Christina Walsh of the Aerospace Cancer Museum of Education (ACME) just sent out an email this afternoon that the Museum in Chatsworth is closing, due to loss of funding. ACME was dedicated to providing information about the chemical and radiation pollution at Rocketdyne’s Santa Susana Field Lab in Simi Valley, and helping folks get involved with efforts and lobbying to get the site cleaned up. William Bowling was a cofounder of the Museum, along with Christina.
Christina and Bill are inviting you to come to ACME on Sunday, March 28th from 1-5 PM, where, to quote the email, “…you can share in the history, the people, and what we all care so much about - clean-up of the Hill.” ACME’s address is: 23350 Lake Manor Drive, Chatsworth 91311.
Links: http://acmela.org/, http://cleanuprocketdyne.org/
Posted by Janna Orkney
Tags: ACME closing·Rocketydyne SSFL
After reading an article in the Ventura County Star on Friday (3-5) about a class in Mandarin being offered to sixth graders in Camarillo, I just wanted to say that a school district in the Conejo Valley offers classes in this Chinese language, too!
Oak Park High School offers four levels of Mandarin, according to OPUSD board member, Marie Panec. OPUSD recently received a federal grant, and Marie says, “…We hope to offer Chinese in the middle school, so students can get started on it there. The plan is to offer Chinese culture in the elementary schools to pique students’ interest…”
Makes sense to me, with China such a powerhouse in the world today. For the students, knowing Mandarin could be very helpful in the future. I would be interested in knowing if CVUSD and/or LVUSD offer Chinese language classes, too.
(Incidentally, Marie Panec is running in the June Primary to be the Democratic candidate for for Congress in the 24th District, which Elton Gallegly currently holds. Her website is: www.panec4congress.com) To read the Star article by Cheri Carlson: http://www.vcstar.com/news/2010/mar/05/camarillo-middle-school-offers-chinese-classes/
Posted by Janna Orkney
Tags: Mandarin Classes·OPUSD
The Borchard Community Center in Newbury Park hosted the Conejo Rec and Park District’s 23rd Annual Spring Art & Crafts Festival this weekend. Booths filled with crafts were set up inside and outside the center. I had a great time perusing the crafts, from jewelry to wind chimes, and everything in between. Previously, I have bought at the festival, but this time I just strolled and got into the festival spirit.
Posted by Janna Orkney
Tags: CRPD Spring Art and Crafts Festival
Over a decade ago, my son and daughter-in-law were already living in the Conejo Valley when I decided to move here. My son was helping me look for an apartment to rent that would allow my dog (that was a challenge!), and we were driving around near Los Arboles and Erbes Road in Thousand Oaks.
We drove up to an intersection with a 4-way stop and we stopped. There was another car already stopped in the street that would cross ours. The other driver stayed stopped and did a hand motion for us to go first, which we did. That got my son talking about how shocking it had been to move from L.A.’s frenetic Westside, where everyone wants to go first because they deserve it, to the Conejo Valley. It had made him laugh to see drivers in similar 4-way stops go back and forth, motioning, “You go first,” and the other driver motioning, “No, you go first,” and for this hand dialog to continue for a while!
I don’t know if one of those interactions ever ended with both drivers then running into each other because they finally decided to go at the same time, but I doubt it. Part of the polite interchange seemed to be to accelertate slowly through the intersection, so one or both drivers would have had time to stop.
Anyway, I was very impressed with the politeness of drivers in the Conejo Valley, and it gave me an added incentive to move here.
Posted by Janna Orkney
The big jo
Tags: Conejo Valley·Driver's behavior at stop signs
Or not! It strikes me, that public behavior which only a few short years ago could get a person labeled as “not all there,” is now deemed acceptable behavior.
What I am talking about is seeing someone walking along and talking loudly, as though in conversation, but there is no one else nearby. That is what I observed this afternoon, as I was getting out of my vehicle to go to a local bank in a strip mall. A man, by himself, was walking toward me and talking in an animated way. Of course, I assumed he was talking on a cell phone, as most people would now. So, we have the same observed behavior that over time, people judge in very different ways.
I guess we can still say, however, that the man was ”not all there,” because his focus was not “there” on his immediate surroundings!
Posted by Janna Orkney
Tags: Cell Phone Use
Mark Burley wrote a comment to the previous post, “Extreme Property Rights, or Open Space for All.” I posted it there as a comment, but am posting it here as well, because Mr. Burley talks about zoning and property rights in such a clear way. To quote:
“Why is the argument about protecting property rights bogus? The implication is that restrictions of land use is governmental interference in the enjoyment and use of one’s own property which sounds terrible doesn’t it? Well it’s not about property rights but about the whole concept of zoning. We understand that zoning is in fact a way in which we protect our use and enjoyment of our properties. We have set up zoning so that the use of neighbor’s property will not interfere with our use of our property. Not one of these CAPR members would be happy if a McDonalds or a manufacturing plant was built next door to them in their suburban residential neighborhood. That’s why we as a society chose to have zoning: to protect our property rights and they know it.
The same concept applies whether it residential, commercial, open space or agricultural zoning. We as a community have made choices through local government about what uses are appropriate for that area.”
Post by Janna Orkney, Text by Mark Burley
Tags: CAPR·Zoning
I was very impressed with the discussion among the board of supervisors at their meeting yesterday, about the amendment to the open space zoning law. Four out of five of the Sups talked about fine points in the proposed legislation. My hat is off to Supervisors Bennett, Zaragoza, Long, and Parks. On the other hand, I was surprised that Supervisor Foy used his speaking time to go on and on about property rights. Among other things, he said that property rights were the basis of our democracy. To me, that is one right, but how about freedom of speech, religion, assembly, the right to vote? To just single out property rights as THE basis seems very unbalanced to me.
He also expressed concern that a private college would not be allowed to build a school in open space, even though the county cannot prohibit a state college from being built in open space. This is because state law trumps county law, so if the state wanted to build a college, they could go ahead. But, is that even remotely likely to happen? And since when do Ventura County residents want their open space used in that way? (Incidentally, I so support the one existing college, Thomas Aquinas, by Santa Paula, that is in open space now, but it was built a long time ago.)
I assume that a continuation of this line of thinking and speaking will be happening tonight at a meeting of the extreme group, Citizens Alliance for Property Rights (CAPR) of Ventura County. The guest speaker at CAPR is State Senator Tony Strickland, husband of Audra Strickland who just moved into Supervisor District 2 in order to run against Linda Parks. The meeting is tonight (3-3) at 6 PM at the Thousand Oaks Library. To look at this group’s website, go to: http://vcpropertyrights.net/About_Us.html Take a look at their logo…it says in a ring around the name, “life, liberty, property rights.” Hmmm…I thought it was “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness…”
Posted by Janna Orkney
Tags: CAPR·Ventura County Supervisors
As mentioned in a previous post, the Ventura County Supervisors today considered an amendment to open space law which basically limits all assembly in county open space. After hours of comments from residents, followed by board discussion, the Sups voted 4 to 1 to approve the amendment. The dissenting vote was from Peter Foy of Simi Valley. Our Supervisor, Linda Parks, changed the amendment slightly in her motion to approve, by removing a reference to the lighting for a golf range that is in the Tierra Rejada Open Space.
I attended the hearing and spoke out about my love for open space and how I wanted it protected. Mary Wiesbrock, the chair of Save Open Space, Santa Monica Mountains commented, drawing on her knowledge of land use law. To quote from her testimony:
“In 1970, the state of Californie approved” codes, “which ruled that the preservation of open space land is necessary not only for the maintenance of the economy of the state, but also for the assurance of the continued availability of food and fiber, injoyment of scenic beauty, recreation and use of natural resources.” Mary went on to quote other state laws, which demonstrated the commitment the state of California has for open space.
Here is a link to a Ventura County Star article today by Tony Biasotti: http://www.vcstar.com/news/2010/mar/01/county-to-vote-on-allowed-uses-in-open-space/ And, here is a link to the Save Open Space website: www.saveopenspace.com
Posted by Janna Orkney
Tags: Ventura County Open Space Amendment
I know, this happened a few weeks ago, but I did not catch the story at the time. Jeanne Cope, who frequently comments to Conejo Post entries, brought this to my attention. It is of great concern to me, to see the one countywide paper continuing to let people go. The Ventura County Star has a tradition of hard investigative reporting on local issues, and we, as citizens need that, to know what is going on. So, in addition to being sorry that Marianne Ratcliff has resigned as opinion page editor, I am sorry these editors and others have left or been reassigned as well. Here is a link to the story in the Star: http://www.vcstar.com/news/2010/feb/19/star-lays-off-nine-employees-reassigns-15-others/
Posted by Janna Orkney
Tags: Ventura County newspapers·Ventura County Star layoffs
The Ventura County Board of Supervisors will vote on whether or not to clarify and strengthen current open space zoning laws in the county. This is happening at the Supervisors meeting today at 1:30 PM at the County Government Center in Ventura.
Central to the possible new legislation is a restriction on all assembly uses in open space. Why? The BOS is looking at this now because, a while back, the Cornerstone Church got approval for a large complex in the Tierra Rejada open space. The church project was approved because of a federal law that basically says assembly for religious reasons must be approved if similar non-religious assembly in an area is allowed. The new law would apply to all assembly uses.
I think it is important that the county make our open space laws stronger. I moved to the Conejo Valley because of the open space and the closeness I feel to nature in our beautiful valley.
Hey, I think I will go tell that to the Supes this afternoon! Anyone else want to go? For the BOS agenda, go to www.Ventura.org
Posted by Janna Orkney
Tags: SOAR·Ventura County Open Space
