128TH YEAR, No.48 OJAIVALLEYNEWS.COM FRIDAY, SEPT. 20, 2019 Double-murder suspect pleads not guilty Perry Van Houten Shirck is charged with two counts same day in the 600 block of North owned by Shirck’s father, though he [email protected] of murder in the deaths of 59-year- Ventura Avenue in Oak View. was out of town on business when the An Oak View man charged with old Margaret Dahl of Oak View and According to the Ventura Coun- women died. the murders of a mother and daugh- 82-year-old Phyllis Porter of Georgia. ty Medical Examiner’s Office, both Thus far, authorities have de- ter in an Ojai home last month ap- peared in court Wednesday and en- The bodies of the mother and women were stabbed to death and clined to report on a possible motive. tered not guilty pleas. daughter were found on Aug. 24 at a both deaths were ruled homicides. Shirck is due back in court Nov. 5 Shawn Shirck, 25, also denied home in the 100 block of Valley Ridge Detectives said Shirck and the for an early disposition conference. Photo courtesy VCSO special allegations for use of a knife, Drive, after a 911 call. women were family friends, and the He remains in custody at the county Shawn Shirck according to online court records. Shirck was arrested later that house where the murders occurred is jail with his bail set at $1,080,000. Supervisors deny 3 Tristen and Gator rally Rangers Austin Widger appeals for winery [email protected] Tristen Lamp contin- Perry Van Houten ery occupies approximately ues the Nordhoff High [email protected] seven acres, according to the School horse and rider A winery near Casitas county. tradition started in 2008, Springs has lost the latest The owner of the winery, when Montana Titus round in its battle with the Andrew Holguin of Holguin began riding her horse county of Ventura. Family Ventures LLC, came at the request of former In what 1st District Su- before the board on Tuesday pervisor Steve Bennett called to appeal two code violations Rangers head coach Tony “an open-and-shut case,” the and the denial of its zoning Henney. Titus was the Ventura County Board of Su- clearance application by the daughter of Henney’s as- pervisors voted Tuesday to Ventura County Planning sistant coach Scott Titus. deny three separate appeals Commission. “To tell you the The horse and rider by the owners of the Old truth, I didn’t know it was go- duo lead the Rangers Creek Ranch Winery. ing to be so hard to deal with onto the field for the first The winery, which this county,” Holguin said. and second half of every changed hands in 2015, is The violations stem from home football game. “We situated on 300 acres at 10024 have a mascot, but the Old Creek Road. The win- Winery: Page A6 horse has kind of been part of that team lead-out type thing, that leads us out to battle,” said current City Council, school board coach Lance Wiggins. Lamp and Gator will meet to discuss Chaparral next bring out the team prior to the Rangers’ The Ojai City Council and the Ojai Unified School District game against Fillmore Board of Education will hold a joint meeting on Monday, Sept. High School Oct. 4. 23, at 7 p.m. The meeting will feature a presentation on a pro- Wiggins said: “We posed development project for the school district office prop- have the drums in the erty and Chaparral High School located at 414 E. Ojai Ave. The meeting will be held at the Jack Boyd Community locker room; and the Center at Sarzotti Park, 510 Park Road, Ojai. drums lead us out. Then The public is encouraged to attend and provide comment we have our chants, and on the project. we get out there. Then the For information, contact Luis Gomez, administrative as- Ojai Valley News photo by Ken Brown horse is the last straw, like let’s go to battle. Kind of sistant to city manager James Vega, at (805) 646-5581, Ext. Nordhoff freshman Tristen Lamp and her horse, Gator, lead the Nordhoff Rangers varsity football 103, or [email protected]. Or to speak to OUSD administra- like they did back when team onto the field before the team’s game against San Marcos High School on Sept. 13. tion, contact Kathy Smith, assistant to superintendent Tiffany they only had horses.” Morse, at (805) 604-4300, Ext. 1011. WATER LEVELS Air Force Staff Sgt. Adam Erickson SEASONAL YEAR-TO-DATE RAINFALL TOTALS FROM remembered for service, friendship OCTOBER 1, 2018 Matilija Canyon 39.39” By Andra Belknap ‘Grown men have Erickson loved his career, Soule Park 23.47” Ojai Valley News contributor according to his sister. Their Casitas Dam 26.57” Twenty-nine-year-old hugged me and told grandfather was a member of Ojai native Staff Sgt. Adam me that Adam was the U.S. Army Air Corps, and Oak View 24.99” K. Erickson lost his life dur- their very best friend. Erickson decided to follow Upper Ojai 25.30” ing a military training para- You’re a lucky in his footsteps and join the chuting operation Sept. 10 in LAKE CASITAS VOLUME person if you have U.S. Air Force in November of Perris, Calif. Erickson, a SERE 2011. He served his country Oct 1, 2018 74,657 acre-feet one true best friend in (Survival, Evasion, Resis- for nearly eight years. Sept 19, 2019 101,286 acre-feet tance and Escape) specialist, “If he had to go too soon, this life. How blessed Current volume 42.6 percent was stationed at Edwards Air was Adam that he had we’re grateful he was doing Force Base. something he loved,” said Erickson was born at the dozens of best friends. Andrews. “He was doing his Ojai Valley Community Hos- That’s a life well-lived.’ favorite thing in the world.” pital Jan. 1, 1990. He is sur- — Karen Erickson Erickson was a true “Ojai vived by his parents, Steven kid,” according to his older and Karen Erickson, sister sister, he loved nothing more Lauren Andrews, brothers Ty- to honor him was amaz- than exploring the Sespe ler and Garrett Erickson, and ing,” said family friend Brian wilderness with his friends. the love of his life, Kristyn Aikens, who attended the The opportunity to become Pritchett. According to An- Wednesday service. a SERE specialist — a highly drews, Pritchett and Staff Sgt. Andrews said her young- selective program that trains Erickson had “every intention er brother left his family one men and women to “sur- Photo courtesy of Lauren Andrews of getting married and having request: “He wanted a Vi- vive in the most remote and Adam Erickson, 29, a Nordhoff High School graduate, lost his life a family.” king funeral, which, it turns hostile environments on the during a military training parachuting operation Sept. 10 in Perris. Erickson’s family, friends out is illegal,” she said. Fam- planet,” according to the U.S. and military colleagues gath- ily, friends and members of Air Force, was a dream come fund travel for family, friends Sept. 18 funeral, Andrews ered in Ventura on Sept. 18 the military hosted a private true for Erickson. and military members who said. Thanks to support for to celebrate his life and ser- ceremony at Oil Piers Beach The Air Force set up a wished to travel to Erickson’s vice. “What the military did Wednesday, Andrews said. GoFundMe campaign to Adam Erickson: Page A8 Excellent service at Reasonable Rates- Management- Sales- Staging Preferred Property Management Real Estate Inc. 365 E. Santa Clara Street, Ventura, CA 93001 (805) 979-9775 • www.gowithpreferred.com Serving Ojai & Ventura County If you need Property Management, help in selling your home, or help in fi nding your piece of paradise, give us a call for a free consultation A2 Ojai Valley News • Friday, Sept. 20, 2019 Stephen F. Bovee Noemiei Williamsilli Michele Briley 1942-2019 Stephen “Papa” Bovee, 79, of Ojai, Juncker Nelson California, passed away peacefully at his Noemie Williams Juncker Nelson, Michele Briley, of Ojai, who always had a home on September 12, 2019. Stephen “Mama” to her Ojai community of smile and a kind word for friends and everyone was born in Ventura, California, to family and friends, passed naturally she met, passed into heavenly life on Aug. 23. Howard and Maxine Bovee. He got polio and completely through the Veil early She was 76. at 14 just before the vaccine came out and morning, September 10, 2019, around the Intent on doing her part to make this a after a long recovery went on to lead an time when she traditionally got up, read at better world, she was a loving wife, mother extraordinary life. her desk and ate a cup of yogurt. She was and grandmother, creative businesswoman He went to Ventura High School where comfortable and peaceful in her home, and graphic artist and dedicated volunteer for he met the love of his life, MaryEllen Cook, and graduated in surrounded by the love of her daughter, Judy, adopted daughters causes in which she passionately believed. 1958. Stephen married MaryEllen on March 3, 1962 and they Jeanine and Jasmine, and a community of blessed Ojai friends. Born Mary Michele to Elizabeth and John moved to San Luis Obispo, where Stephen attended college and Thanks to the compassion, exemplary care and medical Reynolds in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, she attended graduated from Cal Poly SLO.