CSU Channel Islands to Transition to Virtual Instruction Due to COVID-19 Concerns

CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI) has announced that it will begin to transition to virtual instruction following its spring break. The campus continues to remain safe and there are zero presumptive and no confirmed cases of COVID-19 on or related to CSUCI.

A message was sent to the campus community indicating that out of an abundance of caution and in consultation with Ventura County Public Health, local educational partners, the Chancellor’s Office, and the academic and student leadership, CSUCI would begin to transition to virtual instruction.

CSUCI will remain open during every phase of these planning efforts and students will continue to be welcomed on the campus for all student services including student housing, dining services, Student Health Services, CAPS, Career Services, Academic Advising, services within the Broome Library, Enrollment Center, as well as all other services across campus.

In order to provide time for faculty and the University to make this significant shift, instructors who are prepared and willing to teach virtually are encouraged to begin voluntary virtual instruction for all in-person classes beginning Friday, March 13 and continue through Friday, March 20. Faculty will notify students directly how classes will be adjusted during this specific time period.

Following spring break, all in-person classes will be suspended Monday, March 30 through Friday, April 3 in order to allow faculty additional time to prepare for virtual instruction. The campus will be closed Tuesday, March 31 for the Cesar Chavez holiday.

Mandatory virtual instruction will begin Monday, April 6 and continue through May 1, at which time CSUCI will reassess whether virtual instruction will continue for the remainder of the spring semester.

CSUCI will continue to monitor any spread of COVID-19 in the local community and issue additional notices to the campus community as necessary. Information is available and will also be regularly updated on the University’s website at: go.csuci.edu/covid19.

Timeline Summary

· March 13-20: Voluntary, but encouraged virtual instruction begins

· March 23-29: Spring Break

· March 30, April 1-3: Classes suspended in order for faculty to adjust and prepare classes

· March 31: Campus closed for Cesar Chavez Holiday

· April 6: Mandatory virtual instruction begins through May 1.

Thousand Oaks Thursday Certified Farmers' Market to Move to Northwest Side of The Oaks Mall

The Thousand Oaks Certified Farmers’ Market held at the Oaks Shopping Center will soon have a new location. The market, operated by the Ventura County Certified Farmers’ Market Association (VCCFMA), will move from its soon to be former site at the East End Parking Lot on Wilbur Road and Thousand Oaks Boulevard to the Front Northwest Outdoor Lot, immediately adjacent to the Oaks Parking Structure, and across from the Macy’s Women Store.

The move will take place on Thursday, March 26 and the market hours will be from 12 noon to 5 p.m.

The relocation is a result of new construction moving into the East End Parking Lot that has been the market’s home for over 20 years. Last year, an attempt was made to move the market into the front food court area, however, the market was too large to fit into the delivery lane and disrupted the traffic patterns in the area. This time, the market will fit directly into the Northwest Parking Lot and provide a safe and secure location for shoppers and farmers alike.

“We are looking forward to moving into a new market area for our customers,” stated Karen Schott, Operations Manager for the VCCFMA. “Shoppers will have access to ample parking within the parking structure and the nearby lower level parking lots, allowing for easier access to the market,” continued Schott. “In addition, we hope to introduce the market to a new audience with exposure to the Parking Structure, Children’s Area and Food Court,” she added.

For more information, call 805-529-6266, or visit the website at www.vccfm.com.

Camarillo Health Care District Hosts Free "Produce Day" 2nd Thursday of the Month

Camarillo Health Care District Hosts Free "Produce Day" in Partnership with FOOD Share

The Camarillo Health Care District, in partnership with FOOD Share, hosts a free “Produce Day” on the 2nd Thursday of each month, from 11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m., at District offices located at 3639 E. Las Posas Road, Suite 117, in Camarillo.  Participants can select, at no charge, from a variety of seasonal produce items. Produce is available on a first-come, first-served basis. Bring bags (the flyer above says bags will be provided; but this has changed). There are no eligibility requirements. 

The District usually posts what produce is being offered the morning of each Free Produce Day event on its Facebook page at www.facebook.com/CamarilloHealthCareDistrict.

Health screenings and other services are also available in conjunction with this event, held every second Thursday of the month, at no charge. There are no eligibility requirements and produce is offered on a first-come, first-served basis. Please call to register, (805) 388-1952, ext. 100.

The Camarillo Health Care District is a public agency formed in 1969 by the voters of the Pleasant Valley and surrounding areas to provide community health, wellness and safety services. Learn more at www.camhealth.com.

Young Artists Art Exhibit Winners Announced by the Arts Council of the Conejo Valley

1st Place: Hadley Brady, Grade 8, “Lady in Black” Charcoal (Photo by Paul Cranmer)

The Arts Council of the Conejo Valley held its annual HANG WITH THE BEST 20/20 art show featuring art by young artists in grades 6 through 12 in different mediums including paint, photography, 3D and drawing. An awards reception was held on February 12 form 4:00 to 6:00 pm at the Hillcrest Center for the Arts in Thousand Oaks.

Cash and prizes were awarded to winning entrants, along with certificates. Over sixty students participated in this show, and the largest category was photography.

Hang with the Best provides an opportunity for young people to display their art in a professional public gallery. All eligible entries are placed on exhibit and funding for this event is provided through the Arts Council of the Conejo Valley.

WINNERS IN THE HIGH SCHOOL SPECIAL CATEGORIES INCLUDE: ARTS COUNCIL OF THE CONEJO VALLEY (ACCV) BOARD AWARD: Katie Kersnick, Grade 10, “La Mariposa de Immigrante” Digital Photography, HCFA STAFF: Enola Lagrave, Grade 12, “Ocean of White” Digital Photography, GREG COLE MEMORIAL AWARD: Kate Robinson, Grade 9, “Flower Girl” Painting Brian Racalbuto, Grade 12, “Kid Culture” Painting.

CERAMICS/SCULPTURE: Special Award: Francie Pavon, Grade 12 “Winged Figure” Mixed Media Sculpture.

DRAWING: 1st Place: Kaiden Pemberton, Grade 11, “Liftoff ” Ink & Colored Pencil 2nd Place: Aidan Purcell, Grade 11, “Peace in the Land of Giants” Charcoal, 3rd Place: Grace Pei, Grade 9, “A Portrait of a Young African Lady” Charcoal

PAINTING: 1st Place: Emily Crain, Grade 12, “Muerte Vida” Ink Wash 2nd Place: Charissa Shang, Grade 10, “Untitled” Watercolor 3rd Place: Julia N Kulyk, Grade 12, “Bird of Happiness” Painting

PHOTOGRAPHY: 1st Place: Tyler Peterson, Grade 12, “Drip” Digital Photography 2nd Place: Vivek Kanchi, Grade 12, “Got Milk?” Photography 3rd Place: Leon Burg, Grade 12, “Pursuit of Happiness” Photography Honorable Mention: Alex Hahn, Grade 11, “Untitled” Digital Photography Honorable Mention: Ryan Paige, Grade 12, “Together” Digital Photography.

WINNERS FROM MIDDLE SCHOOL INCLUDE: 1st Place: Hadley Brady, Grade 8, “Lady in Black” Charcoal 2nd Place: Catherine Xie, Grade 8, “Koi Fish” Oil Honorable Mention: Sierra Bernhardt, Grade 6, “Friendships” Watercolor Honorable Mention: Eileen Zhang, Grade 8, “On Wings of Autumn” Watercolor

The Arts Council for the Conejo Valley (ACCV) was established in 1969. During its over four decade span, the ACCV has gone through extensive changes in its programs and services. Established as a regional Federation of Arts organization that was formed to promote the community’s cultural development, the ACCV has evolved into a membership support agency that also delivers and co-sponsors many cultural programs. Member services include marketing, technical assistance workshops, and lowered rent at the Hillcrest Center for the Arts. The ACCV has a history of successful partnership in the community. It has joined forces and worked toward a common with three major partners – the City of Thousand Oaks, the Conejo Recreation and Park District, and the Conejo Valley Unified School District. The ACCV, in collaboration with Art Trek, created the Conejo Cottontail Project to promote public art throughout the community.

The Hillcrest Galleria is open during business hours and some evenings and weekends and is free to the public at 403 W. Hillcrest Drive, Thousand Oaks.

Katie Kersnick, Grade 10, “La Mariposa de Immigrante” Digital Photography (Photo by Paul Cranmer)

Cal Lutheran Now Offers Financial Literacy Course

In response to a federal recommendation and student requests, California Lutheran University this semester joined a small but growing number of colleges offering a for-credit personal finance course.

The U.S. Financial Literacy and Education Commission, which includes members from the U.S. departments of Education and the Treasury, last year recommended that higher education institutions require financial literacy courses to equip students to make critical decisions during and after college.

“It’s not if, but when, this mandate will come from either the federal or state level,” said Chia-Li Chien, director of the financial planning program at Cal Lutheran. “Higher education institutions must be prepared to have such a course in place to meet the requirement.”

Chien helped develop Introduction to Personal Finance, the new optional one-unit elective being taught by William Klepper, a senior adjunct faculty member and certified financial planner with more than 30 years of experience. Cal Lutheran began with one section, hoping to attract 18 students. Enrollment has climbed to a near-capacity class of 23 as students continue to add it. The course covers saving, taxes, credit scores, bank accounts, budgets, loans, housing decisions, investments and risk management. Students will put together budgets and financial plans for themselves.

“Understanding spending limits and being conscious of financial decisions during college will help students establish good financial behaviors before they enter the workforce,” said Chien, an assistant professor in the School of Management. “These foundational skills will go a long way toward helping students reach their goals in life.”

Even though many U.S. students take out loans to help finance their education, a 2019 Trellis Research report found that only 21% of undergraduates could correctly answer three questions related to loan terms, interest rates and repayment options. In a 2018 Brookings Institution study, U.S. undergraduate students demonstrated low levels of financial literacy, with just 28% getting three multiple-choice questions on inflation, interest and risk diversification correct. The study showed that financial knowledge was lower among students in underrepresented racial and ethnic groups and from disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds.

Although personal finance courses are popular with students, a 2011 report from the Financial Security Project at Boston College found that offerings are sporadic with about 100 U.S. colleges offering for-credit classes. Community colleges were the first to adopt the courses in large numbers, the report said. A few universities mandate that all students complete a for-credit financial literacy course, and others require a short online module. An increasing number of universities have begun offering optional workshops, with Harvard and Princeton universities offering them for the first time last year.

Cal Lutheran Launches "The School for Professional and Continuing Studies"

California Lutheran University has formed a new school focused on education beyond traditional bachelor’s and graduate degrees.

The School for Professional and Continuing Studies includes the Bachelor’s Degree for Professionals program, the Center for Nonprofit Leadership and a new Center for Lifelong Learning.

“Our goal is to provide a continuum of educational experiences for post-traditional students that supports degree attainment, lifelong learning, professional development, leadership excellence and service to the region,” said the school’s newly appointed dean, Lisa L. Buono, who has directed the Professionals program for seven years and served on the university’s faculty since 2004. “We will meet these individuals where they are and provide tailored programs and resources for them.”

In late spring, the university plans to launch a Fifty and Better program for older adults who want to take non-credit classes for the joy of learning and social engagement as part of the new Center for Lifelong Learning. The center already offers non-degree opportunities such as continuing education for educators

The Bachelor’s Degree for Professionals program has been serving students with previous college credit since 1985. Offered in an accelerated format in Thousand Oaks, Oxnard and Woodland Hills, its night classes enable students who are juggling work and family commitments to complete their degrees.

The students served by the Professionals program are the fastest-growing group of learners nationwide and more diverse than traditional populations. Sixty percent of Cal Lutheran’s Professionals are first-generation collegegoers, compared with 27% of traditional undergraduate students. Sixty-four percent of Professionals students are from racial and ethnic groups underrepresented on college campuses. About 15 percent are veterans, many are single parents, and some are grandparents.

To serve more of these students, Cal Lutheran is exploring additional majors such as healthcare management and scheduling classes at new times and in new formats.

Cal Lutheran’s Center for Nonprofit Leadership will continue to provide affordable and locally relevant professional development to help staff, board members and volunteers sustain and improve their organizations.

“I am grateful for the work of Dr. Buono and her team to strengthen existing programs and create new opportunities for Cal Lutheran to serve this region,” said Leanne Neilson, provost and vice president for academic affairs.

For more information, go to CalLutheran.edu/spcs.

First Phase of Waterfront Mixed-Use Development Portside Ventura Harbor Completed

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First phase of the Largest Waterfront Mixed-Use Development of its Kind on West Coast Completed

Portside Ventura Harbor begins leasing first 56 of the 270 apartment homes

Developers of Portside Ventura Harbor, the largest mixed-used waterfront development of its kind on the West Coast, have released the first 56 apartment homes for lease. The culmination of nearly two decades of planning, at buildout in April 2020, the 27-acre Portside Ventura Harbor fronting Ventura Harbor and the Pacific Ocean will feature 270 apartment homes, 30 live/work units and 22,000 square feet of community serving retail.

Portside Ventura Harbor distinguishes itself from most other mixed-use developments by adhering to the new urbanism principles that are behind the successful communities of Seaside, FL and Santana Row near San Jose, CA. This ultimately helped the Portside Ventura Harbor project gain approval from the California Coastal Commission. Often referred to as “villages,” new urbanist projects place an emphasis on low-impact development with walkable streets, housing, public spaces and shopping all in close proximity to one another.

Created around a large public plaza, Portside Ventura Harbor residents can walk or bike to the community’s town center, 22,000 square feet of retail, pool, spa, tennis court, and pet park. To encourage enjoyment of the waterfront by the community, the developers also dedicated two acres for a public park as well as a new pedestrian promenade bordering the harbor.

The Mission Colonial architecture of Portside Ventura Harbor was designed by Togawa Smith Martin, Inc. with a very low-density ratio of 11 units per acre. All of Portside Ventura Harbor’s studio, one-, two-, three-bedroom apartment homes and live/work units averaging over 1,000 square feet – with 10 percent of the units set aside for low- and moderate-income earners — face the street to activate the sidewalks.

Portside Ventura Harbor also includes the first new marina in Ventura Harbor in more than 30 years. The Marina will feature 104 boat slips to accommodate vessels up to 80 feet, as well as a 90-foot public paddleboard dock.

The developers have engaged family-owned E&S Ring Management Corporation to oversee residential leasing and the Ventura County office of CBRE the retail leasing.

Learn more at portsideventuraharbor.com.

Newbury Park High School Boys AND Girls Cross County Teams Win State Championships and Earn a Spot to the Nike Cross Nationals (NXN)

Today, the Newbury Park High School Cross Country program achieved a number of historic firsts.

For the first time in school history, the Girls Cross County team won the state championship at Woodward Park in Fresno. The top 5 scoring team members on the 5 kilometer (approximately 3.1 mile) course were Sam McDonnell (17:56.4), Hailey Golmon (17:57.7), Fiona Hawkins (17:58.5), Ailish Hawkins (18:27.4) and Gretchen Slattum (18:31.9). Other varsity teammates included Archana Mohandas and Hannah Round.

For the first time in school history, the Boys Cross County team won back to back championship titles, led by two-time overall state championship winner Nico Young (14:28.5) followed by Jace Aschbrenner (2nd overall in 14:53.7), Colin Sahlman (15:09.8), Nick Goldstein (15:17.0) and Daniel Appleford (15:37.7). Up and comer Leo Young was the top freshman finisher in the race in 15:41.6) - in fact, he was the top freshman finisher among all CIF divisions today. Thomas McDonnell also competed for the team.

There were 1004 finishers in the combined Division 1-5 boys races today. The Newbury Park team had the 1st and 3rd (Jace) fastest seniors, the 5th (Nicholas) fastest junior, the 1st (Colin) and 5th (Daniel) fastest sophomores and the fastest overall freshman. That’s some serious firepower.

Head Coach Sean Brosnan was excited to report via his Twitter account tonight that BOTH teams received invitations to participate in next Saturday’s Nike Cross Nationals (NXN) in Portland, Oregon. The boys team competed at NXN for the first time last year and placed 6th in the nation, led by Nico’s 4th place overall finish. This year the team is looking to top the charts as it competes with strong teams from Temecula (Great Oak), Loudoun Valley, Virginia and other schools.

Senior Nico Young in clear command of the CIF Division 2 Championships race at Woodward Park in Fresno. I asked Nico before the race if he was going for the course record of 14:24 set by German Fernandez in 2007. His answer was no. Nico’s plan was to win the race but to save his top effort for NXN next Saturday. His 14:28.5 was the 2nd fastest of all time on the course, which is even more impressive given he was not going “all out.” Earlier this year, Young ran an 8:40 3200 meters on the track, the fastest time in the country this year and 3rd fastest 3200 of all time.

The boys team was an automatic qualifier into NXN, having not only the fastest team time of the day at 75:27 (15:06 average) but the fastest team time in Woodward Park course history. Let’s break this down a bit. 15:06 equates to a tad over a 4 minutes, 52 seconds per mile, for 3.1 miles, on average, for 2 high school seniors, 1 junior and 2 sophomores. Now THAT is impressive!

The previous fastest team score among all divisions was Great Oaks’ 2015 team time of 76:10. Newbury Park’s 2019 boys team destroyed that record by 43 seconds. That’s almost 3 seconds per mile per kid faster than the fastest team time of all time!

The Great Oak boys team won for the 6th straight year in the Division 1 race with a combined time of 76.23, nearly a minute slower than the record-setting Newbury Park team in Division 2, but still the 3rd fastest team score in course history (excluding Newbury Park’s new record).

However, the fastest team time DOES NOT guarantee a team win in the sport of cross country. The Great Oak team, ranked #1 in the nation recently by Dyestat, finished today’s race with an extremely tight gap of under 17 seconds between runners 1 and 5. This was today’s tightest gap of any team among all divisions.

In cross country, the team with the lowest finishing score wins the race, with a lowest possible score of 15 (1-2-3-4-5). So effectively, it does not matter how fast Nico runs when he finishes first; he still scores 1 point for the team. What often matters most is how the 5th place team finisher scores. For example, in today’s race, if the boys’ team’s 5th place finisher, who scored 19 points, finished 5 seconds slower, he would have scored 29 points. In a tight team race, 10 points is devastating. Inversely, Nico could have run 25 seconds slower and still won the race, having no impact on the team score.

And speaking of team score, the boys’ team score of 37 was the lowest Division 2 winning team school in CIF history. The previous record team score was set in 1987 (Walnut High School) and tied in 1988 (Katella High School). Newbury Park will now sit alone atop this record.

But let’s not ignore this fantastic Newbury Park girls team. The girls ran a combined time of 90:52 for its top 5 runners (18:11 average 5K time per girl). That was the 5th fastest time on the course in Division 2 history.

The Great Oak girls team won a record-breaking 8th straight Division 1 title today in a team time of 90:33, only 19 seconds faster than the upstart Newbury Park team. It’s gonna be some race to watch at NXN!

To follow the Newbury Park teams at NXN, visit https://nxn.runnerspace.com or watch a live webcast of the race at cdn.runnerspace.com/nxnlive.html. Congratulations!

NPHSXC: www.newburyparkcrosscountry.com

And here’s a rundown of other local team top performers at the state championships today:

• Madelene Locher of Ventura finished 5th overall (17:43) and Jill Walker of Simi Valley finished 7th (17:49) in the Divison 2 girls race.

• Thousand Oaks High School finished 6th overall in the boys Division 2 race, led by Michael Mireles, who finished 4th overall in 15:03.

• Agoura High School boys finished 3rd overall in the Division 3 race, led by Beau Bordelon, who finished 6th overall inn 15:34. Royal High School finished 7th overall.

• Brooke Secreto of Foothill Tech won the Division 4 girls race in 17:33. Foothill Tech boys won the Division 4 race, led by 5th place Joshua Villasenor (15:28).

Westlake Village Trolley Holiday Service Offered November 29, 2019 to December 28, 2019

The Westlake Village Trolley is back in service beginning on Friday, November 29, 2019 and will operate on Friday and Saturday nights through December 28, 2019.

The Trolley begins its run at Westlake Village City Hall at 3:00 pm and concludes each night at 10:00 pm. The free, fun service stops at all major retail centers, including the Shoppes at Westlake Village, hotels, and neighborhoods...a great way to get around town. Free, live entertainment on board the Trolley enhances the experience.

Entertainment will be offered on board the train between 6-8PM most nights!

Riding the Village Trolley is easy. Simply hop on at one of 16 stops and hop off whenever you want. The trolley is outfitted with a GPS locator device allowing riders to use their smartphone to track the trolley’s progress. The trolley is not just transportation; it is a mobile City event perfect for residents and visitors of all ages.

For more information, including all trolley stop locations, visit www.wlv.org/villagetrolley.