Posted by: twotrees | May 12, 2008


CMH, the hospital that had some PR challenges when Michael Bakst was their president, and which paid $1.5 million to settle allegations of improper payments during Bakst’s time (See this story from the Star, Dec. 2008 http://www.venturacountystar.com/news/2007/dec/20/ventura-hospital-to-settle-over-gifts-loans-to/) has truly turned a new leaf in the past four years. Current president Gary Wilde, and company has restored goodwill and forged positive relationships with local physicians and the community. Now comes the heavy lifting.
The state of California mandates that a new hospital be built to seismic safety standards by a 2013. To the tune of $200 million. The idea is to solidify a plan by 2009 and generate funds to complete the project on time. http://www.venturacountystar.com/news/2008/apr/18/200-million-hospital-plan-for-ventura-introduced/. And while they’re at it, other ideas are bubbling up to include the area immediately adjacent to the hospital footprint.
It was pretty exciting to walk into a room full of planners, architects and others, who have been working on this project as a weekly lunchtime endeavor. These photos show a little of what the vision could be like.
Tags: Add new tag, Community Memorial Hospital, Ventura development
Posted by: twotrees | April 23, 2008
Kudos to Tim Hoover and his posse for kicking down a ton of money and energy to produce and deliver the Ultimate Boarder event in Ventura last weekend. Here’s the plan: A guy has an interesting and novel idea for an event, the will and know how to make it happen and it goes off without a hitch.
The snowboard, surf and skateboard triathelon brought out atheletes from all over the globe who did two of the events in Ventura. It was a boost to the local economy, bringing some folks into town for the first time and hopefully will create enough synergy for the UB crew that it has a year II again in this area.
Thanks to all who helped pull this week of day and night events together.
Tags: Add new tag, skateboard, surfing, Ultimate Boarder, ventura
Posted by: twotrees | April 15, 2008

The conservancy has celebrated it’s fifth anniversary. It’sa testament to the fortitude and ability of a small clatch of people who share a vision of protecting a local natural resource. Yes, it could be viewed as NIMBYism but what differs is that they have a plan of what to do with the land as an alternative to development. I’ve lived a lot of places and visited multiples more. Each time I drive from L.A. into Ventura and look upon the hill with two trees, it makes me pine for the wilderness which is begining to disappear here, there and elsewhere. Don’t get me wrong - there’s trillions of acres of open space in this country, it’s just that many kids will not get the chance to experience it, let alone live adjacent to it. And that’s a shame.
Tags: Environment, Ventura County, Ventura Hillsides Conservancy
Posted by: twotrees | April 12, 2008
Posted by: twotrees | April 8, 2008
The new $63 million Broome library opened last Friday at California State University Channel islands, also known as Cal State Sushi. The building, a modern glass & steel edifice desgined by British architect Sir Norman Foster, is a departure from the Santa Barbara Spanish style architecture left over from the former Camarillo State Mental Hospital, orginally populated in 1932 and shuttered in 1997. It is impressive to see how far and fast the new university has come in just eleven years. And very promising for the future - we need another professorial brain trust and cache of educated young adults in Ventura County.
Tags: Broome Library, CSUCI, University
Posted by: twotrees | April 6, 2008
This video looks legit and it shows an asian elephant painting a picture of an elephant. Sourced to Chiang Mai, Thailand. You be the judge. watch?v=_LHoyB81LnE
Tags: Add new tag, animals, art, elephant
Posted by: twotrees | April 4, 2008
I can’t help but see the irony in this: The local paper names a new publisher in September, just as the economy is going south, then the publisher decides to as well. To be specific, he’s going on a cruise ship. Yup, you can cruise the Sea of Crotez with George Cogswell III…’no flying’ it reads. “Only 1,266 passengers” it advertises. Call me crazy, but that still sounds like a lot of folks. Most certainly a legitimate business expense for the paper; just doing research to help the new publication Frontera grow. Ei Caramba!
An abreviated history of the Star’s circulations:
Based on Audit Bureau of Circulation Publisher’s Statements (“Statements”) for the six month periods ended September 30 (in thousands) Daily Newspaper 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 Ventura County (CA) Star 85 86 89 92 93 Sunday Circulation 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 Ventura County (CA) Star 95 99 100 106 107
Tags: cruise ship, newspaper circulation, Ventura County Star
Posted by: twotrees | April 4, 2008
Wednesday night I took part in one of the most interesting public meetings in a long time. Sponsored by the City of Ventura, nearly 150 people showed up to consider, and plan, what the future of downtown Ventura will look like. Starting with a grant from somewhere (my mind was on the doing not the doers) enabled city staff, along with a gaggle of consultants to present participants with a real life Monopoly board from which to create a new reality - the city of the future. The main topic was - which part of the 101 freeway should be covered, to help make downtown Ventura connect to the beach, which were disconnected in the early 1960’s when the Ventura Highway was built.
I’m looking forward to what becomes of the 15-18 large scale drawings that were submitted by participants who, at the end of the evening, each presented their visions of the future. Don’t hold your breath - this process will take 10-25 years…ugh.
Tags: Caltrans, Cut and Cover, Politics, ventura