FREE Vol. 3, No. 1122 Published Published Every Every Other Other Wednesday Wednesday August 11 March - August 10 -24, 23, 2010 2010 Sandra Laby knew that she must perform well in front of her infant grandchildren 72-year-old Sandra Laby crowned Queen of Oxnard Salsa Festival Even though she knew she would not be spending her 50th wedding anniver- sary with her husband and 2-month-old Piece of Ventura history burns to the ground twin grandchildren, Ventura Music Festi- by Rebecca Wicks val (VMF) Board Member, Sandra Laby, wanted to compete in the 2010 Oxnard Earlier this month the fabled E.P. the school district about purchasing ing the Avenue School but learned it Salsa Festival’s Dancing with Our Com- Foster house was completely destroyed and obtaining rights to the house for would not be possible due to state regula- munity Stars (DWOCS) competition on by fire ending an ongoing discussion on restoration. tions limiting how close schools can be to July 25. what should be done with the historic According to Joe Richards, the school gas lines which happen to run adjacent to Laby’s top priority was to raise funds house which once belonged to one of, if district’s assistant superintendent of the property. for the VMF’s “Music in the Schools” not the most prominent, philanthropic business services, the property sits on the Richards confirmed initial discus- educational outreach programs. Laby family the city has seen. group’s surplus land list. sions had taken place between the school was one of six community members that Five fire engines and more than two “Currently, there is no plan for the district and members of the Foster fam- were paired with professional salsa dance dozen firefighters worked on the August land and it isn’t on any specific agenda,” ily but stressed that no explicit actions or instructors for the annual competition. 3 early morning blaze on the 2700 block said Richards. “Right now we’re waiting agreements had taken place. The couples, each dancing for a different of N. Ventura Ave. They were unable to to hear back from the fire department to “We have been in a holding pattern,” charitable organization, were given six save the vacant two-story house. Accord- see what clean up will entail.” said Richards who stated the school dis- short weeks to learn their routines before ing to an official fire report “the building Richards explained at one time the trict had done nothing to market or try to then competing in front of a panel. was a total loss.” The cause of the fire is school district looked at possibly reopen- Continued on page 5 As she walked onto the dance floor unknown and an investigation of the fire and faced over 7,500 people, Laby was is currently underway. surprised and excited to see her infant The house, along with the land which grandchildren in the audience. Her son also includes the old Avenue School is surprised the new grandmother by bring- owned by the Ventura Unified School ing the babies to be a part of the con- District. It was gifted to the school dis- test. “Wow,” Laby said, “Now, I have to trict by Orpha “Pearlie” W. Foster, the really win.” daughter of the well-known Eugene Pres- Paired with the youngest DWOCS ton Foster and Orpha Foster who funded instructor, Ricky Campos, Laby’s flawless a number of public entities including performance won over the judges. the county’s first parks including Camp Founded in 1994, the Ventura Music Comfort, Eugene C. Foster Memorial Festival presents world renowned clas- Park and Seaside Park now home to the sical, jazz, and crossover musicians in fairgrounds. The Fosters also gave mon- various venues throughout Ventura and ey for the construction of a city library, surrounding areas. Most of the venues City Hall as well as Community Memo- have historical significance and pro- rial Hospital then named Hospital de vide warm and intimate settings for the Buenaventura. world-class musical performances. To- A number of preservationists have day, the festival stands as one of Ventura been pushing to restore the home. Most County’s signature events, attracting recently the Foster Legacy Foundation Which one of these “early birds” raced to the gates to claim to hold the honor of being the upwards of 10,000 concert-goers during had begun to seek non-profit status in first one into the Ventura County Fair? Will we ever really know? the first 10 days of May. hopes to start serious discussions with 2 August 11 - August 24, 2010 Ventura Breeze Andres Fernandez, co-owner of Ventura Harbor Comedy Club, continues providing excellence in entertainment at Andres Wine & Tapas Bar with live music Thursday through Sunday Labor Day Weekend: Ventura Harbor’s Very First Wine And Cheese Festival, Hosted By Andres!$40 includes valet parking. Advance purchase $35 8O5.642.WINE Complimentary lunch sandwich with minimum purchase of $10 from 11:30 to 1:30 Valid with coupon only. Expires 9/30/10 Free Tapas or dessert with Everyday Happy purchase of a drink. Hour 5 - 7 Valid with coupon only. Expires 9/30/10 1575 Spinnaker Dr., Ventura • Hours 11 - 11, 7 days a week A Taste of Europe in Ventura Harbor! Kids for Kids Benefit Concert Monday August 16, 2010 • 8:00 pm Rubicon Theatre • 1006 East Main Street, Ventura A Fundraiser for Rubicon Youth Programs An exciting cabaret concert featuring Gabby Trainor, Broadway stars Teri Bibb (Phantom of the Opera), Trey Ellett (Rent), Joan Almedilla (Les Misérables) and Dina Bennett (Lies and Legends), along with Rubicon students. $35/advance reservations $40/at the door Book online: rubicontheatre.org or call the Box Office: 805.667.2900 RubiconTheatreCompany Summertime, and getting to and from LAX is easy... $35 one way, $65 round trip. Discounts for groups and charters. FREE Parking at the Holiday Inn parking lot 805.650.6600 1080 Navigator Dr., Ventura • e-tickets online at www.venturashuttle.com PSC 6291 Ventura Breeze www.venturabreeze.com Your Hometown Paper Ventura Breeze August 11 - August 24, 2010 3 MILLER LITE GRANDSTAND ENTERTAINMENT ...presented by Best Buy Dollar Day 8/11 Sublime wit Rome ...presented by Miller Lite 8/12: Dierks Bentley Wednesday, August 11 8/13: Creedence Clearwater Revisited $1 Admission until 3 PM 8/14 & 8/15: P.R.C.A. Rodeo Military Appreciation Day Carnival Wristband Day ...presented by Miller Lite ...presented by Ventura County Star Thursday, August 12 Wristbands sold ’til 6pm for $25- Ride ’til 7pm All military personnel holding a current, I.D. Thursday, Aug 12 Thanks to the Sponsors of the 2010 Ventura County Fair, including... Fair Information 648-3376 www.venturacountyfair.org Text FAIR to 69852 to get updates or find us on Facebook, My Space and Twitter would have liked. She was ecstatic to learn she was 42 Junior livestock inches (measured officially by the auspi- cious carnie manning the carousel) clear- ing her for solo non-adult accompanied auction missions on rides. The smell of BBQ fills the air and the She won a panda bear playing a wa- rattle of the auctioneer echoes through ter gun game which she promptly named the Clark Pavilion. Kids in white uni- Pandy. forms wait anxiously with their steers, goats, Getting ice cream with mommy. sheep, and pigs, decorated with Hawaiian How much did I love that I made the list? leis and brightly colored ribbons. The Junior Katie Wicks enters the midway on opening The four-day old baby pigs. “Mama, were Livestock Auction is about to begin! day at the Ventura County Fair with friends they born for the fair?” The 2010 Junior Livestock Auction ta- Dylann Breton, Hayley Harris and Olivia Now, from a mommy’s perspective kes place on August 13, beginning at 9 am in Mowad here are some highlights and observa- the Clark Pavilion. Youth ages 9 to 18, from tions. all over the county will be selling their ani- Fair food is a beast of its own. With mals in hopes of making a profit. From the land no place on the U.S.D.A.’s food pyramid, All year, these young people take care of virtually everything at the fair is fried, 300 pounds of their animals: feeding, washing, and walking of fried and frozen, yellow or contains more than them regularly to get them ready for the fair your daily allowance of sugar. You know love on display in August. 4-H, Grange, and Future Farmers frozen food it’s bad when the fair Website actually of America (FFA) members track expenses recommends you bring antacids. By the at the Fair from their animals throughout the year and by Rebecca Wicks way, fried Twinkies are so yesterday. Go Good times and fond memories flood then subtract those from the auction pro- My four-year old went to the fair for for chocolate dipped bacon instead. the 2010 Ventura County Fair. For one ceeds to determine the profit. Many then the first time two years ago. She has been All fair rides are designed to make local resident, this year’s fair is a tribute deposit the profit into a college savings ac- a ride junkie ever since. Last summer she you dizzy and nauseous. They all spin. to his mom. count for later use. proclaimed she was going to get married Some spin in a straightforward manner, For 40 years, Tony and his Mom, Without a doubt many of our Ventura at the fair. This year, armed with our pre- for example the carousel, while others are Louise Swartz, have watched a small fern County youth have been able to attend colle- purchased ride tickets we headed out to more like poorly weighted tops spinning grow to be 300 pounds hanging in the ge due to the support of the local communi- the fair on opening day – because that is awkwardly from one side to the other.