Local Buzz covers new businesses, restaurants, closures, local politics, goings on around town and other buzzworthy items in the Conejo Valley and Greater Ventura County. Have a lead? Contact us. Click here for an archive of Local Buzz postings.
Local Buzz covers new restaurants, closures, local politics, goings on around town and other buzzworthy items in the Conejo Valley and Greater Ventura County. Have a lead? Contact us. Click here for an archive of Local Buzz postings.
Post other items directly to the Community Announcements section of the site.
Lucky’s Steakhouse opened earlier this week at Malibu Country Mart, 3835 Cross Creek Road in Malibu, in the former home of Mr. Chow, offering up steaks, chops, seafood and cocktails. Learn more at www.luckysmalibu.com.
We’ve heard from several Simi Valley folks that the Islands Simi Valley has closed its doors. The signs are down, the location is no longer listed on the Islands website (Agoura Hills and Newbury Park are still there) and the phone is no longer in service. Sorry to hear the news.
Islands was established in West Los Angeles in 1982. In 2001, there were 31 Islands locations, including 27 in California and 4 in Arizona. Today there are around 45 California locations and 2 in Arizona. www.islandsrestaurants.com
State’s Stay Home Order Triggered in Southern California Region, Effective December 6, Midnight
The State of California’s Stay Home Order will go into effect on Sunday, December 6 at midnight in Ventura County and in all Counties in Southern California, after the Southern California Region's hospital ICU capacity dropped below 15%. The order closes many businesses and activities and urges people to stay at home whenever possible.
The California Department of Public Health reported on Friday evening that Southern California's ICU capacity dropped to 13.1%, triggering the Stay Home Order.
The order requires bars, wineries, nail salons, hair salons and barbershops, and other personal care services to close. Private gatherings of any size are prohibited. Restaurants can stay open for takeout and delivery, but they have to shut down both indoor and outdoor dining.
The Southern California Region Ventura County was placed in has, by itself, more than half the State’s total population. The region includes 11 counties. The County is urging the Governor to consider smaller, more targeted regions. The County, along with 58 Counties throughout the State, are also urging the Governor to consider additional, immediate assistance for impacted workers, families and businesses. The County of Ventura will continue to advocate and engage with the State on behalf of our County on a regular basis.
Schools opened while Ventura County was in the purple tier can stay open. K-6 schools that were given a waiver to reopen will be allowed to stay open. Retail stores will be allowed to stay open at 20% capacity.
Additionally, all non-essential travel is temporarily restricted statewide. Hotels and motels are now restricted to guests traveling for an essential reason.
Ventura County and all Counties in the Southern California Region are required by the State to stay under the lockdown for at least three weeks. After that, state health officials will evaluate ICU capacity and transmission rates to project at least four weeks into the future to determine if the stay home order can be lifted.
All Ventura County residents are further urged to help slow the spread by wearing a mask, social distancing and not gathering during this critical time. “Given the significant increase we have been experiencing in our county with COVID-19 with cases, test positivity, and hospitalizations, this order is the only remaining measure to flatten the curve as soon as possible,” said Rigoberto Vargas, Ventura County Public Health Director.
“Since it will take several weeks for these additional restrictions to slow in particular the very concerning rising hospitalizations, collectively and as the strong community that Ventura County is known for, I urge every resident and sector to support the measure in this order so that we can once and for all, given also the upcoming COVID-19 vaccine, get this virus under control. We will then be able to return to the path toward fully opening our business, schools and other sectors,” added Vargas.
The following activities and sectors must close by midnight on Sunday, December 6:
Indoor and outdoor playgrounds
Indoor recreational facilities
Hair salons and barbershops
Personal care services
Museums, zoos, and aquariums
Movie theaters
Wineries
Bars, breweries and distilleries
Family entertainment centers
Cardrooms and satellite wagering
Limited services
Live audience sports
Amusement parks
Other sectors that will be allowed to stay open when operating remotely is not possible include:
Critical Infrastructure
Schools that are already open for in-person learning
Non-urgent medical and dental care
Childcare and pre-K
The following sectors will have additional modifications in addition to 100% masking and physical distancing:
Outdoor recreational facilities: Allow outdoor operation only without any food, drink or alcohol sales. Additionally, overnight stays at campgrounds will not be permitted.
Retail: Allow indoor operation at 20% capacity with entrance metering and no eating or drinking in the stores. Additionally, special hours should be instituted for seniors and others with chronic conditions or compromised immune systems.
Shopping centers: Allow indoor operation at 20% capacity with entrance metering and no eating or drinking in the stores. Additionally, special hours should be instituted for seniors and others with chronic conditions or compromised immune systems.
Hotels and lodging: Allow to open for critical infrastructure support only.
Restaurants: Allow only for take-out, pick-up, or delivery. No indoor or outdoor dining.
Offices: Allow remote only except for critical infrastructure sectors where remote working is not possible.
Places of worship and political expression: Allow outdoor services only.
Entertainment production including professional sports: Allow operation without live audiences. Additionally, testing protocol and “bubbles” are highly encouraged.
More information about the Stay Home Order can be found at: covid19.ca.gov/stay-home-except-for-essential-needs. Local information at www.venturacountyrecovers.org.
Today the Governor announced a Regional Stay Home Order, it will go into effect within 48 hours in regions with less than 15% ICU availability. It prohibits private gatherings of any size, closes sector operations except for critical infrastructure and retail, and requires 100% masking and physical distancing in all others.
The order will remain in effect for at least 3 weeks and, after that period, will be lifted when a region’s projected ICU capacity meets or exceeds 15%. This will be assessed on a weekly basis after the initial 3-week period. Learn more about this order.
The State projects the Southern California Region, including Ventura County, to fall below 15% capacity as soon as tomorrow, and likely within a week.
When a region is placed under an order, these sectors will be closed:
Indoor and outdoor playgrounds
Indoor recreational facilities
Hair salons and barbershops
Personal care services
Museums, zoos, and aquariums
Movie theaters
Wineries
Bars, breweries, and distilleries
Family entertainment centers
Cardrooms and satellite wagering
Limited services
Live audience sports
Amusement parks
The following sectors will have additional modifications in addition to 100% masking and physical distancing:
Outdoor recreational facilities: Allow outdoor operation only without any food, drink or alcohol sales. Additionally, overnight stays at campgrounds will not be permitted.
Retail: Allow indoor operation at 20% capacity with entrance metering and no eating or drinking in the stores. Additionally, special hours should be instituted for seniors and others with chronic conditions or compromised immune systems.
Shopping centers: Allow indoor operation at 20% capacity with entrance metering and no eating or drinking in the stores. Additionally, special hours should be instituted for seniors and others with chronic conditions or compromised immune systems.
Hotels and lodging: Allow to open for critical infrastructure support only.
Restaurants: Allow only for take-out, pick-up, or delivery. No indoor or outdoor dining.
Offices: Allow remote only except for critical infrastructure sectors where remote working is not possible.
Places of worship and political expression: Allow outdoor services only.
Entertainment production including professional sports: Allow operation without live audiences. Additionally, testing protocol and “bubbles” are highly encouraged.
The following sectors are allowed to remain open when a remote option is not possible with appropriate infectious disease preventative measures including 100% masking and physical distancing:
Critical infrastructure
Schools that are already open for in-person learning
Non-urgent medical and dental care
Child care and pre-K
The State could make the announcement of the Stay At Home Order being implemented in our County as soon as tomorrow.
Read more about the State orders at: covid19.ca.gov/stay-home-except-for-essential-needs
This is a critical time to work together to slow the spread. Community members are encouraged to wear masks, social distance, wash hands frequently and not gather.
Once we learn of the State's decision for our region information will be posted. Until then businesses can still operate under the guidance in the purple tier.
UPDATE: Siblings Bakery opened on January 14th
Siblings Bakery will be opening a location at 1625 E. Thousand Oaks Boulevard in Thousand Oaks in the former home of Jaime Cakes.
Siblings Bakery has an existing location in Ventura that makes custom birthday cakes, wedding cakes, specialty cakes and more.
This new location will continue the custom work as well as sell retail goodies at the store. Deepti, the owner, anticipates opening sometime in December. Learn more at www.siblingsbakery.com.
Currying Flavors, which opened at The Shops at Oak Creek in Agoura Hills in August 2019, recently closed its doors. I personally enjoyed the food here, but the concept didn’t really seem to take off in 2019, then COVID undoubtedly had some impact on this Los Angeles County based business.
As Ventura enters this year’s winter weather season, the City has partnered with the River Community Church to launch a response plan to provide stay warm packs and temporary shelter to homeless persons during severe weather events, such as severe rain, wind or low temperatures.
Now through March 31, 2021, the City is accepting community donations to create stay warm packs for sharing with Ventura’s unhoused individuals during harsh weather events. Desired donations include rain ponchos, blankets, jackets, hand-warmers, socks, toiletries, snacks, tarps, and carrying bags for items.
Residents wishing to donate items for the Stay Warm Packs can bring materials to the ARCH, a homeless shelter in the City of Ventura, located at 2323 Knoll Drive. Donations can be brought to the rear of the building and dropped off near the exterior sliding glass door. Monetary donations are also being accepted by mail through the River Community Church. Checks should be labeled “Winter Weather Response Plan” and mailed to 859 E. Santa Clara Street, Ventura, CA, 93001.
The City’s winter weather response plan also includes an emergency temporary shelter that can accommodate motel rooms for up to 20 individuals. Shelters will be activated at least 48 hours in advance when temperatures are projected to fall below 40 degrees or if weather projections show more than half an inch of rain overnight.
Priority will be given to homeless individuals who are 65 and older or live with chronic health conditions. All remaining motel rooms will be distributed on a first come, first served basis. Individuals who receive a room must arrive at the River Community Church, located at 859 E. Santa Clara Street in Ventura, between 5:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. on the day of the winter weather response plan event. Those who are unable to secure a room will be provided with Stay Warm Packs.
The winter weather response plan will run from December 1, 2020 through March 31, 2021.
To learn more about the winter weather response plan, visit www.cityofventura.ca.gov/351/Safe-Clean-Initiative.
Ubatuba Acai opened a new location at the Camarillo Premium Outlets several months ago in the former Yogurtland location. Somehow I missed this.
Ubatuba offers acai bowls, empanadas (including one with Beyond Meat) and drinks. The Thousand Oaks Ubatuba has been open since spring 2015.
Otherwise at the Outlets, gone are Los Arroyos, Smashburger and PizzaRev.
The note on the door says “To Our Roma Customers: We are saddened to say Roma’s has closed its doors permanently. The economy / pandemic got the best of us. We would like to thank the community for over 30 years of support and love!”
Roma Italian Deli & Restaurant at 2247 Michael Drive in Newbury Park originally opened in 1979. Original owners up until a few years ago.
Roma Deli in September 2020
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