Residents Who Visit County of Ventura Managed Beaches Urged to Follow Distancing Guidelines

Hollywood Beach

Residents who visit County of Ventura-managed beaches are urged to follow guidelines outlined in the Stay Well At Home Order issued by County of Ventura Public Health Officer Dr. Robert Levin.

Kiddie Beach, Silver Strand Beach and Hollywood Beach, managed by the Ventura County Harbor Department, have remained open for outdoor activity to afford residents relief. Residents are encouraged to use the beaches for essential physical activity such as walking, running, and jogging, while practicing social distancing guidelines. Beach visitors are not allowed to gather with groups on the beach outside their household.

“Ventura County residents should be proud of their efforts during this time and we want to make sure we continue to flatten the curve,” said Mark Sandoval, Harbor Department Director. “Practicing social distancing guidelines, particularly at the beach, is important. Not following these guidelines may result in our County-managed beaches being shut down for the foreseeable future.”

Director Sandoval said the Ventura County Sheriff’s Department will increase patrolling of the three beaches to ensure guidelines are being met.

Parking lots and bathrooms at the three beaches will remain closed.

Ventura City Council Vote to Re-Open Parks and Beaches On a Limited Basis

Tonight, the Ventura City Council voted to re-open parks and beaches in the City of Ventura on a “limited closure” basis.

What this means is that parks and beaches will be open for active use only. Walking, running, hiking, cycling and other recreational uses with proper 6 foot social distancing and participants in these activities do not linger in any location.

The Promenade, pier, sidewalks, walking paths, trails and tracks within all City of Ventura beaches are open for use by the public so long as gatherings are socially distanced and no more than 5 people (under the most current VC Public Health Order).

Large group gatherings and picnics will not be allowed at this time to abide by current Ventura County Stay at Home orders.

Parking lots, playgrounds, restrooms, pools, sports/recreational fields and picnic areas will continue to be closed.

Failure to comply with these rules could result in closures as necessary. Parks and beaches can be shut down when overcrowding becomes an issue.

More details at www.cityofventura.ca.gov/DocumentCenter/View/21039/12A

Conejo Creek Dog Park, Other Off-Leash Dog Parks and Pickleball Parks Have Reopened in the Conejo Valley

This was Conejo Creek Dog Park at 1350 E Avenida De Las Flores, Thousand Oaks on Saturday.

Today, CPRD announced that the Conejo Creek Dog Park is back open, along with off-leash dog areas at Estella, Kimber and Walnut Grove Parks. They were previously closed on April 2nd. Humans must practice appropriate (6 foof minimum) social distancing at the parks. Dogs may continue smelling and sniffing other doggies as appropriate. Pickleball courts at Conejo Valley parks have also reopened (though other facilities e.g. playgrounds, etc.) are still closed

These and other Ventura County area dog parks at THIS LINK.

City of Port Hueneme Announces "Soft Re-Opening" of Hueneme Beach on April 18th

The City of Port Hueneme closed Hueneme Beach to all activity on April 1st but has announced a “soft re-opening” after the Ventura County Public Health’s updated Stay at Home Order announced on April 18th.

The soft re-opening is contingent upon everyone visiting the beach adhering to the listed guidelines and restrictions. The city asks beachgoers to continue to wear masks while outside as people may continue to be asymptotic.

If beachgoers follow social distancing guidelines and these new beach restrictions, we will not need to reinstate another beach closure.

The city has asked visitors to use the beach to exercise and get fresh air but not as a place to hang out and socialize. Activities allowed on Hueneme Beach: Walking, running, exercise, surfing, biking, swimming, and other uses that require physical activity. None of these activities shall be done in groups.

The city is highly discouraging people from the following activities: Sunbathing, congregating, and sitting. In addition, items not allowed on the beach include blankets, chairs, coolers, umbrellas, tents and any item that promotes a stationary presence. The pier, picnic areas, restrooms, and playground equipment will continue to be closed.

There is no open street parking as ithis helps prevent people from simply congregating and hanging out in their vehicles. It continues to help expand our walkways for people walking in both directions and it creates and even bigger bicycle lane for those at the beach.

More detailed information and updates at porthuenemeemergency.org.

Virtual Collections on the Getty Center Website

We’re in the midst of a Stay at Home Order that has been extended to May 15th. When there’s not pandemic-driven Stay at Home order, you’ve always meant to check out the Getty Center in Los Angeles and the Getty Villa in Pacific Palisades. Now you have all the time in the world, but the museums of course are closed.

Not to worry! There are plenty of things to virtually explore on their website at www.getty.edu!

Virtual Publications Library: More than 300 of books to read and download for free www.getty.edu/publications/virtuallibrary/index.html

Current exhibitions online www.getty.edu/whats-on

Online exhibitions www.getty.edu/art

Getty artwork collection: www.getty.edu/art/collection

Getty online special collections: www.getty.edu/research/special_collections/index.html

Open content - over 149,000 images at THIS LINK.

Santa Barbara Museum of Art Has at Home Activities Available on its Website

The Santa Barbara Museum of Art, like other venues in the area,, is closed during the Covid-19 Stay at Home order. But there are a variety of free activities to partake in on its website at www.sbma.net/events/sbmaathome. These activities include:

• Family Activities: At Home Activities for Kids, Studio Sunday Instructions and Videos and Art Making at Home Videos.

• Tours and Videos: Virtual Exhibition Tours and SBMA on YouTube

• SBMA Zoom Backgrounds to spice up your Zoom meetings.

• Explore permanent collections online - several thousand images are on display.

Learn more at www.sbma.net.

Los Angeles County Museum of Art Has an Array of Free Online Content to Explore

The Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) is closed due to the COVID-19 emergency but offers on its website at www.lacma.org a variety of free content:

• Short films, exhibition walkthroughs and documentaries.

• Curated audio soundtracks, compositions and live recordings.

• Online courses, lectures and teaching resources.

• Articles, interviews and exhibition catalogs.

You can also browse through current exhibitions at www.lacma.org/art/exhibitions/current.

Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History Launches "SBnature From Home" Website

The Oak Titmouse (Baeolophus inornatus) is a common songbird found in the Santa Barbara area and likely to be seen in many backyards.

The Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History recently launched a new online resource called SBnature From Home, a carefully curated collection of ways to connect to science and nature while the Museum is closed during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Museum strives to teach visitors that it and the Sea Center are not the final destination, but rather base camps for exploration. Everything the Museum does is meant to inspire the public’s curiosity and desire to connect with nature. In this spirit, SBnature From Home is a collection of ways online visitors can do this in any circumstances, with advice about how to enjoy nature while following state and federal guidance to slow the spread of COVID-19. The site includes content for all ages, organized by activities that can be done outdoors, indoors, or online. Activities include kid-friendly guides for neighborhood birding and backyard observations, tide pooling resources for those who live near beaches, stargazing guides, downloadable coloring sheets from Museum antique art collections, a feature inviting locals to ask the Museum’s scientists about backyard discoveries, links to citizen science projects and more.

Within the first 48 hours of launching, the page received over 2,100 unique visits with the average length of stay time on the page double that of other Museum webpages. Public response to the resources has been overwhelmingly positive as families and adults find themselves at home with a desire to learn and stay connected to the great outdoors.

Museum President & CEO Luke J. Swetland shared, “This is a wonderful success and we are so delighted to be able to continue to engage and educate our community in this new stay-at-home world in which we find ourselves. We will continue to add content to SBnature From Home and we fully anticipate that this part of our website will continue to be an exciting and much-used resource even after the Museum and Sea Center are back open for on-site business.”

New content will be added to SBnature From Home periodically, with notices about updates shared via the Museum and Sea Center’s Facebook and Instagram accounts and eblasts.

For more information, visit sbnature.org/from-home.

About the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History

Powered by Science. Inspired by Nature. Founded in 1916, the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History inspires a thirst for discovery and a passion for the natural world. The Museum seeks to connect people to nature for the betterment of both, and prides itself on being naturally different. For more information, visit sbnature.org.

Farmers' Markets to Continue Operating in Midtown Ventura, Downtown Ventura and Thousand Oaks

The Ventura County Certified Farmers’ Market Association (VCCFMA) is committed to maintaining its four farmers markets as a vital food facility and local food source during this time of uncertainty with the spread of COVID-19. As a result, the VCCFMA announces that all four markets will remain open for the foreseeable future in Midtown Ventura, Downtown Ventura, Thousand Oaks and Santa Clarita.

In order to provide the safest operations possible, the VCCFMA is modifying its systems by implementing more stringent cleaning and disinfecting protocols at the markets, which include increased sanitization of the equipment and frequently touched areas. Additional hand wash stations and sanitizing products are also available at the markets’ Information Booths. All sampling practices are being discontinued as well as the elimination of cooked foods.

The move of the Thousand Oaks Market scheduled for March 26 to the Front Northwest Outdoor Lot at the Oaks Shopping Center has been postponed during this chaotic time. The market will remain at the East End Parking Lot on Wilbur Road and Thousand Oaks Boulevard until the market operations become stabilized. A new move date, projected for May, will be announced once the site has been approved.

Shoppers can assist with safety by utilizing the hand washing stations, washing hands with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds before eating or drinking and washing again thoroughly after using the restroom. Products will be limited, and shoppers are asked to observe social distancing as well. All food products need to be thoroughly washed when taken home. It is also advisable not to touch ones’ face, hair, body or clothes. Keeping these tips in mind will help ensure everyone’s safety at the markets.

Current updates will be available on VCCFMA social media channels – Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. For more information, call 805-529-6266, or visit the website at www.vccfm.org.

About the Ventura County Certified Farmers’ Market Association (VCCFMA)
The Ventura County Certified Farmers’ Market Association is a non-profit farmers’ cooperative that has been in existence since 1986 and serves the communities of Ventura, Thousand Oaks and Santa Clarita with their four weekly certified farmers’ markets.