Ventura Breeze
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FREE Ventura REEZE Your Hometown Paper B Vol. 3, No. 7 Wednesday, January 13, 2010 City expects Salvation Army additional $4 offers housing million in cuts and hope by Tim Pompey by Rebecca Wicks It’s been in Ventura since the 1920s Ventura is far from out of the woods and located at its current site near Oak financially. Last month Jay Panzica, the and Santa Clara Street since the 1950s. city’s chief financial officer relayed he Long enough for the building to blend expects the city will need to cut an addi- into the downtown scene. However, at tional $4 million from its budget by June this moment in our current economic this year. This is in addition to the $11 crisis, it stands out as one of the vital million the city already cut from its bud- forces in the City of Ventura’s effort to get last year. combat homelessness. It’s the Salvation Panzica cited weak sales taxes as the Army. Kettle ringers. Army uniforms. Big main culprit. Half or $2 million of the red shield. Also on the cutting edge in the shortfall is due to lower than expected Artwork, such as this wonderful painting by local artists like Hilda Kilpatrick helped inspire struggle against homelessness. sales tax revenues according to Panzica. VBG’s vision of a botanical garden that celebrates the natural beauty of Ventura The Salvation Army’s Oak Street He explained the economic recession site serves as a combination social ser- makes it more than difficult for govern- vice agency and food pantry. With their ment organizations to make revenue pre- Ventura Botanical Gardens most recent remodel in the 1990s, they dictions. He added unlike cities in other now provide nine rooms as a transitional states California cities wait months for Begin: Phase 1 Continued on page 8 the state to impart information regard- ing actual revenues. by John Burke Exact sales tax figures for the first Landscape Architect half of 2009 were recently in and they Plans for a botanical garden at Grant and Doug Halter, Co-Vice Presidents of were worse than expected. In addition, Park are advancing quickly thanks to Ventura Botanical Gardens a 501 (c) 3 property tax revenue is down 3 percent more than 300 passionate, dedicated vol- Charitable Corporation. this year translating into a $763,000 dip. unteers, a non-profit group called Ven- The group has been at work for three Other city revenues have also fallen short tura Botanical Gardens. years raising money, making friends and including building and inspection fees The City Council voted in November searching for a site. In Grant Park they and city fines which are down $900,000 to approve the garden concept and open found a site that is as Doug described it, more than anticipated. negotiations to lease the 107-acre park. “World class.” On top of these budget shortfalls, the Inspired by the vision of a garden that “Botanical Gardens have changed,” city will also need to spend more than celebrates the ecology of Ventura, the said Jonell. They are still places of learn- $310,000 in storm-water permits in order Council approved a lease option. ing but the lessons are different, it’s less to comply with new storm-water regula- An option is a sort of three-year about “taming” nature and more about tions enacted in 2009 to reduce ocean courtship in which both parties will try working with nature. contamination. to prove themselves worthy. The Council Asked if more traffic would impact “The economic recession is deep and will have the last word, at least five Mem- the neighborhood, Jonell said VBG has recovery is going to be weak and slow,” bers must vote yes. You can influence the worked on that for over a year, reaching said Panzica in his report to the city process. You can attend two Community out to the city staff and others through council. Workshops and a Design Charrette. the Grant Park Consortium. The Master The Salvation Army offers a full range of hous- Continued on page 5 I spoke recently with Jonell McLain Plan will address traffic and she thinks ing and social services to the homeless in Ven- the garden will be a good neighbor. tura. Pictured here: Shelli Locklear, Director The first step in the lease option of Operations, Laura Foster, Senior Adminis- courtship is to develop a Master Plan. trative Assistant, and Center Director Captain To do that, VBG hired the landscape Bill Finley. architecture firm of MIA LEHRER+ AS- SOCIATES, a firm well known for this Mail Box..............................................2 type of work. Opinion/Editorial...............................3 Several professions are employed to develop the Master Plan: landscape ar- City News.............................................4 chitects, civil engineers, planners, public News and Notes..................................5 works, archeologists, biologists, ecolo- gists and others. Community Events.............................8 Of equal importance, the plan must Art Scene...........................................10 address the clients’ wishes and desires and in this case that includes you because Professor Scamp...............................11 this is a public/private partnership. Police and Fire Reports.....................11 MLA will conduct a series of meetings to determine what is both possible and Senior Living......................................12 desirable. They will try to forge a com- School..........................................14 mon vision of the gardens while satisfy- ing accepted professional standards. The Sports..............................................14 final Master Plan Document will include Business..........................................16 several plans, maps, drawings and reports The Lighter Breeze.............................18 The City of Ventura has completed their 6th annual Digital Photography Contest. The Breeze that describe the future gardens. will be presenting some of the winners in this and future issues. This is the people’s choice in The first Community Workshop is Health...............................................19 the People Portraits category “Surf’s Down” by Darren Block. February 6, 2010. It’s your first chance Continued on page 9 Movie Time........................................19 2 Wednesday, January 13, 2010 Ventura BREEZE Mailbox Dear City Council Members and other Open letter of thanks: concerned people of Ventura; We would like to thank the more I am not a politician and I know that than 700 Ventura County residents, over Ventura has lots of money problems at the past two decades, who have rotated the moment. I just want you to know through as cast members of Every Now that myself and my family used to use and Then Theatre radio dramas. Be- the library facilities of Ventura at least cause of all of you, these broadcasts have once a week, and now we don’t. When raised funds for foster children in Ven- the Wright Library closed, my two kids, tura County and have provided more ages 7 and 10, lost a home away from than 1,300 show copies sent overseas home. They had grown up going to story to our armed forces—a piece of home times with Star, chatting with Jane, and for the holidays. We also wish to thank knew they could go to the Wright Library our many volunteer celebrity hosts, for help with homework, reports, or just whose talents have helped us benefit the finding the latest American Girl books. It community. And, thanks to Goldcoast was cozy and safe and clean and nice and Broadcasting, without whom we would welcoming. It had a HUGE selection of be voiceless. children’s books and books for ‘tweens As we celebrate our 20th year, we and Young Adults. It was easy to use and look back noting top local actors have my kids could always find whatever they been uniquely mixed with local doctors, were looking for. newspaper reporters, lawyers, radio tal- Since Wright closed, I have tried to ents, jewelers, mayors, TV news anchors, “talk-up” the downtown library by say- a police chief, rival theatre critics, a dis- ing how much bigger it is and how it is trict attorney, rival vehicle dealers, a su- fun that we get to go downtown more of- perior court judge, teachers, students, ar- ten. I have done my part in “selling” the chitects, so many local business owners, Foster Library. We have since visited the and all the rest—you know who you are! downtown library three times and have These productions are our way of been confronted by homeless men walk- giving back, while having fun. We hope ing in the door twice. My children don’t that each of you who have not yet, find a understand why the bathrooms have way to “pick your passion” and help oth- locks on them. I have to watch closely as ers. And, as Tiny Tim says, “God bless my kids try to find books to make sure us, every one!” they are not harassed by adults who are Regards, wandering the aisles of the children’s sec- James Wortman, Ventura tion without children. On two of our Linda Stiegler, Thousand Oaks visits, we were unable to find a particu- lar type of book my children were look- Breeze: ing for due to the lack of selection, books In your recent article on motorized that we knew used to be easily available bikes almost all the facts are wrong to us at the Wright Library (Geronimo who ever wrote that article seems to be Stilton and Captain Underpants). The saying the ventura police dept is giving downtown facility has less books for us to this infomation (information) which choose from, it is much more office-like is also false they talk about DMV laws and is FAR from welcoming and cozy. I which are totally all wrong I can (can’t) realize that the homeless have every right believe someone would print so many to use the library facility as much as the wrong statements.