One Step a la Vez overflowed with community support, beautiful music and well fed folks last Saturday. The fundraising Tardeada (afternoon event) was a great success in its aims to not only raise awareness and funds for the drop-in teen center and after school program but to create an event for the city of Fillmore that would celebrate the music and heritage of the Latino culture. The local and gifted band Conjunto Zacamandu, featuring Tomás Herrera entertained the crowd with their Vera Cruz style vocal and harp music.

One Step A La Vez's mission is to serve the communities of the Santa Clara Valley by providing a safe environment for 13-19 year olds and preparing informed, empowered youth who are equipped with the tools to lead; cultivate cultural awareness; bridge the gaps of inequality; and advocate for fair, just, and healthy individuals and communities.

Ventura, CA - Community Memorial Hospital and Ojai Valley Community Hospital, the foundation facilities of the Community Memorial Health System, received top recognition in the Ventura County Star’s 2014 Readers’ Choice Winners & Favorites awards.

Community Memorial Hospital was the West County winner in the Hospital category, while Ojai Valley Community Hospital earned West County favorite designation. The newspaper’s balloting was conducted online over a three-week period in January and February. The Star issued its Readers’ Choice in its May 4 edition.

“CMHS’s administration, board of trustees, medical staff and employees are deeply committed to providing the highest quality healthcare to our friends and neighbors throughout Ventura County,” said CMHS President and CEO Gary Wilde.

Wilde added that superb medical facilities play an important role in a community’s quality of life, “ranking alongside other factors, such as housing, employment opportunities, effective education and cultural and social life. We are honored to be a cornerstone of this community, having provided more than a century of noble service.”

CMH and OVCH earned the recognition while in the midst of big changes for both medical facilities.

A new six-story, 325,000-square-foot hospital is being built next to the current 242-bed CMH, and is scheduled to open in 2015. It will have 250 private rooms, comfortable space for families and a healing garden on the grounds.

The new CMH, which meets seismic demands, also will have a larger Emergency Room and greater imaging capability than the present hospital. It also will have additional Heart Catheterization labs, expanded Intensive Care and Cardiac Care Recovery Units and a larger Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. The hospital’s 10 surgical theaters will have leading-edge medical technology.

The 103-bed OVCH, meanwhile, is undergoing an extensive modernization project that includes construction of a new entry in the Spanish Colonial Revival style that better integrates the look of the facility within the Ojai Valley environment. It also includes plans to build a new 60-bed Continuing Care Center (skilled nursing facility) to replace the existing CCC facility.

Community Memorial Health System is a not-for-profit health system, which is comprised of Community Memorial Hospital, Ojai Valley Community Hospital, and 11 family-practice health centers entitled Centers for Family Health. The health system is located in Ventura County, California.

Ventura County Behavioral Health is pleased to offer Mental Health First Aid: an 8‐hour certification course to help participants better understand mental illness and respond to psychiatric emergencies.

Dates: May 14-15, 2014
Time: 9am-1:30pm
Presenter: Frank Barba & Ana Del Rio Barba
Location: 1911 Williams Drive, Oxnard, CA 93036
(VCBH TRAINING ROOM)
Course Information
Mental Health First Aid is a ground breaking public education program that helps the public identify, understand, and respond to signs of mental illnesses and substance use disorders.

Mental Health First Aid is offered in the form of an interactive two-day course that presents an overview of mental illness and substance use disorders in the U.S. and introduces participants to risk factors and warning signs of mental health problems, builds understanding of their impact, and overviews common treatments.
Attendees will learn:
• The potential risk factors and warning signs for a range of mental health problems, including: depression, anxiety/trauma, psychosis and psychotic disorders, eating disorders, substance use disorders, and self-injury.
• How to use a 5-step action plan to assess a crisis situation and select and implement appropriate interventions.
• The realities and prevalence of various mental health disorders in the U.S. and the need for reduced stigma in our communities.
• How to access appropriate professional, peer, social, and self-help resources to help someone with a mental health problem.

To register for this valuable training, send an email to:
Arieta Faiivae, Community Outreach, arieta.faiivae2@ventura.org or call 805-981-2220. For more detailed information, contact: KerryAnn Schuette, VCBH Manager KerryAnn.Schuette@ventura.org

This project is funded by VCBH Mental Health Services Act.

Coffee and water will be available, please bring your own snacks.

A message from Detective Ray Dominguez:
Farm Watch readers, a review of recent crime/incident reports indicate we are experiencing a number of isolated thefts/burglaries with items stolen ranging from avocados & lemons to hay bales. Avocado thefts are of particular concern with Cinco de Mayo just around the corner and plenty of fruit still on the trees. Please stay vigilant and don't let your grove become a target for thieves. Patrol your grove regularly and look for signs of trespassing activity and report it immediately.

In my experience, I have found that crooks will "scout" the area first and even enter your property illegally looking for potential blocks of trees that provide cover/concealment and easy access to your fruit. They will stash the picked fruit in piles at the base of the trees and conceal the pile under leaf litter, only to return later to collect their bounty. If you find this to be the case, please try not to disturb the scene and give the Sheriff's Office a call for follow-up.

Another item of concern involves fuel thefts. Earlier this week, a theft of approximately 500 gallons of red dye diesel fuel was reported stolen from a property in Wheeler Canyon. With gas prices on the rise I anticipate this will continue to be a problem. If you have fueling stations or portable fueling equipment on trailers please pay particular attention to these sites as they are easy targets for thieves. Do what you can to fortify the site and "harden" the target by creating physical barriers with fencing, use of surveillance cameras, lighting, alarms, guard dogs, etc.

Whenever possible, bring CONTINUED »

Sacramento, CA – Drought conditions have led to a significant increase in wildfire activity and to ensure Californians are ready, Governor Edmund G. Brown, Jr. has declared May 4-10, 2014 as “Wildfire Awareness Week”. CAL FIRE is reminding residents during Wildfire Awareness Week of the dangers posed by wildfires and the simple steps that should be followed to prepare for and prevent them.

“Fire Season really never ended last year in many parts of California,” said Chief Ken Pimlott, CAL FIRE director. “We continue to have very dry conditions and experience unusually early fire behavior that is extreme for this time of year.”

According to the state’s final snow survey on May 1, the statewide snowpack water content is only 18 percent of normal. Between January 1 and May 3, CAL FIRE has responded to over 1,200 wildfires that have charred nearly 2,700 acres. In an average year for the same time period, CAL FIRE would typically respond to fewer than 600 wildfires.

During Wildfire Awareness Week, CAL FIRE is reminding Californians that when it comes to wildfires, remember “Ready, Set, Go!”. Being Ready for a wildfire starts by maintaining 100 feet of Defensible Space and hardening homes with fire resistant building materials.

“With this year’s drought it is absolutely critical that residents be prepared for wildfires by ensuring they have 100 feet of Defensible Space around their homes,” said Chief Pimlott. “Most wildfires are preventable and we need residents and vacationers to be extra cautious outdoors because one less spark means one less wildfire.”

Homeowners looking for additional information on how to prepare themselves, their families and their homes for wildfire can visit www.ReadyForWildfire.org. The site offers tips for residents to make their homes more resistant to wildfires and to ensure that their families are ready to evacuate early and safely when a wildfire strikes.

Governor Brown has called on all Californians to reduce their water use by 20 percent and prevent water waste – visit SaveOurH2O.org to find out how everyone can do their part, and visit Drought.CA.Gov to learn more about how California is dealing with the effects of the drought.

Ventura, CA - Ventura County Transportation Commission (VCTC) and Ventura County Air Pollution Control District (VCAPCD) are rewarding participants in Ventura County’s Bike to Work Week 2014 with a chance to win great prizes such as a new bike, cycling GPS, and cell phone bike mounts. The campaign, which runs May 12-16, promotes the benefits of bicycle commuting and gives cyclists an opportunity to win valuable prizes, take part in “pit stops,” get a free bike tune-up, and more.

Interested cyclists are invited to sign up at www.GoVentura.org by filling out a short entry form. Upon completion, participants will be eligible to win one of this year’s prizes.

Additionally, VCTC and VCAPCD will be hosting public “pit stops” at or near the city halls in Fillmore (May 12 from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m.), Oxnard (May 13 from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m.), Ventura (May 15 from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m.), and Thousand Oaks (May 16 from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m.), as well as on the campus of CSCUI (May 14 from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m.). Free bike tune-ups courtesy of local bike shops will be offered, as will breakfast refreshments, bike-related giveaways, and informational materials.

“This is an exciting time of year,” noted VCTC Executive Director Darren Kettle. “Between the beautiful bike trails here in Ventura County and all the great resources available to cyclists including our free bikeways mobile application, Bike to Work Week is the perfect time to experience the savings, fitness, and ‘green’ benefits of this fun commute option.”

Bike to Work CONTINUED »

On May 10th, 2014, (Mexican Mother’s Day) celebrate at the One Step a la Vez center with dinner, a concert and a film. The event will start at 3pm with a delicious meal of chile verde, rice & beans. At 4:30pm there will be a concert by Conjunto Zacamandu featuring Tomás Herrera. Following this will be a screening of a relevant film. The film is open to the public and no ticket is necessary. The OSALV youth will be selling snacks and popcorn to raise money for future outings and special events. Tickets are $15 or five for $50. For tickets please come by the center any weekday between 1 and 6pm. For more information call Kate at 805-207-5013.

On Wednesday, April 30, the American Red Cross serving Ventura County (www.redcross.org/ventura), recognized its 2014 Heroes for the Red Cross at an awards breakfast held at Spanish Hills Country Club.

Representing five categories of local heroism, the award winners are individuals and organizations from throughout Ventura County showing extraordinary acts of courage, compassion and community service.

First Responder Hero: Ventura County Fire Department. Amid, high winds, record temperatures, and an historic drought, the Springs Fire erupted on May 2, 2013, eventually burning an area the size of the city of Santa Barbara. Trained and ready to meet this threat, the Ventura County Fire Department went into action, first on-scene to fight the fire and ultimately spearheading a firefighting force of 2,000 people from across the western United States. At the fire's height, 4,000 homes were threatened along with Cal State Channel Islands and Naval Base Ventura County. In the end, no lives, homes, or military facilities were lost.

Education Hero: Oxnard School District. On October 4, 2013, the 1200 block of South Oxnard Boulevard caught fire, leaving 90 people homeless. The Oxnard School District offered long-term shelter and support to the displaced families. The gym at Frank Intermediate School became a dormitory with cots filling the basketball court and its long-unused showers activated. Donated goods piled up in aisles at the school library for disbursement. The Oxnard School District kept the shelter open an extra week to ensure all needs were met for the displaced families.

Good Samaritan Hero: Kirwin CONTINUED »

OXNARD, CA - Women in Ventura County are invited to volunteer on May 10th during Habitat for Humanity’s seventh annual National Women Build Week. Habitat for Humanity of Ventura County is one of more than 300 Habitat affiliates nationwide hosting Women Build projects with the support of Lowe’s, Habitat’s longtime partner in the event.

National Women Build Week, held May 3-11, challenges women to devote at least one day to building simple, decent and affordable housing in their local communities. More than 52,000 women volunteers from all 50 states have participated in previous years.

“We are excited to participate in National Women Build Week,” said Steve Dwyer, executive director of Habitat for Humanity of Ventura County. “This is a great opportunity for women of all skill levels to come together to help a family in need.”

To register for the May 10th Ventura County Women Build in Camarillo , visit www.womenbuild2014.eventbrite.com . For more information, call (805) 485-6065, x200 or email susans@habitatventura.org. No construction skills necessary.

To date, women volunteers have helped construct more than 2,200 Habitat houses nationwide. Locally, Habitat for Humanity of Ventura County has hosted seven Women Builds in Ventura County. Visit Habitat.org/wb for more information on National Women Build Week.

Livingston Hospice conducts several adult bereavement support groups to help those who have experienced a loss. Explore and express feeling, understand the grief process and receive emotional support. Open to the public, no cost, all are welcome; the groups are held at:

• The First Presbyterian Church, 850 Ivywood Drive, Oxnard; Every Wednesday, (May 14, 21, 28 ); from 3:00 – 4:30 pm

• Livingston Memorial VNA, 1996 Eastman Ave (#112), Ventura; Every Wednesday, (May 14, 21, 28); from 6:30 – 8:00

• Help of Ojai, 370 Baldwin Road, Ojai; On 2nd & 4th Tuesday, (13, 27); from 10:30 am – 12 noon

• For the newly bereaved: at Livingston Memorial VNA, 1996 Eastman Ave, (#112), Ventura; second Thursday, (June 12 ); from 6:00 – 7:30 pm

Call 642-1608 for more information.

SANTA PAULA, CA – Come be a Citizen Scientist for a day! The University of California Cooperative Extension and Hansen Agricultural Research and Extension Center are inviting the public to come participate in a day of science and fun at a historic farm in Santa Paula on May 8th as part of the Centennial Celebration of Cooperative Extension! The Celebration of Science & Service event is free and available to all.

Preschoolers are encouraged to attend 9-11 am, with school-age youth attending 11-2, but activities for everyone will be on-going until 5pm. County Extension Advisors and Master Gardeners will be leading demonstrations and talks throughout the day. Additionally, Master Gardeners will be hosting a plant sale 9 am to noon.

The event is free to attend, but registration is requested so that we can ensure that there are enough materials for everyone. Visit http://ceventura.ucanr.edu/ANR_Centennial_/ for details and registration.

Youth and adults are encouraged to participate in a state-wide scientific research opportunity to collect data involving water conservation, food and pollinators. This sort of wide-spread observation collection is known as citizen science. Even those who can’t make it to the farm can participate in our citizen science data collection by visiting beascientist.ucanr.eduon May 8th.

The Celebration of Science & Serviceactivities as well as the citizen science observationswill focus on pollinators, water and food.

How many pollinators do you see?

Bees, butterflies, beetles and bats—our food depends on their ability to pollinate all kinds of crops. Spend three minutes outdoors in your community counting pollinators and add your numbers to a statewide pollinator map. The beascientist.ucanr.edu website will help you identify which ones are pollinators.

“This information will give us a baseline understanding of pollinator populations across California,” according to Beth Grafton-Cardwell, University of California Cooperative Extension (UCCE) specialist in the Department of Entomology at UC Riverside and leader of the UC Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources (UC ANR) strategic initiative on endemic and invasive species.

How do you conserve water?

Do you conserve water in your garden, landscape, household or farm? Let us know by clicking on our California water map.

“Conserving water is essential, especially during a drought,” says Doug Parker, director of the UC California Institute for Water Resources and leader of the UC ANR strategic initiative on water quality, quantity and security. “This information will help us understand how water is being used and conserved across the state.”
Where is food grown in your community?

Do you grow your own food or get homegrown food from a neighbor who gardens? Is there a community farm nearby, or vegetable plants growing in the parkway between the street and sidewalk?

This project encourages you to discover exactly where food is grown in your community, and at the same time contribute to a statewide understanding of how widespread local food production is throughout California.

At the Celebration of Service and Science, food is not available for purchase. Visitors may bring a snack or lunch to enjoy on picnic tables. Participants are also encouraged to wear sturdy shoes and bring hats, sunscreen and water. The grounds are unpaved, but stroller friendly.

The UC Hansen Agricultural Research & Extension Center is located at 14292 W. Telegraph Road in Santa Paula, at thecorner of Briggs Road and Telegraph Road. Free parking is accessible from Briggs Road.

This celebration in Ventura County is part of a larger celebration taking place state-wide. The University of California is asking the public to join its faculty, students, staff, 4-H volunteers and master gardeners in a vast science project across the state, in recognition of the 100th anniversary ofUCCE.

About UC Cooperative Extension UCCE
On May 8, 1914, President Woodrow Wilson signed the Smith-Lever Act, which created Cooperative Extension to serve as a conduit for scientific advances in agriculture, nutrition and natural resources from the nation’s public, land-grant universities to its farmers, youth and communities.

“UC Cooperative Extension is all about science and service,” said Barbara Allen-Diaz, UC vice president for the Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources, which administers Cooperative Extension in California. “To celebrate the anniversary of Cooperative Extension, we are asking Californians to help us collect scientific data so that all of us will better understand our natural, agricultural and urban communities.”

County Supervisor Kathy Long, 3rd District would like to announce to all residents of Ventura County that the next Santa Paula Tattoo Removal Clinic will be held on Saturday May 3rd, 2014 from 8:30 am – 12 noon, no appointments necessary. Orientation for first time participants will be at 9 am located at 1334 E. Main St. the Santa Paula Family Care Clinic. Due to overwhelming response, spaces will be limited.

County Supervisor Kathy Long spearheaded this clinic in collaboration with the following agencies: Ventura County Public Health, Ventura County Probation Agency, Ventura County Sheriff’s Department, Santa Paula Family Care Clinic, Interface Children Family Services, and CalWORKS.

The clinic not only welcomes participants but volunteers to run the clinic. If you have any questions, or would like to find out how you can help, please call the Santa Paula Family Care Clinic at (805) 933-1242.

San Clemente, CA - That gallon of milk you consider a staple in your refrigerator is missing in many of California’s food banks. According to Feeding America, the nation’s largest domestic hunger-relief organization, milk is one of the items most requested by food bank clients, yet it is rarely donated. That will soon change with today’s launch of The Great American Milk Drive, the first-ever national program to help deliver highly desired and nutrient-rich gallons of milk to hungry families who need it most.

Hunger impacts 1 in 6 Americans, including 12.5 million families who do not have access to adequate nourishment[2] to help them reach their full potential. The facts are even more alarming locally with 1 in 4 Californians suffering from poverty, the highest rate in any state[3][4]. Over 6.5 million California residents experience food insecurity[5] and due to the perishable nature of foods like milk, Feeding America food bank clients receive, on average, only one gallon of milk per person per year and obtain less than the suggested servings of milk to fulfill a well-balanced diet. To help combat this, Feeding America has teamed up with the dairy industry, including the California Milk Processor Board (CMPB), the creator of got milk?, to launch The Great American Milk Drive and alleviate hunger in local communities.

“Food insecurity is CONTINUED »

Cal Fire

Sacramento, CA – With gusty dry winds forecast for Southern California, CAL FIRE has increased its staffing and is urging the public to be extra cautious as fire danger heightens. The Weather Service has issued a Fire Weather Watch for many areas in Southern California starting Tuesday for high winds with gusts of 55 mph along with low humidity lasting through Thursday.

“The drought has set the stage for a very dry and potentially dangerous fire season,” said Chief Ken Pimlott, CAL FIRE director. "Fire season never really ended last year in Southern California and these strong winds will only elevate the current fire risk."

Over the past several months, CAL FIRE has hired additional seasonal firefighters across the State and bolstered fire equipment staffing months earlier than normal. In advance of the latest wind event, CAL FIRE has increased its preparedness by staffing additional fire engines, bulldozers, fire crews, and aircraft. These state resources will be positioned strategically to allow for rapid response into communities and watershed areas that may be affected by a fast moving wildfire. Already this year, CAL FIRE has responded to over 1,100 wildfires that have charred over 2,500 acres. In an average year for the same time period, CAL FIRE would typically respond to 500 wildfires for just over 1,300 acres.

"We have extra firefighters and equipment available to respond to new wildfires during this wind event," said Chief Dale Hutchinson, CAL FIRE Southern Region chief. "While we are prepared, we are reminding residents to be extremely cautious while outdoors in order to prevent a wildfire. One less spark, means one less wildfire."

CAL FIRE asks Californians to remember 'One Less Spark, One Less Wildfire' and offers the following tips to prevent a wildfire:

• Don’t mow or weed eat dry grass on windy days
• Ensure campfires are allowed, and if so, be sure to extinguish them completely
• Target shoot only in approved areas, use lead ammunition only, and never at metal targets
• Be extra careful with all powered equipment outdoors including chainsaws, tractors and welders

For more ways to help prevent a wildfire visit PreventWildfireCA.org and to prepare for wildfires visit ReadyForWildfire.org.

Ventura, CA - Community Memorial Healthcare Foundation is launching a new event, Motion by the Ocean, a 1K/5K/10K event to benefit the new Community Memorial Hospital.

Motion by the Ocean will be held in Ventura at San Buenaventura State Beach on San Pedro Street, just off East Harbor Boulevard.

Registration begins at 6:30am, 5K at 8:00am and 10K at 9:15am. There are 1K Fun Runs for Kids and Adults. All races are timed and awards will be given based on age group.

This event is open to all abilities and all ages, with an emphasis on health and families. The event also features a dj, food trucks, Ventura area exhibitors, a kids’ fun area with a bounce house, face painting, and more.

Register at www.motionbytheocean.org or call 805-667-2881. Walk up registrants are also welcome the day of the event.

Community Memorial Healthcare Foundation is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to the support, awareness, and funding of Community Memorial Hospital. Community Memorial Hospital is a member of Community Memorial Health System, a not-for-profit health system, which is comprised of Community Memorial Hospital, Ojai Valley Community Hospital and eleven family-practice health centers entitled Centers for Family Health. The health system is located in Ventura, California.