U.S. Postal Service Announces Saturday Mail Delivery to Street Addresses Will End On August 10, 2013

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The United States Postal Service announced plans today to transition to a new delivery schedule during the week of August 5, 2013 that includes package delivery Monday through Saturday, and mail delivery Monday through Friday.

This basically means that you don't have to check your mailbox on Saturday, August 10th, unless you're expecting a package.

Over the past several years, the Postal Service has advocated shifting to a five-day delivery schedule for mail and packages. However, recent strong growth in package delivery and projections of continued strong package growth throughout the coming decade led to the revised approach to maintain package delivery six days per week.

Once implemented during August of 2013, mail delivery to street addresses will occur Monday through Friday. Packages will continue to be delivered six days per week. Mail addressed to PO Boxes will continue to be delivered on Saturdays. Post Offices currently open on Saturdays will remain open on Saturdays. So if you really, really want to receive non-package mail on Saturdays, get a PO Box!

The operational plan for the new delivery schedule anticipates a combination of employee reassignment and attrition and is expected to achieve cost savings of approximately

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Have You Heard About the Mysterious "Secret Menu" at Jamba Juice?

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While out with my 9 year old son and his friend, we decided to stop by the local Jamba Juice for a smoothie. As I was driving, the kids were talking about "special" flavors at Jamba Juice and how the Sourpatch Kids flavor was so good.

I interjected, "Huh? What are you talking about?" Then my kid's friend educated me a bit. There's a special "Secret Menu" at Jamba Juice that you have to know about to order. I asked him where he saw it. He wasn't exactly sure, but he said it did exist.

As we parked, I had my doubts about this so-called "special" menu. I go to Jamba Juice all the time. How could this 4th grader know something I don't? So we place our orders. He goes first. "I'll have a 16 ounce Sourpatch Kids" he says nonchalantly. My son says, "me too." I ordered my standard Aloha Pineapple and asked the gal behind the counter, "Is there a secret Jamba Juice menu?" She nodded yes. "Is it on the Jamba Juice website?" The answer was non-committal. We left with smoothies in hand and a puzzled look on my face.

While there is no sign of a "secret menu" on the Jamba Juice website, I did find this handy website called Jamba Juice Secrets at www.JambaJuiceSecrets.com where, lo and behold, there is a listing of the "secret menu items."

Apparently this list of secret Jamba Juice concoctions was derived by employees who like to experiment. I have no idea if all Jamba Juice locations and employees are familiar with these items and how to make them, but why not give it a shot and see what happens.

There's a couple risque sounding flavors on the list but some of the top picks include Pink Starburst, the Sourpatch Kid flavor mentioned above (comprised of lemonade, a scoop of pineapple, rasberry, lime and orange sherbet and a scoop of blueberries), White Gummi Bear, Blue Gummi Bear, Skittles, Orange Dream Machine, Chocolate Covered Strawberries, Red Gummi Bear, Fruity Pebbles and nearly 30 more.

I for one will attempt to order some of these in my future Jamba Juice visits, with or without the kids who taught me something new. And if you want a 20% discount on your Jamba Juice, visit Costco and purchase $50 in Jamba Juice gift cards for $39.99.

Buenaventura Art Association Announces Open Competition Prize Winners

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Ventura Art Group Awards Open Competition Prizes 

The Buenaventura Art Association has announced the winners of its 27th annual Open Competition. Their works were chosen by juror Katrina McElroy, a Moorpark College art instructor, from entries submitted by artists from throughout Central and Southern California.

The two- and three-dimensional pieces are on exhibit through Jan. 26 at the organization’s Buenaventura Gallery, 700 E. Santa Clara Street in downtown Ventura, which is adding Sunday, Jan. 20, 12-5pm to its schedule to allow more people to see this show. More than $1,500 in cash prizes and BAA membership benefits were awarded at a Jan. 12 reception and ceremony.

“Transcendence,” an oil painting on canvas by Erika Craig, was judged Best of Show and earned top prize of $400 for the young artist, an Honorable Mention winner in the nonprofit association’s 2012 Emerging Artist Cup student competition.

“Transcendence,” an oil painting on canvas by Erika Craig, judged Best of Show

First place among the two-dimensional entries was “Glance,” a digital print by Julia Bagdasaryan, who earned a Merit Award in last year’s student competition. Second went to “Bonsai Paradise” by Erik Abel, who used acrylic paints and mixed media on a wooden panel.

Third place in 2D was awarded to Patti Post for a charcoal on paper drawing titled “Entering Elysian Fields” and Honorab

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British Retailer Tesco Looking at "Strategic Options" For Fresh & Easy Stores

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An update from Fresh & Easy on January 31, 2013 (excerpt from F&E email):

We wanted to reach out to you to address numerous news and online reports about the future of our stores. 

Our parent company Tesco is conducting a strategic review of Fresh & Easy - they're looking at all options to find the best outcome for the neighborhood market that you - and we - have come to love. While we don't know exactly what that outcome will be, or if Tesco will continue to own the company, we're confident that Fresh & Easy can continue to be your favorite market.

We want to assure you: we don't have plans to close stores. We're still committed to providing delicious, wholesome and affordable food every day. We're still Fresh & Easy; open for business with everything that you enjoy about our store, with even more exciting things to come. That's why we're going to keep on fighting the good food fight.

Originally posted December 8, 2012:

On December 5th, British grocery retailer Tesco announced it is conducting a "strategic review" of its Fresh & Easy stores and is likely to exit the U.S. market. Tesco plans to report on its progress in this review in April 2003.

Fresh & Easy currently operates 200 stores located in Arizona, California and Nevada, including local Ventura County and adjacent area stores in Newbury Park, Oak Park, Moorpark, Camarillo, Simi Valley, Oxnard (2 stores), Ventura (2 stores) and Santa Barbara.

Tesco decided to launch the brand new supermarket chain in the U.S. in 2006, when the economy was still on a roll, before the big recession slammed us. Tesc

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Four Seasons Hotel Westlake Village Tops Local U.S. News "Best Hotels" List

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Four Seasons Hotel Westlake Village was named as one of the Best Hotels in Los Angeles, ranking #4 out of 954 Los Angeles hotels, according to the list of "Top Hotels in the USA" released by US News & World Report magazine.

The 270-room AAA Five Diamond-rated hotel based here in our own Conejo Valley was ranked 17th in the Best Hotels in California. Overall, the Four Seasons Hotel Westlake Village was ranked #75 out of all hotels in the US and was named to the U.S. News Best Hotels in the USA for 2013.

U.S. News compiled the results based on reputation among professional travel experts, guest reviews and hotel class ratings.

Other local hotels that ranked in the Top 100 California hotels (out of 5,571 California hotels) included the following:

Four Seasons Resort The Biltmore Santa Barbara (ranked 22nd best California hotel, top ranked hotel in Santa Barbara and Best Hotels in the USA for 2013)

San Ysidro Ranch (ranked 24th in California and 2nd in Santa Barbara and Best Hotels in the USA for 2013)

Ojai Valley Inn and Spa (ranked 33rd in California)

Bacara Resort and Spa (ranked 86th in California and 3rd in Santa Barbara)

See the entire US News Best Hotels list at travel.usnews.com/Hotels.

U.S. Mail First-Class Letter Rates Increased by a Penny on January 27, 2013

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U.S. Forever Stamps

The U.S. Postal Service announced in October that First-Class mail single letter rates will increase by 1 cent, from 45 cents to 46 cents, on Sunday, January 27, 2013. This represents a 2.2% increase. The last increase we had was about a year ago.

In addition, the Postal Service has introduced a new Global Forever Stamp.  The stamp is $1.10 and can be used towards postage on a mail sent to any country in the world.

Who actually uses mail these days for paying bills? Do what I do and start utilizing online bill payment services. Paying bills online allows me to save money on stamps, save time (no more handwriting, tearing, stuffing, licking and mailing) and headache. Click here for more information. I use online billpay and direct debit/credits for 95% of my bills.

January 2013 Thousand Oaks Police Department City Watch Update

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Here is the latest "City Watch" alert from Senior Deputy Tim Lohman of the Thousand Oaks Police Department. If you would like these updates directly from via email, click here for more information.

The month of January is rapidly coming to an end.  I am in hopes most of you have been able to maintain the New Year resolutions you set for yourself.  Although difficult, I am sure with a little push we can all accomplish what we set out to do.

In light of the recent shooting at the school in Connecticut and other schools throughout the country, the Thousand Oaks Police Department has been committed to working with the all of the schools in our community to prepare for any such incident.  Our priority has always been the safety of the community as we strive to develop a plan to ensure the residents are kept safe during a catastrophic event like a school shooting.

Community Event

Parents, do you want to know what goes on at underage parties? Straight Up Ventura County in collaboration with the Conejo Unified School District, Breakthrough, Engage Recovery and the Thousand Oaks Police Department is going to expose parents to underage binge drinking and the drug culture. 

Many adults feel drinking and partying is a rite of passage and think teen parties are the same as when they were young.  Parents need to face the current realities and learn why and how adults need to help change these dangerous norms. 

The participants will tour a local home set up to portray a teen party with youth actors. The event is open to the public (adults only) and it is FREE.  If you are interested you must register online at www.straightupvc.org/register or call 805 647-4622.

On the Crime Front:

Scams

A victim recently informed me someone claiming to be with the Social Security Office contacted her.  They had her name and address.  The caller told her they needed to send out a new Medicare card, but before they do they needed to verify the bank where her deposits go.  The victim questioned the reasons for inquiring about the banking information

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