The Friends of the Santa Paula Blanchard Community Library invite all book lovers to their “Back Stacks” Book Sales. They are held the first Saturday of every month from 10AM to 2PM, every Wednesday from Noon to 4PM, and every Thursday, and Friday from Noon to 2PM.The next First-Saturday sale will be April 4, 2015. The sales offer great choices in fiction, non-fiction, children’s books and collectibles and are accessed from the north parking lot of the library at 119 N. 8th Street, Santa Paula, CA.Most books are priced from $.50-$2.00.Collectibles start at $4.00.

This month’s specials include a 1969 edition of “To The Moon” ,a boxed set containing one book and 6 (33 1/3) records telling the story of the first moon landing, all for $1.00. There is also a 17 volume set of “The Supernatural”, everything you ever wanted to know about the paranormal, priced at $1.00 for the set.

For more information email fobcl@yahoo.com.

Ventura, CA - Local physicians will share extraordinary stories about patients as part of the Community Memorial Health System 2015 Speaker Series, on Wednesday, March 25thand will run from 5:30 to 7 p.m. The Ethics in Healthcare topic “How Doctors Feel: Extraordinary Physician Stories” will be presented at the Museum of Ventura County, 100 E. Main St., Ventura.

Featured speakers will be: JimHorstein, M.D., CMHS’s Chair of the Bioethics Committee and family physician moderates and presents, along withAlison Shuman, M.D., pediatrician; Gosta Iwasiuk, M.D., surgeon; and Jennifer Vinson, M.D., resident. They will share stories – some funny or tragic, some touching or just silly – that reflect the profoundly human bond between physicians and patients. All stories are incredibly personal because they reflect the lessons learned about life, death, relationships and meaning,

Registration is free but reservations are required. For more information or to register visit www.cmhshealth.org/rsvp or call 800/838-3006.

Future scheduled Speaker Series topics include: Ethics in Healthcare - Is Death Ever The Best Treatment?A Debate on the Pros and Cons of Physician-Assisted Suicide on April 16 at Ventura County Museum, Neurological Diseases of Aging on April 21 in Oxnard, Update on Management of Brain Tumors on May 12; and Skin Cancer on June 16.

Community Memorial Health System is a not-for-profit health system, which is comprised of Community Memorial Hospital, Ojai Valley Community Hospital, and 12 family-practice health centers entitled Centers for Family Health. The health system is located in Ventura County, California.

Ventura County Public Works Agency’s (VCPWA) Department of Transportation have begun pavement resurfacing work spanning 10 miles of roads located near the city of Fillmore.

Bids for this project were opened in 2014 and the project has been awarded to MAI/PCC of Pico Rivera, Calif. for $1.3 million. MAI/PCC started construction this month and expects to complete the work by the end of April. Some roads will receive two or three layers of resurfacing, depending on the condition of the pavement.

Thin-layer pavement resurfacing using rubberized chip seal technology, along with microsurfacing and base repair, will extend the pavement life for many years before further treatment is needed. The project will also include AC curb rehabilitation, striping, and signing. Additional benefits include lower maintenance costs and a smoother ride.

Rubberized chip seal treatment also recycles mountains of old car tires, keeping them out of landfills. VCPWA has been using rubberized chip seal for about six years, with its first application in Bardsdale, near Fillmore.

The roads to be resurfaced include Sycamore Road, Seventh Street, Young Road, Hall Road, Cliff Avenue, Oak Avenue, Orcutt Road, and Willard Road. Flyers have been mailed to local residents giving details about which roads will be resurfaced and what treatment each road will receive. A website gives details about the project at http://pwa.ventura.org/pwa/sespe-paving. The County’s project manager, June Kim, may be reached at (805) 654-2065.

Applications are now available for the Fillmore Women's Service Club Educational Scholarship for Adult Women returning to College or Trade School. Applicants must reside within the Fillmore School District and be 25 years of age or older. For information and an application form please telephone Susan Banks at 524-2020. Deadline is Friday April 10th, 2015.

Applications are now available for the FILLMORE WOMEN'S SERVICE CLUB Educational Scholarships. Any graduating High School Senior going to a Public or Private School, who RESIDES within the Fillmore Unified School District and is continuing on to a College, University or Trade School can apply. Applications are available at Fillmore High School or by telephoning Susan Banks at 524-2020. Deadline is Friday April 10th, 2015.

FOOD Share—Ventura County’s food bank and distribution network—announces another tool to fight hunger: a mobile pantry.

FOOD Share and Friends, the name chosen for the mobile pantry, will be introduced to the community during an open house from 5 to 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, March 25, at the FOOD Share distribution center, 4156 Southbank Road, Oxnard. Tours of the mobile pantry will be available and hors d’oeuvres will be served.

The FOOD Share and Friends mobile pantry is designed to reach those in need living in underserved areas and food deserts without nearby access to one of FOOD Share’s 180 traditional food pantries and programs available in Ventura County. The mobile pantry operators will also offer food demonstrations for food insecure families to educate them on the benefits of healthy eating habits.In addition to providing healthy foods, FOOD Share is collaborating with a host of social service providers, such as Ventura County Health Care Agency and the County of Ventura Human Services Agency, to connect people with a network of essential services through FOOD Share and Friends that include: healthcare, dental health and employment training.

Extensive research performed by California State University, Channel Islands’ California Institute for Social Business surveyed the entire county by census tract to identify areas where health, employment, food security and housing were most in need of improvement. FOOD Share and Friends will make those census tracts a preferred destination.

Poverty statistics do not cover the total number of people in Ventura County who need help buying food on a regular basis. In addition to families consisting of two adults and two children who fall below the poverty level of $22,048 per year in a county where the living wage per family is $48,443--there are families living above the official poverty rate who face challenges in meeting basic food, housing and health care needs.

For information or to RSVP to the FOOD Share and Friends Mobile Pantry debut event, call Jessica Entrekin at 805-983-7100, ext. 129 or jentrekin@foodshare.com.

Event Information:
Who: FOOD Share
What: FOOD Share and Friends Mobile Pantry unveiling
When: Wednesday, March 25, from 5-7:30 p.m.
Where: FOOD Share, 4156 Southbank Road, Oxnard, Calif. 93036

About FOOD Share:
More than 35 years ago, eight citizens performed a good deed by distributing food to those who were in need underneath a Ventura bridge. The early philanthropic movement quickly formed into what is now Ventura County’s regional food bank, FOOD Share, which has grown from serving a few hundred hungry people per month to 74,500 people. Today, staff and volunteers distribute more than 10 million pounds of food annually from two warehouses; more than 180 partner agencies, which include neighborhood and church food distributions and soup kitchens; as well as hunger assistance programs. FOOD Share’s programs provide healthy nutrition and education to children, families and seniors, which include: Kids’ Farmers Market, SENIOR Share, Nutrition Education, Community Market, SoCal Gas CARE Program and more. A 501(c)3 non-profit organization, FOOD Share is a member of the Feeding America network, the nation’s largest hunger-relief organization. For more information about FOOD Share, visitwww.foodshare.com. Find us on Facebook and Twitter.

VENTURA COUNTY AREA AGENCY ON AGING
Health Insurance Counseling and Advocacy Program (HICAP)

April, 2015, Health Insurance Counseling & Advocacy Program (HICAP) Outreach Presentations in Ventura County

HICAP community educators & Counselors will be conducting “Enhance Your Out-of-Pocket Savings”! The Educators and counselors will present ways to save on your health care needs and many more tips. Learn about the Benefit Counseling Checkup Center’s tool to find positive ways to find that extra income you may need.

WHERE AND WHEN:
Palm Vista Senior Center
801 South C Street
Oxnard, CA 93030
(805) 477-7310
Tuesday, April 7, 2015, 12:00pm – 1:00pm

WHERE AND WHEN:
Moorpark Active Adult Center
799 Moorpark Avenue
Moorpark, CA 93021
(805) 517-6261, ext. 261
Thursday, April 9, 2015, 1:00pm – 2:30pm

WHERE AND WHEN:
Simi Valley Senior Center
3900 Avenida Simi
Simi Valley, CA 93063
(805) 583-6363
Tuesday, April 14, 2015, 1:30pm - 3:00pm

WHERE AND WHEN:
Fillmore Senior Center
533 Santa Clara St.
Fillmore, CA 93015
(805) 524-4533
Friday, April 17, 2015, 11:30am – 12:30pm

WHERE AND WHEN:
Camarillo Healthcare District
3639 E. Las Posas Rd.
Camarillo, CA 93010
(805) 388-1952
Friday, April 17, 2015, 1:30pm – 3:00pm

For more information on the April Presentations contact HICAP at 1.800.434.0222

Community Memorial Health System’s Healthy Women’s Program is hosting a Community Outreach Day which offers free mammograms and healthcare education to the first 35 women who qualify. This event will take place at the Center for Family Health in Oxnard on Saturday, March 28.

The women will arrive early at the CFH office at 2361 E. Vineyard Avenue in Oxnard where they will be transported to The Breast Center at Community Memorial Hospital in Ventura, and then back to the Centers office.

In 2014, an estimated 235,030 new cases of breast cancer occurred in the United States, and early detection and awareness is the key to fighting this life-threatening disease. The Healthy Women’s Program provided through Community Memorial Health System benefits women in the community who are uninsured, under-insured or lack funds to pay for mammograms and follow-up treatment, if necessary.

“These women have nowhere else in the county to go to get these services; that’s why they come to us,” said Patty Jimenez, Healthy Women’s Program Outreach coordinator.

The Healthy Women’s Program is made possible through funds raised by the Community Memorial Healthcare Foundation’s annual Gold Dust Gala, along with the generous support of the Wallis Foundation.

Women should call 805/651-2661 to see if they qualify for the program. For more information on the Healthy Women’s Program visit www.cmhshealth.org/healthywomen.

Community Memorial Health System is a not-for-profit health system, which is comprised of Community Memorial Hospital, Ojai Valley Community Hospital, and 12family-practice health centers entitled Centers for Family Health. The health system is located in Ventura County, California.

Enlarge Photo

For the first time in several years, a major dredging effort is underway in the Ventura Harbor, which is expected to remove about 80 percent of the accumulated sand from the Harbor entrance and sand trap.

The dredging will conclude in early March. About 800,000 cubic yards of sand material will be removed. The dredging efforts are managed by the United States Army Corps of Engineers using $6 million in federal funds plus additional monies. Manson Construction Company is doing the work with the 26-inch hydraulic dredge, HR Morris.

The effort is focused on the Main Channel entrance to the Harbor as well as the sand trap, which was completely full at the start of the dredging operation in February. Dredging is essential to remove sand buildup and keep the Ventura Harbor open and safe for vessels. The last time Ventura Harbor was fully dredged was in 2008. Each year, about 600,000 cubic yards of sand moves down the coast in Ventura, accumulating at the Ventura Harbor entrance and potentially making the Harbor impassable for commercial and recreational powerboats and sailboats.

In recent years, federal budget cuts have challenged the Ventura Port District’s ability to ensure enough federal dollars are available to dredge each winter.

Last year at about this time, 900,000 cubic yards of material had accumulated, but only half of it - 450,000 cubic yards - was dredged. This winter, over 1 million cubic yards of material had accumulated.

To secure additional funding for dredging following several years of inadequate funding, Ventura Port District officials led a major effort over the past three years to demonstrate the importance of annual dredging at Ventura Harbor with the support of Congresswoman Julia Brownley and Senator Dianne Feinstein. Without adequate dredging, Ventura Harbor would be unsafe for vessels and face possible closure, devastating the local fishing industry, the economy, the National Park Service and recreational boaters, and impacting thousands of jobs in the region.

Harbormaster Scott Miller said, “The Port District is delighted with the efforts of all involved securing the additional funding so the Corps can get slightly ahead of the game by removing more sand than that which normally accumulates in any given year. However, it’s just a start. The sand will continue to move down the coast and it will take repeated efforts to keep the sand trap and the entrance clear.”

The Ventura Port District continues its efforts to ensure adequate funding for dredging in the future. During the second week of March, Ventura Port District Board member Greg Carson, along with the Port District’s dredging manager, will attend the California Marine Affairs and Navigation Conference (CMANC) in Washington D.C. to work on securing funding for next year’s anticipated dredging operation in Ventura Harbor, in which $4.83 million is already proposed in the President’s budget. However, additional funding would still need to be added to have adequate dredging accomplished.

CMANC is a consortium of California harbors, ports and marine interest groups seeking to optimize California maritime benefits by advocating for the maintenance and improvement of all California harbors, ports and navigation projects. CMANC works with the California Legislature and Congressional delegation to make sure that California maritime interests are supported by the federal and state government as much as possible.

Additional Harbor dredging videos and photos can be found on www.venturaharbor.com.

All fixed-route rides on the locally based Valley Express bus service will be free on Monday, March 2. The new fixed-route service and supporting Dial-A-Ride service comprise the Heritage Valley’s own local transit program, replacing the long-time VISTA Dial-A-Ride service sponsored by VCTC.

The service name was selected from the more than 30 entries submitted as part of a Name the Bus contest open to residents of Fillmore, Piru, and Santa Paula. The winning entry was submitted by Sara M., a student at Santa Paula High School. The new service will operate from 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. on weekdays, and from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Two routes will operate in Santa Paula, one in Fillmore, and one in Piru. Buses will run every 30-40 minutes throughout the service day, with Dial-A-Ride service available during all service hours. VCTC will continue to provide its popular Highway 126 service connecting the Heritage Valley with nearby Ventura.

The Valley Express’ fixed-route Adult fare is $1.00 and the Youth/Senior/Disabled fare is just $0.50. For the Valley Express General Public Dial-a-ride service, Adult/Youth fare is $1.75 and the Senior/Disabled fare is $0.85. In addition, ADA paratransit fare is $2.00 and rides can be scheduled up to seven days in advance. Unlimited-ride day passes (valid on both Valley Express fixed-route and Dial-A-Ride) are $3.75. Free transfers are offered between VCTC Highway 126 and Valley Express fixed-route service. Transfers to Dial-A-Ride require a $0.50 fee. Monthly passes for Valley Express will be available for purchase following the start of the service at the Valley Express sales office (810 Railroad Ave in Santa Paula) and at Santa Paula and Fillmore city halls. For pre-order sales and bulk purchases, please contact VCTC’s administrative offices.

“The launch of the Valley Express represents a new era in mobility for residents of Fillmore, Piru, and Santa Paula,” noted Santa Paula Councilmember Ginger Gherardi. “The new fixed-route circulators will make it much easier to access school, work, and everyday activities throughout Fillmore, Piru, and Santa Paula.” The cities of Fillmore and Santa Paula, along with the County of Ventura and VCTC, will be marking the launch of the new service with a public dedication at 11:30 a.m. on March 2, 2015. The event will take place opposite Santa Paula City Hall, located at 970 East Ventura Street. The event is open to the public and all Heritage Valley residents are invited to attend. Valley Express operates fixed-route, eligibility-based paratransit, and general public Dial-A-Ride service throughout the Heritage Valley. Valley Express service is provided through a cooperative agreement between the cities of Fillmore and Santa Paula, the County of Ventura, and the Ventura County Transportation Commission. It is administered by the Ventura County Transportation Commission. For route and service information call (800) 438-1112 or visit www.valleyexpressbus.org.

Ventura, CA - Community Memorial Health System will unveil its Dr. Peter Gaal Dog Therapy Program during a ceremony on Monday, March 9, at Community Memorial Hospital’s Huntsinger Garden.

The ceremony, which will run from noon to 12:30 p.m., will provide the public the opportunity to meet the therapy teams, including the dogs and their handlers. CMHS President and CEO Gary Wilde and a representative of the Gaal family will give short remarks.

The program is named in honor of Dr. Gaal, a much loved cardiovascular surgeon at CMHS. A therapy dog is a dog trained to provide affection and comfort to people in hospitals, retirement homes, nursing homes, schools, hospices, disaster areas, and to people with learning difficulties.

In case of inclement weather, the event will be held in CMH’s eighth-floor Nichols Auditorium.

Community Memorial Health System is a not-for-profit health system, which is comprised of Community Memorial Hospital, Ojai Valley Community Hospital, and 12 family-practice health centers entitled Centers for Family Health. The health system is located in Ventura County, California.

Ventura, CA - “What’s Real and What’s Only Reality Television” – will be the focus of a free seminar at Community Memorial Health System on Tuesday, March 10.

Samuel Bern, M.D., who specializes in plastic and reconstructive surgery, will lead the discussion during the seminar to be held from 6 to 8 p.m. in the eighth-floor Nichols Auditorium at Community Memorial Hospital, located at 147 N. Brent St.

Dr. Bern will review the latest in plastic surgery, from Botox to face transplants, and offer his opinions on what procedures are safe and effective and what is only Hollywood hype. Dr. Bern also will discuss who is a good candidate for cosmetic surgery and what the future holds for the field. He also will be available to answer questions.

Dr. Bern received his medical degree from Yale University and trained in general surgery at Harvard University and plastic surgery at UCLA. He is certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery and is a member of the Society of Surgical Oncology. Dr. Bern has 24 years of experience in plastic surgery and has been an active member of the Community Memorial Hospital staffsince 1992.

Registration is free but reservations are required. Please visit www.cmhshealth.org or call Brown Paper Ticket at 1-800/838-3006.

Future scheduled educational seminars include:Ethics in Healthcare – What Doctors Feel: Extraordinary Physician Stories on March 25 and Is Death Ever the Best Treatment? April 16 at Ventura County Museum, Neurological Diseases of Aging on April 21 in Oxnard; and Update on Management of Brain Tumors on May 12; and Skin Cancer on June 16 at CMH.

Community Memorial Health System is a not-for-profit health system, which is comprised of Community Memorial Hospital, Ojai Valley Community Hospital, and 12 family-practice health centers entitled Centers for Family Health. The health system is located in Ventura County, California.

Lt. Col Robert J. Friend, a member of the legendary Tuskegee Airmen of World War II, will be among the military veterans riding in the 27th annual Ventura County St. Patrick’s Day Parade in downtown Ventura on Saturday, March 14.

Former assemblyman and Afghanistan War veteran Jeff Gorell will serve as Grand Marshal for the parade that begins at 10 a.m. in front of Mission San Buenaventura and marches down Main Street to Laurel Street. This year’s parade theme is “Honoring Our Troops.”

The 94-year-old Friend will be riding in a car directly behind Gorell. Friend was one of the first African American pilots to serve in the U.S. military and assigned to the 332nd Fighter Group and was stationed in Europe during World War II. He is one of the last surviving members of the distinguished group of pilots whose experiences were commemorated in the 2013 movie "Red Tails," named for their planes' painted red tails.

Gorell represented the 37th District in the California Assembly from 2010 to 2012, and after the decennial redistricting, the 44th District from 2012-2014. Just before the Nov. 2, 2010 general election, Gorellannounced that he was being deployed to Afghanistan on March 18, 2011 as a lieutenant commander in the U.S. Navy Reserve. It marked Gorell’s second year-long tour of duty in Afghanistan; his first started three weeks after 9/11 in 2001.

Upon winning, Gorell spent less than three months in office before becoming the first sitting California lawmaker since World War II to be called into active military duty overseas. During his deployment, 14 bills were sponsored in his name. Gorell later served as vice-chairman of the Assembly Budget Committee and now serves as Commander in the U.S. Navy Reserve.

Last year’s parade drew over 90 entries, including floats sponsored by civic groups, nonprofits and local businesses and restaurants; marching bands; car clubs; horses; clowns and the Biggest Green Pig in the World. There also will be high school pep bands, youth groups and fun-loving adult groups entered in the parade.

The Ventura County St. Patrick’s Day Parade is presented by the Ventura Elks Lodge #1430. The event’s committee is accepting entries for the parade through March 13. For entry forms or more information about the parade, visit www.venturastpatricksdayparade.com, or call 643-4275.