopcyberbullying.org offer education and resources to stop bullying, tailored for parents, students, teachers and law enforcement officials. Facebook.com and similar social networking sites have help pages dedicated to cyber bullying, which suggest unfriending the bullies, blocking them from viewing your pages, and reporting inappropriate comments and posts. ISPs can take action by revoking bullies’ account privileges if they find bullies are in violation of their terms of use. Police will usually only get involved if there are threats of physical harm or death, or inappropriate photos posted (such as those taken in a locker room, which could result in child pornography charges).
Schools, however, are treading on delicate ground when they get involved. Typically, schools stay away until there is a direct connection with the school or if the bullying will directly affect day-to-day operations at the school. Over the last few years, most school districts, the OUSD included, have created specific rules against bullying and cyberbullying.
“The OUSD won’t get involved unless we find there is a nexus between the student and school,” said Ojai Unified School District superintendent Hank Bangser. “A harassment lawyer would say, ‘It happened outside of school, you can’t do anything about it,’ but I say that’s wrong. If a person feels there’s a safety issue involved, physical or emotional, I’d rather err on the side of getting involved. I’d rather do something than wish we would have done something.”
Thankfully, although cyberbullying has gained national attention in the last few weeks, the problem doesn’t seem to be severe in Ojai Valley public and private schools. Administrators at Matilija Junior High and Nordhoff High School say they give assemblies at the beginning of each school year to educate youths on the types of cyberbullying, and the effects of those actions.
“Online actions equal offline consequences,” reads the last page of the NSteens.org presentation, which is used at Matilija. “That is really what we stress more than anything,” said Matilija principal Emily Mostovoy. “Most of the time, the kids didn’t understand that it’s not funny.”
“We are intolerant of bullying and harassment,” said Susana Arce, assistant principal at Nordhoff. “I spend a lot of time on who is doing what to whom. We take it very seriously — they need to be educated that what they’re doing is bullying. If something comes up, very often it’s just a conversation to get the student to remove (the offensive post). When the sender understands the impact, they say, ‘Oh my god, I can’t believe that, it’s not what I meant.’”
“It’s intent vs. impact,” added NHS principal Dan Musick.
“Slang can be interpreted very differently,” said Mostovoy. The junior high sees a much higher number of incidents, she added. Since 2007, Nordhoff has seen 10 harassment-bullying cases of any kind, said principal Musick. But just in the 2009-2010 school year at Matilija, there were 17 suspendable offenses for bullying (with or without an electronic act), and there have been five more so far in this school year. “They’re still learning social skills,” explained Mostovoy of the higher numbers. “Everyone is trying to define who they are. They’re going through so many changes physically and emotionally, with higher academic expectations. (Bullying) is much easier to do online and through texting than through face-to-face and rumor spreading.”
As a response to these incidents, each school site states its rules to students very clearly. Both MJHS and NHS have a harassment-bullying complaint form, which is available online and at school, said Mostovoy. The assemblies are also a big part of the anti-cyberbully strategy.
The Thacher School created a broader approach, said head of school Mike Mulligan. “Our central tenets are honor, fairness, kindness and truth, and they are overarching; they don’t spell out every situation. But we absolutely have policies (detailing) appropriate behavior, and they apply to the world of the internet as well as to the school. Respect for others, for self, no hazing, no sexual or physical harassment. We have high expectations of student behavior and only a couple times have students come up for judicial review.”
Will the issue ever go away? “We have to deal with it, stay on it,” said Arce, adding that, “to some extent, these are “natural behaviors when teenagers gather together for a long time in a small space.”
Administrators urged parents to stay active in their children’s lives, both in person and online. “Be a part of it!” said Mostovoy. Get a Facebook page, and have your child add you as a friend. Get them to share their passwords, or keep the computer in the living room, “so the kids know I can check,” said Arce. “My granddaughters are on Facebook, and I see what they write.”
Welcomed Rain Kicks Off Season
Ojai’s first rain of the season kept people in the valley scrambling for cover throughout the day on Wednesday. Meiners Oaks resident Robert Morton takes advantage of the quiet evening, casting a line into Lake Casitas as the sky begins to clear and a rainbow points to the pot of gold. Photo by Logan Hall
The Ojai Valley encountered its first rainstorm of the season on Tuesday and Wednesday after the lightning show last week. Different parts of the valley received varying amounts of rainfall over the course of the storm. Although receiving less than an inch in most parts of the valley, the storm was enough to bring down an oak tree in Meiners Oaks.
The tree, which had split in half, damaged an apartment building and a home on the 200 block of Carrizo Street at around 7:15 a.m. No injuries were reported, but the home, which was occupied by Diane Treanor and her family, suffered extensive damage. “We were all in the house when it fell,” said Treanor, who was helping her daughter, Angela, get her granddaughter ready for school. “Angela was in the room when she heard the crash. She rolled toward the middle of the room and it came down right were she had been.”
Tony McHale, with Ojai Station 21 of the Ventura County Fire Department, says this a common occurrence this time of year. “These oaks are deadly this time of year,” said a civilian-clad McHale, who was in the neighborhood on his way to the station downtown when he saw the Station 22 fire engine down the street. “I’ve seen some bad ones the last couple of years,” he said.
Although Treanor was unable to reach her son, the owner of the house, to find out if insurance would cover the damage, she was optimistic as she looked at the large limb covering the roof of her home. “We were planning on renovating the house,” she said. “This wasn’t part of the plans, but maybe it will kick it into gear.”
Aside from the tree, there was at least one minor traffic collision in downtown Ojai, and some residents had to deal with flooding.
According to the Ventura County Watershed website, the Meiners Oaks area received about .85 inches. The East End saw more than 1.3 inches, Matilija Canyon saw about 1.4 inches, and Sulphur Mountain experienced more than 1.6 inches of rain.
In a Manner of Speaking
By Bill Buchanan
At Tuesday night’s City Council candidates forum, Dennis Leary, he of the slogan “Love Ojai, Vote Leary,” decided to declare his lack of love for the present City Council by using a vulgar four-letter word we cannot print in this newspaper. He made the comment while decrying the Libbey Bowl lease negotiated and approved by council members.
Dennis — really — was that word absolutely necessary to make your point? Did it slip out in the heat of the passion you felt about the lease? Or was the remark premeditatedly uttered to elicit shock among those present at the event, and with the additional goal of putting “Leary” on the lips of all those in Ojai in the coming days through the inevitable publicity you would receive?
The Ojai Valley News does not generally endorse candidates, and this is not an endorsement of anyone opposing Dennis Leary in the upcoming election. But that word has no business being uttered in a public forum, and he should be ashamed. You are better than that, Dennis, or certainly should be.
In one way, I owe Dennis Leary a debt of gratitude. I had decided to write my column about the coarsening of our culture. The above is a perfect example.
I am not a prude. And I do not plan to campaign for a return to the Victorian era. I remember my Aunt Inus, born in 1901, telling me once how in her youth, the word “bull” carried sexual connotations, and was not used in mixed company. In polite society, if women were present, a bull was referred to as a “male” or as a “yearling” — even if he was 20 years old.
Those days are behind us, and I am not advocating their return. But it does seem that a lot of our society is just not very social —- and not very polite. There are countless examples of this, such as the New York gubernatorial candidate who recently yelled, “I’ll take you out, buddy!” at a journalist during a confrontation. I don’t think he meant he would like a date with him. Then there was the member of Congress who yelled out, “You lie,” during President Obama’s address to the nation. And there was the punch thrown by one Alabama state senator at another while on the floor of the state legislature that was a huge “YouTube” video hit a few years ago. The list goes on and on, and it isn’t just political —- although I cannot remember another time in my life when political parties seemed more divided and nastier to each other.
I believe there are three main contributors to this phenomenon:- becoming desensitized, anonymous communication and a lack of consequences for unacceptable behavior.
Many of us have become desensitized. A lot of people now communicate via Facebook, Twitter, e-mail and texting as opposed to actual personal interaction. We type what we want to say instead of talking on the phone, or in person. Typing and/or texting tends to be abbreviated and less expressive. Without personal contact, you do not hear or see the effect your words have on the other person. You do not sense the emotions your words may cause. When you communicate face-to-face, if you say something that hurts the other person’s feelings, you often realize that right away, and may back off a little or even apologize for what you have said. You don’t usually get that same feedback from a text.
A lot of our communication is anonymous. People post comments to blogs under fictitious names. This gives some false courage. They take this liberty to say hurtful, nasty and abusive things about others that they would never post if required to give their name. We face the decision regarding the pros and cons of such communication here at the Ojai Valley News on an ongoing basis. We require letters to the editor to be signed, and we verify that the signatures are accurate. We publish the names of the author. But we do not require published signatures on “Thumbs Up/Thumbs Down,” which is one of our most popular features. We also do not require identification on blog posts. Consequently, we get some marginally acceptable and even unacceptable comments. It is a dilemma, and one that Lenny and I debate routinely.
Society accepts unacceptable behavior. Parents often tolerate behavior from their children that amazes me. I have seen absolutely abysmal conduct from the children of some of my friends go completely unpunished. I have heard those parents try to reason with their children about “making better choices” and even criticizing other adults for making negative comments about the child’s actions.
I was raised a different way. Bad behavior had consequences. I was certainly not a model child. In fact, I was very difficult. But I knew if I behaved badly and got caught, I was in for something unpleasant. When my daddy was alive, he was the master of corporal punishment. When I stepped way out of bounds, Daddy would tell me to go wait in the bedroom, and he would be in later “with the belt.” The sense of doom and dread while waiting was always worse than the actual whipping. Sometimes I was tempted to go to the door and yell, “Please get in here so we get this over with!”
My mother had a different approach, especially as I grew older. I was very close to my mother. And while we had the inevitable disagreements that teenagers and their parents have, there was no one I wanted to please more than her. Mother knew this, and so when I acted inappropriately, she would sit me down for a talk. She would calmly explain how my behavior was bad, and that it had hurt her deeply, and that she was worried about my future if I didn’t correct my mistakes, and so on. My mother became the travel agent for guilt trips. After one of those talks, I would not have felt any worse than if you had tied me to a tree and beaten me with a logging chain.
Did I turn out perfectly? No. Am I a better person than I would have been if my bad behavior would have gone unpunished? Absolutely.
How do we correct all this? Well, publicity about road rage incidents has probably cut down a little on discourteous driving and obscene gestures behind the wheel. The thought that the person you want to yell at or gesture to might come after you with a gun or golf club probably acts as a deterrent for some. But some type of vigilante threat or martial law is not a good answer.
Maybe if we all just stepped back and gave a little more thought before we talked or typed. Maybe if we thought, “Would I say or do this if everyone knew it was me —- would I say or send this if I thought of the effect it might have on the recipient — would I do this if I knew it was going to cause trouble or pain?”
Emily Post said, “Manners are a sensitive awareness of the feelings of others. If you have that awareness, you have good manners, no matter which fork you use.”
That might be a good start.
At Tuesday night’s City Council candidates forum, Dennis Leary, he of the slogan “Love Ojai, Vote Leary,” decided to declare his lack of love for the present City Council by using a vulgar four-letter word we cannot print in this newspaper. He made the comment while decrying the Libbey Bowl lease negotiated and approved by council members.
Dennis — really — was that word absolutely necessary to make your point? Did it slip out in the heat of the passion you felt about the lease? Or was the remark premeditatedly uttered to elicit shock among those present at the event, and with the additional goal of putting “Leary” on the lips of all those in Ojai in the coming days through the inevitable publicity you would receive?
The Ojai Valley News does not generally endorse candidates, and this is not an endorsement of anyone opposing Dennis Leary in the upcoming election. But that word has no business being uttered in a public forum, and he should be ashamed. You are better than that, Dennis, or certainly should be.
In one way, I owe Dennis Leary a debt of gratitude. I had decided to write my column about the coarsening of our culture. The above is a perfect example.
I am not a prude. And I do not plan to campaign for a return to the Victorian era. I remember my Aunt Inus, born in 1901, telling me once how in her youth, the word “bull” carried sexual connotations, and was not used in mixed company. In polite society, if women were present, a bull was referred to as a “male” or as a “yearling” — even if he was 20 years old.
Those days are behind us, and I am not advocating their return. But it does seem that a lot of our society is just not very social —- and not very polite. There are countless examples of this, such as the New York gubernatorial candidate who recently yelled, “I’ll take you out, buddy!” at a journalist during a confrontation. I don’t think he meant he would like a date with him. Then there was the member of Congress who yelled out, “You lie,” during President Obama’s address to the nation. And there was the punch thrown by one Alabama state senator at another while on the floor of the state legislature that was a huge “YouTube” video hit a few years ago. The list goes on and on, and it isn’t just political —- although I cannot remember another time in my life when political parties seemed more divided and nastier to each other.
I believe there are three main contributors to this phenomenon:- becoming desensitized, anonymous communication and a lack of consequences for unacceptable behavior.
Many of us have become desensitized. A lot of people now communicate via Facebook, Twitter, e-mail and texting as opposed to actual personal interaction. We type what we want to say instead of talking on the phone, or in person. Typing and/or texting tends to be abbreviated and less expressive. Without personal contact, you do not hear or see the effect your words have on the other person. You do not sense the emotions your words may cause. When you communicate face-to-face, if you say something that hurts the other person’s feelings, you often realize that right away, and may back off a little or even apologize for what you have said. You don’t usually get that same feedback from a text.
A lot of our communication is anonymous. People post comments to blogs under fictitious names. This gives some false courage. They take this liberty to say hurtful, nasty and abusive things about others that they would never post if required to give their name. We face the decision regarding the pros and cons of such communication here at the Ojai Valley News on an ongoing basis. We require letters to the editor to be signed, and we verify that the signatures are accurate. We publish the names of the author. But we do not require published signatures on “Thumbs Up/Thumbs Down,” which is one of our most popular features. We also do not require identification on blog posts. Consequently, we get some marginally acceptable and even unacceptable comments. It is a dilemma, and one that Lenny and I debate routinely.
Society accepts unacceptable behavior. Parents often tolerate behavior from their children that amazes me. I have seen absolutely abysmal conduct from the children of some of my friends go completely unpunished. I have heard those parents try to reason with their children about “making better choices” and even criticizing other adults for making negative comments about the child’s actions.
I was raised a different way. Bad behavior had consequences. I was certainly not a model child. In fact, I was very difficult. But I knew if I behaved badly and got caught, I was in for something unpleasant. When my daddy was alive, he was the master of corporal punishment. When I stepped way out of bounds, Daddy would tell me to go wait in the bedroom, and he would be in later “with the belt.” The sense of doom and dread while waiting was always worse than the actual whipping. Sometimes I was tempted to go to the door and yell, “Please get in here so we get this over with!”
My mother had a different approach, especially as I grew older. I was very close to my mother. And while we had the inevitable disagreements that teenagers and their parents have, there was no one I wanted to please more than her. Mother knew this, and so when I acted inappropriately, she would sit me down for a talk. She would calmly explain how my behavior was bad, and that it had hurt her deeply, and that she was worried about my future if I didn’t correct my mistakes, and so on. My mother became the travel agent for guilt trips. After one of those talks, I would not have felt any worse than if you had tied me to a tree and beaten me with a logging chain.
Did I turn out perfectly? No. Am I a better person than I would have been if my bad behavior would have gone unpunished? Absolutely.
How do we correct all this? Well, publicity about road rage incidents has probably cut down a little on discourteous driving and obscene gestures behind the wheel. The thought that the person you want to yell at or gesture to might come after you with a gun or golf club probably acts as a deterrent for some. But some type of vigilante threat or martial law is not a good answer.
Maybe if we all just stepped back and gave a little more thought before we talked or typed. Maybe if we thought, “Would I say or do this if everyone knew it was me —- would I say or send this if I thought of the effect it might have on the recipient — would I do this if I knew it was going to cause trouble or pain?”
Emily Post said, “Manners are a sensitive awareness of the feelings of others. If you have that awareness, you have good manners, no matter which fork you use.”
That might be a good start.
Leary Drops “F” Bomb At Forum
Fiery City Council candidate Dennis Leary didn’t hold back his anger Tuesday night at the forum staged at Soule Park by the Ojai Valley Chamber of Commerce. Seated are candidates Paul Blatz, left, Carlon Strobel, Lenny Klaif, Carol Smith and Demitri Corbin. Photo by Mary M. Long
It didn’t take long for the highly anticipated and well-attended candidates’ forum at Soule Park Tuesday evening to turn sour as two City Council incumbents faced off against four challengers.
Chamber President Bob Kemper opened the meeting with introductions, and then turned the microphone over to Scott Eicher, chamber CEO, who acted as the master of ceremonies and moderator for the forum. With three council seats up for election, the field was bigger than usual, including incumbents Carol Smith, Paul Blatz and challengers Demitri Corbin, Leonard Klaif, Dennis Leary and Carlon Strobel. In advance of the meeting the chamber had solicited questions from its members which were provided to the candidates. The candidates’ written responses to those questions were available at the door to attendees. In keeping with the chamber’s mission to promote the economic vitality of its members, the tone of the questions reflected the interests of its members. According to Kemper, “This forum is designed to ask these candidates, ‘What is your vision for the economic revival of Ojai?’’
After introductions, questions which had been provided by chamber members were randomly given to one or more candidates who had two minutes to respond to his or her question.
Candidates not only defined their approach to city government, but the opportunity to interact with the public also gave them a chance to define their personalities, personal strengths and weaknesses.
Strobel defined her qualifications for City Council as having worked for the city for the past 20 years, holding the elected position of city clerk for the last 10 years. Strobel, quietly serious in her responses to questions, spoke with a knowledge of the history of city government citing the years when Nina Shelley served on the council as an example of effective advocacy. According to Strobel, when the city was threatened with a water rate increase, Shelley flew to Sacramento with the city manager and addressed the Public Utilities Commission in person. “That was the best result,” she said. “The water company still received an increase but it was held very low.” She pointed out that the state, not the city of Ojai, regulates water rates, but suggested in her closing statement that it would be advisable for the city to consider buying the water company. She noted that the benefits of that action might not result in savings for many years, but would positively affect upcoming generations.
Corbin defined himself as being a unique candidate for the council in the fields of arts and education. He has been a volunteer on the Arts Commission for 10 years and believes that he can represent the arts like no other candidate. “Libbey Bowl is my classroom, I have taught hundreds of children on that stage. With that, I can say that when I walk down the street two out of three of the kids that are in high school, I have taught.” In response to Smith’s comments that Libbey Bowl would be bringing tourism to Ojai, he reminded the audience that “all of our arts organizations need support so that they can also bring in tourism money.”
Klaif drew chuckles from the audience when he said that he was both an attorney and a licensed massage therapist, which made his qualifications unique. “You can laugh, but they require different skills and reaching into different places for knowledge.” He also reminded the audience that he had led the Ojai Art Center board for five years, so that he is also well-versed in the arts community. He was the only candidate to endorse other candidates stating that he planned on using the two votes that would not be spent on himself voting for Carlon Strobel and Paul Blatz. He described Strobel as “an incredibly dedicated public servant … who loves the people of Ojai and who has an enormous treasure trove of knowledge on how the city works.” Some of the most caustic comments of the evening came when he pointed out that he did not think that Smith deserved another term. He said that when both he and Smith ran for office eight years ago they both ran on the platform of supporting the Skate Park, and that if he had been elected it would not have taken eight years for the park to be built. “I have a hard time sitting here while Carol takes credit for the Skate Park. Why did it take seven years and 10 months into her tenure, yet we’re going to have a Libbey Bowl at 10 times the cost in a year and a half?” he asked.
Incumbent Smith fielded the question of whether or not the position of city attorney should be a paid staff position or a contracted position as it is now. Smith made the observation that “right now our attorney is a contracted position who works on a 30-day notice — the council can terminate his services without giving a reason — it would take four people on the council to do that.” She pointed out that if the city were to hire a single person instead of a firm, it would require the city to carry health benefits for that person and “after a six-month trial he would become an employee which would involve everything that involves letting an employee go,” if they did not work out.
At his first opportunity Klaif jumped on this, bringing the house down with cheers and laughter as he claimed, “If I can go back to the city attorney, we may be able to get rid of him in 30 days, but he’s been there almost 30 years — at least 10 years too long!”
Blatz reiterated his campaign promises and said, “I would be honored to serve the citizens of Ojai for a four-year term. He urged citizens to “say yes on Proposition 22 which would not allow the state to come in and take our property tax money.” He responded to the question of whether or not the city should re-establish the position of director of planning as a position separate from that of city manager by citing fiscal responsibility as the first consideration.
On development, Klaif commented on the fact that “development should not be cheap. I like the fact that somebody can’t come in and tear down 23 affordable housing units and put up 30 condominiums in six months.” Smith mentioned that another way to fulfill the city’s mandate to provide affordable housing as “offering amnesty” to non-compliant housing, so that those units could count toward the housing element requirement to identify 400 affordable units. Smith also reminded the audience that Ojai would not have a dog park if it wasn’t for her, listing it as one of her proudest accomplishments.
Leary said his campaign slogan is “Love Ojai” and wore a Love Ojai T-shirt to the meeting, sporting red block letters on a white background. Opening with his traditional poetry he went on to quote Jack Benny on the subject of money woes and made the observation on the question of balancing the city’s budget, “You can only balance a budget in two ways, you can spend less or you can tax more. Spending less makes the most sense.” He addressed the fact that over half the city’s budget goes for police and said, “Our community is safe because of the citizens, not because of the police … Love Ojai, love people, and the law will take care of itself.” Unlike Klaif who was the only candidate to endorse some of his fellow running mates, Leary concluded his closing statement with a rousing un-endorsement. Claiming that the Libbey Bowl lease was a fraud perpetrated on the people of Ojai, he said that “… on the night of the signing of the lease the public was totally excluded, pushed away, a matter like this is supposed to noticed, 72 hours, put on the agenda. It was not. In effect what the council said that night was ‘f—— you,’ you’re just the public.” Calling the incumbents “liars and thieves” he was nearly shouting when he chanted, “I will not vote for Blatz, I will not vote for Smith, I will not vote for Clapp, and I will not vote for Olsen, if he runs again.” Gasps were heard from the stunned audience, followed by silence. Present in the audience Monday night were Mel Bloom, Wendy Hilgers, Bob Daddi, John Broesamle, Jeff Haydon, Ren Adam, Bret Bradigan, Dale Hanson, Suza Francina, and members of the Green Coalition, among others. The candidates’ forum was sponsored by Heritage Financial, Ojai Community Bank, Ojai Valley Directory, Ojai Valley Inn & Spa, Ojai Valley News, and Plush Surroundings.
Home Cooking
By Bill Buchanan
As I write this I have just returned from a cookout with a few hundred friends, known locally as “Taste of Ojai.” This was my first time at the event —- it will not be my last. The “Taste of Ojai” offers a great opportunity to sample local food, beer and wine while you enjoy the splendor of our town framed by the beauty of the 10th green at the Ojai Valley Inn & Spa. An added benefit is that since it is sponsored by the Rotary Club of Ojai, the proceeds of the event go to fund service projects here in the community. Everyone benefits.
It was a lovely day. My congratulations go to the food and beverage vendors who provided outstanding eats and drinks, to the Rotary Club for managing a complicated event and running it so smoothly, and to the Ojai Valley Inn & Spa for their usual great job of event hosting.
It is no secret that Ojai has great food. Local restaurants and some of their signature dishes, as well as locally produced wines will be featured in the upcoming edition of the Ojai Valley Visitors Guide. The fall edition of the Visitors Guide should be available by the time you read this.
It is easy enough for anyone who has seen me to know that I love to eat. I have great admiration for fine cooks —- those who can take the same ingredients that are available to me and create something wonderful while most things I make tend to taste like burning hair.
I was not always such a pitiful cook as I am now. While no one would ever mistake me for Julia Child in the kitchen (I believe she was taller), at one time, I did know how to make a few dishes. Well, OK, about five. And there were actually a couple of things I cooked that weren’t bad. I made very good scrambled eggs as well as great fried chicken. The fried chicken would certainly not be considered a big deal as cooking good fried chicken is pretty much in your DNA if you are a Southerner. In fact, in the South, the general rule is that if it doesn’t move quickly, it gets fried.
The unenviable job of teaching me to cook fell to my maiden aunt, who had lived with my family as far back as I can recall. Actually, she volunteered for the duty, much as a brave soldier would volunteer for a suicide mission in times of war. So, one day years ago, Aunt Inus pulled me aside and said that since I would be going off to college soon and would be living in an apartment, I needed to know how to make a few simple dishes. In her perfect teacher-script (which was still lovely and legible well into her 80s), she proceeded to hand-write recipes outlining how to fry chicken and how to cook a roast and how to make other dishes she thought even I could handle. Today, it might be called something like “Cooking for Dummies 1.0.” Under her watchful supervision, I would make a different dish each day. At the end of the week, no one in the family had died while eating my cooking. The project was declared a success.
Throughout college and my work-bachelor years, I probably ate out a lot more than I cooked in. But from time to time I would make the recipes Aunt Inus had taught me. This usually worked out OK, but there were some notable exceptions. Once when I was living in a lousy little trailer in Missouri where I worked, I was cooking my never-to-be-famous fried chicken. The chicken was frying up nicely, turning a lovely golden brown. My mouth started watering like Pavlov’s dog. Just as the chicken was ready to be taken off the heat, a moth the size of something out of an old Japanese movie flew through one of the giant holes in my window screen, and executed a perfect three-point landing in the middle of my skillet.
It had been a very long and busy day. In fact, it had been so busy I skipped lunch that day. As I watched the moth sizzle in the frying pan, strange thoughts suddenly ran across my mind. I thought about scooping up the moth, throwing him out, and eating my chicken. Who would know? I even thought about how good the moth looked once he crisped up some. I began thinking, “You know, a little salt, a little pepper, maybe some Worcestershire sauce …” but I wound up tossing the whole pan of food out the door for the neighbor’s dogs to enjoy.
My limited cooking ability served me until I got married. Ava is an outstanding cook and does not tolerate my bumbling around in the kitchen. I am out of practice, and have forgotten how to cook four of the five things I ever learned to make. Now that I am a “bachelor” again while in Ojai, the challenge is not to whip up culinary masterpieces, but to prepare a few things without burning down the apartment or getting salmonella. Actually, salmonella would probably be an improvement over some things that come out of my kitchen. I guess practice makes perfect — that is if it doesn’t kill you first.
Back on the subject of “Taste of Ojai,” we are blessed with a lot of quality of life elements here. I have lived in many small towns, and most are no bargain. A few of them were nice, some were tolerable, and some of them were terrible. There was never any place like this. I would rather be in jail in Ojai than be the mayor of some of the places I have lived. We all take the town in which we live for granted. We rave about how great things are in other places, especially when we travel vast distances to “discover” this restaurant, or that hotel or a special shop. We sometimes downplay or fail to appreciate how good something is if it is local, even when it is just as good or perhaps even better than the things we travel to experience. I guess some of that is due to the effort we expend in the pursuit itself. Food, wine, shopping and lodging may seem better to us if we have to go farther or work harder for it — even if it is no better than what we have in our own back yard.
Ojai has many excellent restaurants, some fine locally produced wines, great shops and world-class lodging (for friends and family to stay when they are in town).
We can choose to take them for granted and ignore them, or we can frequent them and enjoy ourselves while supporting the local economy. Which makes more sense?
As I write this I have just returned from a cookout with a few hundred friends, known locally as “Taste of Ojai.” This was my first time at the event —- it will not be my last. The “Taste of Ojai” offers a great opportunity to sample local food, beer and wine while you enjoy the splendor of our town framed by the beauty of the 10th green at the Ojai Valley Inn & Spa. An added benefit is that since it is sponsored by the Rotary Club of Ojai, the proceeds of the event go to fund service projects here in the community. Everyone benefits.
It was a lovely day. My congratulations go to the food and beverage vendors who provided outstanding eats and drinks, to the Rotary Club for managing a complicated event and running it so smoothly, and to the Ojai Valley Inn & Spa for their usual great job of event hosting.
It is no secret that Ojai has great food. Local restaurants and some of their signature dishes, as well as locally produced wines will be featured in the upcoming edition of the Ojai Valley Visitors Guide. The fall edition of the Visitors Guide should be available by the time you read this.
It is easy enough for anyone who has seen me to know that I love to eat. I have great admiration for fine cooks —- those who can take the same ingredients that are available to me and create something wonderful while most things I make tend to taste like burning hair.
I was not always such a pitiful cook as I am now. While no one would ever mistake me for Julia Child in the kitchen (I believe she was taller), at one time, I did know how to make a few dishes. Well, OK, about five. And there were actually a couple of things I cooked that weren’t bad. I made very good scrambled eggs as well as great fried chicken. The fried chicken would certainly not be considered a big deal as cooking good fried chicken is pretty much in your DNA if you are a Southerner. In fact, in the South, the general rule is that if it doesn’t move quickly, it gets fried.
The unenviable job of teaching me to cook fell to my maiden aunt, who had lived with my family as far back as I can recall. Actually, she volunteered for the duty, much as a brave soldier would volunteer for a suicide mission in times of war. So, one day years ago, Aunt Inus pulled me aside and said that since I would be going off to college soon and would be living in an apartment, I needed to know how to make a few simple dishes. In her perfect teacher-script (which was still lovely and legible well into her 80s), she proceeded to hand-write recipes outlining how to fry chicken and how to cook a roast and how to make other dishes she thought even I could handle. Today, it might be called something like “Cooking for Dummies 1.0.” Under her watchful supervision, I would make a different dish each day. At the end of the week, no one in the family had died while eating my cooking. The project was declared a success.
Throughout college and my work-bachelor years, I probably ate out a lot more than I cooked in. But from time to time I would make the recipes Aunt Inus had taught me. This usually worked out OK, but there were some notable exceptions. Once when I was living in a lousy little trailer in Missouri where I worked, I was cooking my never-to-be-famous fried chicken. The chicken was frying up nicely, turning a lovely golden brown. My mouth started watering like Pavlov’s dog. Just as the chicken was ready to be taken off the heat, a moth the size of something out of an old Japanese movie flew through one of the giant holes in my window screen, and executed a perfect three-point landing in the middle of my skillet.
It had been a very long and busy day. In fact, it had been so busy I skipped lunch that day. As I watched the moth sizzle in the frying pan, strange thoughts suddenly ran across my mind. I thought about scooping up the moth, throwing him out, and eating my chicken. Who would know? I even thought about how good the moth looked once he crisped up some. I began thinking, “You know, a little salt, a little pepper, maybe some Worcestershire sauce …” but I wound up tossing the whole pan of food out the door for the neighbor’s dogs to enjoy.
My limited cooking ability served me until I got married. Ava is an outstanding cook and does not tolerate my bumbling around in the kitchen. I am out of practice, and have forgotten how to cook four of the five things I ever learned to make. Now that I am a “bachelor” again while in Ojai, the challenge is not to whip up culinary masterpieces, but to prepare a few things without burning down the apartment or getting salmonella. Actually, salmonella would probably be an improvement over some things that come out of my kitchen. I guess practice makes perfect — that is if it doesn’t kill you first.
Back on the subject of “Taste of Ojai,” we are blessed with a lot of quality of life elements here. I have lived in many small towns, and most are no bargain. A few of them were nice, some were tolerable, and some of them were terrible. There was never any place like this. I would rather be in jail in Ojai than be the mayor of some of the places I have lived. We all take the town in which we live for granted. We rave about how great things are in other places, especially when we travel vast distances to “discover” this restaurant, or that hotel or a special shop. We sometimes downplay or fail to appreciate how good something is if it is local, even when it is just as good or perhaps even better than the things we travel to experience. I guess some of that is due to the effort we expend in the pursuit itself. Food, wine, shopping and lodging may seem better to us if we have to go farther or work harder for it — even if it is no better than what we have in our own back yard.
Ojai has many excellent restaurants, some fine locally produced wines, great shops and world-class lodging (for friends and family to stay when they are in town).
We can choose to take them for granted and ignore them, or we can frequent them and enjoy ourselves while supporting the local economy. Which makes more sense?
Ojai’s Fire Danger At Seasonal High
By Logan Hall
As wildfires are beginning to pop up in Ventura County, fire season is in full force in the Ojai Valley. Brush and grass fires have burned in Upper Ojai and Matilija Canyon. Although quickly contained by local fire crews from the Ventura County Fire Department and the U.S. Forest Service, the small fires that burned less than an acre could have easily spread under windy conditions. The VCFD said the fuel moisture content of local vegetation has dropped to extreme levels. The brush is drying up and is in prime condition to spread a wildfire. “The fire fuel moisture is at a seasonal low,” said Capt. Brendan Ripley of the VCFD. “If a fire starts and the wind picks up, it spreads very rapidly. When you have the wind component coupled with dry fuels, it makes for a bad scenario.”
Ripley stated that the weather in Southern California is following a La Niña pattern and that historically will bring more Santa Ana winds to the area through the fall. According to Ripley, with a 30 to 40 mph wind, a fire could spot, or jump, two to three miles. “When I was out at the Hampshire Fire in Thousand Oaks today (Tuesday), I did some calculations,” he said. “The 12 mph wind put the spotting distance at .7 miles.”
Capt. Ron Oatman, spokesman for the VCFD, said in a press release that this is the right time for people to reassess their level of preparedness. “The time to prepare is before a fire starts,” he said. “Right now residents should be re-checking the brush clearance around their homes, going over evacuation routes, assembling emergency supplies and making sure flammable items are moved away from their houses.”
“We’ve been communicating with homeowners,” added Ripley. “We’re telling them that now is the time to get their homes ready and keep up on maintenance like getting leaves out of the rain gutters.”
For more information on wildfire safety and preparedness log on to vcreadysetgo.org.
As wildfires are beginning to pop up in Ventura County, fire season is in full force in the Ojai Valley. Brush and grass fires have burned in Upper Ojai and Matilija Canyon. Although quickly contained by local fire crews from the Ventura County Fire Department and the U.S. Forest Service, the small fires that burned less than an acre could have easily spread under windy conditions. The VCFD said the fuel moisture content of local vegetation has dropped to extreme levels. The brush is drying up and is in prime condition to spread a wildfire. “The fire fuel moisture is at a seasonal low,” said Capt. Brendan Ripley of the VCFD. “If a fire starts and the wind picks up, it spreads very rapidly. When you have the wind component coupled with dry fuels, it makes for a bad scenario.”
Ripley stated that the weather in Southern California is following a La Niña pattern and that historically will bring more Santa Ana winds to the area through the fall. According to Ripley, with a 30 to 40 mph wind, a fire could spot, or jump, two to three miles. “When I was out at the Hampshire Fire in Thousand Oaks today (Tuesday), I did some calculations,” he said. “The 12 mph wind put the spotting distance at .7 miles.”
Capt. Ron Oatman, spokesman for the VCFD, said in a press release that this is the right time for people to reassess their level of preparedness. “The time to prepare is before a fire starts,” he said. “Right now residents should be re-checking the brush clearance around their homes, going over evacuation routes, assembling emergency supplies and making sure flammable items are moved away from their houses.”
“We’ve been communicating with homeowners,” added Ripley. “We’re telling them that now is the time to get their homes ready and keep up on maintenance like getting leaves out of the rain gutters.”
For more information on wildfire safety and preparedness log on to vcreadysetgo.org.
Ranger Football Pumps Cash Into Community
Tickets, service groups, boosters provide much-needed funding
By Misty Volaski
By Misty Volaski
Ojai Valley Community Stadium swelled with over 1,600 people last Friday night as the Nordhoff Rangers took on the Ventura Cougars. In a stunning upset, the local boys edged the Cougars, 26-20, in the teams’ first football matchup since the 1970s.
“It was bigger than the (Bucket Game) against Villanova, bigger than the Centennial game last year,” said Nordhoff High School athletic director Dave Monson. “It was definitely bigger than we expected.”
With a solid group of past NHS Bronze Shoe Award winners augmenting the NHS coaching staff — including Jessie Hawkins, Micah Reed, Brandon Titus and Cory Sandefur — the Rangers came out to improve to 4-0 on the season.
Nordhoff maintains its position at No. 1 in the CIF-SS Northwest Division, and Maxpreps.com ranks them at No. 92 in the state, and No. 53 in the CIF Southern Section.
And the win is not only a victory for the football team. Indeed, it’s a win for all Nordhoff athletes. Nordhoff’s football program is the school’s “biggest financial draw,” said Monson, helping fund Nordhoff’s athletics programs. With only four home football games last year, Nordhoff brought in about $50,000 in home game gate sales.
But without three major service organizations — the Nordhoff Parent Association, the Ojai Optimist Club, and the Gridiron Club — the sting of major budget cuts over the last few years would have been felt much more intimately. The NPA donates revenue generated from its snack bar at each home game, helping pay for such things as tournament entry fees, athletic awards and varsity letters. They also offer funds to nonsports groups in need, added NPA President Bill Holling. “We’ve funded academic decathlons. We also gave funds for needed computers, overhead projectors — it’s a laundry list of things.”
The Ojai Optimist Club, meanwhile, sells its famous tri-tip sandwiches at each home game, along with various other events throughout the year. Half of the Optimist Club funds generated go back to Nordhoff programs — athletic and otherwise, said Dawn Shook, club secretary. The rest goes to college scholarships and to other schools and programs in the valley.
The relatively new Gridiron Club began three years ago primarily as a football booster, but has expanded to begin assisting other athletic teams as well. The Gridiron Club sells programs (they sold 200 at the Ventura game) and merchandise such as Ranger sweaters and beanies. They also hold fund-raising events such as the annual Casino Night, said Gridiron Club Vice President Michael Dawkins. “We’ve raised $46,000 so far this year,” Dawkins said. Those funds go toward a myriad of things, such as helping with field repairs and helping pay insurance fees for gridders whose parents cannot afford it. Funds are also contributed to the Doo-A-Lot scholarship (created earlier this year in memory of Cody Doolittle).
So Ojai football is not just a football game; it’s a way to provide all Rangers — be they athletes or artists — the opportunities to excel.
Deputy Jailed On Sex Charges
Sheriff’s Deputy Tom Triplett patrolling the streets of Ojai in 2001. Photo by Lenny Roberts
When deputies graduate from the Ventura County Sherrif’s Academy or are promoted in rank, they are assigned to one of the county’s two jails — a required and important part of law enforcement training. Few of them return as guests of the “greybar hotel.”
On Sunday, 15-year veteran Deputy Tom Triplett was booked into the main jail in Ventura, charged with repeated acts of sexual misconduct with a child under the age of 16. Triplett is accused of 12 felony charges of lewd acts upon a child, sexual intercourse and oral copulation.
Triplett, 40, gained the attention of Ojai motorists beginning in 2001 when grant funding helped provide a motorcycle and officer to the city of Ojai based on traffic law enforcement needs. As the number of tickets issued increased, the number of accidents decreased because of that enforcement, authorities said.
In March 2005, Triplett’s son, Tommy, survived a six-and-one-half-hour surgery to partially remove a brain tumor.
Led by fellow officer Scottie Baugher, a special bank fund was established to help with expenses, and station deputies and staff donated vacation time so Triplett, his wife and other children could stay in Los Angeles while his son recovered at Children’s Hospital.
When the motorcycle grant funding dried up later in 2005, Triplett, his wife and three children took up residency at the remote Sheriff’s Lockwood Valley substation until about three years ago when he was assigned to patrol out of the Sheriff’s Headquarters at the Government Center in Ventura.
Triplett is scheduled to appear in court Oct. 26, and remains in custody with bail set at $800,000.
Council Looks At Mallory Project
With affordable housing at risk, developer wants 23 new condominiums on 3.58-acre parcel
By Mary Long
By Mary Long
Tuesday’s City Council meeting was standing room only in anticipation of the public hearing on the much-debated Mallory Way development. On June 9, Planning Commission members reviewed Matilija Investment’s project at a public hearing and forwarded their recommendation for approval to the City Council. When this item came up for consideration at the council meeting, Sue Horgan recused herself from the meeting citing allegations of conflict of interest as being her reason. Although she denied the conflict, she felt that it was prudent that she not be included in the council vote.
Apolonia Paulusse, a current resident of Mallory Way, spoke, asking that the cottages be preserved as they provide affordable housing in a desirable neighborhood. She spoke of the cedar construction of the cottages which kept out bugs and spiders and also of the beautiful wooded environment in which she felt privileged to live.
Reports and maps were provided by the architect and the landscape designer, which showed that great lengths had been gone to in an attempt to preserve most of the mature trees and provide a development which was compatible with the terrain. The proposed tract map allows for the construction of 23 condominiums and the conversion of seven rental units to condominiums on the 3.58-acre property.
The problems that the City Council saw in the proposition were several. The development would remove 80 percent of the affordable housing on the property in a community that is already unable to provide adequate housing for its lower-income residents. By keeping the seven affordable units the developer has qualified for the “density bonus” which has allowed them to accommodate 30 units on the property. Betsy Clapp voiced her reluctance to permit the removal of several native oak trees and discouraged the use of duplexes instead of single standing bungalows. Paul Blatz commented that the design was beautiful, as did Steve Olsen, applauding the use of natural wood tone siding, greenish roof shingles and local stone. Blatz specifically complimented the architect on the use of Craftsman-style architecture instead of the Spanish Revival design which has recently dominated Ojai commercial construction. With Horgan absenting herself, the council defined their positions at opposite ends. The only council member to unequivocally deny the project was Carol Smith, who felt that the loss of affordable housing was completely unacceptable no matter how beautiful the project might be. She stood on the moral ground that the average income was lower in Ojai than the rest of the county and that the city can ill afford to impact the availability of low-income housing. Her adamant denial drew several rounds of applause from the audience. Olsen was on the opposite side of the playing field and was ready to approve the project immediately feeling that the applicant had done a beautiful job in designing the condominium village and that the development would be an asset to the community. Clapp and Blatz also complimented the design but felt that the use of duplexes was at odds with the Land Use Element of the General Plan which seeks to retain Ojai’s small-town flavor.
With the issue coming to a vote, the City Council came down 3-1 denying the tentative tract map, with Olsen being the assenting vote and Smith the dissenting vote. With the audience buzzing there was a brief time-out with Councilman Blatz conferring with Shari Herbruck. With council members consulting with city attorney Mone Widders the information was offered that to deny the tract map would require the applicant to either make major changes or wait a year before they would be allowed to resubmit their application. According to Blatz, “I began to think that this was not fair to the applicant. The project has already gone back to the Planning Commission for several designs, and this was the first time the council had seen it and had the opportunity to give feedback to the applicant.” At 11:30 p.m. the council reconvened. Blatz took the lead to make a motion for reconsideration which passed 3 to 1, Smith being the dissenting vote. Blatz then made a second motion to deny the project without prejudice, which would allow the applicant to make modifications, which passed 3 to 1. Smith again was the lone dissenting vote. These motions will allow the applicant to take into consideration the City Council’s recommendations and suggestions which will pitch the project back to the Planning Commission for their approval.
Make-A-Wish, Dentist Grant Teen’s Wish
Submitted by Shanna Wasson Taylor
On Monday, Ojai teenager Yuritzi Rodriguez will have her most heartfelt wish granted by the Make-A-Wish Foundation with the help of Oxnard dentist Page Hudson. Rodriguez suffers from Ewing’s sarcoma, a bone cancer that can occur at anytime during childhood and young adulthood, but usually develops during puberty.
Her wish is for braces. This is the first “braces” wish granted by the local chapter. Hudson is donating 100 percent of his services for this special wish and his staff has worked tirelessly to make sure all the details are ready for the big day. Rodriguez will have clear braces so there will be no metal to interfere with the MRIs that are part of her treatment for the disease.
Hudson said he and his staff are excited to be a part of this and have already made this experience special for Rodriguez.
The volunteer wish granters, Karen Kerrigan and Liz Kleinfingher, have nicknamed Hudson’s office “the office of angels.” Every time they call the dentist office to confirm a detail, they hear of another thing the staff has come up with to make the day extra special.
When reflecting on this wish and the many others she has granted, Kleinfingher said, “You know what the second best part of this job is? It is that we get to see the best in people,” adding her favorite part is seeing the faces of the kids when they present their wish.
The Make-A-Wish Foundation grants the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy.
With a staff of only five and the help of more than 100 volunteers, the Make-A-Wish Foundation of the Tri-Counties has granted more than 1,000 special wishes to children in Ventura, Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties. If you want to refer a child to the Make-A-Wish Foundation, call (888) 899-9474. Donations may be sent to Make-A-Wish at 4222 Market Street, Suite D, Ventura, CA 93001. To donate your vehicle or your airline miles call 676-9974.
For more information on these or other ways to help visit tri-counties.wish.org.
Library Offering English Tutoring
By Misty Volaski
Just because a program dies out doesn’t mean the need dies along with it.
That’s something Ojai Valley Library Friends and Foundation volunteers recently discovered with the defunct English as a Second Language program. While OVLFF tutors were working at the library with local kids in the SchooLinks after-school homework program, they noticed some parents would linger close by, trying to pick up on the lessons.
“Moms would come with their children to the homework center, and just sort of sit there till the kids were finished being tutored,” said program coordinator Linda Lambert. “Most of the moms didn’t speak English. So we thought, wouldn’t this be an ideal time to offer English classes to the moms?”
Lambert’s husband, OVLFF President Jon Lambert, agreed and decided to call the Laubach Literacy of Ventura County, which used to run the Ojai Library’s ESL program several years ago. Lambert was told to find volunteers, and the nonprofit organization would again provide tutor training, books and other teaching supplies to resurrect the Ojai program.
“Lots of people here want to learn, but don’t have the opportunity,” said Linda Lambert. There are other ESL programs offered in the area, but they are in a classroom setting, not the flexible, one-on-one student-based tutoring OVLFF and Laubach now offer Ojai valley residents.
“For adults, it’s harder to learn another language,” explained Lambert. “And some people are shy or embarrassed. But if we can get them to laugh, to diminish that anxiety, it’s just delightful. There’s no grades, it’s all just personal development.”
All aspects of the program are free — tutors will get free training with Laubach, and students will get free lessons. All books and supplies are also provided by Laubach at no charge.
Students and tutors also have the freedom to schedule lessons at times and locations that work for both. “They can say, ‘Here’s my work schedule this week,’ and they can meet at a different time or place every week” if they need to, said Lambert. The one-on-one lessons are based entirely on what the ESL student needs to or would like to learn. “Job-related terminology, how to fill out forms for school or jobs, or if they have to prepare for a citizenship exam, we can help with all that,” Lambert added.
The Ojai Library program restarted in June, and already has seven tutors and more students. “They really want to learn,” said Lambert. “I have a 70-year-old man who has not missed a class since June! He spoke no English at all. Now he can count, say his address, phone number” and other basic information.
Another woman started coming herself, then asked if she could bring her sister-in-law. Then the sister asked if she could bring a friend. Soon, the one-on-one had become a three-on-one, and no one wants to go home when the lessons are through. “Her students would say, ‘No, let’s stay longer!’ They didn’t want it to end!” said Lambert. “This has turned out to be just an absolutely wonderful program.”
Laubach is hosting another tutor training session, held over two upcoming weekends, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. this Saturday, and noon to 3 p.m. on Oct. 16. Tutors won’t earn ESL credits or a certificate, but will become competent enough to assist the non-English speakers in their communities. “We match each tutor with a students. And we don’t assume all speak Spanish — we have a growing number of Farsi, Vietnamese, Chinese,” said Laubach secretary Bettie Hallett. Lambert concurred, saying she has a Russian student she meets with every week. “There is so much enthusiasm!” said Lambert.
Those interested in becoming tutors or students can call Lambert at 640-8507, or Laubach Literacy Ventura County at 385-9584.
Kiwanis Recognizes Ojai’s Elite
Manning the U.S. Forest Service Wheeler Gorge Fire Station on Maricopa Highway are Mike Nickey, front, Jacob Tipton, left, Scott Thompson, Dante Fallati and Josh Volz. Photo by Logan Hall
The Kiwanis Club has recognized one of valley’s finest, Mike Nickey, U.S. Forest Service, as Ventura County’s Outstanding Firefighter of the Year. Awarded annually by the Kiwanis Club, firefighters from the Forest Service and the Ventura County Fire Department are recognized for exemplary service in their communities.
Beginning his career in the Monterey Ranger District, Nickey has been with the Forest Service for 20 years, six of which have been in the Ojai Valley. When he arrived six years ago, Nickey was assigned to Wheeler Gorge up Maricopa Highway. He was handed the task of converting an old Forest Service residence into a fully functional fire station.
“It’s taken us six years,” said Nickey, standing with arms folded, surveying the property, “but we’ve managed to make it work. There’s a big difference in how the station looked when we first got here and how it looks today.”
Located a few hundred yards from the Wheeler Gorge Visitor Center, the station is in a prime location for the Forest Service to respond to emergencies up and down the highway. Aside from brushfires and traffic collisions on the highway, the Forest Service also handles recreational maintenance with trail grooming and fire fuel reduction, among other tasks.
“It’s a very busy station,” said Nickey. “We don’t get much down time. We’ve always got something to work on.”
Since his arrival, Nickey and his crew have completely transformed the look and functionality of the property. Except for Caltrans helping with grading and shaping of the driveway, almost all of the work was completed in-house with the Forest Service.
They’ve built an engine bay to house the new fire engine, Engine 55, that Nickey picked up from Boise, Idaho and drove back to Ojai. They’ve built retaining walls, rock borders that line the driveway and walkways, and have turned a three-bedroom house into a working fire station. They also managed to salvage the flag pole from the old Sheriff’s Department property in Rose Valley and are using it to fly Old Glory high above the station.
Nickey really seems to believe in the work that he has put into the station and he stresses the importance of being located in an area like Wheeler Gorge.
“People don’t realize how important it is for us to be here,” he said. “We respond to quite a few motorcycle accidents on the highway. We’ll be on top of any fires, traffic collisions or incidents requiring medical aid in the area.”
Nickey has gained the respect of his peers and his crew by working hard and practicing what he preaches. “He’s a good guy to work for. He looks out for his people,”
said Scott Thompson, senior firefighter at Wheeler Gorge. “Mike is always busy. He likes to get things done.”Aside from the work that he has put into the Wheeler Gorge Fire Station, Nickey has been on many fires including the Day Fire that burned more than 162,700 acres in 2006. He plans on taking the position of captain at the Wheeler Station when Scott Morgan retires from the Forest Service.
Equal Work, Equal Pay
By Bill Buchanan
A recent survey shows that women now make 83 cents for every dollar made by men. That is shameful. But if that was not bad enough, it turns out to be an improvement. As recently as 2000, women made only 76 cents for every dollar made by men. In 1979, that figure was only 62 cents —- a little more than half.
Women now outnumber men in both the workplace and college. For me, that brings to mind the question that if men are not in college and not at work, exactly where are they and what are they doing? I mean are they at the ball game — or what?
The survey added that while more and more women are breadwinners, in many households they are also expected to keep hearth and home. Unfortunately, I had firsthand experience with this situation. My daddy died of lung cancer in 1965, when I was 10 and my sister was 7. My mother immediately became the sole parent, as well as the sole breadwinner for our family.
My mother had always worked outside the home. That was unusual back in the ‘50s. It was even more unusual that she was employed in a field other that the traditional ones occupied by most women at that time — nursing or teaching. My mother worked for a rural electrical power company in the bookkeeping department, later moving up and eventually becoming the No. 2 person with the company. She was smart and personable. But her promotions were delayed by the fact that she was a woman working in an old boys’ network type of company. She trained two other men to take the position that she eventually acquired about 10 to 15 years after she would have had the job had she been a man.
Mother rarely complained about the situation, and was an extremely loyal employee, working with that company for almost 40 years. But it seems almost criminal that a loyal, dedicated and competent employee was held back so long simply because of her gender, perhaps even passed over with the justification that the men “had a family to support.” Kind of ironic, isn’t it? Add to that the sexual harassment that many women faced in those times (and in some cases, to this day), and you cannot help but have tremendous admiration for the courage and determination they displayed.
And now, in 2010, women are still not treated equally. A friend of mine once advised me, “If you want a position filled, hire a man. If you want work done, hire a woman.” Well, if we do hire a woman, let’s pay them equally. To do anything less is shameful.
At this time, I would like to express my appreciation to the outstanding group of women we have here at the OVN: Michelle Delema, Kathy Eicher, Linda Griffin, Jodie Miller, Nancy Sandstrom, and Misty Volaski all do a terrific job here at the newspaper. I also thank our freelance writers and photographers Mary M. Long, Amber Lennon and Holly Roberts, as well as our cartoonist Colleen McDougal and summer intern, Michelaina Smith, for their valuable contributions to the newspaper. They all make the rest of us look better than we really are.
A recent survey shows that women now make 83 cents for every dollar made by men. That is shameful. But if that was not bad enough, it turns out to be an improvement. As recently as 2000, women made only 76 cents for every dollar made by men. In 1979, that figure was only 62 cents —- a little more than half.
Women now outnumber men in both the workplace and college. For me, that brings to mind the question that if men are not in college and not at work, exactly where are they and what are they doing? I mean are they at the ball game — or what?
The survey added that while more and more women are breadwinners, in many households they are also expected to keep hearth and home. Unfortunately, I had firsthand experience with this situation. My daddy died of lung cancer in 1965, when I was 10 and my sister was 7. My mother immediately became the sole parent, as well as the sole breadwinner for our family.
My mother had always worked outside the home. That was unusual back in the ‘50s. It was even more unusual that she was employed in a field other that the traditional ones occupied by most women at that time — nursing or teaching. My mother worked for a rural electrical power company in the bookkeeping department, later moving up and eventually becoming the No. 2 person with the company. She was smart and personable. But her promotions were delayed by the fact that she was a woman working in an old boys’ network type of company. She trained two other men to take the position that she eventually acquired about 10 to 15 years after she would have had the job had she been a man.
Mother rarely complained about the situation, and was an extremely loyal employee, working with that company for almost 40 years. But it seems almost criminal that a loyal, dedicated and competent employee was held back so long simply because of her gender, perhaps even passed over with the justification that the men “had a family to support.” Kind of ironic, isn’t it? Add to that the sexual harassment that many women faced in those times (and in some cases, to this day), and you cannot help but have tremendous admiration for the courage and determination they displayed.
And now, in 2010, women are still not treated equally. A friend of mine once advised me, “If you want a position filled, hire a man. If you want work done, hire a woman.” Well, if we do hire a woman, let’s pay them equally. To do anything less is shameful.
At this time, I would like to express my appreciation to the outstanding group of women we have here at the OVN: Michelle Delema, Kathy Eicher, Linda Griffin, Jodie Miller, Nancy Sandstrom, and Misty Volaski all do a terrific job here at the newspaper. I also thank our freelance writers and photographers Mary M. Long, Amber Lennon and Holly Roberts, as well as our cartoonist Colleen McDougal and summer intern, Michelaina Smith, for their valuable contributions to the newspaper. They all make the rest of us look better than we really are.
County Wants Smaller Trucks On 33
By Logan Hall
The Ventura County Board of Supervisors met yesterday morning to discuss items throughout their jurisdictions. One item in particular, seems to have a major impact on the residents, businesses and infrastructure of the Ojai Valley.
The board voted 4 to 1 in support of the state changing the kingpin to rear axle length advisory KPRA into a mandatory restriction for trucks on Maricopa Highway.
Currently, the state has an advisory for Highway 33 that suggests a maximum KPRA length of 30 feet. According to the California Highway Patrol, the advisory cannot be regulated by law enforcement. If made mandatory by the state, the CHP or Sheriff’s Department could enforce KPRA lengths.
Bennett cites many reasons for supporting the restriction. “This is a safety issue,” said Bennett, addressing those attending while referring to a picture of an oversized truck attempting to make a turn on the highway. “That road is used by lots of recreational travelers. When the trucks come, you have some real issues.”
Several citizens spoke to the board to voice their opinions. Larry Mosler, who owns a gravel mine up the “33” near the North Fork of Matilija Creek, and is currently involved in a lawsuit with property owners near the mine, told the board that the restriction would be a big mistake. “These restrictions interfere with interstate commerce,” said Mosler, who was visibly irritated. “It’s another attempt to put people out of work. This will be fought vigorously.”
Mosler wasn’t the only one who questioned Bennett’s push for state legislation on the matter. Greg Webster, honorary mayor of Oak View and owner of Greg Rents, also addressed the board. “A lot of these trucks represent small business in the local economy,” said Webster. “I have noticed a lot of small businesses in Ventura County dropping like flies. I want to keep everyone safe as well, but at the same time, you can’t hurt the local economy.”
Other speakers, like valley residents Susan Draffan and Lisa Meeker, were in full support of the restriction. “I strongly urge you to pass this for the safety of everyone that drives this road,” said Draffan. “I have been run off the road several times by the trucks. It is not safe.”
“I would like to keep my husband and other cyclists alive,” added Meeker.
All of the board members except Supervisor Peter Foy seemed to support the mandatory KPRA restriction. Foy voiced concern for local businesses that might rely on the road. “I can’t support this at all,” said Foy. “We don’t want to restrict the business that these people have. We have to be careful here.”
espite the misgivings of Mosler, Webster and Foy, the board passed the motion to recommend to the state that the advisory restriction become mandatory.
‘Easy A’ Premieres at Ojai Playhouse
Peter Bowen, left, and Shaun O’Bryan, right, chat with Malcolm McDowell during the “Easy A” pre-premiere after party at the Primavera Gallery. McDowell plays Ojai North High School’s Principal Gibbons in the film. Photo by Logan Hall
The familiar sights and even some familiar faces of Ojai towered above locals on the big screen at the Ojai Playhouse. The blockbuster movie “Easy A,” filmed entirely in Ojai, debuted at the playhouse with the first showing last Friday being geared toward the teens of the community, many of whom were extras in the film itself. The playhouse sold out all 220 seats and many hopeful viewers had to be turned away at the door.
The second showing took place last night. Although fewer people turned out, the audience cheered as the first scene of the movie displayed Ojai in all of its glory. Flashing from Nordhoff High School to the Arcade and everywhere in between, the movie evoked whoops and hollers from the people that seemed to be almost entirely locals. The film stars up and coming actress Emma Stone as Olive Penderghast, who takes viewers on a journey through the trials and tribulations of going to a small school in a small town.
The film’s director and Ojai resident Will Gluck decided to have the movie preview in Ojai before the national release today. All proceeds from ticket sales were donated to the Ojai Valley Youth Foundation.
“I chose Ojai because I wanted the town to be one of my ‘characters’ in the script,” said Gluck in a letter addressed to the people of Ojai. “Ojai was the perfect place to capture this. It’s also the most beautiful town in the world, and I tried to make it look as good as we all know it to be.”
Gluck made it clear that he cares about his town and the youth that live in the community. “All of the proceeds of these two pre-premiere screenings will go directly to support the teens of Ojai,” he continued. “I was pleased to choose the Ojai Valley Youth Foundation as the recipient of the funds from these screenings.”
Many scenes were filmed at Nordhoff and familiar classrooms and hallways played across the screen as the viewers laughed and cheered. Other scenes showed panoramic views of the valley shot from Shelf Road. Libbey Park, St. Thomas Aquinas Church and Carrows Restaurant (aka, “The Lobster Shack”) all were co-stars in the movie.
After the showing, viewers were invited to an after party hosted by Khaled Al-Awar and the Primavera Gallery. Longtime Ojai resident Malcolm McDowell, who plays principal Gibbonsof Ojai North High School in the film, was on hand and graciously met with the people who attended.
“I’ve been in Ojai since 1982,” said McDowell, “That was one of the selling points for me. My manager came to me and said, ‘I found you a movie that films in Ojai.’ I said, I don’t care what it is. I’ll do it. I got lucky and worked with an amazing cast and crew. Emma Stone is going to be a big star. This movie will be a hit.”
Bennett Pushing Gravel Truck Restrictions
1st District supervisor wants change in
state’s Highway 33 mining truck advisory
By Logan Hall
state’s Highway 33 mining truck advisory
By Logan Hall
The County of Ventura’s Board of Supervisors will meet Tuesday at the Ventura County Government Center to recommend support of new state legislation that would put a mandatory restriction on the length of mining trucks using Maricopa Highway. Supervisor Steve Bennett is urging board members to recommend that the state adopt the legislation.According to Bennett, Highway 33 is designated as having an advisory kingpin to rear axle length (KPRA) of 30 feet. The key word seems to be “advisory” as the KPRA for the highway is not mandatory. Trucks that traverse Highway 33 are often longer than the current advised length. Bennett said in a press release that many of the trucks have a KPRA of 40 feet, which is 25 percent longer than the state’s advisory.“The Maricopa Highway is a narrow, high-mountain road built in 1933 to accommodate vehicles of that era,” he said. “Shoulders are often non-existent, bridges and tunnels are very narrow, curve radiuses are very short, and visibility is often limited around the many switchback turns.”Bennett cites the recent accident where a mining truck experienced brake failure and crashed on Highway 154 in Santa Barbara as one of the reasons why the trucks can be so dangerous. He says that aside from the fact that many of the trucks don’t fit on the narrow highway, they can also be carrying full loads weighing many tons. Often the trucks have to travel in severe weather and on icy road surfaces.Bennett says that, “In order to assure the safety of highway users and occupants of adjoining properties, the recommended action is to support new state legislation to make mandatory the existing advisory KPRA length of 30 feet.”Bennett and the county aren’t the only ones with grievances about the trucking operations in the mountains above Ojai. A lawsuit was filed in December in Ventura County Superior Court by Coleman and Donna Epstein, who own property where the mining operations are being undertaken. The lawsuit lists the defendants as Larry E. Mosler and Gralar, LLC, and cites several alleged violations of the rights of the property owners. The Epsteins claim that mining operations on and near their property are damaging the property and diminishing the quality of life in the area. According to the plaintiffs, grading of the hillside above the property is causing silt runoff into the North Fork of Matilija Creek. The Epsteins also allege that this activity affects the water quality for the property and makes the hillsides more susceptible to erosion and eventual landslides. The lawsuit further alleges the amount of mining trucks that use part of the property for hauling exceeds the legal limit for the mining companies. The Epsteins claim that the trucks make excessive noise, which again affects the quality of life on the property. An amount for the suit will be determined when the case goes to trial. A mandatory settlement conference is scheduled for Nov. 19. If no settlement is reached, a jury trial could begin Dec. 6.The county meeting on Tuesday will be open to the public and Bennett encourages members of the community to attend. Individuals will have the option to speak to the board. The agenda item is scheduled to be heard at 10:30 a.m. in the Board of Supervisors Hearing Room of the County Government Center, 800 S. Victoria Ave. in Ventura.
Bangser Gives Kudos As Schools Open
By Misty Volaski
The Ojai schools have had a “fabulous opening,” said Ojai Unified School District superintendent Hank Bangser. “Huge credit goes to the staff —- teachers, sports staff, principals, and the parents. And the students themselves.” The smooth opening was especially poignant, he added, “following the unfortunate budget cuts from this spring. Everyone’s attitudes have been tremendously professional.”While today marks the last day that Nordhoff High School students and OUSD kindergartners will have the option of bus transportation from school to their homes, Bangser said he was impressed with the way parents have stepped up to help each get their kids home. “Parent networks have emerged to help each other get the kids home,” said Bangser. “That extra month (extension of bus service) was really helpful.”NHS principal Dan Musick sent out one last phone message this week to remind parents that today would be the last day.At Tuesday’s OUSD meeting, the board invited the Parent-Teacher Organization presidents to Tuesday’s meeting to formally thank them for the many things they do behind the scenes — usually without thanks or recognition. The board also welcomed a new assistant principal for Matilija Junior High School, Javier Ramirez. Ramirez joins principal Emily Mostovoy on the staff. Ramirez has been a math teacher at Nordhoff for several years, and was recently named the Ojai Education Foundation’s Person of the Year. Adding to the excitement was the fact that Ramirez and Mostovoy both not only attended Matilija and Nordhoff — they attended at the same time.“We’re very excited about this. (Ramirez) is a wildly popular guy on campus,” said Bangser. “I know he will The board also passed a resolution verifying they have sufficient textbooks for all students. Board member Rikki Horne inquired as to whether the resolution included desks and chairs. It did not, but Bangser assured the board there were enough for everyone. “We had enough, we just had to do a little swapping from class to class.”
The board also accepted a presentation of the final 2009-2010 school year revenues and expenditures. Dannielle Pusatere, assistant superintendent of business and administrative services, announced that she’d found an additional $119,000 in unappropriated funds that were unused from last year’s general fund, meaning it could be applied to the 2010-2011 school year budget. That’s a good thing for a small school district that has had to cut $3.5 million from the budget over the last few years. Bangser explained these funds would go to increase the state-mandated reserve fund, which is for unexpected expenses and currently sits at just 1 percent of the total OUSD budget for 2010-2011 (the state usually requires a 3 percent reserve, but does make exceptions). That would put the reserve up .5 percent, to 1.5 percent, or about $345,000.
“We’re still right on the financial edge, but this is good news,” said Bangser. “It was a result of belt tightening in the spring of last year and planned under expenditures.”
The OUSD is “sure hoping for,” but not counting on, funds from the Federal Education Jobs Bill 2010, which gives money to the cash-strapped states to keep education jobs. California will get $1.2 billion, and the OUSD’s share will be $500,000. However, as the passing of the state budget might not happen before the November elections, the state may find a way to take some of that money.
The board finalized its modifications to the OUSD’s governing board policies as well. Among those changes: weapons of any kind will no longer be allowed on OUSD campuses, even for educational purposes (such as a presentation of Civil War-era rifles in a history class). It also included a strict ban of cyber-bullying (such as on Facebook). Like most school districts across the country, the OUSD has had problems with this new type of bullying.
“Any superintendent would tell you ‘yes,’ they have problems,” said Bangser. “As proficiency and availability of technological means to comment on your fellow students grows,” so does cyber-bullying, he said. “The ease of using that technology to bully and speak negatively has become enormous.”
OUSD kids are allowed to have cell phones at school, but are not allowed to use them — not even during break periods — until after school. “The penalties (of cyber-bullying) are made clear,” Bangser added, and are just as severe as punishments for all other forms of bullying.
Among the other items the board accepted Tuesday: a $3,750 donation from the Rotary Club of Ojai for guitars at San Antonio Elementary; a report from the Danza Azteca Mayahuel, on their activities and accomplishments; and a report from Nordhoff athletic director Dave Monson, on the successes of the 2009-2010 NHS sports teams and student-athletes.
The OUSD’s next meeting, set for Oct. 12, will have a spot of bright news, as they will have a presentation of the API test scores from the spring of 2010. Of all the school districts in Ventura County, OUSD had the second highest test scores, and jumped 10 points from last year’s scores. “That’s an extraordinarily large increase,” said Bangser.
Practice Made Imperfect
By Bill Buchanan
I got back to Alabama just in time to miss a concert by one of my favorite old bands, Kansas. They were performing along with a symphony group comprised of university students. I saw a photo of some of the band members in the newspaper. Whew, they looked like death eating a cracker. But a friend who went to the concert told me that while the band had not weathered the aging storm too well physically, their musical talents had not diminished at all, and were perhaps even better than in the ‘70s when we listened to great old songs like “Can I Tell You,” “Dust in the Wind” and “Bringing It Back.”
I love music as much as I love football. Maybe more. I have more than 5,000 songs on my iPod. It is a pretty sure bet I haven’t seen 5,000 football games, although my wife might beg to differ.
I like a wide range of music, encompassing many genres. I tend to favor blues, Motown, and rock — both easy listening and what is today referred to as “classic” rock — which is a boomer euphemism for “old.” Those of us who are in the middle-to-late end of the boomer generation are deathly afraid of the word “old” and will do any dance we can to get around it. So we call things that we like that are no longer in fashion (and haven’t been for about 30 years) “classic” or “retro.” Note: If you are advanced enough in years to get discounted meals or free checking, then you are not “classic” or “retro,” you are just getting old.
At any rate, I was sorry I missed the concert. I am fascinated by those with musical talent. My wife has a terrific voice. Logan and Misty here at the OVN play the guitar. I love music, but have zero musical talent. I cannot play any instrument and cannot sing. I have been told I have an amazing voice, but they didn’t mean it was the good kind of amazing. I have only sung in public twice, and one of those performances emptied out a bar.
I do not blame myself for lack of musical ability. I blame Mr. Thompson, our junior high-high school band director. When I was in sixth grade, everyone was given a musical “aptitude” test to determine each student’s prowess in distinguishing notes, pitches, etc. Although I had never been musically inclined, when the results were in, I had scored in the “superior” range. This would be much more impressive if it were not for the fact that the tests were given by the company that sold musical instruments to the school. What a coincidence, right? In fact, I think the lowest anyone ever scored was “excellent.”
So, bolstered by my impressive score and newfound musical ability, I decided to join the junior high band. I had my heart set on the drums. Keep in mind that this was the ‘60s, and because of The Beatles, everyone had a garage band. If you could play “Wipe Out” on the drums, the girls fell at your feet. So there were only about 30 other guys who wanted to play the drums, too. Mr. Thompson steered me toward another instrument — the first step in my musical undoing.
I was disappointed at first, but I went to “Instrument Night” at the school to pick out something to play. I spied a gleaming silver trumpet, and I forgot all about the drums. I went to work on my mother, reminding her of my “superior” rating, and trying to “guilt” her into buying me that beautiful trumpet — which she finally agreed to do. She put a down payment on the trumpet, which was priced about like a good used car back then, and we took it home. I was ecstatic. Little did I suspect that this was the pinnacle of my musical career.
My first day at band practice, Mr. Thompson, a very jovial man and talented musician, showed us the proper form for playing each instrument. We all blew and banged our instruments with great gusto. And while the noise we made probably sounded like someone shaving 10,000 cats, this was going to be great fun. Then Mr. Thompson dropped the bomb. We were expected to practice — 45 minutes to an hour every night! The newness quickly rubbed off my horn as I sat there torturing my poor family each night trying to play scales and simple songs. I looked longingly at my football and my baseball and glove as they sat in the corner. I thought I could detect actual decay on them from lack of use.
Pretty soon, all this got to be a lot of work. And our band director didn’t put up with much either. Talking or making noise during band practice was rewarded with having a blackboard eraser fired at your head by Mr. Thompson. He was a big guy with an arm like Nolan Ryan. You knew it when you got hit. So did everyone else as the eraser left a chalk mark on you that stayed there all day like a sign that said, “I acted like an idiot during band practice today.”
I lasted one year. My musical career came to a screeching halt, and the world was deprived of what would surely have been a legendary talent. The only thing that kept my mother from killing me was that she was able to sell my trumpet for about the same amount she had paid for it to my cousin, Vickie. It seems that during a recent musical aptitude test, Vickie had scored “superior,” and wouldn’t it be a shame not to encourage such a promising musical career?
And the beat goes on.
Chumash Dancers Honor Elliot
In native tradition, Aliso Street
bear killed last year remembered
By Logan Hall
After thanking and welcoming Redstar and the rest of the tribe, Elliott was invited into the circle to dance with the bears. “It was a magical evening to be with so many people in a circle, under the stars,” she said. “The energy was amazing … I couldn’t keep the smile off of my face.”
Redstar also made a point to thank Chumash Ojai resident Julie Tumamait for her family’s help in bringing the Bear Dancers back to Ojai.
A few songs later, Redstar invited the audience to participate in the dance. Within minutes, an expanding line had formed, as an estimated 90 percent of those attending were prepared with sage to enter the circle. As the people came through the entrance to the sacred area, they were formed into a line that spiraled from the center by the fire, out toward the few people still in lawn chairs surrounding the circle.
The drums started up and the singing resumed as the people danced in the circle with the bears weaving in and out of the spiral. After dancing with the bears, everyone remaining had the opportunity to experience a traditional Chumash healing with one of the spiritual leaders. Using feathers and a whistle that when blown, could be mistaken for the cry of an eagle, the spiritual leader made his way around the circle, thoroughly and methodically healing each person.
Some participants seemed to be overcome with emotion, or just the sheer intensity of the ritual and were brought into the circle while sobbing and falling to their knees. The bears surrounded the affected person while Redstar instructed to let go of whatever they were holding on to and give it to the fire.
“Even though there were less people attending than last year,” said Tumamait, “seeing 90 percent of them participate was amazing.”
After more singing and dancing, the bears exited the circle and Redstar thanked everyone, declaring the ceremony finished. Though the circle had grown quiet and the dust settled, the flames from the fire flickered until the mass of wood was reduced to a pile of ash.
The next morning, Redstar and the rest of his people gathered around the still-smoldering ashes of the fire to close out the circle. Passing a sage smudge-stick around, each person in the circle had a chance to share their thoughts and experiences from the night before. As the group began to sing a song to help in the close-out, a hawk flew in overhead and proceeded to soar in circles over the fire pit. The singing continued while the tribesmen shook feathers and shakers in the air to honor the bird.
The Bear Dancers bring their ceremony to all parts of California, and seem to take pride in educating people about their culture.
“The problem with the world today,” said Redstar the morning after the ceremony, “is that tradition is slowly being pushed aside. We want people to learn that everything is a process of spiritual growth.”
Visit casadelaluna.org for information on future events and updates on next year’s Bear Dance.
bear killed last year remembered
By Logan Hall
On a cool, starlit, Ojai summer night, flames from the large bon-fire licked at the crisp air as a screech owl swooped overhead. The grounds of Casa De La Luna and the throngs of people present were prepared for the Chumash Bear Dance ceremony to honor Elliot, the Ojai bear that was killed last year.“It is time to call out the bears,” exclaimed Redstar, the group’s ceremonial leader. “Chi ciayo, chi ciayo, chi ciayo.” Just a few minutes earlier, Redstar, who donned traditional Chumash regalia for the ceremony, had been wearing plain clothes while addressing those attending, preparing them for what they were about to witness. “These are traditions we want to share with you,” he said to the people while shadows cast by the growing fire danced across the surrounding oaks, “… the way we live, the way we act, it’s who we are. Never be ashamed of who you are.”Redstar spoke of the Chumash tradition and described the reasons for their rituals. “We’ve had elders come and go. We’ve had teachers and children come and go … We pray and sing songs for all of them. We build the fire to honor them. We sing songs for each other because we care.”After speaking to the gathered mass of more than 200 people, Redstar called out the bears. Four tribesmen wearing bear skins and other traditional garments appeared and entered the ceremonial circle where they were prepared with sage by the spiritual leaders. Drums began to beat in a driving rhythm that set the pace for the bears as the other members of the tribe started singing traditional songs passed down from their ancestors. Moving clockwise, they began to stomp and dance in rhythm with the drums.
After several songs, Redstar thanked Margaret Elliott, owner of Casa De La Luna, for hosting the ceremony. Redstar was quick to point out that Elliott, aside from donating time and her property, coincidentally shares the same name as the Ojai bear.After thanking and welcoming Redstar and the rest of the tribe, Elliott was invited into the circle to dance with the bears. “It was a magical evening to be with so many people in a circle, under the stars,” she said. “The energy was amazing … I couldn’t keep the smile off of my face.”
Redstar also made a point to thank Chumash Ojai resident Julie Tumamait for her family’s help in bringing the Bear Dancers back to Ojai.
A few songs later, Redstar invited the audience to participate in the dance. Within minutes, an expanding line had formed, as an estimated 90 percent of those attending were prepared with sage to enter the circle. As the people came through the entrance to the sacred area, they were formed into a line that spiraled from the center by the fire, out toward the few people still in lawn chairs surrounding the circle.
The drums started up and the singing resumed as the people danced in the circle with the bears weaving in and out of the spiral. After dancing with the bears, everyone remaining had the opportunity to experience a traditional Chumash healing with one of the spiritual leaders. Using feathers and a whistle that when blown, could be mistaken for the cry of an eagle, the spiritual leader made his way around the circle, thoroughly and methodically healing each person.
Some participants seemed to be overcome with emotion, or just the sheer intensity of the ritual and were brought into the circle while sobbing and falling to their knees. The bears surrounded the affected person while Redstar instructed to let go of whatever they were holding on to and give it to the fire.
“Even though there were less people attending than last year,” said Tumamait, “seeing 90 percent of them participate was amazing.”
After more singing and dancing, the bears exited the circle and Redstar thanked everyone, declaring the ceremony finished. Though the circle had grown quiet and the dust settled, the flames from the fire flickered until the mass of wood was reduced to a pile of ash.
The next morning, Redstar and the rest of his people gathered around the still-smoldering ashes of the fire to close out the circle. Passing a sage smudge-stick around, each person in the circle had a chance to share their thoughts and experiences from the night before. As the group began to sing a song to help in the close-out, a hawk flew in overhead and proceeded to soar in circles over the fire pit. The singing continued while the tribesmen shook feathers and shakers in the air to honor the bird.
The Bear Dancers bring their ceremony to all parts of California, and seem to take pride in educating people about their culture.
“The problem with the world today,” said Redstar the morning after the ceremony, “is that tradition is slowly being pushed aside. We want people to learn that everything is a process of spiritual growth.”
Visit casadelaluna.org for information on future events and updates on next year’s Bear Dance.
NDSDF Targets 9/11/11 For Move
NDSDF founder Wilma Melville does her part in the ceremonial groundbreaking Saturday at the site of the $11M National Training Center on Santa Paula-Ojai Road, which is slated to open 9/11/11. Photo by Mary M. Long
The National Disaster Search Dog Foundation held a ceremonial ground breaking on Saturday to herald the construction their much-anticipated National Training Center in Wheeler Canyon, Santa Paula. Opening the site on the ninth anniversary of the attack on the World Trade Center has a special significance to the staff and dog handlers of the foundation; 78 search teams were deployed to 9/11 and many were among the first responders. Disaster search dogs are trained to find people while they are still alive and alert their handlers of their presence so that the victims can be reached by rescuers. According to handler Capt. Rick Lee, who was deployed to 9/11 with his canine partner, Ana, the responsibility and the respect these dogs receive from rescue personnel is awe inspiring. “Every day we had to walk past the wall of photos of the missing people on the way to the site to search for victims,” he said, knowing that their survival might depend on their dogs. With rescue, every minute counts for the survival of the person who might be trapped inside a mound of rubble. The dogs are so accurate in their assessment of a site, that rescuers do not waste time looking in an area when the dogs tell them it is clear. What can make more apparent the need for a National Disaster Dog Training Center, than a foreign attack on American soil?
Every cause needs a champion, and in this case it is Wilma Melville. A veteran dog handler herself, she decided after working the Oklahoma City bombing that “it could be done better,” and returned home to found the center for disaster dogs in her hometown of Ojai. Unique to this program is their method of finding their search dog candidates. A good search dog must have a nose for scent, the will to work, agility to traverse unstable locations, the uncanny ability to internalize the importance of the rescue and yet be balanced enough to be safe among other dogs and humans when in extraordinary circumstances. Where do they find these paragons of canine virtue? Most often they have been abandoned at rescue organizations or animal shelters. The qualities that make a good search dog are often the ones the make them undesirable as a backyard pets.
According to handler Dave Stoddard, his partner Rowdy is “an awesome search dog” but was found virtually on death row by an NDSDF worker and rescued. Another of the search dogs was entertaining himself at the ceremonies by leaping up and down giving kisses to his handler Jim Boggeri. “Oh he’s like that 24-7,” laughed Boggeri, claiming that Nino’s boundless enthusiasm is part of why he has the “over-the-top drive” to make him a superlative search dog as well as “a licking machine.”
More than 20 search teams joined in the ceremonies, coming from all over the United States to support Melville’s historic enterprise. This 125-acre site will be the only facility in the United States devoted exclusively to the training of canine disaster
The National Disaster Search Dog Foundation held a ceremonial ground breaking on Saturday to herald the construction their much-anticipated National Training Center in Wheeler Canyon, Santa Paula. Opening the site on the ninth anniversary of the attack on the World Trade Center has a special significance to the staff and dog handlers of the foundation; 78 search teams were deployed to 9/11 and many were among the first responders. Disaster search dogs are trained to find people while they are still alive and alert their handlers of their presence so that the victims can be reached by rescuers. According to handler Capt. Rick Lee, who was deployed to 9/11 with his canine partner, Ana, the responsibility and the respect these dogs receive from rescue personnel is awe inspiring. “Every day we had to walk past the wall of photos of the missing people on the way to the site to search for victims,” he said, knowing that their survival might depend on their dogs. With rescue, every minute counts for the survival of the person who might be trapped inside a mound of rubble. The dogs are so accurate in their assessment of a site, that rescuers do not waste time looking in an area when the dogs tell them it is clear. What can make more apparent the need for a National Disaster Dog Training Center, than a foreign attack on American soil? Every cause needs a champion, and in this case it is Wilma Melville. A veteran dog handler herself, she decided after working the Oklahoma City bombing that “it could be done better,” and returned home to found the center for disaster dogs in her hometown of Ojai. Unique to this program is their method of finding their search dog candidates. A good search dog must have a nose for scent, the will to work, agility to traverse unstable locations, the uncanny ability to internalize the importance of the rescue and yet be balanced enough to be safe among other dogs and humans when in extraordinary circumstances. Where do they find these paragons of canine virtue? Most often they have been abandoned at rescue organizations or animal shelters. The qualities that make a good search dog are often the ones the make them undesirable as a backyard pets.According to handler Dave Stoddard, his partner Rowdy is “an awesome search dog” but was found virtually on death row by an NDSDF worker and rescued. Another of the search dogs was entertaining himself at the ceremonies by leaping up and down giving kisses to his handler Jim Boggeri. “Oh he’s like that 24-7,” laughed Boggeri, claiming that Nino’s boundless enthusiasm is part of why he has the “over-the-top drive” to make him a superlative search dog as well as “a licking machine.”More than 20 search teams joined in the ceremonies, coming from all over the United States to support Melville’s historic enterprise. This 125-acre site will be the only facility in the United States devoted exclusively to the training of canine disaster search teams. With more than $4.1 million raised to date for the construction of the site, another $7 million is left to be raised by December just to meet the interim goals. As Melville says, “It’s a marathon, but we are out of the starting gate,” with much more fund raising ahead of them. The project is a public-private partnership between NDSDF and the nation’s fire departments at no cost to American taxpayers.Melville hopes to have the grand opening of the National Training Center on Sept. 11, 2011, the 10-year anniversary of the day when the very foundations of our nation’s security were shaken to their core. True to her pioneer spirit, she plans to fly her single engine RV10 aircraft over the grand opening and tip her wing to remember the 3,000 victims lost in the September attack, and to honor the sacrifices of rescue personnel, firefighters and search dog teams that responded to the nation’s disaster.
For Melville, the project is a lifetime dream coming true, and with typical optimism she says,”Happiness is here, but the joy of success will come with the grand opening of this facility next year.”
Assault On Batteries To Continue
Shown are some of the thousands of batteries that have been dropped off at the OVN office for recycling.
Last month, the County of Ventura decided to no longer waive their battery disposal fee for the city of Ojai. The Ojai Valley News, having been a used battery collection center for the community in partnership with the Green Coalition, would not be able to sustain the collections without the city of Ojai’s help. Valley residents who have relied on the OVN for their battery disposal for years were going to have to seek other means of discarding their used batteries. “The problem was that we were getting too many battery loads from the Green Coalition and the OVN,” said Don Sheppard, environmental resource analyst for the county’s Integrated Waste Management Division. “It started to become such a volume that I couldn’t keep doing it without contacting the city of Ojai. They decided to start doing the collections themselves.”According to batteryuniversity.com, the global battery market is about $50 billion with about $14 billion of that market coming from the United States. After many of these batteries are used, most people don’t think twice before throwing them in the garbage. The other alternative is recycling. battery university.com states that battery recycling in the United States costs about $1,000 to $2,000 a ton.Andrea Boggs, Ojai Public Works administrative analyst, says the city has started a collection process of their own for recycling used batteries. Using what’s known as the Big Green Box, citizens from the community could drop off batteries that would subsequently be brought to the county’s recycling facility. The process seems simple enough, and perhaps some of the many people who utilized the OVN’s free service would take their batteries to City Hall.
To drop batteries off with the city, however, each individual battery needs to be sealed in a plastic bag before being dropped.
The task of individually wrapping each battery could be enough to discourage some from recycling the batteries. For others, it brought about a catch-22. While the batteries would be recycled and kept from harming the environment, the potential use of thousands of plastic bags seemed to negate the process of battery recycling.
Neither the county nor the city appeared to want to take the blame for the decision. After pointing fingers at each other and having conversations with the OVN, the two local governments reconsidered their position and recanted their decision of denying free battery disposal for the OVN.
“Don and I have decided that the OVN can continue their battery collection,” said Boggs. “Everything can go on as it has, but if the volume gets to be too great, we may need to rethink this.”
For now, citizens of the community can still bring in their used batteries to the OVN office at 408-A Bryant Circle for proper, environmentally friendly disposal.
Up, Up and Away For Bird’s Eye View
Desert Storm veteran Gil Vondriska pilots a Robinson R-44 Raven helicopter over familiar landmarks like the Ojai Valley Inn & Spa, and Nordhoff High School. The flight allowed the OVN to get an unusual perspective of the sights that the valley has to offer. Photo by Logan Hall
The morning marine layer begins to break up over the Topa Topas as the helicopter gains altitude and swoops in toward Ojai. Piloted by Desert Storm veteran and Ojai resident Gil Vondriska, the dark gray, piston-engine Robinson R-44 Raven cruises over the contours of the valley floor at 130 mph. Rented from Orbic Helicopters at the Camarillo airport, the half-million-dollar machine, dubbed by Orbic instructors as “the ultimate off-road vehicle,” speeds through the air toward the familiar landmarks of Ojai.
From 700 feet above the deck, the sights of the valley begin coming into view long before Vondriska flies the Raven over downtown. Seconds later, the Ojai Post Office Tower, Nordhoff High School, and then Lake Casitas are zipping by underneath the Raven’s sleek underbelly.
Vondriska is a seasoned helicopter and fixed-wing pilot with more than 20 years of combat, rescue and commercial flight experience. Having flown large, four-engine C-5 Galaxy cargo planes in Iraq during the first Gulf War and the HH-60G Pav Hawk helicopter with Combat Search and Rescue in Portland, Ore., he is now retired from the military and works as a flight instructor for Fed-Ex. Teaching pilots to fly fully loaded MD-11 cargo planes, he spends much of his time overseas.
When at home in the states, he takes every chance he can get to fly the small, quick helicopters that are such a stark contrast to the bulky fixed-wing cargo planes that he flies for a living. “The R-44 is a lot of fun to fly,” said Vondriska as he swung the Raven out over Chismahoo Mountain, west of Lake Casitas. “I try to get up in the helicopter at least once a month.”
The flight wasn’t all fun and games, however. Vondriska, who is a firm supporter of the Ojai Valley Defense Fund was eager to point out to the OVN some of the past threats that the citizens of Ojai have faced through the years. Flying by Lake Casitas, he points to a spot close to the lake and says, “That’s where the uranium mine was going to be excavated.”
According to the OVDF, in the 1970s, an open-pit uranium mine was proposed by Homestake Mining Co., and permits for exploratory excavation near White Ledge and Superior Ridge were issued. A group of concerned citizens formed the organization, Stop Uranium Now, and convinced Congress to stop the project in its tracks.
It’s because of the existence of threats like the uranium mine and the infamous Weldon Canyon Dump proposal that the OVFD was formed. “This valley is just so unique,” said OVDF President John Broesamle. “The point of the Defense Fund is to send a message that we will fight to protect our valley.”
After touring various sites of past threats to the valley, Vondriska flew the Raven toward Ventura and out along Solimar and Emma Wood beaches before following the 101 freeway, ending back at the Orbic Helicopters landing pad.
After spending an afternoon flying with Vondriska in the Raven, it isn’t hard to see why he is so passionate about what he does. “Flying is the best way to see Ojai,” he said, grinning from ear to ear after setting the Raven down with smooth, precise control movements. “You really get a bird’s-eye view of how amazing the valley is.”
1929 Packard Gets New Life
Dwayne Bower with his 1929, straight-eight Packard. Photo by Mary M. Long
half-century under wraps
By Mary M. Long
When Columbia studios call, people tend to listen. So it was when Dwayne Bower of Ojai Vintage Vehicles heard that a movie was under production that would be set in the 1930s and the studio would be looking for historically accurate cars for the filming. For 49 years the big black 1929 Packard had lain sleeping under her dust cover, but with Hollywood calling, Bower thought the time was finally right to dust off the four-door beauty and bring her back to life. When fathers buy toys for their sons, they usually come with instructions, but not so with the Packard. Purchased by the Bowers in 1961 for the sum of $100, Bud Bower had thought the Packard would be a good project for his 18-year-old son, Dwayne. He had already purchased Pop Soper’s ‘29 Packard and thought that a two Packard family seemed like a good idea. Projects have a way of getting shelved, though, when life and family take priority. Dwayne Bower married, had children, who gave him grandchildren, and in 2008 his father, Bud Bower passed away, and still the Packard stood unrestored. Before the key could be turned, on a motor that had stood still for so many years, there was much work to be done in preparation. The fuel system and the carburetor had to be cleaned out, and all of the valves which were stuck open had to be lubed and loosened up. “You have to make sure the engine is free before you start it,” explained Bower. “If you’re not careful, the starter is so powerful it can bend things all up inside.” The Packard hood can open from either side or be removed completely to access the straight-eight engine. 1929 was the first year that Packard offered this smaller eight engine, the fenders are black.” New chrome was a must-have for the trim, bumpers and for the hood ornament of the Packard, the figure of Adonis who rides feet first into the wind. When Aug. 21 arrived for the Mentor Madness car show, she was “running really well,” said Bower, smiling. He and his wife, Marilyn, stepped up on board, taking the freshly washed Packard down Ojai Avenue for the very first time. Although the Packard didn’t win the show, she arrived on time, and took her place among the other vintage cars. “She’s not really finished yet,” explained Bower, so after the show she went back on the hoist for more restoration. One of the last big projects for the car is new upholstery, which will be as close as possible to the original brown-and-tan checkerboard mohair that she wore when she was driven off the lot at Kelly Motors of Pasadena in 1929. Purchased right before the stock market crash of October ‘29, in a time when cars were sold to cash buyers only, Bower surmises that the original owner may have ended up with a brand-new car and not much else. Despite her years, she is looking more beautiful than ever, and next time the phone rings and the studio is on the line, the shiny mustard-and-tan Packard will be ready for action. She doesn’t have to wait in the wings any longer.
Up High Over Ojai
By Bill Buchanan
Earlier this week, OVN reporter Logan Hall and I were fortunate to take a helicopter flight around the Ojai Valley with local pilot Gil Vondriska. We flew over the town, Lake Casitas, the mountains and along the coast. Wow. Simply wow. I had flown once before in a helicopter, many years ago when an old girlfriend and I took a helicopter tour of St. Louis. But that flight could not compare with the beauty of the one Tuesday. The only thing better about the St. Louis flight was that my girlfriend was much cuter than either Logan or Gil.
In fact, Logan and I had such a good time Gil just about had to drag us out of the helicopter. A story about our flight and more about Gil can be found elsewhere in today’s edition. Thanks, Gil. It was a wonderful time.
The flight made me recall other flying experiences I have had, especially those in small planes. The company I used to work for owned two small aircraft — well, aircraft is probably not the right term as it implies something of considerable size. These were flying phone booths. But those years provided some wonderful and interesting flights. On a trip in northwest Arkansas, a rapidly moving weather system came up on us much faster than anticipated. We hurried to the airport to take off ahead of the system. Once aloft, you could see the system forming, strengthening and moving. Ahead of us was blue sky, but behind us was a weather system right out of “The Ten Commandments.” At any moment, you expected to see Charlton Heston parting the Red Sea down below. The weather system was beautiful and awe-inspiring. It was also something you didn’t mind being ahead of.
On a trip to South Dakota, we finished our business early, and had some time to kill. Since we were only 35 miles from Mount Rushmore, we called ahead and got permission to do a fly-by. When I lived in South Dakota I visited Rushmore 10 times or so. But it was really special to fly over the Black Hills and pass by the four presidents from the air, looking them almost right in the eye as we went by.
The gentlemen who owned the newspaper group I worked for a was great guy and a real character. Ben had logged thousands of hours as a pilot. One day we flew to Iowa for meeting. We finished our work, and were headed back home. It had been a very long day. We left early in the morning, and would be getting back late in the day We were both whipped. Shortly after we were airborne, Ben started unfolding maps and using them to cover up the windshield. He didn’t stop until his side was completely covered up, and left only a small “window” about the size of a rear view mirror on my side. I said, “Isn’t it a good idea to be able to see out of the windshield?” He replied offhandedly, “I’m tired, and I don’t want the sun in my eyes while I try to get some sleep.” He continued, “See this gauge? Turn this knob so this dial follows that gauge.” I looked at him in total disbelief. I had never flown a plane in my life. But he wasn’t kidding. Until that point, I had been tired, too, but I got a huge surge of energy (fear will often do that) and was suddenly saucer-eyed and wide awake. Ben put the plane on auto-pilot, then leaned back to get comfortable before offering his final piece of sage aviation advice, “Don’t hit anything.”
While we encountered some weather that bounced us around sometimes, we were always careful to avoid lines of thunderstorms. We did not take stupid chances where the weather was concerned. Our unofficial motto was, “I’d rather be down here (on the ground) wishing I was up there, than up there wishing I was down here.”
But I did have two close calls in small planes, times where I thought, “Well, it looks like I am going to die now.” One situation was due to carelessness, the other to unexpected weather conditions.
The reckless incident occurred on a flight when we were fully loaded, and the pilot did not take the time to do a weight and balance. A weight and balance is where you arrange passengers and luggage to make sure that the cargo’s weight is distributed properly so the plane can take off and land upright — always a good goal to shoot for. Even though I was not a seasoned pilot, I sensed something was amiss shortly after takeoff —- probably because the stall buzzer was going off like a rock concert in my ear. I also noticed that we were not gaining altitude. This was particularly troubling as we had a ridge on one side of us, and mountain on the other. Instead of climbing, we were going up and down and up and down. I learned later that this maneuver is called “porpoising” and is not generally recommended unless you are actually a porpoise. The pilot dives down to pick up speed, then pulls up to avoid hitting the ground, then repeats the move until you (hopefully) gain enough speed to climb. After several tense moments, we finally climbed high enough to make it over the ridge. That was our last takeoff without doing a proper weight and balance.
My other close call occurred on an otherwise a routine flight with my friend Phillip at the controls. We were on final approach and suddenly a strong wind came up. The pilot dipped his wings into the wind as you are supposed to do, and we descended toward the runway. Just as suddenly, the wind shifted directions and almost flipped the plane over. Again, it didn’t take a seasoned pilot to assess the situation. As I looked out the windshield, I thought, “Aren’t the wheels supposed to hit the runway instead of the wing?” Phillip did a great job of turning the plane back the other direction to right us. We landed safely, but the cross wind was so strong it almost blew us off the runway.
Phillip somehow managed to keep the plane on the runway, and brake us to a stop. We sat in silence for what seemed like an eternity. Phillip was the first to speak. He slapped my thigh, and said, “Whew, I don’t know about you, but I think I could use a drink!” I sat mute. Phillip looked over at me and asked, “Are you OK?”
I replied, “Yeah, but I may have to get this seat cushion surgically removed.”
Earlier this week, OVN reporter Logan Hall and I were fortunate to take a helicopter flight around the Ojai Valley with local pilot Gil Vondriska. We flew over the town, Lake Casitas, the mountains and along the coast. Wow. Simply wow. I had flown once before in a helicopter, many years ago when an old girlfriend and I took a helicopter tour of St. Louis. But that flight could not compare with the beauty of the one Tuesday. The only thing better about the St. Louis flight was that my girlfriend was much cuter than either Logan or Gil.
In fact, Logan and I had such a good time Gil just about had to drag us out of the helicopter. A story about our flight and more about Gil can be found elsewhere in today’s edition. Thanks, Gil. It was a wonderful time.
The flight made me recall other flying experiences I have had, especially those in small planes. The company I used to work for owned two small aircraft — well, aircraft is probably not the right term as it implies something of considerable size. These were flying phone booths. But those years provided some wonderful and interesting flights. On a trip in northwest Arkansas, a rapidly moving weather system came up on us much faster than anticipated. We hurried to the airport to take off ahead of the system. Once aloft, you could see the system forming, strengthening and moving. Ahead of us was blue sky, but behind us was a weather system right out of “The Ten Commandments.” At any moment, you expected to see Charlton Heston parting the Red Sea down below. The weather system was beautiful and awe-inspiring. It was also something you didn’t mind being ahead of.
On a trip to South Dakota, we finished our business early, and had some time to kill. Since we were only 35 miles from Mount Rushmore, we called ahead and got permission to do a fly-by. When I lived in South Dakota I visited Rushmore 10 times or so. But it was really special to fly over the Black Hills and pass by the four presidents from the air, looking them almost right in the eye as we went by.
The gentlemen who owned the newspaper group I worked for a was great guy and a real character. Ben had logged thousands of hours as a pilot. One day we flew to Iowa for meeting. We finished our work, and were headed back home. It had been a very long day. We left early in the morning, and would be getting back late in the day We were both whipped. Shortly after we were airborne, Ben started unfolding maps and using them to cover up the windshield. He didn’t stop until his side was completely covered up, and left only a small “window” about the size of a rear view mirror on my side. I said, “Isn’t it a good idea to be able to see out of the windshield?” He replied offhandedly, “I’m tired, and I don’t want the sun in my eyes while I try to get some sleep.” He continued, “See this gauge? Turn this knob so this dial follows that gauge.” I looked at him in total disbelief. I had never flown a plane in my life. But he wasn’t kidding. Until that point, I had been tired, too, but I got a huge surge of energy (fear will often do that) and was suddenly saucer-eyed and wide awake. Ben put the plane on auto-pilot, then leaned back to get comfortable before offering his final piece of sage aviation advice, “Don’t hit anything.”
While we encountered some weather that bounced us around sometimes, we were always careful to avoid lines of thunderstorms. We did not take stupid chances where the weather was concerned. Our unofficial motto was, “I’d rather be down here (on the ground) wishing I was up there, than up there wishing I was down here.”
But I did have two close calls in small planes, times where I thought, “Well, it looks like I am going to die now.” One situation was due to carelessness, the other to unexpected weather conditions.
The reckless incident occurred on a flight when we were fully loaded, and the pilot did not take the time to do a weight and balance. A weight and balance is where you arrange passengers and luggage to make sure that the cargo’s weight is distributed properly so the plane can take off and land upright — always a good goal to shoot for. Even though I was not a seasoned pilot, I sensed something was amiss shortly after takeoff —- probably because the stall buzzer was going off like a rock concert in my ear. I also noticed that we were not gaining altitude. This was particularly troubling as we had a ridge on one side of us, and mountain on the other. Instead of climbing, we were going up and down and up and down. I learned later that this maneuver is called “porpoising” and is not generally recommended unless you are actually a porpoise. The pilot dives down to pick up speed, then pulls up to avoid hitting the ground, then repeats the move until you (hopefully) gain enough speed to climb. After several tense moments, we finally climbed high enough to make it over the ridge. That was our last takeoff without doing a proper weight and balance.
My other close call occurred on an otherwise a routine flight with my friend Phillip at the controls. We were on final approach and suddenly a strong wind came up. The pilot dipped his wings into the wind as you are supposed to do, and we descended toward the runway. Just as suddenly, the wind shifted directions and almost flipped the plane over. Again, it didn’t take a seasoned pilot to assess the situation. As I looked out the windshield, I thought, “Aren’t the wheels supposed to hit the runway instead of the wing?” Phillip did a great job of turning the plane back the other direction to right us. We landed safely, but the cross wind was so strong it almost blew us off the runway.
Phillip somehow managed to keep the plane on the runway, and brake us to a stop. We sat in silence for what seemed like an eternity. Phillip was the first to speak. He slapped my thigh, and said, “Whew, I don’t know about you, but I think I could use a drink!” I sat mute. Phillip looked over at me and asked, “Are you OK?”
I replied, “Yeah, but I may have to get this seat cushion surgically removed.”
Two Pedestrians Hit By Car
MEDIA RELEASEOJAI POLICE DEPARTMENT
VICTIMS: Sean Hendrick, 25 Ojai Female Juvenile, 17, OjaiNarrative:On Thursday, 9/2/10, at approximately 1825 hrs., Sheriff’s Deputies from the Ojai Police Station were dispatched to a traffic collision involving two pedestrians and a Toyota sedan. The collision occurred in the area of El Paseo Road and West Ojai Avenue. Sheriff’s Deputies and Ventura County Fire personnel from Station 21 found the two pedestrians lying in the roadway on El Paseo Road, west of Canada Street with injuries. Fire Personnel and medical personnel from Life Line Ambulance treated the two pedestrians at the scene before they were transported to Ojai Hospital for additional examination and treatment. The driver of the Toyota sedan, Lavonne Vail, was wearing her seatbelt and was not injured in the traffic collision. Ms. Vail stated the late afternoon sun made it difficult for her to see the pedestrians in the roadway. The Sheriff’s Department would like to remind pedestrians and drivers to take an extra moment and ensure the roadway is clear before crossing. The positioning of the early morning and late afternoon sun can create vision issues for both drivers and pedestrians. The Sheriff’s Department investigation is continuing to determine the cause of this collision. Hendrick was admitted to Ojai Hospital for observations due to a head injury. The 17-yr. old female was treated and released to her parents.
Officer Preparing Release: Senior Deputy Jim Popp
OVN photos by Mary M. Long
Zalenka Crowned Miss Ojai 2010
The Ojai Valley Pageant crowned a new Miss Ojai on Saturday night in the Matilija Auditorium. Crystal Zelenka took the honors not only for the title of Miss Ojai, but also Miss Congeniality for her division. “I’m kind of shocked,” said Zelenka, who was born and raised in Ojai and is now a soldier in the U.S. Marine Corps. “This is a different part of the spectrum for me. I’m used to crawling through the mud and hanging’ with a bunch of marines.”
Also taking titles this year were Little Miss Ojai, Elizabeth McCollock; Miss Preteen Ojai, Karley Jones; Miss Teen Ojai, Amanda Rhodes; Mrs. Ojai, Angela Clerou; and Male Ojai, T.J. Morrison.
The pageant was sponsored by the Ojai American Legion Auxilary.
The winners in the Ojai Valley Pageant are as follows: Little Miss Ojai, Elizabeth McCollock;
The Ojai Valley Pageant crowned a new Miss Ojai on Saturday night in the Matilija Auditorium. Crystal Zelenka took the honors not only for the title of Miss Ojai, but also Miss Congeniality for her division. “I’m kind of shocked,” said Zelenka, who was born and raised in Ojai and is now a soldier in the U.S. Marine Corps. “This is a different part of the spectrum for me. I’m used to crawling through the mud and hanging’ with a bunch of marines.”Also taking titles this year were Little Miss Ojai, Elizabeth McCollock; Miss Preteen Ojai, Karley Jones; Miss Teen Ojai, Amanda Rhodes; Mrs. Ojai, Angela Clerou; and Male Ojai, T.J. Morrison.The pageant was sponsored by the Ojai American Legion Auxilary. The winners in the Ojai Valley Pageant are as follows: Little Miss Ojai, Elizabeth McCollock;Miss Preteen Ojai, Karley Jones; Miss Teen Ojai, Amanda Rhodes; Miss Ojai, Crystal Zelenka; Mrs. Ojai, Angela Clerou; Male Ojai, T.J. Morrison; Little Miss Congeniality, Breanna Nicols; Preteen Congeniality, Lilly Lamon; Teen Congeniality, Amanda Rhodes; Miss Congeniality, Crystal Zelenka; Mrs. Personality, Christa Waydo; Male Personality, T.J. Morrison; Mrs. First Runner-up, Tara Ransom; Most Likely to Succeed, Jarrett Morrison; Most Shy, Gwen Morrison; Most Daring, Jarrett Morrison; Biggest Flirt, Steve Vega; Most Likely to Be Seen on ESPN, T.J. Morrison; Grade Point Average 3.8 and Above, Kaitlin McComas; Community Service, Mahalia Woodall; Best Legs, Joe Thomas. A new award this year for Stud Muffin went to Steve Vega.County Puts Drug Issues On The Line
Ojai parents, officials gather
for substance abuse discussion
By Logan Hall
Another topic that was high on the county’s list of dangerous substances running rampant through the valley was heroin and the ways that the drug is consumed. “Avenues for ingestion of heroin are extremely dangerous and will lead to overdose,” said Dunn. “My hope is that everyone in this room takes this to heart.”
Maureen Murphy McGrath attended the meeting just one day before the sixth anniversary of the death of her son, Cody Murphy, who according to McGrath, had taken just one methadone pill, which is a synthetic opioid substance, and suffered a blood clot in his heart. “We have seen too many of our children’s funerals,” said McGrath as she searched through her purse, trying to find her son’s obituary that she keeps with her. “Between me and another mom, we’ve collected at least 10 obituaries for kids that have overdosed. Here I am carrying around obituaries instead of baby pictures.”
The final speaker of the night was Richard LaPerriere, M.A., ADP’s clinic administrator. LaPerriere discussed the county’s treatment program for drug abuse, and the hardships that addicts and their families have to endure. “This is a heavy subject and I don’t plan on lightening it,” he began as he described the county’s treatment program. “When your children come to treatment, a whole lot of stuff has gone on. It is never a happy time when they come to us. What surprises me is that you (parents) are surprised when it happens.”
All of the speakers also agreed that marijuana is a serious problem in the valley as well. “A common misconception is that marijuana is innocuous,” said Hicks who then described weed as a gateway drug to other more harmful substances.
“I believe that marijuana is the drug that we see the most involved with our youth,” added Dunn.
All of the speakers stressed the importance of education and the resources in the community that can help people in a time of great need. Hicks referred to the S.A.F.E. Coalition, Help of Ojai and other organizations that can, at the very least, help point people in the right direction. Dunn reminded everyone that the Sheriff’s Department has an open door policy and anyone with concerns is welcome to come to the Ojai substation to speak with department personnel.
Other notable figures in attendance were Nordhoff High School principal Dan Musick, NHS assistant principal Susana Arce, Matilija Junior High School principal Emily Mostovoy, NHS health teacher Todd Dickey, Bruce Gladstone, Ph.D., and Cindy Cantle from County Supervisor Steve Bennett’s office. Bennett could not attend due to traveling conflicts.
“This is an issue that we are all really concerned about,” said Arce. “Trying to find treatment for the kids is very difficult. It’s a serious problem that we have with the state.”
The meeting adjourned after about an hour and a half, although people stayed and chatted long after the last words of the speakers. For more information on the county’s Alcohol and Drug Program, log on to vchca.org/bh/adp.
for substance abuse discussion
By Logan Hall
The Ojai Valley has seen its share of funerals for the young people of the community. The Ventura County Medical Examiner’s Office statistics show that since the year 2000, there have been 21 drug overdose deaths in the 93023 and 93022 zip codes.
To try to help combat the never-ending trail of drug abuse that winds through the valley, a town meeting was held Wednesday evening for Ojai’s citizens. More than 70 people attended the public meeting, about 10 appeared to be teenagers, and had the opportunity to obtain information from experts in the field of substance abuse.
Led by the Ventura County Alcohol and Drug Program (ADP) as part of the county’s Behavioral Health Program, the meeting’s focus was geared around educating parents about their community, and the severity of drugs in the valley.
Two representatives from the ADP, prevention manager Dan Hicks, and clinical administrator Richard LaPerriere, as well as Ojai’s Chief of Police Chris Dunn spoke to attendees about different aspects of substance abuse, and helped make them aware of the resources that are available to help with potential drug issues.
The meeting began with Hicks thanking everyone for attending before diving into the topic of substance abuse. “Tonight we will focus on important things that every person should know,” he began. “Research is clear that parents play the critically important role in shaping expectations and supporting young people in an ongoing dialogue about health and safety.”
Dunn also believes that parents are integral in keeping their children on the right path. “Parenting is knowing where your kids are and who they are with,” he said.
Hicks first brought everyone’s attention to alcohol, minors and the subtle ways that alcoholic beverage producers target young people. Called “alcopops” many of these beverages appear very similar to popular energy drinks that fly off store shelves every day.
Hicks believes that this camouflage is a big reason why young people are drawn to drinking. “The average age for a child’s first drink is 13 years old,” he said as he held up two colorful, flashy containers. “Many times it’s a malt beverage like Mike’s Hard Lemonade or Smirnoff Raspberry Burst. It is very difficult for parents to tell the difference between
The Ojai Valley has seen its share of funerals for the young people of the community. The Ventura County Medical Examiner’s Office statistics show that since the year 2000, there have been 21 drug overdose deaths in the 93023 and 93022 area codes. To try to help combat the never-ending trail of drug abuse that winds through the valley, a town meeting was held Wednesday evening for Ojai’s citizens. More than 70 people attended the public meeting, about 10 appeared to be teenagers, and had the opportunity to obtain information from experts in the field of substance abuse. Led by the Ventura County Alcohol and Drug Program (ADP) as part of the county’s Behavioral Health Program, the meeting’s focus was geared around educating parents about their community, and the severity of drugs in the valley.Two representatives from the ADP, prevention manager Dan Hicks, and clinical administrator Richard LaPerriere, as well as Ojai’s Chief of Police Chris Dunn spoke to attendees about different aspects of substance abuse, and helped make them aware of the resources that are available to help with potential drug issues.The meeting began with Hicks thanking everyone for attending before diving into the topic of substance abuse. “Tonight we will focus on important things that every person should know,” he began. “Research is clear that parents play the critically important role in shaping expectations and supporting young people in an ongoing dialogue about health and safety.”Dunn also believes that parents are integral in keeping their children on the right path. “Parenting is knowing where your kids are and who they are with,” he said.Hicks first brought everyone’s attention to alcohol, minors and the subtle ways that alcoholic beverage producers target young people. Called “alcopops” many of these beverages appear very similar to popular energy drinks that fly off store shelves every day.Hicks believes that this camouflage is a big reason why young people are drawn to drinking. “The average age for a child’s first drink is 13 years old,” he said as he held up two colorful, flashy containers. “Many times it’s a malt beverage like Mike’s Hard Lemonade or Smirnoff Raspberry Burst. It is very difficult for parents to tell the difference between‘alcopops’ and energy drinks.”Another topic that was high on the county’s list of dangerous substances running rampant through the valley was heroin and the ways that the drug is consumed. “Avenues for ingestion of heroin are extremely dangerous and will lead to overdose,” said Dunn. “My hope is that everyone in this room takes this to heart.”
Maureen Murphy McGrath attended the meeting just one day before the sixth anniversary of the death of her son, Cody Murphy, who according to McGrath, had taken just one methadone pill, which is a synthetic opioid substance, and suffered a blood clot in his heart. “We have seen too many of our children’s funerals,” said McGrath as she searched through her purse, trying to find her son’s obituary that she keeps with her. “Between me and another mom, we’ve collected at least 10 obituaries for kids that have overdosed. Here I am carrying around obituaries instead of baby pictures.”
The final speaker of the night was Richard LaPerriere, M.A., ADP’s clinic administrator. LaPerriere discussed the county’s treatment program for drug abuse, and the hardships that addicts and their families have to endure. “This is a heavy subject and I don’t plan on lightening it,” he began as he described the county’s treatment program. “When your children come to treatment, a whole lot of stuff has gone on. It is never a happy time when they come to us. What surprises me is that you (parents) are surprised when it happens.”
All of the speakers also agreed that marijuana is a serious problem in the valley as well. “A common misconception is that marijuana is innocuous,” said Hicks who then described weed as a gateway drug to other more harmful substances.
“I believe that marijuana is the drug that we see the most involved with our youth,” added Dunn.
All of the speakers stressed the importance of education and the resources in the community that can help people in a time of great need. Hicks referred to the S.A.F.E. Coalition, Help of Ojai and other organizations that can, at the very least, help point people in the right direction. Dunn reminded everyone that the Sheriff’s Department has an open door policy and anyone with concerns is welcome to come to the Ojai substation to speak with department personnel.
Other notable figures in attendance were Nordhoff High School principal Dan Musick, NHS assistant principal Susana Arce, Matilija Junior High School principal Emily Mostovoy, NHS health teacher Todd Dickey, Bruce Gladstone, Ph.D., and Cindy Cantle from County Supervisor Steve Bennett’s office. Bennett could not attend due to traveling conflicts.
“This is an issue that we are all really concerned about,” said Arce. “Trying to find treatment for the kids is very difficult. It’s a serious problem that we have with the state.”
The meeting adjourned after about an hour and a half, although people stayed and chatted long after the last words of the speakers. For more information on the county’s Alcohol and Drug Program, log on to vchca.org/bh/adp.
County Looking For Unlicensed Dogs
Citing protection of the public, county wants
dog owners to meet licensing requirements
By Logan Hall
The current fee for a Ventura County dog license is $20 for a spayed or neutered dog, and $75 for an unaltered dog. In order to obtain a current dog license, proof of a valid rabies vaccination must be submitted along with any fees that are due.
dog owners to meet licensing requirements
By Logan Hall
The Ventura County Animal Regulation Department is stepping up a campaign to enforce their dog licensing program. Animal regulation workers are going door to door in the Ojai Valley to gather information, issue notices, and hand out citations to violators. Although most citizens of Ventura County seem to be unaware of the current dog license law, the county is actively pursuing people who own dogs and have not licensed them.County Code Section 4411 states: “Every person who owns, harbors, or keeps any dog over the age of four months for 30 days or longer shall obtain a current license …”If a dog is found without a current license tag, the dog could be taken away from their owners and the owners themselves could land in the hot seat. County Code Section 4411 says: “A person who violates the provisions of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor. Any dog found without a current license tag may be taken up and impounded.”According to Bryan Bray, supervisor of the Ventura County Animal Services License Ambassador Team, the dog license code has been a law in Ventura County since the 1960s and is enforced on a regular basis. Although some perceive that the dog license push by the county is an attempt to gain revenue, others believe that it is necessary, and there are very good reasons for it. “You are required by law to have a license for your dog,” said Jolene Hoffman, the Ventura County Humane Society Ojai Shelter director, “and what it really comes down to is protection of the public.”Hoffman says that rabies outbreaks are of major concern to the county, and are a big reason to enforce the license law. “This is to make sure that dogs in the county have their rabies vaccinations,” continued Hoffman. “The main thing is that we don’t want a rabies outbreak, and this is how we can stop it from happening.”Often when issuing notices or citations, the county places the name of the animal on the notice itself. For some people, this raises the question of how their pet’s name was obtained. David Van Pelt from the Animal Clinic of Oak View says that the information is not obtained from their records. “We absolutely do not give out any personal information,” he said. Bray says the county has a database of all animals that were previously licensed in their system and they refer to that to gain the needed information. “We don’t obtain information from any of the neighbors,” he said. “Most of the time, the information comes from complaints or previous encounters.”There have been allegations from some dog owners that county workers, when conducting door-to-door inquiries, will question neighbors, look into back yards and have even been spotted looking through binoculars to check check animals for current license tags. Other times, residents of the valley have reported that notices are handed out by workers, driving county vehicles, that have no uniform or identification. “I’m well aware of what their uniforms look like,” said one Fierro Drive resident who had encountered the “ambassadors” and preferred to remain unnamed. “This guy didn’t look official to me.”
Despite this evidence, Bray again states that these reports are inaccurate. “All of our license ambassadors are county employees that wear a uniform and carry identification. If the person cannot provide proof of who they are, call local law enforcement immediately.”The current fee for a Ventura County dog license is $20 for a spayed or neutered dog, and $75 for an unaltered dog. In order to obtain a current dog license, proof of a valid rabies vaccination must be submitted along with any fees that are due.
Husband Arrested In Murder Of NHS Graduate
Authorities searching Lake Piru for body of Marcia (Litoff) ForsbergBy Logan Hall
1967 Nordhoff High School graduate Marcia Forsberg, who has been missing since February, is now believed by authorities to have been murdered by her husband, Richard Gustav Forsberg, 61, of Rancho Santa Margarita. Investigators are now searching for her body in the area of Lake Piru.
According to Jim Armormino, spokesman for the Orange County Sheriff’s Department Coroner’s Office, friends and family of Forsberg — some of whom are from Ojai — had reported earlier this year, that she had not been seen since February. In initial interviews, when asked the whereabouts of Forsberg, her husband had indicated she was with friends in Arizona. On a second attempt by authorities to question Forsberg’s husband, he was nowhere to be found until the Sheriff’s Department received a tip from Palm Springs Hospital. “We got a call last night from medical staff that he was in the hospital in Palm Springs,” said Armormino. “He had been treated for attempted suicide. During the interrogation he made incriminating statements implicating himself in the murder of his wife. We have found no motive at this time. Homicide detectives are now following a lead at Lake Piru.”
While authorities seem to be getting closer to a conclusion of the case, friends and family of Forsberg are beginning to get the answers to questions that have plagued them for months. “The entire story is just unfathomable,” said Forsberg’s brother Tony Litoff of Ventura. “Not having any knowledge of what happened made it feel like we were blowing in the wind. Knowing my sister and her husband’s personalities, this is a really big shock to everyone.”
Litoff said that he is grateful to the Orange County Sheriff’s Department for their efforts in the investigation. He also says that he appreciates the people who came forward with their concerns regarding Forsberg’s whereabouts. “My sister had a very tight-knit relationship with a handful of people that she graduated Nordhoff High with,” said Litoff. “I really want to praise her longtime friends that raised the questions that helped create the outcome.”
Richard Forsberg is now in custody in the Orange County
1967 Nordhoff High School graduate Marcia Forsberg, who has been missing since February, is now believed by authorities to have been murdered by her husband, Richard Gustav Forsberg, 61, of Rancho Santa Margarita. Investigators are now searching for her body in the area of Lake Piru.According to Jim Armormino, spokesman for the Orange County Sheriff’s Department Coroner’s Office, friends and family of Forsberg — some of whom are from Ojai — had reported earlier this year, that she had not been seen since February. In initial interviews, when asked the whereabouts of Forsberg, her husband had indicated she was with friends in Arizona. On a second attempt by authorities to question Forsberg’s husband, he was nowhere to be found until the Sheriff’s Department received a tip from Palm Springs Hospital. “We got a call last night from medical staff that he was in the hospital in Palm Springs,” said Armormino. “He had been treated for attempted suicide. During the interrogation he made incriminating statements implicating himself in the murder of his wife. We have found no motive at this time. Homicide detectives are now following a lead at Lake Piru.”While authorities seem to be getting closer to a conclusion of the case, friends and family of Forsberg are beginning to get the answers to questions that have plagued them for months. “The entire story is just unfathomable,” said Forsberg’s brother Tony Litoff of Ventura. “Not having any knowledge of what happened made it feel like we were blowing in the wind. Knowing my sister and her husband’s personalities, this is a really big shock to everyone.”Litoff said that he is grateful to the Orange County Sheriff’s Department for their efforts in the investigation. He also says that he appreciates the people who came forward with their concerns regarding Forsberg’s whereabouts. “My sister had a very tight-knit relationship with a handful of people that she graduated Nordhoff High with,” said Litoff. “I really want to praise her longtime friends that raised the questions that helped create the outcome.” Richard Forsberg is now in custody in the Orange CountyTree Down On Meiners Oaks Homes
A large live oak tree fell onto a house on the corner of Encinal Avenue and Mesa Drive in Meiners Oaks at about 2 p.m. Thursday, bringing down live power lines with it. A large part of the tree, which was situated on the property line of Scott and Cathy Titus, had landed directly on the house next door owned by Kevin Doss and Jodi Graff. According to officials, no injuries were reported, but six nearby homes were evacuated until the tree was stabilized by Mark Crane’s Tree and Arborist Service. The tree, which is shared by a neighboring property, split and a large section landed on the roof of the home.
Titus’ niece, Nicki Diaz, was in the house next door which is owned by Scott and Kathy Titus. “I heard a loud bang and everything was shaking,” said Diaz. “We normally have a lot of shade in our yard. All of a sudden, it got really light out.”
Crane’s Tree Service was called in to begin the tree’s removal process and with a crew of six, had much of the debris cleared by nightfall. “The tree had gone through a heavy transpiration process,” said Mark Crane, who owns the business. According to Crane, transpiration involves the tree taking in large amounts of water from the ground. As the water is brought up to the tree’s canopy, the weight becomes to much for the roots to handle, and the tree falls. Ojai Valley’s oak trees are more susceptible to transpiration when the temperatures rise when the tree needs to bring up more water.
Fire crews from Meiners Oaks Fire Station 22 arrived on scene and provided assistance for the neighborhood. “We had to evacuate people from the homes that were near the tree,” said Captain Bob Myers. “Everyone is back now though. Crane’s Tree Service and T&T Crane did a great job out here cleaning this up.”
The Titus family has had to pick up the cost of the Crane as well as the lighting system that illuminated the work area. According to Cathy Titus, the County of Ventura is making the family foot the bill. “It cost us $10,000 to get the crane here,” she said. “The County said we had to pay for the lights as well. We are really mad about it.”
Crews workedf well into the night to remove remaining pieces of the oak.
Good Lord
By Bill Buchanan
Just when you think, “Well, that is the stupidest thing I have ever heard allegedly done in the name of religion,” someone comes along and trumps it.
I refer to the folks at the Dove World Outreach Center, a nondenominational church in Gainesville, Fla., who plan to host an “International Burn a Quran Day.” They say the event is to “remember 9/11 victims and take a stand against Islam,” which the minister of the congregation calls a religion “of the devil.”
What could be less Christian than that? Exactly how does burning a book that another religion recognizes as holy promote and advance your own religious views? How does burning the Quran (Koran) foster anything but separatism and intolerance? And what is the purpose? Are they trying to convert others? Do they think people will look at this act and say, “Wow, what a great idea, let’s go join up with this progressive group”?
I was also curious about how you would invite people to one of these things. Do you issue an invitation like it was a church social? Would you look down in the church bulletin one Sunday and see something like:
Event: Burning the Quran
Date: 9/11 (of course)
Time: 6 to 9 p.m.
Place: In the big fire pit out behind the church
Food/Drink: Fire and brimstone served from 6 to 7 p.m.
Dress: Flame-retardant casual
Special Note: Coffee mugs and T-shirts available in the foyer
Now I am not saying that the folks at Dove World Outreach don’t have the right to do this. Our Constitution provides the right for our citizens to do pretty much anything within reason to peacefully demonstrate for or against any cause — no matter how stupid it may make the participant look. In fact, the right to look ignorant and stupid is one of our most precious freedoms —- or at least, one of the most frequently used ones. My favorite example of this is the guy who has that church in Kansas who goes to soldiers’ funerals, and holds up signs saying that the death of this brave young man or woman is God’s punishment for people being gay. I’m afraid if I was at the funeral of a relative or friend who gave their life for this country and in the middle of the ceremony, I heard some idiot yelling and holding a sign saying this was somehow justified, I might have to take umbrage —- which might well take the form of getting a tire tool out of the trunk and wearing it out over his head.
Perhaps one of the problems with religious zealots is that they are so busy waving the Bible around they fail to pull it down and actually read what it says. In the 22nd Chapter of the Book of Matthew, Jesus is asked what is the greatest commandment? He replies, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.” This is the first and great commandment. A second likewise is this, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
The line above does not come with any caveats. Jesus does not say, “Love your neighbor as yourself — unless he is Jewish, or Muslim.” He doesn’t say, “Love your neighbor as yourself — unless he is black.” And he doesn’t say, “Love your neighbor as yourself — unless he is gay.”
It is simply, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” And that is good advice for us all, no matter what you believe.—
Just when you think, “Well, that is the stupidest thing I have ever heard allegedly done in the name of religion,” someone comes along and trumps it.
I refer to the folks at the Dove World Outreach Center, a nondenominational church in Gainesville, Fla., who plan to host an “International Burn a Quran Day.” They say the event is to “remember 9/11 victims and take a stand against Islam,” which the minister of the congregation calls a religion “of the devil.”
What could be less Christian than that? Exactly how does burning a book that another religion recognizes as holy promote and advance your own religious views? How does burning the Quran (Koran) foster anything but separatism and intolerance? And what is the purpose? Are they trying to convert others? Do they think people will look at this act and say, “Wow, what a great idea, let’s go join up with this progressive group”?
I was also curious about how you would invite people to one of these things. Do you issue an invitation like it was a church social? Would you look down in the church bulletin one Sunday and see something like:
Event: Burning the Quran
Date: 9/11 (of course)
Time: 6 to 9 p.m.
Place: In the big fire pit out behind the church
Food/Drink: Fire and brimstone served from 6 to 7 p.m.
Dress: Flame-retardant casual
Special Note: Coffee mugs and T-shirts available in the foyer
Now I am not saying that the folks at Dove World Outreach don’t have the right to do this. Our Constitution provides the right for our citizens to do pretty much anything within reason to peacefully demonstrate for or against any cause — no matter how stupid it may make the participant look. In fact, the right to look ignorant and stupid is one of our most precious freedoms —- or at least, one of the most frequently used ones. My favorite example of this is the guy who has that church in Kansas who goes to soldiers’ funerals, and holds up signs saying that the death of this brave young man or woman is God’s punishment for people being gay. I’m afraid if I was at the funeral of a relative or friend who gave their life for this country and in the middle of the ceremony, I heard some idiot yelling and holding a sign saying this was somehow justified, I might have to take umbrage —- which might well take the form of getting a tire tool out of the trunk and wearing it out over his head.
Perhaps one of the problems with religious zealots is that they are so busy waving the Bible around they fail to pull it down and actually read what it says. In the 22nd Chapter of the Book of Matthew, Jesus is asked what is the greatest commandment? He replies, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.” This is the first and great commandment. A second likewise is this, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
The line above does not come with any caveats. Jesus does not say, “Love your neighbor as yourself — unless he is Jewish, or Muslim.” He doesn’t say, “Love your neighbor as yourself — unless he is black.” And he doesn’t say, “Love your neighbor as yourself — unless he is gay.”
It is simply, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” And that is good advice for us all, no matter what you believe.—
Kersnar’s Dismissal Official
By Mary M. Long
On July 22, the City Council voted unanimously to place city manager Jere Kersnar on paid administrative leave. On Tuesday, Aug. 24, the council met in closed session and made an announcement after the meeting that they will proceed into a separation agreement with Kersnar. The decision to hire John Baker as interim city manager was made by the City Council. According to Mayor Steve Olsen the council was unanimous in their approval of Baker. Baker’s rate of pay is $65 per hour with no benefits. It is expected that the arrangement with Baker will continue until a permanent city manager is hired. Baker served as interim manager in 2005 prior to the hiring of Jere Kersnar when the contract with Dan Singer was not renewed.
On July 22, the City Council voted unanimously to place city manager Jere Kersnar on paid administrative leave. On Tuesday, Aug. 24, the council met in closed session and made an announcement after the meeting that they will proceed into a separation agreement with Kersnar. The decision to hire John Baker as interim city manager was made by the City Council. According to Mayor Steve Olsen the council was unanimous in their approval of Baker. Baker’s rate of pay is $65 per hour with no benefits. It is expected that the arrangement with Baker will continue until a permanent city manager is hired. Baker served as interim manager in 2005 prior to the hiring of Jere Kersnar when the contract with Dan Singer was not renewed.
Council Hears Skate, Bowl Updates
Project on schedule despite discovery of drainage channel
By Mary M. Long
By Mary M. Long
A sense of accomplishment filled the air Tuesday at City Hall as reports were submitted on the city’s two biggest projects, the Skate Park and the rebuilding of Libbey Bowl.Updates on the construction of Ojai’s Skate Park came in from Skate Ojai representative Bob Daddi, who thanked interim city manager John Baker for taking on management of the project. The major features of the park have been poured and it remains only for the concrete to cure at least 30 days before the park has a skateable surface. According to Daddi, the bowl coping is being finished and, “everything is going down the way it’s supposed to.”Daddi thanked the council, but at the same time reminded them that they had taken years working on the project. and that Skate Ojai intended to do more fund raising at the end of the project to pay for some enhancements for the park. Daddi also thanked the supporters of Skate Ojai for seeing the “daunting task” to completion. The last apparent hurdle for the skate park is the installation of the rest rooms, which they are trying to get on public sewer.Skate Ojai found an ally at the meeting in Neva Williams, who said she thought that a sewer hookup was a terrific idea and that she had taken the opportunity to attend the last Sanitation District board of directors meeting. Williams said she asked them directly to waive the fees as a good will gesture to the youth of Ojai. She added she hoped that others would keep the momentum going on her appeal and that she hoped Baker would reinforce her suggestion. “I think they will take it under consideration,” Williams said.While she had the floor, Williams formally thanked the council for “relieving Mr. Kersnar of his duties as city manager.” Public Works director Mike Culver reported that the Libbey Bowl construction project was well under way, but that they had hit a snag when they discovered a small drainage channel behind the building, which had been missed in their preconstruction biological study. This was found to be under the jurisdiction of the California Department of Fish and Game, which requires the involvement of the Army Corps of Engineers and the Regional Water Board. With a change of biologists, Culver said they were able to expedite the permit process and complete in three weeks what normally takes three months. The end result is that they lost about 21 days in the construction schedule, but he doesn’t believe that it will impact the completion date of the bowl. “We will be coming on time,” Culver promised.Culver provided photos taken of the demolition process, which had a bittersweet taste to many in the audience who cheered and groaned as he related the destruction process of the aging and fragile shell. Pointing out the cracker-box construction of the old dressing rooms, which were the first to go, he explained that, even in August, there was 6 inches of standing water found under the building. “That explains why the floor was rotting out and why we kept having to replace it,” Culver said, adding that it was even more proof why the bowl needed to be replaced. The only real lament that was heard was from City Council candidate Dennis Leary who said he “had a completely different emotional reaction to the photos and was shocked to hear people cheering since he felt like he had been to a funeral.” Culver said for those who had missed the activities, the video of the Libbey Bowl demolition could be found on Youtube. Wrapping up the summary of Libbey Bowl construction, Culver brought to the council the monthly accounting of the funding to date.Total budget, including the alternatives, which were approved by the council, stands at $3,908,600. Funding is coming from the $820,000 allocated from the city, with the remaining $3,202,558 coming from the community fund-raising efforts. The actually total amount of cash in pledges that have been identified by the fundraisers to date is $3,202,558, although $100,000 of that will go to cover the cost of the fund-raising campaign. That leaves actual funding of $3,102.558, which exceeds what is needed to complete the project as it currently stands by $13,958.00. As to actual cash in hand, the figure in the bank as of July 31 was $1,240,000. Combining that with the city’s $820,000 the total available funds for the project in fully secured funding is $2,060,000. At this point the total of expenditures is sitting at $570,724, so according to Culver, “We’re not even close to dipping into the reserves. Assuming all those pledges come in there will be plenty of money to finish the project,” Culver said. Several attempts were made after the meeting to secure the name of the new soil engineer for the project. According to Baker, they have to do some excavation and bring in rock to provide a more stable base for the bowl. “As it’s been explained to me,” he said, “the problem is in the quality of the sub-earth, and its ability to hold the bowl that is going to be constructed there.” The soil engineering service that has been brought in was identified as Earth Systems Consulting, which is the same company that is handling the soil engineering for the Skate Park. The additional work on the foundation is still remaining within the bowl budget, according to Baker. With school starting up, the issue of safety was a point of topic on several fronts. With OUSD funding cuts unfortunately limiting the school resource officer to part time, it has at least allowed funds from the Cops Grant Funds to bring back the bicycle patrol for downtown Ojai. Police Chief Chris Dunn said that people seemed to respond well to the “more approachable” officer and that the soft uniform of shorts and a polo shirt seemed to created a better rapport with the public. He said that several citations had been given over the weekend, and the patrol should have a positive effect on city security. Safety for schoolchildren is also a concern of the Complete Streets Subcommittee, which has just completed the application of sharrows striping on Grand Avenue. Along with the beefed-up back-to-school traffic control by the Police Department, the Complete Streets Subcommittee is promising to explore the possibilities of making bike travel safer though the Arbolada. According to Complete Streets representative Suza Francina, Matilija has been steering the after-school bike traffic of its students down the narrow pedestrian path on Ojai Avenue since they have decided that it’s too dangerous for the students to pedal home through the Arbolada. Daddi has promised that he will walk the route with Francina to help find a solution to the shrinking of the Arbolada streets, which have become narrowed through the encroachment of landscaping and inattention to preserving the original easements for foot and equestrian traffic.
Other topics that were discussed during the evening were the possibility of reviewing the Chain Store Ordinance. This was strongly opposed by city attorney Monte Widders and Carol Smith, who felt confident that the ordinance was doing its job and had been well thought out before it was implemented. Paul Blatz’s concept of a blighted building ordinance also came up for discussion, with positive reception and will be a subject of further study. At the close of the meeting Mayor Steve Olsen took a moment to remember the three tragedies that had occurred since their last meeting and asked that the gathering close in memory of Cody Doolittle, Jerry Myers, and Michael Ferrante.County Calls Meeting To Address Drug Abuse
Use of legal, illegal substances major concern to health officials
By Logan Hall
The phrase, “Just say no to drugs,” seems to be easier said than done for many people throughout the world. In the Ojai Valley, drug abuse is a constant issue. Over the years, Ojai has seen many of its residents — especially the valley’s youth — succumb to the pitfalls of drug abuse. Many times, the sacrifice has been death and the devastation that it leaves with family, friends, and the community as a whole. Friends and families of addicts can often feel helpless when trying to figure out the best way to approach the situation.
The Alcohol and Drug Program, part of Ventura County’s Behavioral Health Program, will hold a meeting in Ojai at Chaparral Auditorium on Wednesday at 6 p.m. to help educate the community about the ongoing issue of drug use involving the valley’s young citizens. According to the ADP, the meeting will be geared toward educating the community about drug abuse and the causes that lead to it. The focus will be directed toward parents and how they can help their kids find other ways to deal with the negative aspects of life.
“We are going to explore with parents and the community about the risks and realities of substance abuse,” said ADP’s division manager Patrick Zarate. “Studies indicate that parents are the primary source of direction and influence that kids receive. Our goal is to raise awareness and get information out there.”
Bruce Gladstone, Ph.D., has years of experience with the valley’s youth, and is no stranger to the issues that kids face every day. While Gladstone believes that town meetings are a good thing for communities, he believes that the issue requires much more. “The problem is systemic,” he said. “We have an epidemic of drug abuse and it’s not going away. The problem is, these people that attend the meetings will take in what they hear, but after awhile, they push the snooze button and go back to sleep.”
Gladstone, who plans on attending the meeting, believes schools need to be more involved in drug prevention and awareness. He agrees that people need to learn how to live life without turning to substance use, but parents shouldn’t be the only source of drug abuse education in a youth’s life. “The key is education on a larger scale,” he continued. “Town meetings are important, but unless it gets into the educational system, not much will change. We need to really teach these kids how to cope with the difficult parts of life without turning to substance abuse. It’s a struggle because a lot of parents don’t have the time, energy or desire to be involved. Some parents have problems with substance abuse themselves. The kids need to know the downfalls of drugs and they need to grow up with that knowledge, starting at an early age.”
The ADP will have experts speak at the meeting, including their prevention manager Dan Hicks, and they expect a broad turnout of people who will represent the Ojai Valley. Ojai Police Chief Chris Dunn will be on hand to represent the law enforcement community. “I want to show support for what they (ADP) are trying to do,” said Dunn. “I will be there to answer law enforcement questions and put out some statistics. I also want to let the community know that we can always be a contact to direct people to the right place if they need help.”
One of the things that attendees can expect is a chance to find out where the local contacts are who can help with drug abuse prevention and education. “The valley has a number of resources that people can access,” said Zarate, “including the Youth Foundation, Safe Coalition and Help of Ojai. We are really targeting parents who want to connect to resources.”
For more information on the ADP go to vchca.org/bh/adp.
By Logan Hall
The phrase, “Just say no to drugs,” seems to be easier said than done for many people throughout the world. In the Ojai Valley, drug abuse is a constant issue. Over the years, Ojai has seen many of its residents — especially the valley’s youth — succumb to the pitfalls of drug abuse. Many times, the sacrifice has been death and the devastation that it leaves with family, friends, and the community as a whole. Friends and families of addicts can often feel helpless when trying to figure out the best way to approach the situation.
The Alcohol and Drug Program, part of Ventura County’s Behavioral Health Program, will hold a meeting in Ojai at Chaparral Auditorium on Wednesday at 6 p.m. to help educate the community about the ongoing issue of drug use involving the valley’s young citizens. According to the ADP, the meeting will be geared toward educating the community about drug abuse and the causes that lead to it. The focus will be directed toward parents and how they can help their kids find other ways to deal with the negative aspects of life.
“We are going to explore with parents and the community about the risks and realities of substance abuse,” said ADP’s division manager Patrick Zarate. “Studies indicate that parents are the primary source of direction and influence that kids receive. Our goal is to raise awareness and get information out there.”
Bruce Gladstone, Ph.D., has years of experience with the valley’s youth, and is no stranger to the issues that kids face every day. While Gladstone believes that town meetings are a good thing for communities, he believes that the issue requires much more. “The problem is systemic,” he said. “We have an epidemic of drug abuse and it’s not going away. The problem is, these people that attend the meetings will take in what they hear, but after awhile, they push the snooze button and go back to sleep.”
Gladstone, who plans on attending the meeting, believes schools need to be more involved in drug prevention and awareness. He agrees that people need to learn how to live life without turning to substance use, but parents shouldn’t be the only source of drug abuse education in a youth’s life. “The key is education on a larger scale,” he continued. “Town meetings are important, but unless it gets into the educational system, not much will change. We need to really teach these kids how to cope with the difficult parts of life without turning to substance abuse. It’s a struggle because a lot of parents don’t have the time, energy or desire to be involved. Some parents have problems with substance abuse themselves. The kids need to know the downfalls of drugs and they need to grow up with that knowledge, starting at an early age.”
The ADP will have experts speak at the meeting, including their prevention manager Dan Hicks, and they expect a broad turnout of people who will represent the Ojai Valley. Ojai Police Chief Chris Dunn will be on hand to represent the law enforcement community. “I want to show support for what they (ADP) are trying to do,” said Dunn. “I will be there to answer law enforcement questions and put out some statistics. I also want to let the community know that we can always be a contact to direct people to the right place if they need help.”
One of the things that attendees can expect is a chance to find out where the local contacts are who can help with drug abuse prevention and education. “The valley has a number of resources that people can access,” said Zarate, “including the Youth Foundation, Safe Coalition and Help of Ojai. We are really targeting parents who want to connect to resources.”
For more information on the ADP go to vchca.org/bh/adp.
Micah’s March To Benefit SMA
Illness doesn’t stop local tyke from enjoying life
By Misty Volaski
Still, the family wants Micah to experience the world as much as possible. Not surprisingly, it takes the family about an hour just to get Micah and his equipment ready before leaving the house. “It takes a lot,” Marshall said. “We have his battery, his breathing machine, his medical-grade stroller, his suction, an oxygen tank. We have to make sure it’s not too hot or cold outside — the equipment has to stay cool. But we don’t want to keep him home because he’s sick. We want him to be part of everything we can.”
That includes trips to the park, to visit family, even camping.
“I have to thank everybody, especially from our family,” Chelsea said. “This is all just amazing, the love everyone has shown us. We could not have made it this far without everybody.”
For more information about the Marshalls and their fight, visit micahsmarchinfo.blogspot.com. For more information on SMA and to donate to GSF, visit GwendolynStrongFoundation.org.
By Misty Volaski
Micah Marshall can’t eat, move or breathe easily.But according to his mom, Chelsea, he’s still very much a 2-year-old.“He’s very funny!” she said. “He sticks his tongue out and blows raspberries. He can smile with his eyes, and he rolls his eyes a lot, because he knows it makes us laugh. He can’t make words, but he will holler at you. And when he gets mad, he frowns his eyebrows at you, or he will just close his eyes. He has that 2-year-old attitude all right!”These milestones, doctors told the Marshalls, were something they would probably never get to experience with their youngest son. When Micah was diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy at 6 months old, “They told us he would live 9 to 18 months, max,” said Marshall. “But he turned 2 in June! And he is dong really well right now for what he is dealing with.”Micah has SMA, Type 1, which means his illness is terminal. There is neither treatment nor a cure for SMA, although the National Institutes of Health selected SMA as the neurological disease closest to treatment.For their son and for others like him, the Marshalls —- Chelsea, her husband Don and 5-year-old son Joseph, along with numerous friends and family — are hosting the second annual Micah’s March event this Saturday. After a 5K walk, participants will return to Ojai Valley Baptist Church for a barbecue, music and silent auction. Last year’s event earned $12,500 for Unite for the Cure. This year, the Marshalls are donating to the Gwendolyn Strong Foundation, which is raises money for promising gene therapy research.With almost 200 participants already registered for the 5K (double last year’s number) this year’s event should raise just as much or more. The silent auction will include four Dodger tickets (with parking), a round of golf at Soule Park (four people, two carts), haircuts, photo sessions, facials, ceramics, karate lessons, gift certificates and home decor, and more. Funds and auction items were donated by Contempo Hair Design, Ojai Pizza, Soleil Tanning, Ojai Community Bank, Chisum’s Floor Coverings, Brooks Chimney Sweep, The Wharf, Dr. Eggebraten, Coastal Pediatrics, and many others.The journey SMA has taken the Marshalls on, while difficult, has come with unexpected blessings.“At first (Micah’s diagnosis) crushed us all,” Marshall said. “We’d never seen anything like this in either of our families. But it’s been an incredible learning experience. It’s drawn our entire family closer together. And you can tell, he’s a happy kid. It’s amazing that he can be so sick and still be so happy. He absolutely adores his big brother, loves to be outside, loves to be snuggled. He’s just this amazing child who has taught us all so much about really appreciating every little thing.”
But SMA makes the Marshalls earn each one of those little moments. A look at their daily to-do list shows a slurry of machines, procedures and medications that consume each day from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. The family has spent the last two Thanksgivings in the hospital, and with school starting this week for Joseph, that means the Marshalls must be extra careful about germs. “Micah’s immune system is fine,” Chelsea said, “but if a bug gets into his lungs, he can’t cough it out like most people,” which can be very dangerous for him.Still, the family wants Micah to experience the world as much as possible. Not surprisingly, it takes the family about an hour just to get Micah and his equipment ready before leaving the house. “It takes a lot,” Marshall said. “We have his battery, his breathing machine, his medical-grade stroller, his suction, an oxygen tank. We have to make sure it’s not too hot or cold outside — the equipment has to stay cool. But we don’t want to keep him home because he’s sick. We want him to be part of everything we can.”
That includes trips to the park, to visit family, even camping.
“I have to thank everybody, especially from our family,” Chelsea said. “This is all just amazing, the love everyone has shown us. We could not have made it this far without everybody.”
For more information about the Marshalls and their fight, visit micahsmarchinfo.blogspot.com. For more information on SMA and to donate to GSF, visit GwendolynStrongFoundation.org.
Cessna Crashes On Golf Course
Pilot Mark King walks away from this Cessna 182 that crashed Monday afternoon on the 12th fairway at Soule Park. Photo by Logan Hall
A single-engine Cessna 182 registered to Ojai resident Bill Burr, crashed on the 12th hole at Soule Park Golf Course Monday at about 5:10 p.m. Pilot Mark King suffered minor cuts and scratches, and declined transport to the hospital. King said he was flying into Santa Paula Airport from Sacramento.
Norm Van Wieren and Adrian Frape were on the 12th hole, playing golf when they saw the Cessna overhead.
“We were on the tee box on 12 and we saw him above us at probably 1,000 feet,” said Van Wieren. “We heard the engine sputtering and thought he was training. After we hit our shots, we could hear him trying to start the engine back up.” It was then that the two golfers knew something was wrong.
“When he was coming down, I thought he was going to land on hole 11 into the wind,” said Frape, “but he banked right and to try to make it to 12 when he clipped the tree.”
“We got to the crash site within seconds,” continued Van Wieren. “I saw the door kick open and he crawled out alive. I asked him if he was OK and he said ‘Ya, I’m alright.’ We couldn’t believe he was OK.”
Also golfing close by, was
A single-engine Cessna 182 registered to Ojai resident Bill Burr, crashed on the 12th hole at Soule Park Golf Course Monday at about 5:10 p.m. Pilot Mark King suffered minor cuts and scratches, and declined transport to the hospital. King said he was flying into Santa Paula Airport from Sacramento.Norm Van Wieren and Adrian Frape were on the 12th hole, playing golf when they saw the Cessna overhead. “We were on the tee box on 12 and we saw him above us at probably 1,000 feet,” said Van Wieren. “We heard the engine sputtering and thought he was training. After we hit our shots, we could hear him trying to start the engine back up.” It was then that the two golfers knew something was wrong.“When he was coming down, I thought he was going to land on hole 11 into the wind,” said Frape, “but he banked right and to try to make it to 12 when he clipped the tree.”“We got to the crash site within seconds,” continued Van Wieren. “I saw the door kick open and he crawled out alive. I asked him if he was OK and he said ‘Ya, I’m alright.’ We couldn’t believe he was OK.”Also golfing close by, was Justin Rhoades on the 13th tee box about to tee off when he saw the plane heading for the open areas of the course. “He started getting really low,” said Rhoades, who was golfing with a friend. “He was coming in too fast and started to turn when his wing clipped a tree and he just came down. I dropped my bag and we started running. When we came up to the plane, he (King) was just crawling out and he was looking for his glasses. We were asking him if he was alright, but he couldn’t really hear us at first.”King was walking around and making cell phone calls when emergency crews arrived on scene. “I remember it hitting the tree and coming down,” said King. “I’m just glad I’m here talking about it.”
Witnesses said that the plane was gliding without engine power as it came down. There was a general consensus on the ground of disbelief that he walked away from the crash. “When we saw him comming down, we thought the worst,” said Mike Bryant, who was playing a round of golf with friends. “I’m just stoked to see the guy walk away.”
Van Wieren and Frape were also glad to see that King survived relatively unharmed. “I’m happy he made it out alive,” said Frape. “When we got there, it did not look good. The guy was lucky. Really, really lucky.”
The Ventura County Fire Department and Sheriff’s Department responded quickly and cordoned off the scene.
The crash is being investigated by the National Transportation Safety Board.
Fire Damages Oak View Home
Firefighters have the blaze under control as smoke still lifts from hotspots in the garage which was destroyed by the flames
“At this point we are still trying to determine the cause of the fire,” said Battalion Chief Mike Milkovich, “but we haven’t found anything suspicious.”
Glenda Strosnider and Gerry Bradberry from the American Red Cross were on scene to help those affected, but friends of the home’s occupants had already offered accommodations and assistance.
F.D.I.C. Closes Los Padres Bank
By Lenny Roberts
Ojai’s Los Padres Bank was one of 14 branches closed Friday by the Office of Thrift Supervision, which appointed the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation as receiver.
According to a press release issued Friday, the FDIC entered into a purchase and assumption agreement with Pacific Western Bank, San Diego, to assume all of the deposits of Los Padres Bank based in Solvang to protect the depositors.
Tom Farmer, vice president of business development, said it’s business as usual, and the bank’s five full- and part-time employees will remain.
“We don’t anticipate any staff changes at all,” Farmer said Tuesday afternoon. “Pacific Western is a strong bank. It’s the 14th largest commercial bank in the state, and we’re very optimistic. I’m excited about this.”
All 14 branches of Los Padres Bank reopened Monday as branches of Pacific Western Bank. Depositors of Los Padres Bank will automatically become depositors of Pacific Western Bank, and will continue to be insured by the FDIC, so there is no need for customers to change their banking relationship in order to retain their deposit insurance coverage. Customers of Los Padres Bank should continue to use their existing branch until they receive notice from Pacific Western Bank that it has completed systems changes to allow other Pacific Western Bank branches to process their accounts as well.
Depositors of Los Padres Bank can access their money by writing checks or using ATM or debit cards, and checks drawn on the bank will continue to be processed. Loan customers should continue to make their payments as usual.
As of June 30, 2010, Los Padres Bank had approximately $870.4 million in total assets and $770.7 million in total deposits. Pacific Western Bank will pay the FDIC a premium of 0.45 percent to assume all of the deposits of Los Padres Bank. In addition to assuming all of the deposits of the failed bank, Pacific Western Bank agreed to purchase essentially all of the assets.
The FDIC and Pacific Western Bank entered into a loss-share transaction on $579.8 million of Los Padres Bank’s assets. Pacific Western Bank will share in the losses on the asset pools covered under the loss-share agreement. The loss-share transaction is projected to maximize returns on the assets covered by keeping them in the private sector. The transaction also is expected to minimize disruptions for loan customers.
The FDIC estimates that the cost to the Deposit Insurance Fund will be $8.7 million. Compared to other alternatives, Pacific Western Bank’s acquisition was the least costly resolution for the FDIC’s DIF. Los Padres Bank is the 117th FDIC-insured institution to fail in the nation this year, and the eighth in California. The last FDIC-insured institution closed in the state was Butte Community Bank, Chico, which also closed Friday.
Ojai’s Los Padres Bank was one of 14 branches closed Friday by the Office of Thrift Supervision, which appointed the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation as receiver.
According to a press release issued Friday, the FDIC entered into a purchase and assumption agreement with Pacific Western Bank, San Diego, to assume all of the deposits of Los Padres Bank based in Solvang to protect the depositors.
Tom Farmer, vice president of business development, said it’s business as usual, and the bank’s five full- and part-time employees will remain.
“We don’t anticipate any staff changes at all,” Farmer said Tuesday afternoon. “Pacific Western is a strong bank. It’s the 14th largest commercial bank in the state, and we’re very optimistic. I’m excited about this.”
All 14 branches of Los Padres Bank reopened Monday as branches of Pacific Western Bank. Depositors of Los Padres Bank will automatically become depositors of Pacific Western Bank, and will continue to be insured by the FDIC, so there is no need for customers to change their banking relationship in order to retain their deposit insurance coverage. Customers of Los Padres Bank should continue to use their existing branch until they receive notice from Pacific Western Bank that it has completed systems changes to allow other Pacific Western Bank branches to process their accounts as well.
Depositors of Los Padres Bank can access their money by writing checks or using ATM or debit cards, and checks drawn on the bank will continue to be processed. Loan customers should continue to make their payments as usual.
As of June 30, 2010, Los Padres Bank had approximately $870.4 million in total assets and $770.7 million in total deposits. Pacific Western Bank will pay the FDIC a premium of 0.45 percent to assume all of the deposits of Los Padres Bank. In addition to assuming all of the deposits of the failed bank, Pacific Western Bank agreed to purchase essentially all of the assets.
The FDIC and Pacific Western Bank entered into a loss-share transaction on $579.8 million of Los Padres Bank’s assets. Pacific Western Bank will share in the losses on the asset pools covered under the loss-share agreement. The loss-share transaction is projected to maximize returns on the assets covered by keeping them in the private sector. The transaction also is expected to minimize disruptions for loan customers.
The FDIC estimates that the cost to the Deposit Insurance Fund will be $8.7 million. Compared to other alternatives, Pacific Western Bank’s acquisition was the least costly resolution for the FDIC’s DIF. Los Padres Bank is the 117th FDIC-insured institution to fail in the nation this year, and the eighth in California. The last FDIC-insured institution closed in the state was Butte Community Bank, Chico, which also closed Friday.
Vehicle Burglary Suspects Arrested
OJAI POLICE DEPARTMENT
Location: Ojai Valley Area (Ventura County)
Date & Time: 8/10/2010 to 8/17/2010
Units Responsible: Ojai Valley Sheriff’s Station Patrol
ARRESTED:
Williams, David, 26
Transient in the Ojai Valley
Bridget Campbell, 21
Transient in the Ojai Valley
Narrative:During the past two weeks the Ojai Valley has been plagued with several vehicle burglaries and thefts from vehicles. It was reported that a small red Toyota sedan was possibly involved in the thefts. Residents of the Ojai Valley assisted in helping the Ojai Valley deputies identify the suspects in the thefts by calling law enforcement for suspicious activity.
On 08/17/2010, the Sheriff’s Department Dispatch received several calls that involved a red Toyota sedan occupied by a male and female subject in the vehicle. During the investigation deputies located the two subjects and they were arrested for possession of stolen property and using a stolen credit card at a local restaurant. Stolen property from the Ojai Valley and the City of Santa Barbara was found in the vehicle. Some of the stolen property has been identified by victims and returned to them.
Both suspects were booked at the Ventura County Jail. Bail was set at $10,000 and $30,000.
MEDIA RELEASE
Nature of Incident: Possession of Stolen Property and Fraudulent Use of an Access CardLocation: Ojai Valley Area (Ventura County)
Date & Time: 8/10/2010 to 8/17/2010
Units Responsible: Ojai Valley Sheriff’s Station Patrol
ARRESTED:
Williams, David, 26
Transient in the Ojai Valley
Bridget Campbell, 21
Transient in the Ojai Valley
Narrative:During the past two weeks the Ojai Valley has been plagued with several vehicle burglaries and thefts from vehicles. It was reported that a small red Toyota sedan was possibly involved in the thefts. Residents of the Ojai Valley assisted in helping the Ojai Valley deputies identify the suspects in the thefts by calling law enforcement for suspicious activity.
On 08/17/2010, the Sheriff’s Department Dispatch received several calls that involved a red Toyota sedan occupied by a male and female subject in the vehicle. During the investigation deputies located the two subjects and they were arrested for possession of stolen property and using a stolen credit card at a local restaurant. Stolen property from the Ojai Valley and the City of Santa Barbara was found in the vehicle. Some of the stolen property has been identified by victims and returned to them.
Both suspects were booked at the Ventura County Jail. Bail was set at $10,000 and $30,000.
Officer Preparing Release: Detective Mark Burgess. Ojai Valley Substation-Investigations
Cops Step Up Traffic Enforcement
MEDIA RELEASE
Nature of Incident: Increased Traffic Enforcement
Location: Areas around Ojai Valley Schools
Date & Time: Beginning August 24, 2010
Unit Responsible: Ojai Valley Station Traffic
With the new school year upon us, we wish for it to begin safely for the children as they find their way to and from their schools. The Ojai Police Department will be patrolling the areas around the schools and enforcing violations observed.
Many of the children will be finding their way to school on their bicycles. We wish to have the drivers make a conscious effort to be attentive to this fact. Parents of the children riding bicycles must make every effort to ensure their child’s safety as well.
It is required by law that all children under the age of 18 wear a safety helmet while riding. It is also required that bicycle riders ride with the direction of traffic, not against it. We have observed many bicyclists not stopping at intersections as required and riding on the sidewalks along Ojai Avenue where it is prohibited by Ojai city ordinance.
Many of the violations that have been observed / enforced are listed below:
- Speeding in the school area when students are present. The speed limit in a “SCHOOL ZONE” is 25 mph unless other wise posted.
- Passing school buses when red lights are flashing and stop signs are displayed. This is required for drivers on both sides of a roadway, unless there are more than one lane in each direction and a median separating the traffic lanes.
- Failing to yield the right of way to pedestrians within a crosswalk. It is also the responsibility of the pedestrians to remain in a location until it is safe to enter the crosswalk.
- Drivers parking / stopping in areas where it is prohibited by posted signs. This is a large problem on El Paseo, in the area of Matilija Junior High School and Ojai Valley School.
- Failing to stop for stop signs or red traffic signals and pedestrian control signals.
- Talking on the phone while driving. Adult drivers, 18 yrs and older, are required to use a hands free device. Drivers under the age of 18 cannot use any cellular phone devices. Texting while driving is also prohibited.
Safety for the children is everyone’s responsibility. Don’t get caught up in the high-speed daily activities and fail to see the children on their way to school. We can all do our part to become part of the solution, rather than part of the problem. Drive and ride safely.
Officer Preparing Release: Senior Deputy Jim Popp
Approved By: Sergeant J.P.Ruby #1852
OUSD Eliminates NHS Afternoon Buses
Rides will be stopped after Sept. 17
as budget cuts take yet another toll
By Misty Volaski
as budget cuts take yet another toll
By Misty Volaski
Reader Davy Millard got an unwanted surprise a week ago when he and his son opened a Nordhoff High School information packet for the 2010-2011 school year.
Nordhoff, they read, will no longer be offering bus transportation in the afternoons. With dad at work in Simi Valley, that means Millard’s son must now find a new way to get from Nordhoff to his home off Encino Drive.
School starts Tuesday — which doesn’t leave Millard much time to find an alternative.
Wednesday afternoon, NHS principal Dan Musick initially said that the note in the information packet was meant as a “reminder” to parents, not as a first notification.
“We were simply reminding parents of a decision made by our board last spring,” said Musick. “I guess there apparently have been people thinking — the community thinking —they’re just hearing it for the first time, but in my mind this is something we’ve known for the last three months. So we just put the info out a couple weeks ago as a reminder.”
When asked whether the parents were formally notified by the school before the information packet was mailed, Musick conceded that NHS “didn’t do a specific mailer” about the transportation change.
However, Ojai Unified School District superintendent Hank Bangser said Thursday morning that “after talking with Dan and (transportation director) Eric Ordway, in my opinion … it would’ve been difficult for people to have followed the conversation about it in the public forum. Dan did a phone message home last week. (But) In our opinion, that was not sufficient time to make adjustments in getting their students home.”
Musick, Bangser continued, will send out another phone message to parents this week to inform them that, because of the short notice, Nordhoff will be extending its afternoon bus transportation through Sept. 17.
This, he said, will “give everyone the opportunity to make adjustments, get car pools, etc.”
The decision to discontinue the afternoon bus transportation from Nordhoff was made as a result of the additional $2.8 million OUSD budget cuts that were necessary this year. “We did an extensive amount of research and analysis,” Bangser explained, “to determine who the (bus) riders were.”
They determined that around 50 to 55 Nordhoff students use the bus service to get home each school day. “Not a huge number, but significant,” Bangser continued. “The decision we had to make was whether this reduction of services was relatively comparative” to the others that were made and recommended. It was, so Bangser recommended the cut, which the board approved (along with a plethora of other cuts, as reported). That service cut alone will save the OUSD about $52,000 annually.
Bus services will remain relatively unchanged for all the other OUSD schools with the exception of the kindergartens.
Again, with plenty of research done, Bangser and his team discovered that only about 12 of the approximately 250 OUSD kindergartners use the bus to get home each day. “The great majority of parents pick their children up or (are) in car pools,” said Bangser. “The elementary school principals are working with parents to be sure that all the kids get home.”
That cut saved the OUSD an additional $30,000 annually.
Also worrisome were rumors that Nordhoff would begin to charge student athletes for transportation to and from out-of-town games. While the strategy is becoming more and more common, Bangser hastened to clarify that schools may not force students to pay a transportation fee. “However, it is permissible to seek donations. And the people to whom we’d go first would be the people who use the service.”
No fee schedules have been set up, as a final decision has not yet been made. Bangser said more research and discussions with school representatives such as athletic director Dan Monson were necessary. But if Bangser makes that recommendation and the OUSD board members approve it, they won’t be the only ones. A Google search for “athletic transportation fees” yielded dozens of pages from schools across the country, most of which ask for between $5 and $100 per student. Some have multi-sport or multi-student discounts.
“It’s the belief of some school districts that it’s an individual decision to be an athlete,” Bangser said. “You could be a full-time student and not play athletics. So, if that’s the case, and they have a cost to transport you, then (asking for a donation) is reasonable.”
See ojai.k12.ca.us, under “Administration: Departments: Transportation” for complete bus schedules and updated information.
Humane Society Breaks New Ground
Animal rights activist Rep. Elton Gallegly, R-Calif., makes a point to Cyndy Treutelaar and Sherry Brockus at Wednesday’s Humane Society of Ventura County ground-breaking ceremony.
Imagine being abused and tormented, and being unable to reach out for help. Imagine if, in the time of your greatest need, you couldn’t communicate with anyone around you. This is the life that abused, neglected and sometimes tortured animals throughout the world have to endure every day.
Thanks to organizations like the Humane Society of Ventura County, animals not only have a voice, they have genuine help from dedicated HSVC staff and volunteers.
The HSVC Ojai Shelter has recently boosted its ability to aid animals in need by breaking ground on their new expansion project. Thanks to a $2.3 million donation from Harry Valentine who died before seeing his vision come to fruition, the project will update the aging facility that has served the Ojai Valley since 1982.
The ground-breaking ceremony took place outside the shelter’s front entrance where the new Visitor’s Center will be built. After a prayer and blessing from Bishop Bill Downey from the Liberal Catholic Church, shelter president Cyndy Treutelaar thrust the shovel into the earth and marked the official start of construction.
While including a new Visitor’s Center and renovations to the administration building and parking lot, the main focus of the project will be the expansion of the shelter’s existing spay and neuter clinic. According to the HSVC, there is currently an eight- to 10-week waiting period for people who need to bring their pets to the clinic. The expansion will help reduce that waiting period by increasing the number of surgeries veterinarians can perform from 17 a day to about 28.
The ground-breaking ceremony, which took place on Wednesday, was a chance for Humane Society staff to officially move forward on the plan and express their gratitude to everyone involved with the project. “We have a lot of volunteers that help out our staff,” said Ojai Shelter President Cyndy Treutelaar as she addressed attendees of the ceremony. “Our staff and volunteers are absolutely the backbone of this shelter.”
Also present at the ceremony was Rep. Elton Gallegly, R-Calif., who spoke to the crowd and praised the good work that the Ojai Shelter has accomplished. “My greatest pleasure is helping make these things happen,” said Gallegly, who is an outspoken animal rights activist. “There are lots of fine people in this community. This is an example of how Ojai is ahead of the curve.”
The Ojai Shelter seems to be unique in that much of the staff has been with the shelter for many years. Shelter director
Imagine being abused and tormented, and being unable to reach out for help. Imagine if, in the time of your greatest need, you couldn’t communicate with anyone around you. This is the life that abused, neglected and sometimes tortured animals throughout the world have to endure every day.Thanks to organizations like the Humane Society of Ventura County, animals not only have a voice, they have genuine help from dedicated HSVC staff and volunteers. The HSVC Ojai Shelter has recently boosted its ability to aid animals in need by breaking ground on their new expansion project. Thanks to a $2.3 million donation from Harry Valentine who died before seeing his vision come to fruition, the project will update the aging facility that has served the Ojai Valley since 1982. The ground-breaking ceremony took place outside the shelter’s front entrance where the new Visitor’s Center will be built. After a prayer and blessing from Bishop Bill Downey from the Liberal Catholic Church, shelter president Cyndy Treutelaar thrust the shovel into the earth and marked the official start of construction.While including a new Visitor’s Center and renovations to the administration building and parking lot, the main focus of the project will be the expansion of the shelter’s existing spay and neuter clinic. According to the HSVC, there is currently an eight- to 10-week waiting period for people who need to bring their pets to the clinic. The expansion will help reduce that waiting period by increasing the number of surgeries veterinarians can perform from 17 a day to about 28.The ground-breaking ceremony, which took place on Wednesday, was a chance for Humane Society staff to officially move forward on the plan and express their gratitude to everyone involved with the project. “We have a lot of volunteers that help out our staff,” said Ojai Shelter President Cyndy Treutelaar as she addressed attendees of the ceremony. “Our staff and volunteers are absolutely the backbone of this shelter.”Also present at the ceremony was Rep. Elton Gallegly, R-Calif., who spoke to the crowd and praised the good work that the Ojai Shelter has accomplished. “My greatest pleasure is helping make these things happen,” said Gallegly, who is an outspoken animal rights activist. “There are lots of fine people in this community. This is an example of how Ojai is ahead of the curve.”The Ojai Shelter seems to be unique in that much of the staff has been with the shelter for many years. Shelter director Jolene Hoffman read a list of staff and volunteers and the time they’ve been with the shelter. Treutelaar has been with the shelter for about 20 years. Linda Allison has been on staff for 22 years, and Hoffman herself has been with the Ojai Shelter for 28 years. All hold a passion for their positions and the animals at the shelter.Also present at the ground-breaking was project contractor John Johnston who was on hand to answer questions about the project design and show people where the construction will be taking place. Johnston, like the others who work for and with the Humane Society, thinks of the project as much more than just a job. “The Humane Society here is such a great group of people with great ideas,” he said. “The thing I found most compelling was how the people here need the animals as much as the animals need them. Everyone really cares.”
“He has spent many hours at the site,” said shelter executive director Sherry Brockus on Johnston’s involvement. “He has really done an excellent job.”
One point that was emphasized at the ceremony was the need for more donations from the public. While costs of the expansion and renovation are covered by funds from the late Valentine’s estate, things like food for the animals and maintenance of the facility are covered solely by donations. “We rely totally on our donations to keep the doors open,” said Brockus on the HSVC web site. “These funds (from Valentine) are designated and restricted. They must be used specifically for Mr. Valentine’s wishes.”
The project is scheduled to be completed mid-2011 and the shelter will remain operating as much as possible through the construction process. Log on to hsvc.org to donate to the Humane Society.
Planners Address Rest Room Concerns
By Mary M. Long
The Ojai Planning Com-mission met Wednesday with interim city manager John Baker to discuss the following issues.
The proposal to install a vault rest room at Sarzotti Park had been continued from the Aug. 4 meeting to study the cost effectiveness of putting a standard sewer line in instead of a self-contained rest room. The vault rest rooms are pumped out at a cost of $350 per clean-out. Bob Daddi pointed out that the capacity of the tank could be reached in one day during an event the size of Ojai Day. While the stumbling block was the price of upgrading the sewer line to handle the larger rest rooms, this turned out not to be an issue when the independent company, AM PM Rooter & Plumbing, inspected the existing line and found that was in good condition. Daddi, acting on behalf of Skate Ojai is looking into the possibility of a sewer hookup for the new Skate Park rest rooms and will be negotiating to reduce fees for the installation.
The Hummingbird Inn was approved as a Best Western Motel, which created a bit of concern from both citizens and commissioners. The Planning Commission had thought that the approval would come to them as an agenda item, and seemed surprised that Baker had approved it. Baker made it clear that he, consulting with city attorney Monte Widders, was operating by the book and his decision was in keeping with the tenants of the Chain Store Ordinance. The Best Western motels do not qualify as chain stores according to the current Ojai Chain Store Ordinance.
The property on the corner of North Montgomery and Franklin Street which was acquired by the city came up for discussion. The city is interested in possibly using it for the construction of affordable housing. While it is zoned R-2, it has been considered for as many as four units. Commissioners John Mirk and Cortus Koehler expressed their concerns about having that kind of density on that property. “I don’t want to put the city in the position of over-developing this property,” said Mirk. Koehler also handed out a list of citizen groups which he felt should receive the first consideration for affordable housing which included veterans, military families, city employees and seniors. He also feels that affordable housing should include the consideration of rehabilitating older houses, which will help preserve existing homes. Baker reminded them that the future of the property would probably be driven by the economy and that with less density than four units it would probably not be feasible to develop it for affordable housing.
The subject of publicizing subcommittee meetings was the most debated topic of the evening. There are two new subcommittees. One is the subcommittee to study the state ordinance requiring cities to follow the state model for water-wise landscaping. Commissioner Kathy Nolan is the chair for that subcommittee and Commissioner Susan Weaver also sits on that committee. They are working to come up with an “Ojai compatible” ordinance which will then go before the Planning Commission and City Council to meet the state requirements on water conservation. The second subcommittee is the Complete Streets Committee which will study the suitability of streets for pedestrians, motorists and cyclists in compatibility with the Circulation Element. Since the subcommittees do not fall under the Brown Act they are not legally subject to noticing requirements. However it was the decision of the commission to exceed the requirements and the discussion was on how to notify the public. It was decided that the notices will be posted on the chamber door, the city website and will be published in the Ojai Valley News, as well as Channel 10. Baker also recommended mass e-mailing notices to interested parties. Those who wish to be placed on the e-mail list need to contact the Community Development Department at 646-5581.
The Ojai Planning Com-mission met Wednesday with interim city manager John Baker to discuss the following issues.The proposal to install a vault rest room at Sarzotti Park had been continued from the Aug. 4 meeting to study the cost effectiveness of putting a standard sewer line in instead of a self-contained rest room. The vault rest rooms are pumped out at a cost of $350 per clean-out. Bob Daddi pointed out that the capacity of the tank could be reached in one day during an event the size of Ojai Day. While the stumbling block was the price of upgrading the sewer line to handle the larger rest rooms, this turned out not to be an issue when the independent company, AM PM Rooter & Plumbing, inspected the existing line and found that was in good condition. Daddi, acting on behalf of Skate Ojai is looking into the possibility of a sewer hookup for the new Skate Park rest rooms and will be negotiating to reduce fees for the installation. The Hummingbird Inn was approved as a Best Western Motel, which created a bit of concern from both citizens and commissioners. The Planning Commission had thought that the approval would come to them as an agenda item, and seemed surprised that Baker had approved it. Baker made it clear that he, consulting with city attorney Monte Widders, was operating by the book and his decision was in keeping with the tenants of the Chain Store Ordinance. The Best Western motels do not qualify as chain stores according to the current Ojai Chain Store Ordinance. The property on the corner of North Montgomery and Franklin Street which was acquired by the city came up for discussion. The city is interested in possibly using it for the construction of affordable housing. While it is zoned R-2, it has been considered for as many as four units. Commissioners John Mirk and Cortus Koehler expressed their concerns about having that kind of density on that property. “I don’t want to put the city in the position of over-developing this property,” said Mirk. Koehler also handed out a list of citizen groups which he felt should receive the first consideration for affordable housing which included veterans, military families, city employees and seniors. He also feels that affordable housing should include the consideration of rehabilitating older houses, which will help preserve existing homes. Baker reminded them that the future of the property would probably be driven by the economy and that with less density than four units it would probably not be feasible to develop it for affordable housing. The subject of publicizing subcommittee meetings was the most debated topic of the evening. There are two new subcommittees. One is the subcommittee to study the state ordinance requiring cities to follow the state model for water-wise landscaping. Commissioner Kathy Nolan is the chair for that subcommittee and Commissioner Susan Weaver also sits on that committee. They are working to come up with an “Ojai compatible” ordinance which will then go before the Planning Commission and City Council to meet the state requirements on water conservation. The second subcommittee is the Complete Streets Committee which will study the suitability of streets for pedestrians, motorists and cyclists in compatibility with the Circulation Element. Since the subcommittees do not fall under the Brown Act they are not legally subject to noticing requirements. However it was the decision of the commission to exceed the requirements and the discussion was on how to notify the public. It was decided that the notices will be posted on the chamber door, the city website and will be published in the Ojai Valley News, as well as Channel 10. Baker also recommended mass e-mailing notices to interested parties. Those who wish to be placed on the e-mail list need to contact the Community Development Department at 646-5581.Do You Own An Animal?
By Bill Buchanan
My wife and I have always been supporters of the Humane Society. All of our dogs (and cats, when we had them) have been strays. Some have come from animal shelters, some from friends who knew about a dog who needs a home, and several were animals Ava just picked up off the highway. I think they make the best pets. They seem to understand what a good deal they have now, and show their appreciation every day.
One of the great things about Ojai is that everyone seems to have a dog — or two. Dogs on leashes are everywhere, which I absolutely love. Being allowed to pet others people’s dogs makes me miss my own a little less.
So, for all the dog lovers here in town, I wanted to let you take the following test to see if you merely own a dog, or if you have a special animal. Simply select the answer below that best reflects how your dog is treated.
• You have just bought new living room furniture.
A. Your dog is not allowed on the furniture under any condition.
B. Your dog is allowed on the furniture occasionally but only if there is a blanket or towel underneath him.
C. Your dog has his own special chair.
• At Christmas, your dog:
A. Is treated no differently than he is during the rest of the year.
B. Receives some type of special holiday treat.
C. Has his own stocking with the dog’s name on it, which is hung up with the rest of the stockings and stuffed with goodies on Christmas Day.
• When you go to a fast-food restaurant for a hamburger or ice cream cone, your dog:
A. Is not allowed to come along.
B. Is allowed to come along and receives a small bite of whatever you are eating.
C. Gets his own hamburger or ice cream cone, which you feed by hand to the dog while getting mustard, ketchup, ice cream and/or dog slobber all over you.
• Whenever you are eating something and your dog begs for some of it:
A. The dog is told to hush, and lie down.
B. You simply ignore him until he stops whining and begging.
C. Your spouse scolds you unmercifully until you share with the dog.
• When you go on a trip:
A. The dog is always left with friends or is boarded in a kennel.
B. The dog is taken along on some trips, but only if convenient.
C. The dog is pretty much always taken along and, if necessary, is sneaked into the elevator where you are staying, and then into your hotel room.
• When you go on a trip where you simply cannot take the dog and it must be boarded, you:
A. Take the dog to the vet, drop him off.
B. Take the dog to the vet, send a toy along.
C. Take the dog to the vet; go into hysterics about leaving him; take his favorite toy as well as a back-up toy; take his blanket; take his favorite food and some snacks; give the vet a two-page list of dos and don’ts; break down again out in the car; continue to cry, or at least sniff intermittently all the way to the airport.
Let’s grade the results:
If you chose “A” to most or all questions, then you are lord and master over your dog, and you recognize it for what it is — an animal.
If you chose “B” to most or all questions, you allow your dog a few liberties, but you maintain a healthy superiority over him, and both you and your dog recognize and respect the established hierarchy.
If you chose “C” to most or all questions, then you are a hopeless dog lover and are the proud owner of a “special animal.” In fact, because of your love and devotion to your dog, every animal you ever have will be a special animal. Love and enjoy them.
I hated to miss the ground-breaking ceremony for the Ventura County Humane Society. My trip back to Ojai was delayed, and I didn’t get to attend the ceremony. But all pet lovers have to be excited about the proposed expansion, which will also allow more services to help the least fortunate animals in our community.
My wife and I have always been supporters of the Humane Society. All of our dogs (and cats, when we had them) have been strays. Some have come from animal shelters, some from friends who knew about a dog who needs a home, and several were animals Ava just picked up off the highway. I think they make the best pets. They seem to understand what a good deal they have now, and show their appreciation every day.
One of the great things about Ojai is that everyone seems to have a dog — or two. Dogs on leashes are everywhere, which I absolutely love. Being allowed to pet others people’s dogs makes me miss my own a little less.
So, for all the dog lovers here in town, I wanted to let you take the following test to see if you merely own a dog, or if you have a special animal. Simply select the answer below that best reflects how your dog is treated.
• You have just bought new living room furniture.
A. Your dog is not allowed on the furniture under any condition.
B. Your dog is allowed on the furniture occasionally but only if there is a blanket or towel underneath him.
C. Your dog has his own special chair.
• At Christmas, your dog:
A. Is treated no differently than he is during the rest of the year.
B. Receives some type of special holiday treat.
C. Has his own stocking with the dog’s name on it, which is hung up with the rest of the stockings and stuffed with goodies on Christmas Day.
• When you go to a fast-food restaurant for a hamburger or ice cream cone, your dog:
A. Is not allowed to come along.
B. Is allowed to come along and receives a small bite of whatever you are eating.
C. Gets his own hamburger or ice cream cone, which you feed by hand to the dog while getting mustard, ketchup, ice cream and/or dog slobber all over you.
• Whenever you are eating something and your dog begs for some of it:
A. The dog is told to hush, and lie down.
B. You simply ignore him until he stops whining and begging.
C. Your spouse scolds you unmercifully until you share with the dog.
• When you go on a trip:
A. The dog is always left with friends or is boarded in a kennel.
B. The dog is taken along on some trips, but only if convenient.
C. The dog is pretty much always taken along and, if necessary, is sneaked into the elevator where you are staying, and then into your hotel room.
• When you go on a trip where you simply cannot take the dog and it must be boarded, you:
A. Take the dog to the vet, drop him off.
B. Take the dog to the vet, send a toy along.
C. Take the dog to the vet; go into hysterics about leaving him; take his favorite toy as well as a back-up toy; take his blanket; take his favorite food and some snacks; give the vet a two-page list of dos and don’ts; break down again out in the car; continue to cry, or at least sniff intermittently all the way to the airport.
Let’s grade the results:
If you chose “A” to most or all questions, then you are lord and master over your dog, and you recognize it for what it is — an animal.
If you chose “B” to most or all questions, you allow your dog a few liberties, but you maintain a healthy superiority over him, and both you and your dog recognize and respect the established hierarchy.
If you chose “C” to most or all questions, then you are a hopeless dog lover and are the proud owner of a “special animal.” In fact, because of your love and devotion to your dog, every animal you ever have will be a special animal. Love and enjoy them.
I hated to miss the ground-breaking ceremony for the Ventura County Humane Society. My trip back to Ojai was delayed, and I didn’t get to attend the ceremony. But all pet lovers have to be excited about the proposed expansion, which will also allow more services to help the least fortunate animals in our community.My wife and I have always been supporters of the Humane Society. All of our dogs (and cats, when we had them) have been strays. Some have come from animal shelters, some from friends who knew about a dog who needs a home, and several were animals Ava just picked up off the highway. I think they make the best pets. They seem to understand what a good deal they have now, and show their appreciation every day.
One of the great things about Ojai is that everyone seems to have a dog — or two. Dogs on leashes are everywhere, which I absolutely love. Being allowed to pet others people’s dogs makes me miss my own a little less.
So, for all the dog lovers here in town, I wanted to let you take the following test to see if you merely own a dog, or if you have a special animal. Simply select the answer below that best reflects how your dog is treated.
• You have just bought new living room furniture.
A. Your dog is not allowed on the furniture under any condition.
B. Your dog is allowed on the furniture occasionally but only if there is a blanket or towel underneath him.
C. Your dog has his own special chair.
• At Christmas, your dog:
A. Is treated no differently than he is during the rest of the year.
B. Receives some type of special holiday treat.
C. Has his own stocking with the dog’s name on it, which is hung up with the rest of the stockings and stuffed with goodies on Christmas Day.
• When you go to a fast-food restaurant for a hamburger or ice cream cone, your dog:
A. Is not allowed to come along.
B. Is allowed to come along and receives a small bite of whatever you are eating.
C. Gets his own hamburger or ice cream cone, which you feed by hand to the dog while getting mustard, ketchup, ice cream and/or dog slobber all over you.
• Whenever you are eating something and your dog begs for some of it:
A. The dog is told to hush, and lie down.
B. You simply ignore him until he stops whining and begging.
C. Your spouse scolds you unmercifully until you share with the dog.
• When you go on a trip:
A. The dog is always left with friends or is boarded in a kennel.
B. The dog is taken along on some trips, but only if convenient.
C. The dog is pretty much always taken along and, if necessary, is sneaked into the elevator where you are staying, and then into your hotel room.
• When you go on a trip where you simply cannot take the dog and it must be boarded, you:
A. Take the dog to the vet, drop him off.
B. Take the dog to the vet, send a toy along.
C. Take the dog to the vet; go into hysterics about leaving him; take his favorite toy as well as a back-up toy; take his blanket; take his favorite food and some snacks; give the vet a two-page list of dos and don’ts; break down again out in the car; continue to cry, or at least sniff intermittently all the way to the airport.
Let’s grade the results:
If you chose “A” to most or all questions, then you are lord and master over your dog, and you recognize it for what it is — an animal.
If you chose “B” to most or all questions, you allow your dog a few liberties, but you maintain a healthy superiority over him, and both you and your dog recognize and respect the established hierarchy.
If you chose “C” to most or all questions, then you are a hopeless dog lover and are the proud owner of a “special animal.” In fact, because of your love and devotion to your dog, every animal you ever have will be a special animal. Love and enjoy them.
Mockingbird’s ‘Scout’ At Ojai Screening
Badham to field questions at outdoor screening at Ojai Valley Inn SaturdayBy Mary M. Long
As the haunting melody of Elmer Bernstein’s one-fingered piano underscores the opening credits of the timeless movie, “To Kill a Mockingbird,” so the sun will sink slowly in the western skies of the Ojai Valley and the gibbous waxing full moon will rise slowly over the fading “Pink Moment” of the Topa Topa Mountains. Nobody who has ever read the book, or seen the movie, is left untouched by its nostalgic tale of civil rights, morality and dignified courage, and few more than those who were involved in the filming. Fifty years after Harper Lee’s Pulitzer Prize-winning book was published and 48 years after it was released on screen, the Academy Award-winning movie, starring Gregory Peck and Mary Badham, is being presented by the Ojai Valley Inn & Spa in concert with Diablo Magazine’s Peter Crooks as part of their Outdoor Classic Film Series.
The movie is told through the eyes of 6-year-old tomboy Scout, played by Badham, who was the youngest actress ever to win an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress. Badham now resides in rural Virginia with her husband of 36 years, and takes time away from home to travel with “Mockingbird” to share its message, and her passion for literacy with another generation. Just as Peck’s character, Atticus Finch, is remembered as one of film’s greatest heroes, Scout has a special place in the hearts of American readers with children still named after the plucky tomboy many years after the film’s release. The story revolves around an incident which was set in the 1930s involving the alleged rape and beating of a white Southern girl by a wrongly accused black man. In the famous courthouse scene, the prosecutor asks, “What were you doing the night of Aug. 21?” Ironically, the Ojai Valley Inn booked the screening of “Mockingbird” Saturday, Aug. 21.
Although the date of the booking was entirely coincidental, one might ask if anything in Ojai happens by accident, or does this echo the very substance of the book in its complexity of life’s random circumstances.
Badham will be hosting a question-and-answer session before the screening, giving classic film buffs a rare opportunity to meet one of film’s most enigmatic personalities, for as she refers to Gregory Peck as Atticus, so entwined is she in the character of Scout, it’s impossible to tell if Badham defined the character or the character defined Badham.
Badham responded to the following questions in a phone interview from her home in Virginia:
OVN: How did you get the part of Scout?
Badham: They had a big cattle call in Birmingham, Ala. They probably had interviewed 4,000 kids before they even got to Birmingham. They interviewed kids all throughout the South. They wanted Southern children … they wanted real Southern accents.
OVN: Did they explain the story line to you? Were you aware of the racial message?
Badham: No, they didn’t explain it, I am not even sure we got full scripts. I don’t think I saw the full story until later.
OVN: I understand that your mom was an actress, and took you to the interview.
Badham: My mother had been the leading lady for years at the local theater where I tried out. She was the real thespian in the family, she and my brother, John. John wanted in the business in the worst kind of way. At the time he was at studying drama and philosophy at Yale and he got this phone call, “Guess what, your baby sister is going to be in a movie!”
OVN: Did your mom dress you up or cut your hair to look the part of Scout for the audition?
Badham: No, that haircut was the haircut that I had. I would rather have been mucking stalls, than dressing up and going to a party.
OVN: Do you ride horses?
Badham: Oh yes, that’s all I wanted to do. My goal in life was to be large animal veterinarian.
As the haunting melody of Elmer Bernstein’s one-fingered piano underscores the opening credits of the timeless movie, “To Kill a Mockingbird,” so the sun will sink slowly in the western skies of the Ojai Valley and the gibbous waxing full moon will rise slowly over the fading “Pink Moment” of the Topa Topa Mountains. Nobody who has ever read the book, or seen the movie, is left untouched by its nostalgic tale of civil rights, morality and dignified courage, and few more than those who were involved in the filming. Fifty years after Harper Lee’s Pulitzer Prize-winning book was published and 48 years after it was released on screen, the Academy Award-winning movie, starring Gregory Peck and Mary Badham, is being presented by the Ojai Valley Inn & Spa in concert with Diablo Magazine’s Peter Crooks as part of their Outdoor Classic Film Series.The movie is told through the eyes of 6-year-old tomboy Scout, played by Badham, who was the youngest actress ever to win an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress. Badham now resides in rural Virginia with her husband of 36 years, and takes time away from home to travel with “Mockingbird” to share its message, and her passion for literacy with another generation. Just as Peck’s character, Atticus Finch, is remembered as one of film’s greatest heroes, Scout has a special place in the hearts of American readers with children still named after the plucky tomboy many years after the film’s release. The story revolves around an incident which was set in the 1930s involving the alleged rape and beating of a white Southern girl by a wrongly accused black man. In the famous courthouse scene, the prosecutor asks, “What were you doing the night of Aug. 21?” Ironically, the Ojai Valley Inn booked the screening of “Mockingbird” Saturday, Aug. 21.
Although the date of the booking was entirely coincidental, one might ask if anything in Ojai happens by accident, or does this echo the very substance of the book in its complexity of life’s random circumstances.
Badham will be hosting a question-and-answer session before the screening, giving classic film buffs a rare opportunity to meet one of film’s most enigmatic personalities, for as she refers to Gregory Peck as Atticus, so entwined is she in the character of Scout, it’s impossible to tell if Badham defined the character or the character defined Badham.
Badham responded to the following questions in a phone interview from her home in Virginia:
OVN: How did you get the part of Scout?
Badham: They had a big cattle call in Birmingham, Ala. They probably had interviewed 4,000 kids before they even got to Birmingham. They interviewed kids all throughout the South. They wanted Southern children … they wanted real Southern accents.
OVN: Did they explain the story line to you? Were you aware of the racial message?
Badham: No, they didn’t explain it, I am not even sure we got full scripts. I don’t think I saw the full story until later.
OVN: I understand that your mom was an actress, and took you to the interview.
Badham: My mother had been the leading lady for years at the local theater where I tried out. She was the real thespian in the family, she and my brother, John. John wanted in the business in the worst kind of way. At the time he was at studying drama and philosophy at Yale and he got this phone call, “Guess what, your baby sister is going to be in a movie!”
OVN: Did your mom dress you up or cut your hair to look the part of Scout for the audition?
Badham: No, that haircut was the haircut that I had. I would rather have been mucking stalls, than dressing up and going to a party.
OVN: Do you ride horses?
Badham: Oh yes, that’s all I wanted to do. My goal in life was to be large animal veterinarian.
OVN: “To Kill a Mockingbird” won the Pulitzer Prize. Was there a dog fight over the rights to produce it in Hollywood?
Badham: Oh no, as the story goes, the director and the producer … took it around to the different studios and nobody wanted anything to do with it, so they started to shop it around to major actors. They sent it to Gregory Peck — and he couldn’t wait until morning to say, “If you want me I’m your boy.”
OVN: How did they decide who would do the script?
Badham: Horton Foote did the screenplay. He was a man of the South, he was a man of the age … he said that when he met Harper Lee, that they were like matched souls … because they so understood the times of the South.
OVN: Atticus Finch was named No. 1 film hero in 2003 by the American Film Institute. What qualities made him a hero?
Badham: In his most famous roles, he (Peck) played the guy trying to do the right thing. What made Atticus a hero, was the fact that he took this case, he didn’t really want it, but he knew there was nobody else in town that would give it their full effort. He put his life on the line, literally, and most of all, his children’s lives.
OVN: I have a theory the leading men of that time had a masculinity and “realness” about them because they were drafted into acting.
Badham: Oh yes, if you look at Gregory Peck, he was going to be a doctor when he was at U.C. Berkeley and then he got in with (was asked to join) an acting group and he realized, “Gosh, this is fun,” and he changed his major. People like Jimmy Stewart — gosh, there are so many of them that during the war, they went ahead and served. These guys today have studied acting, some make it, some don’t.
OVN: In “Mockingbird,” they describe courage as the will to keep fighting when you know you can’t win. There is a nobility to this that I think you don’t see as a theme in many modern movies. Do you agree with this?
Badham: Yes, I think that you see it more in the independent films. The big blockbuster movies are just, blow them up and shoot them up. I feel like we need to dig a little deeper and the corporate heads need to step outside of the box and look at what the independents are doing. The independent filmmakers are hitting the nail right on the head and they are giving the public what they want to see.
OVN: Is there anything out there you can recommend?
Badham: I’ll tell you a piece that I did a few years ago. It was a really great little film and the studios wouldn’t touch it. It’s called “Our Very Own” (2005) and it was a sweet picture by Cameron Watson who is an incredibly talented writer, producer and director. It was his story about growing up in Shelbyville, Tenn. He asked me to do the film, and I said, “Send me the script.” I read it, and loved it and did it, with Allison Janney, Keith Carradine, and Jason Ritter (John Ritter’s son). If I don’t do anything else, it’s a very nice little bookend for “Mockingbird.”
OVN: When you say “bookend,” are you saying it has similarities to “Mockingbird”?
Badham: Yes, it has all the same symbolism, it says all the same things … it’s a terribly good film, and there are so many alcoholic families. It couldn’t find a distributor so they ended up putting it up for sale and Miramax bought it. That’s a film that should have been in major theaters, in my opinion.
OVN: Tell me about Gregory Peck. I understand that you had a very special relationship with him that lasted a lifetime.
Badham: Yes, it was nothing for me to pick up the phone and call; he’d say, “Hi there, how’re ya doing? If he was going to be back East he’d give me a call and let me know he was going to be here. Sometimes he’d pick me up from work and take me wherever he was going — or send me a plane ticket so that I could join him. He was wonderful, I was lucky to have such a great male role model when I was growing up.
OVN: You didn’t stay in acting?
Badham: No, I retired when I was about 14.
OVN: Gregory Peck always said that “Mockingbird” was his favorite movie, why?
Badham: It brought in everything that he believed in, and everything that he was trying to make happen in the world was wrapped up in that film. The message of tolerance and all the basic principles of who we are as human beings resonated with him. Atticus was so close to who he was … the Gregory Peck I knew was the Gregory Peck you saw in the film. Harper Lee said it best, “When he played himself he gave us himself.” That’s who he was.
OVN: How does it feel to watch yourself in “Mockingbird”?
Badham: It’s difficult — when I was a little kid it was embarrassing. Now I can’t watch the film because it’s just too upsetting, almost everyone in it is gone. Those were all the people I loved. That’s why that jail room scene was so hard to film, because I knew that was the last day of shooting and I thought I was never going to see these people again. I was devastated with having to let go — when you work so closely for five months, they become family like family. They were my family.
OVN: Fifty years after the movie, people are still naming their children after your character. I believe Bruce Willis’ daughter, Scout, is named after your character?
Badham: Right, yeah (laughter) and I was almost in a film with them. They had come to Richmond and they were auditioning people. I thought if I saw them I would just walk up casually and say, “Hey, you named your daughter after me, huh?”
OVN: You received an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor in 1962. You were the youngest person ever to receive a nomination for that award.
Badham: Yes, my mom was on cloud nine. Yeah, I went to the Academy Awards. I was all dude-ied up. I remember the dress because I wore it two more times. I think I had the same haircut because it was just so easy to care for. When you’re in Alabama and you’re out with horses and it’s a thousand degrees you want a haircut you can wash and run with.
OVN: Would you consider acting again?
Badham: I would not mind working in the industry again. It’s the greatest job in the world — how much fun to go and play somebody else. The difficulty is in finding a good script and a good crew to work with. As for now, this is my dream. I’m just so blessed, this farm, just to get up in the morning and see green grass and trees, it’s just so healthy.
Hundreds Attend Knupp Barbecue
Marisa and Nathan Knupp
If you log on to “Nathan’s Journey” on Facebook, you’ll see a caption beneath the picture of 2-year-old Nathan Knupp that reads: “Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.” It’s this kind of community attitude that organized Sunday’s barbecue benefit in Oak View. With more than 600 attendees, the Knupp family will take home $30,000 to put toward Nathan’s medical expenses.
Nathan was diagnosed with a glioma brain tumor in April of 2009, and since then the Knupp family has struggled to keep up with the cost of treatment. When Nathan’s mother, Marisa, decided to organize a fund-raising event, the response from the community was overwhelming. Volunteers and donations abounded, and all throughout the Ojai Valley, signs and fliers for “Nathan’s Journey” advertised the event.
“It was amazing,” says Ashley Meier, longtime friend of the Knupps, who also helped organize the event. “We had to use our back-up tickets because we ran out of the 400 bracelets we had.”
With the far-reaching capabilities of Facebook, even the greater Los Angeles area became aware of Nathan’s story when it was profiled on KCAL-9, adding to the extensive coverage of local media and radio.
The leverage of pre-event efforts was matched by the variety of activities and displays at the Oak View Park and Resource Center. Above rows of polished semi-trucks, vintage cars and old tractors parked on the grassy lawn, the long arms of crane trucks towered and seemed a candid symbol of the strength gathered to support Nathan and his family.
Marisa and her husband, Jestin, could be found embraced by friends and strangers, while Nathan played in the kids’ zone. Marisa said that the crowds and the heat were hard on Nathan, If
If you log on to “Nathan’s Journey” on Facebook, you’ll see a caption beneath the picture of 2-year-old Nathan Knupp that reads: “Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.” It’s this kind of community attitude that organized Sunday’s barbecue benefit in Oak View. With more than 600 attendees, the Knupp family will take home $30,000 to put toward Nathan’s medical expenses.Nathan was diagnosed with a glioma brain tumor in April of 2009, and since then the Knupp family has struggled to keep up with the cost of treatment. When Nathan’s mother, Marisa, decided to organize a fund-raising event, the response from the community was overwhelming. Volunteers and donations abounded, and all throughout the Ojai Valley, signs and fliers for “Nathan’s Journey” advertised the event.
“It was amazing,” says Ashley Meier, longtime friend of the Knupps, who also helped organize the event. “We had to use our back-up tickets because we ran out of the 400 bracelets we had.”
With the far-reaching capabilities of Facebook, even the greater Los Angeles area became aware of Nathan’s story when it was profiled on KCAL-9, adding to the extensive coverage of local media and radio.
The leverage of pre-event efforts was matched by the variety of activities and displays at the Oak View Park and Resource Center. Above rows of polished semi-trucks, vintage cars and old tractors parked on the grassy lawn, the long arms of crane trucks towered and seemed a candid symbol of the strength gathered to support Nathan and his family.
Marisa and her husband, Jestin, could be found embraced by friends and strangers, while Nathan played in the kids’ zone. Marisa said that the crowds and the heat were hard on Nathan, who was unaccustomed to so much activity. A motor home was parked on the premises, where the Knupps could retreat before emerging again to mingle.
Among the many faces Marisa saw that day was a 6-year-old boy named Aaron Easley, who has been living with a brain tumor since 18 months of age. Marisa was especially drawn to Easley and his grandmother when fate found them in the same hospital lobby while Marisa awaited her son’s diagnosis in 2009. Easley’s grandmother proved to be a well of information and support along this tough road.
“For her to be there was so awesome,” said Marisa. “She drove from Hemet with a special needs kid that just finished six weeks of radiation treatment.” Along with her donation, Grandma Easley wrote a note for Marisa that read, “We will fight.”
The silent auction boasted an array of items from local merchants ranging from tattoos to a pendant necklace, along with raffle items to accommodate a wide range of needs and wants, such as haircuts, tires and electronics. Nate Minkel, who donated a plasma television and his dirt bike, said, “One of the great things about living in a small town is seeing everyone come together with big hearts to give back to the community.” He added, “A bike is replaceable, a life is not.”
While people perused auction and raffle items in the shade, the smoke of La Salle’s BBQ signaled that lunch soon would be served. In the meantime, kids could be found cavorting in the Jolly Jump, getting their faces painted or twirling in front of the live entertainment. Tunes from Vaughn Montgomery on Wurlitzer piano were followed by singer-songwriter Ted Lennon, whose song, ‘Face Up,’ seemed to speak of the event with his appeal, “People, oh people, come on and do what you can!”
To cap it all off, the band Caught Red Handed spiced up the afternoon with classic rock covers as people meandered between big trucks, the beer garden and the food line for La Salle’s roasted meats.
Many attendees agreed that the community’s reward for doing their part along Nathan’s journey was when he made cameo appearances with his endearing smile. Said Meier, “He’s just such a happy little guy.”
Ojai’s ‘Inn’ For A Treat
By Bill Buchanan
I developed an instant crush on “Scout,” the lively young daughter of Atticus Finch. I don’t remember exactly when I saw the film for the first time — I was probably around 8 or 10. But I remember three things that struck me immediately — I didn’t understand why the girl was named Scout; I could not believe that she got away with calling her daddy by his first name; and Scout was tomboyish but very, very cute.
I had the good fortune a few years ago to meet Ms. Badham in person. I was active with Theatre Tuscaloosa, which sponsored the Alabama Stage and Screen Hall of Fame. Ms. Badham was a guest at two events, one in 2000, and again in 2001. You would have thought we were her guests rather than the other way around. She was friendly, charming and absolutely delightful. And still very cute.
“To Kill a Mockingbird” was a rare “double” — both the book and the movie were outstanding. They are both classics. So many times a great book is made into an average or even disappointing movie. In my opinion, there are very few cases where the movie is as good as the book, and almost none that are actually better. For me, four exceptions come to mind.
The first is “The Shawshank Redemption,” from the Stephen King novella “Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption.” I don’t know that it is entirely fair to say the movie was better than the book. The book was a novella, very readable, but pretty short. The movie, while being true to the book, goes into much more detail and really fleshes out the characters. The narrator, “Red,” is given particular attention. Of course, it doesn’t hurt that “Red” is played by Morgan Freeman, one of my favorite actors. I would listen raptly to Morgan Freeman reading the phone book for three hours. I thought he was just incredible in this role. The movie also does an outstanding job of providing many memorable minor characters that enhance the richness of the film without diluting the main characters or story.
Next on the list would be “The Godfather.” I read the book long before I saw the movie, which came out a few years later. I thought the book was pretty good, but some of this had to do with my being in high school when I read it. When I reread the book as an adult I tended to agree with the reviewer who said something to the effect that Mario Puzo wrote the first 100 pages of the book, but typed the rest of it. “The Godfather” also has the distinction of being one of the few movies where the sequel was as good (some would say better) than the original. I loved them both.
Then there is “Terms of Endearment.” In this case, I saw the movie first. I enjoyed it initially, saw it a few more times, and liked it even better. I had seen the movie probably four or five times before I finally read the book. What a disappointment — and I, like Larry McMurtry, felt the movie was so much better. James L. Brooks was not only the director, but was also credited with the screenplay. He did a fine job with both. Another big reason for the movie outshining the book was the strength of the cast. What talent with Jack Nicholson, Danny DeVito, Debra Winger, Jeff Daniels, and John Lithgow. Even I could probably make a good movie with that cast. But in my mind, Shirley MacLaine’s performance really stands out. Her character drives the movie, and lifts it up several notches. She certainly deserved the Academy Award she received for Best Actress.
Finally, there is “Forrest Gump.” I will never write a novel, much less one that will become a major motion picture. But if I ever do, I want the guy who adapted Winston Groom’s novel to adapt mine to the silver screen. That guy is a genius. When I saw the movie, I thought it was wonderful — touching, humorous and just plain fun.
Then I read the book, which I thought was meandering, and often silly with several cartoon-like characters. To me, the book and movie are two different animals, and the movie is much better. In preparing to write this column, I looked at a couple of reviews of the book which touted it as “a superb novel,” stated that it was “unfortunate that most people are more familiar with the movie,” and added, “it is not by any stretch a substitute for the book.”
Maybe that guy read a different book than I did. OK, readers, do you have others for the list? Let us hear from you about what movies you think are as good as the book — or perhaps even better. Leave a comment here.
For those who are planning to attend the Ojai Valley Inn & Spa’s Aug. 21 screening of “To Kill a Mockingbird,” you are in for a treat. I do not mean just the movie itself, which, of course, is a terrific film — a classic that was far ahead of its time. You are in for a treat seeing one of the movie’s stars —Mary Badham, who will do a Q&A for the movie prior to its showing. Ms. Badham, who was age 10 when she made the movie, was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, the youngest actress ever nominated in the category at that time.
I developed an instant crush on “Scout,” the lively young daughter of Atticus Finch. I don’t remember exactly when I saw the film for the first time — I was probably around 8 or 10. But I remember three things that struck me immediately — I didn’t understand why the girl was named Scout; I could not believe that she got away with calling her daddy by his first name; and Scout was tomboyish but very, very cute.
I had the good fortune a few years ago to meet Ms. Badham in person. I was active with Theatre Tuscaloosa, which sponsored the Alabama Stage and Screen Hall of Fame. Ms. Badham was a guest at two events, one in 2000, and again in 2001. You would have thought we were her guests rather than the other way around. She was friendly, charming and absolutely delightful. And still very cute.
“To Kill a Mockingbird” was a rare “double” — both the book and the movie were outstanding. They are both classics. So many times a great book is made into an average or even disappointing movie. In my opinion, there are very few cases where the movie is as good as the book, and almost none that are actually better. For me, four exceptions come to mind.
The first is “The Shawshank Redemption,” from the Stephen King novella “Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption.” I don’t know that it is entirely fair to say the movie was better than the book. The book was a novella, very readable, but pretty short. The movie, while being true to the book, goes into much more detail and really fleshes out the characters. The narrator, “Red,” is given particular attention. Of course, it doesn’t hurt that “Red” is played by Morgan Freeman, one of my favorite actors. I would listen raptly to Morgan Freeman reading the phone book for three hours. I thought he was just incredible in this role. The movie also does an outstanding job of providing many memorable minor characters that enhance the richness of the film without diluting the main characters or story.
Next on the list would be “The Godfather.” I read the book long before I saw the movie, which came out a few years later. I thought the book was pretty good, but some of this had to do with my being in high school when I read it. When I reread the book as an adult I tended to agree with the reviewer who said something to the effect that Mario Puzo wrote the first 100 pages of the book, but typed the rest of it. “The Godfather” also has the distinction of being one of the few movies where the sequel was as good (some would say better) than the original. I loved them both.
Then there is “Terms of Endearment.” In this case, I saw the movie first. I enjoyed it initially, saw it a few more times, and liked it even better. I had seen the movie probably four or five times before I finally read the book. What a disappointment — and I, like Larry McMurtry, felt the movie was so much better. James L. Brooks was not only the director, but was also credited with the screenplay. He did a fine job with both. Another big reason for the movie outshining the book was the strength of the cast. What talent with Jack Nicholson, Danny DeVito, Debra Winger, Jeff Daniels, and John Lithgow. Even I could probably make a good movie with that cast. But in my mind, Shirley MacLaine’s performance really stands out. Her character drives the movie, and lifts it up several notches. She certainly deserved the Academy Award she received for Best Actress.
Finally, there is “Forrest Gump.” I will never write a novel, much less one that will become a major motion picture. But if I ever do, I want the guy who adapted Winston Groom’s novel to adapt mine to the silver screen. That guy is a genius. When I saw the movie, I thought it was wonderful — touching, humorous and just plain fun.
Then I read the book, which I thought was meandering, and often silly with several cartoon-like characters. To me, the book and movie are two different animals, and the movie is much better. In preparing to write this column, I looked at a couple of reviews of the book which touted it as “a superb novel,” stated that it was “unfortunate that most people are more familiar with the movie,” and added, “it is not by any stretch a substitute for the book.”
Maybe that guy read a different book than I did. OK, readers, do you have others for the list? Let us hear from you about what movies you think are as good as the book — or perhaps even better. Go to ovnblog.com and give us your list.
For those who are planning to attend the Ojai Valley Inn & Spa’s Aug. 21 screening of “To Kill a Mockingbird,” you are in for a treat. I do not mean just the movie itself, which, of course, is a terrific film — a classic that was far ahead of its time. You are in for a treat seeing one of the movie’s stars —Mary Badham, who will do a Q&A for the movie prior to its showing. Ms. Badham, who was age 10 when she made the movie, was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, the youngest actress ever nominated in the category at that time.I developed an instant crush on “Scout,” the lively young daughter of Atticus Finch. I don’t remember exactly when I saw the film for the first time — I was probably around 8 or 10. But I remember three things that struck me immediately — I didn’t understand why the girl was named Scout; I could not believe that she got away with calling her daddy by his first name; and Scout was tomboyish but very, very cute.
I had the good fortune a few years ago to meet Ms. Badham in person. I was active with Theatre Tuscaloosa, which sponsored the Alabama Stage and Screen Hall of Fame. Ms. Badham was a guest at two events, one in 2000, and again in 2001. You would have thought we were her guests rather than the other way around. She was friendly, charming and absolutely delightful. And still very cute.
“To Kill a Mockingbird” was a rare “double” — both the book and the movie were outstanding. They are both classics. So many times a great book is made into an average or even disappointing movie. In my opinion, there are very few cases where the movie is as good as the book, and almost none that are actually better. For me, four exceptions come to mind.
The first is “The Shawshank Redemption,” from the Stephen King novella “Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption.” I don’t know that it is entirely fair to say the movie was better than the book. The book was a novella, very readable, but pretty short. The movie, while being true to the book, goes into much more detail and really fleshes out the characters. The narrator, “Red,” is given particular attention. Of course, it doesn’t hurt that “Red” is played by Morgan Freeman, one of my favorite actors. I would listen raptly to Morgan Freeman reading the phone book for three hours. I thought he was just incredible in this role. The movie also does an outstanding job of providing many memorable minor characters that enhance the richness of the film without diluting the main characters or story.
Next on the list would be “The Godfather.” I read the book long before I saw the movie, which came out a few years later. I thought the book was pretty good, but some of this had to do with my being in high school when I read it. When I reread the book as an adult I tended to agree with the reviewer who said something to the effect that Mario Puzo wrote the first 100 pages of the book, but typed the rest of it. “The Godfather” also has the distinction of being one of the few movies where the sequel was as good (some would say better) than the original. I loved them both.
Then there is “Terms of Endearment.” In this case, I saw the movie first. I enjoyed it initially, saw it a few more times, and liked it even better. I had seen the movie probably four or five times before I finally read the book. What a disappointment — and I, like Larry McMurtry, felt the movie was so much better. James L. Brooks was not only the director, but was also credited with the screenplay. He did a fine job with both. Another big reason for the movie outshining the book was the strength of the cast. What talent with Jack Nicholson, Danny DeVito, Debra Winger, Jeff Daniels, and John Lithgow. Even I could probably make a good movie with that cast. But in my mind, Shirley MacLaine’s performance really stands out. Her character drives the movie, and lifts it up several notches. She certainly deserved the Academy Award she received for Best Actress.
Finally, there is “Forrest Gump.” I will never write a novel, much less one that will become a major motion picture. But if I ever do, I want the guy who adapted Winston Groom’s novel to adapt mine to the silver screen. That guy is a genius. When I saw the movie, I thought it was wonderful — touching, humorous and just plain fun.
Then I read the book, which I thought was meandering, and often silly with several cartoon-like characters. To me, the book and movie are two different animals, and the movie is much better. In preparing to write this column, I looked at a couple of reviews of the book which touted it as “a superb novel,” stated that it was “unfortunate that most people are more familiar with the movie,” and added, “it is not by any stretch a substitute for the book.”
Maybe that guy read a different book than I did. OK, readers, do you have others for the list? Let us hear from you about what movies you think are as good as the book — or perhaps even better. Leave a comment here.
Snider Judges Bounty Of County
Lisa Snider
Ojai Valley foodies will simmer in a jealousy reduction when they hear what Lisa Snider got to do at the Ventura County Fair this year.
The free-lance food and wine writer (and host of Radio Ojai) was asked to be a judge for the fair’s second annual “Bounty of the County” competition.
Snider, along with fellow judges Jane Handel (of Edible Ojai), Lisa McKinnon (of the Ventura County Star), Dianne Linderman (of Ventura County Fair) and Nancy Raibaldi (an audience member), judged two teams of local chefs, wine and beer makers and farmers on a three-course meal. The foods and wines were required to be grown and made locally, hence the name of the competition.
“The (fair representatives) called me!” she explained on being chosen for judge. “This is (a judging panel) I would’ve begged to be on! I had already helped them with the wine judging, so they knew me. I got lucky and got a spot on panel. These are gourmet meals!”
One team was from Ventura’s SideCar Restaurant, which teamed with Ojai’s Rio Gozo Farm and Oak View’s Old Creek Winery. The second consisted of Ventura’s Zoey’s Cafe, Camarillo’s McGrath Family Farms, and Santa Barbara’s Telegraph Brewery.
The judges began with Zoey’s Cafe and crew, which presented a first course of a goat cheese, beet and dandelion green salad (from McGrath Family Farms), complemented with reserve wheat ale from Telegraph Brewing Company. Watkins Cattle Company of Piru contributed the main dish, a steak filet with a turnip puree, three types of beans and succotash of corn (all from McGrath’s). Telegraph Brewing paired that with its California ale. Dessert was Trufflehounds’ pots de creme, McGrath’s fresh berries and Telegraph’s stock porter.
Snider said she was quite impressed, especially with the brave pairing of food and beer over the more traditional food and wine. “Zoey’s isn’t necessarily known for the food, but, oh my gosh, they will be now!” Snider said. “You can see a lot of up-and-coming musicians there, but they recently moved and got a bigger kitchen, so are offering more food. I’m definitely going to have to have dinner there soon. They did an excellent job.”
Team SideCar offered a first course of an heirloom tomato, cucumber and Vidalia onion salad from Rio Gozo Farm, on which was drizzled a vinaigrette featuring Petty Ranch’s Meyer lemons. They paired it with Old Creek Winery’s 2009 Loureiro (grown in Santa Ynez). Short ribs from Watkins Cattle Co. were served with Rio Gozo’s Yukon mashed potatoes, creamed swiss chard and roasted garlic, which was paired with an Old Creek Ranch carignane for the main course. Dessert was a blackberry shortcake and an albarino ice wine, all of which also came from Old Creek.
“I hadn’t even heard of two of their three wines!” Snider said. “(John and Carmel Whitman) are doing a lot with Mediterranean-influenced grapes. The Loureiro was a very light, floral wine. The carignane was beautiful, smoky and smooth and paired wonderfully with the dish. It was neat to try new things, it wasn’t just the same old cabernet or chardonnay, it was totally different.”
Snider was pleased with both entries. Team SideCar’s creamed swiss chard “… was so so good! It was such a rich, decadent dish.”
Judging a three-course meal in front of an audience was an interesting experience, she said. “Here I am chomping on my food, trying to articulate what I think about it without talking with my mouth full!” she laughed. “I ate six plates of food, six beverages, and before I went (to judge), I had deep-fried Oreos and pan bread. I didn’t even eat the next day!”
With full tummies, the judges gave SideCar the edge, but by just two points out of 100.
The weekend before, however, was a little more “interesting,” as Snider judged the wine competition with a group of five others. Last year’s event, which Snider also helped judge, offered both commercial and noncommercial wines; this year, commercial wine judging was moved to the Mid-State Fair.
While homemade, the 2010 entries did offer some bright stars, like Shadetree Winery, whose petit sirah-petit verdot blend not only placed first in its class, but also received the highly desired Best in Show ribbon.
“We didn’t have to pick a Best in Show if the entries didn’t merit one,” Snider said, “but this was a standout wine, it was that good.”
Many of the 36 entries, however, were less than fantastic, Snider confessed. “Some were just awful. Rosemary should never be made into wine. You know that show ‘The Best Thing I Ever Ate?’ That was the worst thing I ever drank!”
Still, it was an adventure. Snider tasted 20 wines this year; reds, whites, and all the in-betweens. Part of wine judging is strategizing to preserve your palate for the duration of the tasting process. She and her fellow judges opted to taste the heavier wines last, because “after a while your palate is just killed.”
Judges didn’t get to see the names or labels of the wines they tasted until afterward, when they gave each label a score to add to each entry’s total.
“Some of them don’t have labels, just masking tape with a marker,” Snider said. “But some had fancy labels, and got points for that.”
Snider hastened to explain that the term “competition” is a little deceiving. “We weren’t comparing the wines against each other,” she said. “We’re not necessarily saying, ‘Yeah, that one was way better than the last one.’ They all stand on their own merit.”
Snider offered praise to the fair organizers. “They do such a great job! Everyone who works there is so nice; they love what they’re doing. They have plenty of water, crackers, bread and cheese available, and a sandwich buffet afterwards.” Good thing, she laughed, because “some of us were a little tipsy after!”
Ojai Valley foodies will simmer in a jealousy reduction when they hear what Lisa Snider got to do at the Ventura County Fair this year.The free-lance food and wine writer (and host of Radio Ojai) was asked to be a judge for the fair’s second annual “Bounty of the County” competition.
Snider, along with fellow judges Jane Handel (of Edible Ojai), Lisa McKinnon (of the Ventura County Star), Dianne Linderman (of Ventura County Fair) and Nancy Raibaldi (an audience member), judged two teams of local chefs, wine and beer makers and farmers on a three-course meal. The foods and wines were required to be grown and made locally, hence the name of the competition.
“The (fair representatives) called me!” she explained on being chosen for judge. “This is (a judging panel) I would’ve begged to be on! I had already helped them with the wine judging, so they knew me. I got lucky and got a spot on panel. These are gourmet meals!”
One team was from Ventura’s SideCar Restaurant, which teamed with Ojai’s Rio Gozo Farm and Oak View’s Old Creek Winery. The second consisted of Ventura’s Zoey’s Cafe, Camarillo’s McGrath Family Farms, and Santa Barbara’s Telegraph Brewery.
The judges began with Zoey’s Cafe and crew, which presented a first course of a goat cheese, beet and dandelion green salad (from McGrath Family Farms), complemented with reserve wheat ale from Telegraph Brewing Company. Watkins Cattle Company of Piru contributed the main dish, a steak filet with a turnip puree, three types of beans and succotash of corn (all from McGrath’s). Telegraph Brewing paired that with its California ale. Dessert was Trufflehounds’ pots de creme, McGrath’s fresh berries and Telegraph’s stock porter.
Snider said she was quite impressed, especially with the brave pairing of food and beer over the more traditional food and wine. “Zoey’s isn’t necessarily known for the food, but, oh my gosh, they will be now!” Snider said. “You can see a lot of up-and-coming musicians there, but they recently moved and got a bigger kitchen, so are offering more food. I’m definitely going to have to have dinner there soon. They did an excellent job.”
Team SideCar offered a first course of an heirloom tomato, cucumber and Vidalia onion salad from Rio Gozo Farm, on which was drizzled a vinaigrette featuring Petty Ranch’s Meyer lemons. They paired it with Old Creek Winery’s 2009 Loureiro (grown in Santa Ynez). Short ribs from Watkins Cattle Co. were served with Rio Gozo’s Yukon mashed potatoes, creamed swiss chard and roasted garlic, which was paired with an Old Creek Ranch carignane for the main course. Dessert was a blackberry shortcake and an albarino ice wine, all of which also came from Old Creek.
“I hadn’t even heard of two of their three wines!” Snider said. “(John and Carmel Whitman) are doing a lot with Mediterranean-influenced grapes. The Loureiro was a very light, floral wine. The carignane was beautiful, smoky and smooth and paired wonderfully with the dish. It was neat to try new things, it wasn’t just the same old cabernet or chardonnay, it was totally different.”
Snider was pleased with both entries. Team SideCar’s creamed swiss chard “… was so so good! It was such a rich, decadent dish.”
Judging a three-course meal in front of an audience was an interesting experience, she said. “Here I am chomping on my food, trying to articulate what I think about it without talking with my mouth full!” she laughed. “I ate six plates of food, six beverages, and before I went (to judge), I had deep-fried Oreos and pan bread. I didn’t even eat the next day!”
With full tummies, the judges gave SideCar the edge, but by just two points out of 100.
The weekend before, however, was a little more “interesting,” as Snider judged the wine competition with a group of five others. Last year’s event, which Snider also helped judge, offered both commercial and noncommercial wines; this year, commercial wine judging was moved to the Mid-State Fair.
While homemade, the 2010 entries did offer some bright stars, like Shadetree Winery, whose petit sirah-petit verdot blend not only placed first in its class, but also received the highly desired Best in Show ribbon.
“We didn’t have to pick a Best in Show if the entries didn’t merit one,” Snider said, “but this was a standout wine, it was that good.”
Many of the 36 entries, however, were less than fantastic, Snider confessed. “Some were just awful. Rosemary should never be made into wine. You know that show ‘The Best Thing I Ever Ate?’ That was the worst thing I ever drank!”
Still, it was an adventure. Snider tasted 20 wines this year; reds, whites, and all the in-betweens. Part of wine judging is strategizing to preserve your palate for the duration of the tasting process. She and her fellow judges opted to taste the heavier wines last, because “after a while your palate is just killed.”
Judges didn’t get to see the names or labels of the wines they tasted until afterward, when they gave each label a score to add to each entry’s total.
“Some of them don’t have labels, just masking tape with a marker,” Snider said. “But some had fancy labels, and got points for that.”
Snider hastened to explain that the term “competition” is a little deceiving. “We weren’t comparing the wines against each other,” she said. “We’re not necessarily saying, ‘Yeah, that one was way better than the last one.’ They all stand on their own merit.”
Snider offered praise to the fair organizers. “They do such a great job! Everyone who works there is so nice; they love what they’re doing. They have plenty of water, crackers, bread and cheese available, and a sandwich buffet afterwards.” Good thing, she laughed, because “some of us were a little tipsy after!”
Blatz, Klaif, Three Others Enter Race
Speculation ends as Francina does not pull
papers for November City Council election
By Mary M. Long
The deadline was extended from Friday when incumbent Mayor Steve Olsen decided not to run for re-election. There could be a major shake-up at City Hall because seats currently held by Carol Smith and Paul Blatz are also up for grabs.
Candidate Lenny Klaif, who was defeated by Blatz in a June special election for the seat vacated by longtime Councilman Joe DeVito, will again enter the race, along with Blatz, Smith and challengers Carlon Strobel, Dennis Leary and Demitri Corbin. Speculation that Suza Francina might be a challenger ended with the filing deadline.
Strobel is stepping down from her position as records manager and city clerk to make a run for City Council, with veteran Cynthia Burrell taking the position as city clerk in Strobel’s absence.
Strobel leaves her salaried position of $87,669 to be a newcomer in the City Council race for a position that pays $5,700 annually. She describes her decision as sort of an epiphany. “One day I was telling a citizen who was complaining, ‘If you don’t like the way the city is being managed then step up to the plate and do something.’ Then I thought, why don’t you take your own advice? I was absolutely certain, and I’ve been certain ever since,” Strobel said.
The position of records manager is mandated to be objective, and Strobel felt that the voice of the citizens of Ojai was just not being heard. One of her complaints was the lack of transparency in the city manager’s office. She said the Skate Park and Libbey Bowl projects were taking too long to be completed, and the city and the public were not interacting in a way to move things forward. “When the public asks for documents or information, our priority as servants is to get that information to them immediately,” she said. “I felt like I was spending a lot of time dragging records out of people.” She made it clear that 98 percent of city records, including financial records, are public. “It’s almost as though we have forgotten that we are stewards, servants. We are not the owners of the city, the citizens are,” said Strobel.
She has a positive opinion of interim city manager John Baker, and had experience working with him when he filled the gap between outgoing Dan Singer and incoming Jerry Kersnar in 2005. She describes Baker as a bottom-line kind of guy who likes to get thing done, claiming, “We can have an hour’s conversation in 30 seconds. I think he is very skilled and has a tremendous amount of expertise,” she added.
Qualifying for the November ballot for the position of city clerk, which pays a stipend of just $350 a month plus benefits, are Cynthia Burrell and Shari Herbruck. Burrell is currently acting as interim city clerk for the outgoing Strobel, resuming a position that she held for 20 years. Burrell said, “Right now, people are not happy and it’s time to get it back,” naming the years between 1989 and 2001, under city manager Andy Belknap as years of teamwork. “I must love this city,” she said, citing her reasons for running for office and wanting to be part of the upcoming city government team she describes as “exciting.”
Herbruck will be retaining her present position of planning and building technician for the Community Development Department which has an annual salary of $48,470, and cites her reason for running for city clerk as a desire “to keep the city running smoothly while in transition.” The position of records manager vacated by Strobel, with compensation ranging from $72,126 to $87,669 annually, will be filled through a process of interviewing and processing applicants by the city manager’s office. Interim city manager Baker is currently out of the office, but is expecting to announce his appointment for the records manager position as early as next week.
In November, the wild card in the elections may just be the luck of the draw. Yesterday, the State of California was expected to draw for the order that the candidates will appear on the November ballot. Studies have shown that candidates whose names are listed first on the ballot have an advantage in the voting. The results of this drawing will be available on the California Secretary of State’s Election Division web site at sos.ca.gov.
To see the county’s filing list, click HERE
papers for November City Council election
By Mary M. Long
The papers are filed and the race is on. Wednesday at 5 p.m. was the filing deadline for the upcoming Ojai City Council race, which will be on the Nov. 2 General Election ballot.
The deadline was extended from Friday when incumbent Mayor Steve Olsen decided not to run for re-election. There could be a major shake-up at City Hall because seats currently held by Carol Smith and Paul Blatz are also up for grabs.
Candidate Lenny Klaif, who was defeated by Blatz in a June special election for the seat vacated by longtime Councilman Joe DeVito, will again enter the race, along with challengers Carlon Strobel, Dennis Leary and Demitri Corbin. Speculation that Suza Francina might be a challenger ended with the filing deadline.
Strobel is stepping down from her position as records manager and city clerk to make a run for City Council, with veteran Cynthia Burrell taking the position as city clerk in Strobel’s absence.
Strobel leaves her salaried position of $87,669 to be a newcomer in the City Council race for a position that pays $5,700 annually. She describes her decision as sort of an epiphany. “One day I was telling a citizen who was complaining, ‘If you don’t like the way the city is being managed then step up to the plate and do something.’ Then I thought, why don’t you take your own advice? I was absolutely certain, and I’ve been certain ever since,” Strobel said.
The position of records manager is mandated to be objective, and Strobel felt that the voice of the citizens of Ojai was just not being heard. One of her complaints was the lack of transparency in the city manager’s office. She said the Skate Park and Libbey Bowl projects were taking too long to be completed, and the city and the public were not interacting in a way to move things forward. “When the public asks for documents or information, our priority as servants is to get that information to them immediately,” she said. “I felt like I was spending a lot of time dragging records out of people.” She made it clear that 98 percent of city records, including financial records, are public. “It’s almost as though we have forgotten that we are stewards, servants. We are not the owners of the city, the citizens are,” said Strobel.
She has a positive opinion of interim city manager John Baker, and had experience working with him when he filled the gap between outgoing Dan Singer and incoming Jerry Kersnar in 2005. She describes Baker as a bottom-line kind of guy who likes to get thing done, claiming, “We can have an hour’s conversation in 30 seconds. I think he is very skilled and has a tremendous amount of expertise,” she added.
Qualifying for the November ballot for the position of city clerk, which pays a stipend of just $350 a month plus benefits, are Cynthia Burrell and Shari Herbruck. Burrell is currently acting as interim city clerk for the outgoing Strobel, resuming a position that she held for 20 years. Burrell said, “Right now, people are not happy and it’s time to get it back,” naming the years between 1989 and 2001, under city manager Andy Belknap as years of teamwork. “I must love this city,” she said, citing her reasons for running for office and wanting to be part of the upcoming city government team she describes as “exciting.”
Herbruck will be retaining her present position of planning and building technician for the Community Development Department which has an annual salary of $48,470, and cites her reason for running for city clerk as a desire “to keep the city running smoothly while in transition.” The position of records manager vacated by Strobel, with compensation ranging from $72,126 to $87,669 annually, will be filled through a process of interviewing and processing applicants by the city manager’s office. Interim city manager Baker is currently out of the office, but is expecting to announce his appointment for the records manager position as early as next week.
The papers are filed and the race is on. Wednesday at 5 p.m. was the filing deadline for the upcoming Ojai City Council race, which will be on the Nov. 2 General Election ballot.The deadline was extended from Friday when incumbent Mayor Steve Olsen decided not to run for re-election. There could be a major shake-up at City Hall because seats currently held by Carol Smith and Paul Blatz are also up for grabs.
Candidate Lenny Klaif, who was defeated by Blatz in a June special election for the seat vacated by longtime Councilman Joe DeVito, will again enter the race, along with Blatz, Smith and challengers Carlon Strobel, Dennis Leary and Demitri Corbin. Speculation that Suza Francina might be a challenger ended with the filing deadline.
Strobel is stepping down from her position as records manager and city clerk to make a run for City Council, with veteran Cynthia Burrell taking the position as city clerk in Strobel’s absence.
Strobel leaves her salaried position of $87,669 to be a newcomer in the City Council race for a position that pays $5,700 annually. She describes her decision as sort of an epiphany. “One day I was telling a citizen who was complaining, ‘If you don’t like the way the city is being managed then step up to the plate and do something.’ Then I thought, why don’t you take your own advice? I was absolutely certain, and I’ve been certain ever since,” Strobel said.
The position of records manager is mandated to be objective, and Strobel felt that the voice of the citizens of Ojai was just not being heard. One of her complaints was the lack of transparency in the city manager’s office. She said the Skate Park and Libbey Bowl projects were taking too long to be completed, and the city and the public were not interacting in a way to move things forward. “When the public asks for documents or information, our priority as servants is to get that information to them immediately,” she said. “I felt like I was spending a lot of time dragging records out of people.” She made it clear that 98 percent of city records, including financial records, are public. “It’s almost as though we have forgotten that we are stewards, servants. We are not the owners of the city, the citizens are,” said Strobel.
She has a positive opinion of interim city manager John Baker, and had experience working with him when he filled the gap between outgoing Dan Singer and incoming Jerry Kersnar in 2005. She describes Baker as a bottom-line kind of guy who likes to get thing done, claiming, “We can have an hour’s conversation in 30 seconds. I think he is very skilled and has a tremendous amount of expertise,” she added.
Qualifying for the November ballot for the position of city clerk, which pays a stipend of just $350 a month plus benefits, are Cynthia Burrell and Shari Herbruck. Burrell is currently acting as interim city clerk for the outgoing Strobel, resuming a position that she held for 20 years. Burrell said, “Right now, people are not happy and it’s time to get it back,” naming the years between 1989 and 2001, under city manager Andy Belknap as years of teamwork. “I must love this city,” she said, citing her reasons for running for office and wanting to be part of the upcoming city government team she describes as “exciting.”
Herbruck will be retaining her present position of planning and building technician for the Community Development Department which has an annual salary of $48,470, and cites her reason for running for city clerk as a desire “to keep the city running smoothly while in transition.” The position of records manager vacated by Strobel, with compensation ranging from $72,126 to $87,669 annually, will be filled through a process of interviewing and processing applicants by the city manager’s office. Interim city manager Baker is currently out of the office, but is expecting to announce his appointment for the records manager position as early as next week.
In November, the wild card in the elections may just be the luck of the draw. Yesterday, the State of California was expected to draw for the order that the candidates will appear on the November ballot. Studies have shown that candidates whose names are listed first on the ballot have an advantage in the voting. The results of this drawing will be available on the California Secretary of State’s Election Division web site at sos.ca.gov.
To see the county’s filing list, click HERE
Church Brings Treasure Boxes To Ojai
Quality food at affordable prices goal of Pastor Thomas
By Logan Hall
According to the company’s web site, a Treasure Box consists of 21 to 25 pounds of frozen foods ranging from beef and pork to fettuccini and chicken parmesan, enough to feed a family of four for about a week or an individual for almost a month. Families or individuals can purchase a box from their local host site for $30 and there are no qualifiers or restrictions. The contents of the boxes have a retail value of $65 to $100, and The Treasure Box has ties with more than 500 major food manufacturers, including Foster Farms, Nestle and Sara Lee, giving people access to grocery store-quality items.
“The main thing here is that the treasure boxes help people in all financial situations,” said Weselyan Church Pastor Lyn Thomas. “A member of our church had heard about it and it looked good so we said, ‘Let’s do it.’”
While the boxes seem like a great way for families to stock up on quality food at a decent price, it can also be a great way for people to donate to their community. A Treasure Box can be purchased and donated to a needy recipient. “People can purchase a box and designate the Help of Ojai’s Community Assistance Program as the recipient,” said Thomas. “C.A.P. can then distribute it to who they know.”
Everyone has a chance to fill their freezer with name-brand foods that won’t empty their bank accounts, and the company also seems to focus on including healthy items in the boxes. “The food is all really healthy and high quality,” said LaNette Donoghue, of the Wesleyan Church. “You don’t feel like you’re getting secondhand food at all.”
People interested in purchasing a Treasure Box will have until Aug. 15 to place their order to guarantee delivery in time for the month of September. Call the Ojai Valley Treasure Box at 640-5946 or log on to ojaivalleytreasurebox.org.
By Logan Hall
The Ojai Valley Wesleyan Church is hunting for treasure boxes. It’s not the kind you could locate with a map or find on a sunken pirate ship. The church has set out to get the Ojai Valley involved in The Treasure Box, a nonprofit subsidiary of the food distribution company, Good Source Solutions, that is dedicated to making quality food available to families at an affordable cost.
According to the company’s web site, a Treasure Box consists of 21 to 25 pounds of frozen foods ranging from beef and pork to fettuccini and chicken parmesan, enough to feed a family of four for about a week or an individual for almost a month. Families or individuals can purchase a box from their local host site for $30 and there are no qualifiers or restrictions. The contents of the boxes have a retail value of $65 to $100, and The Treasure Box has ties with more than 500 major food manufacturers, including Foster Farms, Nestle and Sara Lee, giving people access to grocery store-quality items.
“The main thing here is that the treasure boxes help people in all financial situations,” said Weselyan Church Pastor Lyn Thomas. “A member of our church had heard about it and it looked good so we said, ‘Let’s do it.’”
While the boxes seem like a great way for families to stock up on quality food at a decent price, it can also be a great way for people to donate to their community. A Treasure
The Ojai Valley Wesleyan Church is hunting for treasure boxes. It’s not the kind you could locate with a map or find on a sunken pirate ship. The church has set out to get the Ojai Valley involved in The Treasure Box, a nonprofit subsidiary of the food distribution company, Good Source Solutions, that is dedicated to making quality food available to families at an affordable cost.According to the company’s web site, a Treasure Box consists of 21 to 25 pounds of frozen foods ranging from beef and pork to fettuccini and chicken parmesan, enough to feed a family of four for about a week or an individual for almost a month. Families or individuals can purchase a box from their local host site for $30 and there are no qualifiers or restrictions. The contents of the boxes have a retail value of $65 to $100, and The Treasure Box has ties with more than 500 major food manufacturers, including Foster Farms, Nestle and Sara Lee, giving people access to grocery store-quality items.
“The main thing here is that the treasure boxes help people in all financial situations,” said Weselyan Church Pastor Lyn Thomas. “A member of our church had heard about it and it looked good so we said, ‘Let’s do it.’”
While the boxes seem like a great way for families to stock up on quality food at a decent price, it can also be a great way for people to donate to their community. A Treasure Box can be purchased and donated to a needy recipient. “People can purchase a box and designate the Help of Ojai’s Community Assistance Program as the recipient,” said Thomas. “C.A.P. can then distribute it to who they know.”
Everyone has a chance to fill their freezer with name-brand foods that won’t empty their bank accounts, and the company also seems to focus on including healthy items in the boxes. “The food is all really healthy and high quality,” said LaNette Donoghue, of the Wesleyan Church. “You don’t feel like you’re getting secondhand food at all.”
People interested in purchasing a Treasure Box will have until Aug. 15 to place their order to guarantee delivery in time for the month of September. Call the Ojai Valley Treasure Box at 640-5946 or log on to ojaivalleytreasurebox.org.
No Injuries In Ojai Garage Fire
Photo by Scott Wintermute
One Ojai family is displaced from their home today due to a Tuesday night fire that destroyed their garage, damaged their home and burned countless irreplaceable family heirlooms
Becky Monahan went out to check the laundry in the dryer shortly after her two girls headed to rent a movie, only to find smoke and flames billowing out from between the wall and machine.
“She started screaming, ‘Fire,’ so I grabbed the fire extinguisher.” said Tim Grant, the girls’ father who fought the blaze to little avail before it got into the walls and attic of their home and became too much for a garden hose to handle. Luckily, firefighters from Stations 21, 22 and 23 arrived at the scene and were able to contain the damage to the attached garage.
“Once they got here, it didn’t take them long to get it 90 percent contained,” said Grant.
No one was harmed in the incident, which occured around 10 p.m. Tuesday, including beloved pets Frankie the dog and Squirt the cat, after Grant ushered them out of the house. “The firemen got the guinea pig out.” added Grant.
One Ojai family is displaced from their home today due to a Tuesday night fire that destroyed their garage, damaged their home and burned countless irreplaceable family heirloomsBecky Monahan went out to check the laundry in the dryer shortly after her two girls headed to rent a movie, only to find smoke and flames billowing out from between the wall and machine.
“She started screaming, ‘Fire,’ so I grabbed the fire extinguisher.” said Tim Grant, the girls’ father who fought the blaze to little avail before it got into the walls and attic of their home and became too much for a garden hose to handle. Luckily, firefighters from Stations 21, 22 and 23 arrived at the scene and were able to contain the damage to the attached garage.
“Once they got here, it didn’t take them long to get it 90 percent contained,” said Grant.
No one was harmed in the incident, which occured around 10 p.m. Tuesday, including beloved pets Frankie the dog and Squirt the cat, after Grant ushered them out of the house. “The firemen got the guinea pig out.” added Grant.
Fun At The County Fair
By Bill Buchanan
I hate to miss the fair, because when I was a kid few things caused more excitement at my house (well, for my sister and me at least) than the annual county fair. For one week each October everything else became secondary as the rides, exhibits, games of chance, sideshows and “fair food” took over our lives.
At night, you could hear the carnival organ music, and see the bright lights of the midway and the rides from my house. That meant sleep was pretty much out of the question for that week as my sister and I plotted our every move. In fact, I doubt the D-Day invasion of Normandy was as well planned as our visits to the fair. Each night my sister and I would go over what we were going to see, what rides we were going to ride and what food we were going to eat. We would tally the cost of each event, and then see if we could add something to the itinerary, or would be forced to take something off. We shook our piggy banks until they were a blur, making sure we got every last coin out to take and blow on games, rides and food.
And although I was fascinated by all of it, I guess the rides were my favorite thing about the fair. This was due in part to my total inability to win anything at any of the games of chance. Over the years, I probably spent $40,000 trying to win stuffed teddy bears for myself, and later on, the girls I had a crush on — including my wife. At least I was consistent — I was awful at all the games. I would put down dollar after dollar shooting basketballs, tossing rings, throwing darts, you name it, and then walk away with my hands as empty as my pockets. Then, as if on cue, some guy and his girlfriend would walk by weighted down with stuffed animals until their knees buckled —- to make sure that I felt even more incompetent.
In all those years at the fair, there was one particular ride that always held me spellbound —- the Rock-O-Planes. At night, the Rock-O-Planes looked like a neon octopus with long tentacles shooting out in all directions. At the end of the arms were little prison-like cages that housed anyone brave enough (or stupid enough) to climb aboard. The entire gizmo rotated in a clockwise motion, taking you from ground level to 30 feet or so in the air, then hurtled you back toward the earth. All the while, the cages rocked independently to insure that you never felt in control of your destiny.
I watched in awe for many years as boys and girls, men and women, went bravely into the cages to challenge the beast, often exiting the ride weak-kneed and disoriented, with someone’s corn dog from two hours ago all over their shirt. These images kept my curiosity and adventurous spirit at bay, until one fateful day, I was walking past the ride and a classmate corralled me into going on it with him. The boy who called out to me was Gary “Chunky” Paris.
Chunky saw me, pointed to the Rock-O-Planes, and yelled out, “Hey, Buck, let’s go ride it!” My first impulse was to run and hide in the photo booth. But since I was with a group of friends, peer pressure got the best of me. I couldn’t back down in front of my friends, so I climbed into the cage to ride the Rock-O-Planes with Chunky. He was one of those annoying people who were never bothered by anything. My theory, at least with him, was because he was just plain crazy. Truly crazy people don’t worry about injury, death or other trivial matters like the rest of us. And Chunky was certifiable. The story about him that stands out is that once when he was young, he was driving his motorcycle, and hit a house. It was never made quite clear what led him to hit a house on his bike, but that is beside the point. After the accident, he got up, shook himself off, got back on the bike, and drove himself the hospital to get treated.
Crazy. And I was on the Rock-O-Planes with him. I knew I was in real trouble when Chunky began to flip the cage over before the ride even started. Then things got worse. Each time we went up in the air, he would roll the cage so that we were almost parallel with the ground. Once we reached the top and began our descent, he would flip the cage forward so that you felt like you were going to hit the ground face first. We repeated that cycle over and over again until the Lord finally took pity upon me.
When my fervent prayers that the ride would stop were finally answered, I was thankful for three things — that I was out of that cage, that I was alive, and finally, that the engine and crowd noise had been loud enough to muffle my screams. I don’t know that I actually screamed out loud, but I was certainly screaming on the inside.
I didn’t know if Rock-O-Planes even still existed, so I “Googled” it just out of curiosity. I halfway expected to either get nothing at all, or maybe get a hit about a stoner garage band called “The Rock-O-Planes” playing at some obscure venue. But sure enough, the ride is still around. You can even see a YouTube video of some fool flipping over and over and over in the cage as he rides to glory.
I couldn’t tell for sure, but it just might have been Chunky Paris in there. Have fun at the fair.
I was really looking forward to the Ventura County Fair, which continues through Aug. 15. I hurt my knee Sunday night, and will be going a little slower for the next few days until it either gets better or I get faster on crutches.
I hate to miss the fair, because when I was a kid few things caused more excitement at my house (well, for my sister and me at least) than the annual county fair. For one week each October everything else became secondary as the rides, exhibits, games of chance, sideshows and “fair food” took over our lives.
At night, you could hear the carnival organ music, and see the bright lights of the midway and the rides from my house. That meant sleep was pretty much out of the question for that week as my sister and I plotted our every move. In fact, I doubt the D-Day invasion of Normandy was as well planned as our visits to the fair. Each night my sister and I would go over what we were going to see, what rides we were going to ride and what food we were going to eat. We would tally the cost of each event, and then see if we could add something to the itinerary, or would be forced to take something off. We shook our piggy banks until they were a blur, making sure we got every last coin out to take and blow on games, rides and food.
And although I was fascinated by all of it, I guess the rides were my favorite thing about the fair. This was due in part to my total inability to win anything at any of the games of chance. Over the years, I probably spent $40,000 trying to win stuffed teddy bears for myself, and later on, the girls I had a crush on — including my wife. At least I was consistent — I was awful at all the games. I would put down dollar after dollar shooting basketballs, tossing rings, throwing darts, you name it, and then walk away with my hands as empty as my pockets. Then, as if on cue, some guy and his girlfriend would walk by weighted down with stuffed animals until their knees buckled —- to make sure that I felt even more incompetent.
In all those years at the fair, there was one particular ride that always held me spellbound —- the Rock-O-Planes. At night, the Rock-O-Planes looked like a neon octopus with long tentacles shooting out in all directions. At the end of the arms were little prison-like cages that housed anyone brave enough (or stupid enough) to climb aboard. The entire gizmo rotated in a clockwise motion, taking you from ground level to 30 feet or so in the air, then hurtled you back toward the earth. All the while, the cages rocked independently to insure that you never felt in control of your destiny.
I watched in awe for many years as boys and girls, men and women, went bravely into the cages to challenge the beast, often exiting the ride weak-kneed and disoriented, with someone’s corn dog from two hours ago all over their shirt. These images kept my curiosity and adventurous spirit at bay, until one fateful day, I was walking past the ride and a classmate corralled me into going on it with him. The boy who called out to me was Gary “Chunky” Paris.
Chunky saw me, pointed to the Rock-O-Planes, and yelled out, “Hey, Buck, let’s go ride it!” My first impulse was to run and hide in the photo booth. But since I was with a group of friends, peer pressure got the best of me. I couldn’t back down in front of my friends, so I climbed into the cage to ride the Rock-O-Planes with Chunky. He was one of those annoying people who were never bothered by anything. My theory, at least with him, was because he was just plain crazy. Truly crazy people don’t worry about injury, death or other trivial matters like the rest of us. And Chunky was certifiable. The story about him that stands out is that once when he was young, he was driving his motorcycle, and hit a house. It was never made quite clear what led him to hit a house on his bike, but that is beside the point. After the accident, he got up, shook himself off, got back on the bike, and drove himself the hospital to get treated.
Crazy. And I was on the Rock-O-Planes with him. I knew I was in real trouble when Chunky began to flip the cage over before the ride even started. Then things got worse. Each time we went up in the air, he would roll the cage so that we were almost parallel with the ground. Once we reached the top and began our descent, he would flip the cage forward so that you felt like you were going to hit the ground face first. We repeated that cycle over and over again until the Lord finally took pity upon me.
When my fervent prayers that the ride would stop were finally answered, I was thankful for three things — that I was out of that cage, that I was alive, and finally, that the engine and crowd noise had been loud enough to muffle my screams. I don’t know that I actually screamed out loud, but I was certainly screaming on the inside.
I didn’t know if Rock-O-Planes even still existed, so I “Googled” it just out of curiosity. I halfway expected to either get nothing at all, or maybe get a hit about a stoner garage band called “The Rock-O-Planes” playing at some obscure venue. But sure enough, the ride is still around. You can even see a YouTube video of some fool flipping over and over and over in the cage as he rides to glory.
I couldn’t tell for sure, but it just might have been Chunky Paris in there. Have fun at the fair.
I was really looking forward to the Ventura County Fair, which continues through Aug. 15. I hurt my knee Sunday night, and will be going a little slower for the next few days until it either gets better or I get faster on crutches.I hate to miss the fair, because when I was a kid few things caused more excitement at my house (well, for my sister and me at least) than the annual county fair. For one week each October everything else became secondary as the rides, exhibits, games of chance, sideshows and “fair food” took over our lives.
At night, you could hear the carnival organ music, and see the bright lights of the midway and the rides from my house. That meant sleep was pretty much out of the question for that week as my sister and I plotted our every move. In fact, I doubt the D-Day invasion of Normandy was as well planned as our visits to the fair. Each night my sister and I would go over what we were going to see, what rides we were going to ride and what food we were going to eat. We would tally the cost of each event, and then see if we could add something to the itinerary, or would be forced to take something off. We shook our piggy banks until they were a blur, making sure we got every last coin out to take and blow on games, rides and food.
And although I was fascinated by all of it, I guess the rides were my favorite thing about the fair. This was due in part to my total inability to win anything at any of the games of chance. Over the years, I probably spent $40,000 trying to win stuffed teddy bears for myself, and later on, the girls I had a crush on — including my wife. At least I was consistent — I was awful at all the games. I would put down dollar after dollar shooting basketballs, tossing rings, throwing darts, you name it, and then walk away with my hands as empty as my pockets. Then, as if on cue, some guy and his girlfriend would walk by weighted down with stuffed animals until their knees buckled —- to make sure that I felt even more incompetent.
In all those years at the fair, there was one particular ride that always held me spellbound —- the Rock-O-Planes. At night, the Rock-O-Planes looked like a neon octopus with long tentacles shooting out in all directions. At the end of the arms were little prison-like cages that housed anyone brave enough (or stupid enough) to climb aboard. The entire gizmo rotated in a clockwise motion, taking you from ground level to 30 feet or so in the air, then hurtled you back toward the earth. All the while, the cages rocked independently to insure that you never felt in control of your destiny.
I watched in awe for many years as boys and girls, men and women, went bravely into the cages to challenge the beast, often exiting the ride weak-kneed and disoriented, with someone’s corn dog from two hours ago all over their shirt. These images kept my curiosity and adventurous spirit at bay, until one fateful day, I was walking past the ride and a classmate corralled me into going on it with him. The boy who called out to me was Gary “Chunky” Paris.
Chunky saw me, pointed to the Rock-O-Planes, and yelled out, “Hey, Buck, let’s go ride it!” My first impulse was to run and hide in the photo booth. But since I was with a group of friends, peer pressure got the best of me. I couldn’t back down in front of my friends, so I climbed into the cage to ride the Rock-O-Planes with Chunky. He was one of those annoying people who were never bothered by anything. My theory, at least with him, was because he was just plain crazy. Truly crazy people don’t worry about injury, death or other trivial matters like the rest of us. And Chunky was certifiable. The story about him that stands out is that once when he was young, he was driving his motorcycle, and hit a house. It was never made quite clear what led him to hit a house on his bike, but that is beside the point. After the accident, he got up, shook himself off, got back on the bike, and drove himself the hospital to get treated.
Crazy. And I was on the Rock-O-Planes with him. I knew I was in real trouble when Chunky began to flip the cage over before the ride even started. Then things got worse. Each time we went up in the air, he would roll the cage so that we were almost parallel with the ground. Once we reached the top and began our descent, he would flip the cage forward so that you felt like you were going to hit the ground face first. We repeated that cycle over and over again until the Lord finally took pity upon me.
When my fervent prayers that the ride would stop were finally answered, I was thankful for three things — that I was out of that cage, that I was alive, and finally, that the engine and crowd noise had been loud enough to muffle my screams. I don’t know that I actually screamed out loud, but I was certainly screaming on the inside.
I didn’t know if Rock-O-Planes even still existed, so I “Googled” it just out of curiosity. I halfway expected to either get nothing at all, or maybe get a hit about a stoner garage band called “The Rock-O-Planes” playing at some obscure venue. But sure enough, the ride is still around. You can even see a YouTube video of some fool flipping over and over and over in the cage as he rides to glory.
I couldn’t tell for sure, but it just might have been Chunky Paris in there. Have fun at the fair.
Skate Park Completion On Schedule
Construction continues on Ojai’s long-awaited skate park as workers add gravel to help potential drainage system issues. The park is scheduled to be open on Ojai Day, Oct. 16. Funding for the $3 million facility was raised by contributors and the city of Ojai. Photo by Mary M. Long
The dream team arrived and started shooting the concrete for the Ojai Skate Park early Tuesday morning. This is the same team that built the skate facility for the X games and, most recently, the Maloof Money Cup, which is now under construction in Orange County.
Joe Ciaglio, owner of California Skate Parks, has donated pool coping for the rim of the 9.5-foot-deep skate bowl at the rear of the park. “This is no small thing,” said the foreman Sergio Acosta, smiling. This coping was developed by Ciaglio specifically for skateboarding and is the same surface they installed in famed skateboarder Tony Hawk’s home, state-of-the-art facility.
A snag in the project unraveled this week resulting in an urgent on-site meeting Wednesday morning between volunteer construction liaison Chet Hilgers, representing Skate Ojai with Bob Daddi and Chris Hilgers, city engineer, Glen Hawks, Public Works director Mike Culver, Earth Systems representatives Rick Beard and Todd Trandy, Parks and Recreation director Dale Sumersille, Councilwoman Betsy Clapp, former City Clerk Carlon Strobel and foreman Acosta. The Hilgers had been asking for an accounting of the Skate Park construction funds for some time, which allegedly had not been provided by the city under Kersnar’s management.
