Assisted Living Facility Being Built at the Top of the Conejo Grade in Newbury Park

Update 7/4/17: Photo showing progress to date. Photo shows smoke in the air from a 50 acre fire on the north side of the 101 on the Conejo Grade near Camarillo Springs exit. Firefighters nailed it as usual, the smoke cleared, and fireworks went off without a hitch.

Progress being made on the 130 unit Sage Mountain Assisted Living facility adjacent to the 101 in Newbury Park.

Posted 10/20/16:

Grading has started at 3499 Grande Vista Drive in Thousand Oaks

What's that you see going on at the top of the Conejo Grade on the north side of the 101? Grading is underway for the 130 unit Sage Mountain Assisted Living facility. This facility will contain 98 assisted living units and 32 memory care units, including studios and 1 bedroom apartments.

See a conceptual mock-up of the facility from the eastbound 101 at THIS LINK. 

Address of the project is 3499 Grande Vista Drive, Thousand Oaks.
 

The view down the Conejo Grade from this location.

2017 Summer Meal Service Sites in Ventura County

If you know of folks with school aged children in need of a meal during the summer months, there are some useful tools available to help them. 

An example of what you receive when you text "food" to 877877. 

No Kid Hungry has made this simple. Just text “food” to 877-877 (or “comida” for a reply in Spanish). You will receive a prompt reply asking for your address or zip code. After submitting that, you will be given local meal site options. No Kid Hungry developed this system with the USDA.

Or you can visit www.fns.usda.gov/summerfoodrocks to find a meal site via on online map.

Lastly, you can also visit the California Department of Education website at www.cde.ca.gov/ds/sh/sn/summersites17.asp to find local meal sites throughout California. Or drill down specifically to Ventura County sites at www.cde.ca.gov/ds/sh/sn/ap/summersites.asp?year=2017&countyname=Ventura.

Generally the sites are open from 11:30 am to 12:30 pm but contact the specific site to verify. The Conejo Valley USD sites are open until 1 pm. There are no income parameters associated with this program. You just need to be between the ages of 2 and 18.

(Special thanks to Katrina R, who tipped us off to the handy No Kid Hungry text system.)

Amazon Announces it is Acquiring Whole Foods Market

Amazon and Whole Foods Market announced today that Amazon will be acquiring Whole Foods for $42 per share in an all-cash transaction valued at nearly $14 billion.  Whole Foods closed at $33 per share yesterday and is up 29% to over $42 today.

Whole Foods Market will continue operating under the Whole Foods Market brand.

In its latest fiscal year ended September 25, 2016, Whole Foods had 456 stores, 17.8 million square footage of stores and 85 stores in California (including local Ventura County stores in Thousand Oaks and Oxnard). Total revenue for the fiscal year was $15.7 billion.

Amazon's 2016 revenue was $136 billion.

The transaction is anticipated to by the end of 2017.

AMC Theatres Completed Purchase of Carmike Cinemas on December 20, 2016

Muvico Theatre as seen from Tarantula Hill on a cloudy, rainy day in February 2017.

Carmike Stockholders approved a merger agreement with AMC Theatres on November 15, 2016 and the merger was completed on December 20, 2016.

Before the merger, Carmike operated 271 theatres with 2,923 screens in 41 states, with a focus on mid-sized communities.

Muvico Theatres was purchased by Carmike in November 2013 but continued to operate our local Muvico Theatre under its original name. Muvico premiered at the Oaks Mall on February 27, 2009. So we are talking three different owners in less than eight years!

No word yet on if AMC will maintain the Muvico brand.

AMC is the largest movie exhibition company in the world, with approximately 636 theatres and 7,623 screens worldwide, including the largest cinema operator in Europe, Odeon Cinemas Group. AMC indicates it has the #1 or #2 market share positions in 21 of the 25 largest metropolitan areas in the United States, including the top three markets (NY, LA, Chicago). AMC, through its Odeon subsidiary, operates in seven European countries and is the No. 1 theatre chain in the UK & Ireland, Italy and Spain.

In a January 30, 2017 press release, AMC previewed preliminary 2016 results of revenue in the $3.2 billion range and net earnings in the range of $112 million to $120 million. It will release complete financial results after the market closes on February 28th.

Jack's Shoes of Westlake Closing Its Doors This Month After 43 Years in Business

Image: From Jack's Shoes of Westlake Facebook page

County of Ventura Food Facility Closures in November 2016

The County of Ventura Environmental Health Division (EHD) protects public health and the environment by ensuring conformance with State laws and County ordinances pertaining to food protection, hazardous materials, hazardous waste, individual sewage disposal systems, land use, medical waste, ocean water quality monitoring, recreational health, solid waste, underground fuel tanks and vector control.

The EHD publishes food facility closures at www.ventura.org/rma/envhealth/community-services/consumer-food/closures.html.

The following facility closures were noted in November 2016. Keep in mind when reviewing this that there are many possible reasons for the closures, most of which are very temporary issues.

Moorpark College Football Snack Bar, 7075 Campus Rd, Moorpark;

Rodent infestation, unsanitary conditions;

Date closed - 11/30/16; No reopen date

B & J Drive In, 1323 Los Angeles Ave., Ventura;

Unsanitary conditions, failure to adhere to a compliance agreement;

Date closed - 11/28/26; Date reopened - 12/1/16

The Ridge, 2401 Vineyard Avenue, Oxnard;

Rodent infestation, unsanitary conditions;

Date closed - 11/22/16; Date reopened - 11/23/16

Mc Donald's, 5980 Telegraph Road, Ventura;

Cockroach infestation, unsanitary conditions;

Date closed - 11/22/16; Date reopened - 11/23/16

Doris Bakery Panaderia, 385 Arneill Road, Camarillo;

Inoperable refrigeration resulting in unsafe food temperatures;

Date closed - 11/21/16; Date reopened - 11/21/16

Jake's Wayback Burgers, 4960 Telephone Road #102, Ventura;

Sewage overflowing inside the facility, cockroach infestation, unsanitary conditions;

Date closed - 11/16/16; Date reopened - 11/17/16

Urban Plates, 162 W. Hillcrest Drive, #100, Thousand Oaks;

No hot water for hand washing and utensil washing;

Date closed - 11/14/16; Date reopened - 11/14/16

Good Time Donuts, 2445 Harbor Blvd., Ventura;

Rodent infestation, unsanitary conditions;

Date closed - 11/14/16; Date reopened - 11/15/16

The Grilled Cheese Truck#2, Lic. 88022L1, 5805 White Oak Ave. #16305, Encino;

Inadequate supply of water, no method to obtain hot water for utensil, equipment and dish washing;

Date closed - 11/13/16; No reopen date

Back Bar #2, Lake Sherwood Country Club, 320 W. Stafford Road, Thousand Oaks;

No hot water for hand washing and utensil washing;

Date closed - 11/10/16; Date reopened - 11/16/16

Pacifica High School Gymnasium Snack Bar, 600 E. Gonzales Rd., Oxnard;

Rodent infestation, unsanitary conditions;

Date closed - 11/07/16; Date reopened - 11/10/16

Pacifica High School Football Snack Bar, 600 E. Gonzales Rd., Oxnard;

No hot water for utensil and hand washing, unsanitary conditions;

Date closed - 11/07/16; Date reopened - 11/10/16

Moorpark High School Snack Bar, 4500 Tierra Rejada Rd., Moorpark;
Rodent infestation, unsanitary conditions;
Date closed - 11/04/16; Date reopened - 11/09/16

Discovery Center for Science and Technology Announces New Executive Director

The Discovery Center for Science and Technology Board of Directors is pleased to announce that Vicki Holloway has been named Executive Director of The Discovery Center as of November 16, 2016, following a six-month assignment as a consultant to the organization.

Vicki brings over 20 years of experience in the fields of life and environmental science with professional expertise in strategy development, organizational design and efficiency, operations, communications and partner management. She has been an active volunteer in other nonprofit organizations in the community for 15 years.

As Executive Director, Vicki will be responsible for fundraising and grant management; volunteer recruitment, retention and recognition; program development and management; and community relations and outreach.

Serving residents of the Conejo, Ventura and Los Angeles Counties for over 20 years, The Discovery Center encourages curiosity, critical thinking and creativity through the exploration of Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts and Mathematics (STEAM). To date, volunteers of The Discovery Center have served over 200,000 children and adults with educational programs and events. For additional information concerning The Discovery Center please go to www.discoverycntr.org.

The Discovery Center for Science and Technology is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization.

County of Ventura Food Facility Closures in October 2016

The County of Ventura Environmental Health Division (EHD) protects public health and the environment by ensuring conformance with State laws and County ordinances pertaining to food protection, hazardous materials, hazardous waste, individual sewage disposal systems, land use, medical waste, ocean water quality monitoring, recreational health, solid waste, underground fuel tanks and vector control.

The EHD publishes food facility closures at www.ventura.org/rma/envhealth/community-services/consumer-food/closures.html.

The following facility closures were noted in October 2016. Keep in mind when reviewing this that there are many possible reasons for the closures, most of which are very temporary issues.

Ben & Jerry's @ The Collection, 2752 Seaglass Way, Oxnard;
Rodent infestation, unsanitary conditions;
Date closed - 10/31/16; Date reopened - 11/2/16

City Buffet, 1600 Ives Avenue, Oxnard;

Cockroach Infestation, unsanitary conditions;

Date closed - 10/28/16; Date reopened - 11/4/16

Corrigan's Steak House, 556 E. Thousand Oaks Blvd., Thousand Oaks;

Cockroach infestation, unsanitary conditions;

Date closed - 10/28/16; Date reopened - 11/03/16

Bad Ass Tacos, 2951 E. Thousand Oaks Blvd., Thousand Oaks;

No valid Permit to Operate, no plans submitted;

Date closed - 10/27/16; No reopen date

Gandolfo's NY Deli, 2790 Seaglass Way, Oxnard;

Operating without a valid permit

Date closed - 10/27/16; Date reopened - 10/27/16

Palermo, 321 E. Main St., Ventura;

Cockroach infestation, unsanitary conditions;

Date closed - 10/19/16; Date reopened - 10/21/16

Del Taco, 4393 E. Main St., Ventura;

Rodent infestation, unsanitary conditions;

Date closed - 10/18/16; Date reopened - 10/19/16

Danielle's Donuts, 4577 Pleasant Valley Rd., Camarillo;

Rodent infestation, unsanitary conditions;

Date closed - 10/17/16; Date reopened - 10/19/16

Mandarin House #4, 4585 Pleasant Valley Rd., Camarillo;

Rodent infestation, unsanitary conditions;

Date closed - 10/14/16; Date reopened - 10/17/16

Firehouse Cafe, 1244 Sycamore Ave., Simi Valley;

Rodent infestation, unsanitary conditions;

Date closed - 10/07/16; Date reopened - 10/08/16

Ray's Donuts, 3734 Saviers Rd., Oxnard;

No valid Permit to operate;

Date closed - 10/06/16; Date reopened - 10/06/16

Romano's Macaroni Grill, 4880 Telephone Road, Ventura;

Cockroach infestation, unsanitary conditions;

Date closed - 10/06/16; Date reopened - 10/08/16

Lolita's Lunch (4R74223), 2985 Sturgis Rd., Oxnard;

Inoperoble equipment resulting in food temperature violations;

Date closed - 10/06/16; Date reopened - 10/07/16

Hunan Garden, 1621 N. Oxnard Blvd., Oxnard;

Unsanitary conditions;

Date closed - 10/06/16;Date reopened - 10/07/16

IHOP, 718 Ventura Street, Fillmore;

Sewage overflowing inside the facility, unsanitary conditions;

Date closed - 10/05/16; Date reopened - 10/05/16

El Pollo Loco #57, 399 Las Posas Road, Camarillo

Rodent infestation, unsanitary conditions;

Date closed - 10/03/16; Date reopened - 10/04/16