A confirmed case of the Omicron variant is in California. Californians can protect themselves by getting vaccinated and boosted, wearing a mask, getting tested if they have any symptoms and staying home if sick. Get the facts about the Omicron variant here: bit.ly/omicronvariant
CSU Channel Islands(CSUCI) alumnus Jessica Webb was a sophomore the night of Nov. 7, 2018, when she and her friends went out dancing at the Borderline Bar & Grill.
It was an ordinary Wednesday night and Webb and her friend decided to relax and unwind at the country western-themed bar, a favorite place for many CSUCI students.
At about 11:15 p.m., Webb, then 18, was standing by the pool tables across from the dance floor when she turned and saw the shooter walk into the bar about 20 feet away from her.
“I froze. There is a fight, flight or freeze response and I froze,” she said. “A man screamed “Get down!” and I crawled under the pool table. I later found out that man was Cody Coffman.”
With shopping and preparations underway for Thanksgiving dinners with family and friends, the Ventura County Fire Department reminds everyone to practice fire safety in the kitchen when the cooking starts.
Cooking is the leading cause of Thanksgiving Day fires, according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s National Data Center. Also, the National Fire Protection Association reports that two thirds of home cooking fires start with the ignition of food or other cooking materials.
“Kitchens can get busy and distracting when family and friends gather for big, holiday meals,” Fire Chief Mark Lorenzen said. “The extra hustle and bustle add to the risk of a mistake that can ruin more than a celebration. We want you and your family to enjoy the holiday safely.”
The Medical Examiner’s Office is requesting the Public’s help in identifying a deceased male found in Oxnard on November 9, 2021. Please see attached Press Release.
The fire agencies of Ventura County will honor four firefighters who lost their lives to job-related illnesses during the annual Fallen Firefighters Memorial remembrance Wednesday at 10 a.m.
The outdoor ceremony is being limited to families and invited guests of the firefighters being honored with COVID precautions in place due to the continuing pandemic. A livestream will be available on our Facebook page for others who would like to watch.
As the region becomes increasingly vulnerable to fire due to extreme drought and heat conditions exacerbated by climate change, community leaders and organizations have come together to proactively address fire risk in Santa Barbara County. For over a year, a dedicated team, which included the Cachuma Resource Conservation District, LegacyWorks Group, Community Environmental Council, McGinnis Environmental and Conservation Biology Institute engaged numerous partners in the fields of fire protection, education, environmental stewardship, restoration, land management, agriculture, neighborhood associations and government leadership. Together, the partners identified fire risk reduction opportunities and developed a suite of project ideas. Nearly 200 potential projects were identified and 50 high impact opportunities were prioritized addressing:
The Ventura County Public Health Officer has extended the indoor mask order, requiring all individuals, regardless of vaccination status, to wear face coverings when indoors in public settings, with limited exceptions. “The order is necessary to reduce the rate of community spread and to reinforce the need for safe interactions. We will continue to monitor transmission rates, hospitalizations, deaths and vaccination rates throughout the County,” said Public Health Officer Doctor Robert Levin.
I know many are concerned about the growing Alisal Fire. The Board of Supervisors today proclaimed a local emergency and requested the Governor declare a state of emergency.
Below I am sharing information Third District Supervisor Joan Hartmann shared earlier today in addition to other recent updates.
The Alisal fire has burned 7,500 + acres, with zero percent containment. There are 800 firefighters responding. Information about evacuations orders and warnings are available below.
Highway 101 remains closed between Highway 1 and Winchester Canyon Road/Cathedral Oaks in both directions. Highway 154 is the alternate route, however expect significant delays on this route.
Please visit https://readysbc.org/alisal-fire/ for status updates on the fire, evacuation zones and road closures. En Español: https://readysbc.org/es/alisal-fire/
California Attorney General Rob Bonta today announced the opening of the application period for Gun Violence Reduction Program grants. Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin led a coalition of over 20 of her colleagues in the Assembly to secure this funding in the 2021 Budget Act. Funding will be awarded by the California Department of Justice (DOJ) to county sheriff’s departments to support activities related to seizing weapons and ammunition from individuals prohibited from possessing them.
The Ventura County Civil Grand Jury is a panel of 19 local citizen volunteers established to investigate complaints about government mismanagement, verify that public funds are properly accounted for and legally spent, and investigate the policies, practices and processes of county or city departments in order to improve the efficiencies and effectiveness of our government.
Civil Grand Jury investigations can be generated from public complaints. If you have a complaint about county government, cities and special districts (school and water districts, etc.), you are encouraged to file a complaint any time. All complaints are kept confidential.
The Southeast Ventura County YMCA is offering a Red Cross lifeguard certification course at its Yarrow Family YMCA branch Saturday and Sunday, September 25 and 26. The two-day program will be held in the Yarrow Y’s indoor pool (31105 Thousand Oaks Blvd., Westlake Village). Class hours are 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Participants must be able to attend both days.
The lifeguard certification class will take place in and out of the pool to practice real-life scenarios. Class members will be trained in CPR/Automated External Defibrillator use and first aid. They will receive the skills to prevent, recognize and tend to injuries until EMS arrive.
Celebrate National Drive Electric Week by attending an Electric Vehicle 101 webinar, e-biking webinar, Goleta or Oxnard EV showcase, or other virtual or live event. As a long-time electric vehicle driver, I can attest to the many benefits of owning an electric vehicle: significantly lower fuel and maintenance costs, various rebates, incentives, and tax credits, and of course reducing your greenhouse gas emissions! See below for some ways to engage and learn more about electric vehicles:
There was nothing petty about what happened to former U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer yesterday—it was a violent robbery, and it was awful. This crime occurred in broad daylight in Oakland’s Jack London District, a popular tourist destination that also happens to be in the California Senate District of Senator Nancy Skinner. The same Nancy Skinner who proposed declaring such horrific crimes misdemeanor petty thefts under SB 82.
The Ventura County Aviation Unit, a joint operation of the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office and the Ventura County Fire Department, announce the arrival of its two new “Firehawk” helicopters today, just in time for fire season.
The helicopters are former military Blackhawk helicopters that were converted for public safety use. They are equipped with a 1,000-gallon belly tank to drop water on fires, a rescue hoist, and night vision technology.
“These new Firehawks are an important addition to the Aviation Unit’s fleet,” Fire Chief Mark Lorenzen said. “They can carry almost three times as much water as our Vietnam-era ‘Huey’ helicopters, which significantly enhances our ability to fight wildfires and keep them small.”
