Ventura County Air Pollution Control District Old Car Buy Back Incentive Program

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The Ventura County Air Pollution Control District (APCD) old car buy back program will pay you $1,000 to voluntarily retire your 1995 or older car, pick-up truck, van, or SUV. Funding of this program is limited and will be provided on a first-come, first-served basis until each year’s grant funds are depleted.

Motor vehicles produce more than half of the air pollution in Ventura County. Removing older, high-emitting vehicles from the roadways helps clean up the air.

To qualify for the buy back program, vehicles must be operational and registered in Ventura County. Additional eligibility requirements apply. To find out if your car qualifies, visit www.oldcarbuyback.com/ventura.php or call the Old Car Buy Back Hotline: (800) 717-7624.

You generally must show that the vehicle has been registered with the DMV under a Ventura County address for at least 24 months to be eligible. Other requirements must also be met.

APCD is required by state regulations to offer to sell any eligible vehicle to the public and hold the vehicle for a minimum of 10 days during which the vehicle will be made available for public inspection prior to dismantling. There is an Excel spreadsheet link at www.oldcarbuyback.com/ventura.php showing the vehicle inventory.

Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) Programs in Ventura County

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The Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) program educates people about disaster preparedness for hazards and trains them in basic disaster response skills, such as fire safety, light search and rescue, team organization, and disaster medical operations. Using this training, CERT members can assist others in their neighborhood or workplace following an event when professional responders are not immediately available to help. CERT members also are encouraged to support emergency response agencies by taking a more active role in emergency preparedness projects in the community.

The Ventura County Fire Department in coordination with FEMA have joined together to assist local residents with disaster preparedness education and training. Visit the VCFD CERT Facebook page by clicking here.

GET YOURSELF TRAINED! IT'S FREE! AND YOU COULD HELP SAVE LIVES IN AN EMERGENCY!

CLICK HERE for a schedule of upcoming CERT classes in Ventura County.

CERT training programs throughout Ventura County and adjacent areas:

Three Asian Small-Clawed Otter Pups Born at the Santa Barbara Zoo on Saturday, October 7th

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A pair of Asian small-clawed otters at the Santa Barbara Zoo have produced their first litter of pups with three healthy offspring born in a nesting box in their holding area on Saturday, October 7.

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As in the wild, where the parents keep their pups in a den, these young otters will not leave their behind the scenes holding area until they are old enough to safely swim and have grown teeth so they can eat solid food. Depending on their development, keepers estimate the pups could go on exhibit as early as mid-December. 

Animal Care staff had recently confirmed that Gail was pregnant and estimated that she was due any day. When keepers arrived Saturday morning, Gail and Peeta remained in the nesting box.

“The parents didn’t come out to greet us and then we heard squeaks,” said the Zoo’s Curator of Mammals Michele Green. “That’s how we knew Gail had given birth.”

Gestation is 68 days, and after birth the female stays in the nesting box with the pups, but is relieved by the male for breaks.

Both of the Zoo’s otters are first-time parents, but are showing excellent parenting skills for the two pups (females and one male), according to keepers.

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“Gail only arrived in March and it’s been fun to watch them bond, and now become parents,” says Green. “She’s a young mom, but doing very well. Peeta is attentive and diligent.”

Peeta was born at the National Zoo in Washington, D.C. in 2008. Gail was born at the Greensboro Science Center in South Carolina in 2013. The two were paired as part of a cooperative breeding program of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). Their names, inspired by characters in the popular “Hunger Games” books and movies, were given to them by their Santa Barbara Zoo sponsors Peter and Pieter Crawford-van Meeuwen.

The last time Asian small-clawed otters were born at the Zoo was in May 2011 when six pups were born to a pair named Jillian and Bob. That pair also produced five young in August 2010, the first of the species to be born at the Zoo in more than 20 years. The entire family group later moved to the National Zoo, where they live today. Another female, Katniss, was paired with Peeta, but they did not breed. She passed away in December 2016 from a kidney ailment.

When Will the Otter Pups Go On View?

Asian small-clawed otters usually keep their pups in their dens for several weeks until the young have learned to swim and have teeth to eat solid food. Green estimates that the family group may venture into their exhibit in December for swimming lessons in the small pool. By January, the pups should be proficient swimmers, and on view at varying times during the day. By spring, they could be diving in the larger pool. Information on their progress will be available at www.sbzoo.org.  

Foster Feeder Special to Support the Otter Family

The public can help the otter pups by becoming a Foster Feeder, which supports the cost of feeding the growing otter family. New otter Foster Feeders who donate at least $50 receive a custom otter plush embroidered with the Zoo’s logo, along with a Foster Feeder certificate, otter fact sheet and photo, recognition on the Zoo’s Foster Feeder board and in Zoo News, and a one year subscription to Zoo News. For information, visit www.sbzoo.org.

About Asian Small-Clawed Otters

Although this species is not listed as endangered, Asian small-clawed otters are seriously threatened by rapid habitat destruction for palm oil farming and by hunting and pollution.  They are considered an “indicator species,” meaning their population indicates the general health of their habitat and of other species.

This species, the smallest otter in the world, lives in freshwater wetlands and mangrove swamps throughout Southeast Asia including southern India and China, Indonesia, the Philippines, Borneo, and the Malay Peninsula. They prefer quiet pools and sluggish streams for fishing and swimming. Unlike sea otters, they spend more time on land than in water, but they are skillful, agile swimmers and divers, with great endurance. They can stay submerged for six to eight minutes.

Asian small-clawed otters are about two feet long and weigh under 10 pounds, less than half the size of North American river otters. Their claws do not protrude beyond the ends of the digital pads, thus their names, and their feet do not have fully developed webbing and look very much like human hands.

They are one of the few species of otter that live in social groups. The bond between mated pairs of Asian small-clawed otters is very strong. Both the male and female raise the young and are devoted parents. In the wild, Asian small-clawed otters live in extended family groups of up to 12 individuals. The entire family helps raise the young, which are among the most active and playful of baby animals.

The Santa Barbara Zoo is open daily from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.; general admission is $17 for adults, $10 for children 2-12, $13 for seniors 65+, and free for children under 2. Parking is $7.

The Santa Barbara Zoo is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA).

AZA zoos are dedicated to providing excellent care for animals, a great visitor experience, and a better future for all living things. With its more than 200 accredited members, AZA is a leader in global wildlife conservation, and is the public’s link to helping animals in their native habitats.

Take a Hike with Popular Ventura County Meetup Group "The Moderate Hikers"

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One of the most popular Meetup groups in Ventura County is The Moderate Hikers. The group is run by a local Thousand Oaks woman who started it with one vision in mind: To create a fun, social hiking group where everyone felt welcome.

Katya Volpi, Hike Leader & Organizer, says it all started from her failed attempt at hiking.

“About 8 years ago, I needed to start exercising regularly for my physical and mental health, so I decided to try hiking, but the few local groups out there were too advanced for me, which I ended up learning the hard way.”

She joined the group on a hike and quickly found herself losing sight of everyone as she fell further and further behind. “Here I was, on an unfamiliar trail, by myself, not knowing where it was leading, but I kept going because I didn’t want to give up."

"Once I reached the top of the trail, the entire group was waiting for me. The group of about 30 hikers were not too happy about it either because they were experienced and expected you to know your own abilities. I essentially did the Hike of Shame the entire way back, coming in last and looking pretty ragged. I vowed from that moment to become a stronger hiker.”

Hiking four to five days a week on her own for several weeks, Katya developed her skills and became better and stronger, but after trying another hike with that same group, she found she still couldn’t keep up.

“I didn't completely lose sight of them, and it certainly wasn’t difficult to finish the hike, but they were going at such a fast clip. I realized then that I am not super-fast, nor do I want to be. For me, it’s not a race, it’s an enjoyable, healthy activity. It was then I realized there was a need for a different option. I thought, there must be others like me that want to do a reasonable amount of miles at a moderate pace, so I decided to start my own group."

"I took note of what was lacking with the groups already established, thought about how I wanted to present mine, and saw an opportunity to make a better hiking group. I wanted it to be friendly and welcoming, so I get to know my members on a personal level. It’s a group where you can meet new people and make friends because I make it social, interactive and fun; we don’t take ourselves too seriously. I never want anyone to feel like they don’t belong.”

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Those qualities are what she attributes to the success of the group. “I have been running The Moderate Hikers for 7 1/2 years, I have almost 3,000 members and we’re still growing strong. Even our name lets people know exactly what you can expect. Its success is a testament to my passion and commitment, but make no mistake, my members are what makes this group because without them, I wouldn’t have one. Every time I hike with them, I am inspired by their sense of adventure and willingness to participate! I am truly grateful to have such an amazing group.”

You can find Katya and The Moderate Hikers at www.meetup.com/themoderatehikers.

U.S. Adults with College Degrees More Likely to Be Married Than Non-Degreed Adults

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The Pew Research Center recently published an report of the education gap in marital status in the United States. Here are some highlights of the study:

  • Overall, approximately 50% of adults are married today, down from 59% 25 years ago and 72% in 1960. That said, the rate has been fairly stable at 50% in recent years.
  • Marriage rates are down because the median age for first marriage has increased by 7 years since 1960 and there's a higher proportion of never married Americans as well adults living with a partner instead of a spouse.
  • Marriage rates vary quite a bit based on level of education. In 2015, 65% of adults 25+ with a four year college degree were married, compared to 55% with some college and 50% who did not attend any college.
  • Marriage rates have always varied by race and ethnicity. As of 2015, marriage rates for 18+ adults were 54% of whites, 61% of Asians, 46% of Hispanics and 30% of blacks. Pew noted that this marriage gap has been existed for many years.

So bottom line is, you're more likely to be married if you have a college degree. Read more at this link.

And if you ARE looking to tie the knot for the 1st, 2nd, 3rd or beyond time, there's a compilation of over 170 local venues throughout Ventura County, stretching to Santa Barbara and Malibu at THIS LINK.

Grant Park in Ventura is a No Brainer for Panoramic Views of the Coast

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The 107 acre Grant Park is easily accessible from Downtown Ventura via Brakey Road or Summit Drive in Ventura and is a quick and easy way to get your dose of coastal views. There's no playground, restrooms, water or other facilities at this park. But there's plenty of open space and scenery below.

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The view looking the opposite direction of the Pacific Ocean, over the western-most section residential section of Ventura.Several other notable items at Grant Park are the privately owned Serra Cross Park and the Ventura Botanical Gardens Demonstration Trail.

You can spend 10 minutes up here for a quick dose of views or you could spend half a day up here resting, hiking, picnicking and enjoying the ocean breezes.

At the very, very top of Grant Park is this lone bench.

At the very, very top of Grant Park is this lone bench.

How to Place a "Security Freeze" on Your Credit File in the State of California

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The State of California Office of the Attorney General's office has details about how to put a "security freeze" on your credit file so that your file cannot be shared with potential creditors. California law requires credit bureaus to offer security freezes as a way to combat identity theft.

Why would you want to do a security freeze? To stop identity theft in its tracks! If you FREEZE your credit file, someone who has stolen your personal information will be much less likely to open a new credit card or loan in your name.

Establishing a credit freeze is a bit of a hassle in that you have to place the freeze with all three of the major credit bureaus, then you may need to "un-freeze" the credit from time to time when you are interested in refinancing, getting a new credit card, a car loan, etc. But it may well be worth it...think of the time and stress of dealing with identity theft after it has happened!

A security freeze is free to those Californians who have a police report of identity theft or who are age 65 or older. If you are not an identity theft victim and you are under 65 years of age, it will cost you $10 to place a freeze with each of the three credit bureaus, for a total of $30. 

Placing a Security Freeze

You can request a security freeze by mail or online. Let's stick to online freezes here. Credit bureaus Equifax, Experian and TransUnion each have websites for security freezes:

Follow the instructions given and your credit will be locked within minutes. They will ask for your full name, Social Security number, complete addresses for the past two years and date of birth. Then you may be asked to confirm information on your credit report, such as the duration of an auto loan, the amount of a loan, the date you entered a loan, a prior employer, etc. You will need a credit card to pay for the cost of the freeze.

TransUnion requires you to create an account to initiate the freeze. The others, at least one I signed up, did not require this additional step.

As part of the process you will establish a Personal Information Number (PIN) with each bureau. It is important to safeguard this PIN to remove the freeze when needed. Equifax create a 10 digit PIN on my behalf without giving me the option to create my own. Experian gave me the option of creating my own PIN or assigning one to me. TransUnion required me to create my own 6 digit, numeric only PIN. Everyone's gotta be different, don't they.

Lifting a Freeze Temporarily or Removing a Freeze

OK, so you have a security freeze in place, that's great! But now you need a car loan or are applying for credit or insurance, refinancing, filling out a rental form, etc and you need to unlock your credit for these purposes. Using your PIN, you can lift the freeze for a period of time or for a specific creditor. Lifting the freeze will cost you $10 if you are under age 65, $5 if you are 65 or older and free if you are a victim of identity theft (yes, there is a small perk to having your identify stolen).

It is FREE to remove a freeze on a permanent basis.

Lift or remove a freeze at the three credit bureaus:

Learn more at oag.ca.gov/idtheft/facts/freeze-your-credit.

Keep in mind that a security freeze DOES NOT prevent someone from finding a way to make charges to your existing credit cards and bank accounts through illegal skimming, phishing, hacking and other means. You must remain vigilant. This means watch out for skimming machines, shred your credit/debit card and other personal information, monitor your bank and credit card activity frequently, etc.

Security freeze laws vary by state. More information at consumersunion.org/research/security-freeze.