Free Public Outdoor Wi-Fi Service in Downtown Ventura is Now Available

Free Public Outdoor Wi-Fi Access in Downtown Ventura

The City of Ventura announced last week that free wireless broadband service has been launched in the public spaces of Downtown.  Residents and visitors can stay "connected" through the network, provided by the Downtown Parking Management Program, to access the Internet, retrieve e-mail, or surf the Web without being connected to network cables.

The network, "Downtown Ventura Wi-Fi", offers wireless broadband service outdoors along Main Street beginning at Fir Street and continuing to the Museum of Ventura County between Poli and Santa Clara Streets.

Service is available daily during the hours of 6am - Midnight.  Users can access the service for a total of one hour, to assure use by the maximum number of persons at any given time. No special settings, user names or passwords are required.

Locate the network icon on your wireless device to connect.   Users must agree to accept the Terms and Conditions of use before connecting; the agreement also identifies and warns users of the potential security risks associated with the use of a non-secure public network.

Visit www.cityofventura.net for more information.

Camp Helping Hands® Partnership to give President’s Volunteer Service Award

Camp Helping Hands® Partners with the White House to give campers President’s Volunteer Service Award

Thousand Oaks summer camp Camp Helping Hands® announces its new partnership with The President's Council on Service and Civic Participation.  As a service-learning camp, Camp Helping Hands campers and volunteer staff members can apply their summer camp service hours toward attainment of the President’s Volunteer Service Award.

The Council created the award as a way to honor outstanding volunteers and to inspire others to help out in their community. Most colleges today emphasize service as a requirement for acceptance, so this is an award kids can proudly put on their resumes and college applications.

“This recognition is also something that our campers can refer to for the rest of their lives. It’s a wonderful way to emphasis to kids how service is such an integral and valued part of our nation's past and present," co-founder Anne Marquart said.

Depending on which award the participant earns, they can receive a President’s Volunteer Service Award lapel pin, a personalized certificate of achievement and a congratulatory letter from President Barack Obama.

Levels range from Bronze Level for kids who complete 50 to 74 hours, to Gold Level for kids who complete over one hundred hours. The highest award, the President’s Call to Service Award, is given to kids of all ages that complete 4,000 hours of service over a lifetime.

Camp Helping Hands is excited for its campers and volunteer staff with The President’s Council.

“Not only does this partnership validate the need for a program like Camp Helping Hands, but it also allows us to honor our campers, which will no doubt help further their lifelong commitment to service,” co-founder Meredith Cornelius said.

About Camp Helping Hands

The Camp Helping Hands project began when co-founder Cornelius realized her upper-middle class six-year-old daughter was spoiled. Understanding that her daughter was incapable of knowing what life is like when you don’t always have what you need, she decided it was time for her to learn compassion and empathy by volunteering her time to help others not as fortunate as her.

After researching service areas of interest on the Internet, they found a definite lack of programs accepting young children as volunteers.

Cornelius saw this as an opportunity and thought a summer camp would fit the bill. She knew this project was too big to tackle alone, so longtime friend Anne Marquart was asked to join the team as partner and co-founder.

The camp will take place at California Lutheran University in Thousand Oaks from July 18 to August 7, 2011. Service excursions will include trips to the Agoura Animal Shelter, Waste Management, Join the Farm and Community Roots Garden.

For more information about Camp Helping Hands, visit www.camphelpinghands.com or call 805-244-5071

California Health & Longevity Institute Shares Ten Easy Ways to Improve Your Diet

Nutrition Director of California Health & Longevity Institute at Four Seasons Hotel Westlake Village Offers 10 Ways to Improve Your Diet (March is National Nutrition Month)

In honor of National Nutrition Month in March, Paulette Lambert, RD, CDE and director of nutrition at California Health & Longevity Institute located within Four Seasons Hotel Westlake Village, offers 10 easy ways individuals can improve their diet for optimum health.    “These simple strategies can promote weight control, optimum nutrition intake, longevity and even reduce our impact on the environment,” said Ms. Lambert, a registered dietitian and certified diabetic educator.  

Her recommendations include:

1. Eat 7-10 servings of fruit and vegetables daily.  Two cups of cooked vegetables, two cups salad (excluding iceberg lettuce) and two to three pieces of fruit ensure adequate antioxidants, vitamins, minerals and fiber to lower risk for chronic disease.

2. Consume less animal protein.  Too much causes increased risk for CHD and cancer.  Limit to 9-10 oz. per day for men, 6-8 oz. per day for women and children.

3. Limit sugary “treats” to one to two per week.  

4. Avoid all sugar drinks including juices.  Limit calories in drinks to no more than 10 calories/8 oz.

5. Eat evenly throughout the day to avoid a high glycemic overload.  Three meals and one or two snacks are adequate for most of us.

6. Decrease condiments to one or two tablespoons to lower sodium intake, thereby reducing the risk for hypertension.   Even those with low blood pressure now should keep this in mind as it increases with age.  Studies show a high the sodium intake in younger years increases risk for hypertension at earlier ages.

7. Focus on real, whole food -- the less processed the better.  Look for foods with few ingredients.  For example, choose a cereal that has two to five ingredients, not 25!

8. Eat vegetarian protein three to five times per week to lower risk for chronic disease as well as reducing the impact of a high protein diet on the environment.

9. Spend food dollars on quality meats and poultry, not quantity. Cleaner, sustainable meats cost more, but are healthier for both you and the environment sure and the environment

10. Buy organic dairy when possible to avoid antibiotics and hormones that are added to factory livestock production.

To help guests and local residents learn out to these strategies into action, California Health & Longevity Institute offers the Wellness Kitchen hands-on cooking class and dining experience taught by registered dietitian-chefs.    In March, Wellness Kitchen class themes include “Family Meals in Minutes” and “Simple Healthy Cooking” where guests learn to make recipes such as Southwest turkey chilli and curried butternut squash and lentil.  Wellness Kitchen special events include “Meals that Heal,” where participants learn how to lower cholesterol and treat and prevent heart disease by preparing foods that maximize vitality and health. Young chefs ages 10 to 16 bake up fun in a “Junior Bread Bakers” class focusing on recipes for whole grain muffins, breads, biscuits and rolls.

Thousand Oaks Auto Mall Freeway Sign Community Meetings on Wed, January 26th and Thurs, February 10th

Courtesy of City of Thousand Oaks Website:

Thousand Oaks Auto Mall Freeway Monument Sign - Community Meetings

Location: Los Robles Greens Golf Course – Banquet Center, 299 S. Moorpark Road, Thousand Oaks

Dates: 6:00 PM on Wednesday, January 26th and 6:00 PM on Thursday, February 10th

The Thousand Oaks Auto Mall lies on 54 acres along Thousand Oaks Boulevard between Duesenberg Drive, Packard Circle, and the 101 Freeway. The Auto Mall employs approximately 1,000 people, consistently generating almost one-quarter of the City’s annual sales tax revenues. In the past four years, the Auto Mall has generated more than $28 Million in sales tax revenue to the City.

In recent years, the dealerships have been working with the City to improve the appearance and navigability of the Auto Mall. Along with pedestrian amenities and aged streetscaping, the primary concern is the lack of available parking for both customers and employees. In fact, as a Top Priority for FY 2007-2008, the Thousand Oaks City Council directed staff to develop a plan to mitigate parking issues at the Auto Mall.

On January 12, 2010, City Council authorized design for the Auto Mall project. Due to the significance of this undertaking, the City Council formed an Ad Hoc Citizens Auto Mall Advisory Committee. The Ad Hoc Committee met five times between February and June 2010 to review conceptual designs and make recommendations. The final report by the Citizen Ad Hoc Committee contained recommendations on the angled parking, landscaping, way-finder signage, and a new freeway monument sign.

At the December 14, 2010 meeting, City Council approved all the necessary plans and permits for the project to move forward, with the exception the freeway monument sign. At the request of the Auto Mall Association, the monument sign was not considered by City Council at the December 14th meeting, in order to receive additional community feedback and insight regarding the sign before making a decision. After completing additional public outreach and receiving community feedback, the Auto Mall Association will bring the item to City Council on February 22, 2011. 

Selected Q&As

Who is paying for the new Auto Mall sign? The costs to construct, operate, and maintain the monument sign will be paid entirely by the Auto Mall Association. No City funds are being used to construct the Auto Mall monument sign.Previously, City Council committed $2 Million towards the other components of the project, (parking improvements, landscaping, etc.) none of which is to be used to construct the monument sign, if approved. Since 2001, the Auto Mall has generated $8 million in incremental property tax revenues for the Redevelopment Agency (RDA), with an additional $1.3 million expected in fiscal year 2010-11. The majority of the parking and landscaping costs ($6 Million) will be paid by the formation of a Community Facilities District (CFD) for the Auto Mall area. The property owners within the CFD will impose a special tax on themselves to finance the improvements in the Auto Mall.

Will the sign be precedent-setting? If approved, the monument sign will not set a precedent for digital reader boards in the City of Thousand Oaks. The approval is specific to the Auto Mall zone only; any other similar sign would require separate approvals by the Planning Commission and City Council. The existing Auto Mall sign was constructed in 1994 through the application of a special use permit. In a similar fashion, the proposed monument sign has undergone numerous iterations within the Advisory Committee, opened to public hearings, considered by the Planning Commission, and will eventually be considered by the City Council. In each stage, the necessity and appropriateness of the sign is evaluated.

More information and Q&As at www.toaks.org/government/depts/public_works/current_projects/auto_mall_improvement_project/default.asp

Also see www.conejovalleyguide.com/local-buzz/huge-electronic-billboard-for-to-auto-mall-removed-from-city.html

Groundbreaking of "Simi at the Garden" on Tuesday, February 15th

The Simi Valley Seventh Day Adventist Church has allocated over 2 acres of their land for the betterment of our community! The land will be transformed into Simi Valley’s first community garden! We need you, the community, to come out and support this community building endeavor!

The 2 acres that will soon be transformed!

This is projected to be a big success given that this is the first community garden in Simi Valley. Our surrounding communities (ie.: Thousand Oaks, Oak Park, Chatsworth, etc.) have these types of gardens, and are filled with a waiting list! Community gardens are in demand, and the fact that the SDA church has given their land for the betterment of the community shows a lot. We, as the community can show our gratitude through volunteering, sponsorships, donations, or merely lending a hand at whatever talent or resource we may possess.  It will take a big effort by all of us to get this project off the ground.

In conjunction with the garden, we will be establishing what we call a wellness program which will involve so much more than the garden itself! Emphasis will be put on public health education involving healthy lifestyle choices such as cooking classes, healthy lifestyle seminars, and community outreach.

We have many exciting things planned for this garden for both young and old.  Not only will the community members be able to come together and enjoy a healthy environment, but it will provide an outlet for community networking, health education, physical activity, and just good clean (or dirty) fun. The benefits are endless and we believe that everyone should take advantage of this opportunity to give back to your community.  It’s time we get our hands dirty, literally!

The ground breaking is scheduled for February 15 at 4pm at 1636 Sinaloa Road, at the Simi Valley Seventh Day Adventist School. Please come out and “Simi at the Garden” to show your support for your community. Call Salina Perry at 310-617-3863 for more information.

Check us out at communitygarden.org to view upcoming events, contact information, and to see the progress.  We are now a proud member of the American Community Garden Association.

Habitat for Humanity and Los Robles Hospital to Dedicate New Home in Thousand Oaks

Habitat for Humanity and Los Robles Hospital to Dedicate New Habitat for Humanity Home on Sunday, January 16 in Thousand Oaks

WHAT:  Habitat for Humanity of Ventura County and Los Robles Hospital teamed up to build a Thousand Oaks Habitat for Humanity home sponsored by HCA/Los Robles Hospital.  The event is open to the public.

WHEN:  Sunday, January 16.  The event will begin at 2:00 PM with introductions and opening remarks, followed by a formal house dedication and blessing, a tour of the new home, photos, and refreshments.

WHO:  Participants will include Supervisor Parks, Los Robles Hospital CEO, Greg Angle, executives, and staff, Habitat for Humanity Board of Directors and representatives, Thousand Oaks City Council and housing officials, volunteers and friends of Habitat.  The Habitat partner-family will be available for interviews. 

WHERE:   200 Houston Drive, Thousand Oaks - From US-101. take exit 44 for Moorpark Road toward Thousand Oaks. Continue straight to N. Moorpark Road and turn right at E. Hillcrest Drive. The home is located on the corner of Houston Drive and E. Hillcrest Drive.

Habitat for Humanity of Ventura County

Habitat for Humanity is a non-profit, ecumenical Christian housing organization that builds homes in partnership with people in need of adequate shelter. Homeowners are selected based on their need for housing, ability to repay a no-profit loan, and willingness to partner with Habitat for Humanity. Loan repayments contribute to help build additional houses. Because Habitat’s loans are no-profit, they are affordable for low-income family partners.  Habitat for Humanity of Ventura County, a locally-run affiliate, has built homes for 51 Ventura County families and rehabilitated over 500 homes since 1983.   www.habitatventura.org. 

HCA/Los Robles Hospital

HCA joined hands with Habitat for Humanity International in 2000.  HCA has provided funding and employee volunteers to build homes in Richmond, VA, Tallahassee, FL, and Thousand Oaks, CA (Los Robles Medical Center).   Los Robles Regional Medical Center is a 265-bed acute care facility dedicated to serving the residents of Ventura County, the Conejo Valley and its surrounding communities.  Further information may be obtained at www.losrobleshospital.com

Calleguas Water District to Relocate Water Supply Pipeline in Thousand Oaks

Calleguas MWD to Relocate Vital Water Supply Pipeline in Thousand Oaks

On January 3, the Calleguas Municipal Water District (Calleguas) will begin construction activities to relocate a 48-inch diameter pipeline that provides water service to much of the Thousand Oaks area. Originally installed in 1965, the Conejo Valley Feeder delivers water to residents and businesses in the central and western portions of the valley.

Under the $1.4 million project, Calleguas will construct 500 feet of pipe within a new steel casing paralleling the existing pipeline along Olsen Road under the State Highway 23 bridge. In recent years, the California Department of Transportation made seismic related improvements to the highway bridge. The location of these improvements on top of Calleguas’ pipeline require that a segment of pipe be relocated to ensure continued water supply reliability and public safety.

During construction, vehicular traffic will be constrained in both directions to allow construction crews adequate space to install the new pipe and connect it with the existing pipeline beyond the bridge’s support columns. The left of the two eastbound lanes will be closed for the duration of the project, scheduled for completion by May 2011. The right eastbound lane will remain open and be modified to allow vehicles to either continue along Olsen Road to Simi Valley or access the northbound highway onramp. The left westbound lane on Olsen Road will also be closed between 9 a.m. and 7 p.m. daily. Project updates will be posted to Calleguas’ web site at www.calleguas.com.

View Larger Map

“Maintaining flow through this regional supply pipeline is essential for reliable water service to literally tens of thousands of water users in the area,” said Susan Mulligan, Calleguas General Manager. “We are working closely with Caltrans and the City of Thousand Oaks to design a traffic control plan that minimizes impacts on local commuters while enabling our contractor adequate space to work. We apologize for any inconvenience for area residents and are committed to completing the project as
quickly as possible.”

Calleguas is one of twenty-six member agencies of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California and the primary urban water supplier in Ventura County, providing water service to a population of over 600,000. Through a variety retail water agencies and companies, Calleguas provides water to the cities of Oxnard, Camarillo, Moorpark, Simi Valley, Thousand Oaks, and Port Hueneme as well as surrounding unincorporated areas.

CLU Students Build Solar Fountain

The community is invited to the unveiling of a solar-powered fountain designed and built by California Lutheran University students.

The university’s first water fountain powered solely by solar energy will be dedicated from 3 to 4 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 15, south of Memorial Parkway between the Ahmanson Science Center and E Building the Thousand Oaks campus.
 
Students in Robert Rumer’s Introduction to Engineering class designed and constructed the fountain, which features a handcrafted waterwheel that uses hydropower. Camarillo-based SolarWorld USA in Camarillo donated a top-of-the-line 245-watt module for the project.

The landscape fountain is the latest green project undertaken by the CLU community. Faculty, staff and students planted a community garden in November. In October, the university dedicated the Swenson Center for the Social and Behavioral Sciences, which was designed to meet the sustainability criteria in the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program. In 2009, CLU was named a Climate Action Leader for participating in the country’s most rigorous voluntary greenhouse gas reporting program. Other environmentally friendly projects include student campaigns to encourage classmates to reduce their carbon footprint, student research into sustainable solutions to environmental challenges, and the elimination of food trays and introduction of biodegradable packaging and organically grown food on campus.

For more information, contact Rumer at rrumer@callutheran.edu.