VENTURA COUNTY — Nov. 15, 2025, was a rainy, dark night, especially since the power at the Four Points by Sheraton in Ventura was out. Guests arrived unaware of the power outage and ran from their cars into the hotel lobby to shelter from the rain, ready to warm up and enjoy the Ventura County Bar Association’s Awards Dinner, only to find a dark room with a small table staffed by a kind VCBA member and a tiny battery-operated light.
Attendees did not scare away, and spirits did not fall; everyone embraced the low-lit event, as it was still a grand celebration of Barbara Macri-Ortiz, who would be honored with the Ben E. Nordman Public Service Award.