ojai news at The Ojai Post :: blog, newspaper, events in Ojai, California

With planning already underway for this year's Living Peace in Ojai celebration in September, the Ojai Peace Coalition is ready to receive nominations for our exclusive Noble Peace Prize, to be awarded during Living Peace!

Visit the nomination page!

Last year's first-ever Noble Peace Prize was awarded to Clive and Marion Leeman of the Ojai Peace Vigil which is STILL happening every Friday evening under the Pergola in front of Libbey Park. If you know of someone who is working for more health, sanity, security, and harmony for our community and world, please nominate them!

Posted by evan austin at 11:47 PM | Permalink | Comments (2) | author bio

Required Reading

The idea of planning for the future takes on a whole new meaning after reading Plan B 3.0: Mobilizing the Save Civilization. The first book in the Ojai Valley Green Coalition’s “Ojai Reads” program is by Lester R. Brown, whom Time Magazine calls “one of the U.S.’s most respected environmentalists.” Founder and President of the esteemed Worldwatch Institute for its first 26 years, Brown helped pioneer the concept of “sustainable development.”

That’s a concept that takes on a whole new urgency once you’ve read this book. My advice for readers: put a bookmark between Section I “A Civilization in Trouble,” and Section II “The Response.” That way you can get through the first 131 pages that are full of troubling data about global trends and possible outcomes and know that solutions will be offered.

Continue reading "Guest Editorial: Caryn Bosson" »

Posted by Kenley Neufeld at 06:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (3) | author bio

The following announcement comes from Camille Carlson, who commutes by bicycle from Meiners Oaks to her job teaching Spanish at Monica Ros School in the east end. She is one of the new wave of activists leading the charge to make the Ojai Valley a world class Bicycle-Pedestrian Friendly Community.

Hello Friends, Family and the Ojai Community,

I'm writing to remind you that May is National Bike Month.

May 12-16 is Bike to Work Week.
May 16 is National Bike to Work Day.
May 11-17 is also National Transportation Week

Check out www.bikeleague.org (American League of Cyclists) if you get a chance.
Just wanted to see if anyone is interested in commuting by bike to work or 'wherever' together at any point during the month of May. It makes the ride all that more fun!!

I also discovered that May 21st is the evening for the Ride of Silence. Check out these videos or visit www.rideofsilence.org.

Continue reading "May is National Bike Month" »

Posted by Suza Francina at 07:33 AM | Permalink | Comments (9) | author bio

Look out for the locavores: New Ojai group to eat only food grown locally for a year
http://vcreporter.com/cms/story/detail/look_out_for_the_locavores/5946/

By now you have probably heard that Kristofer and Joanne Young are organizing a locavore project in the Ojai Valley for the entire year of 2009. A locavore is a person who pays attention to where her/his food comes from and commits to eating local food as much as possible. I just finished reading the link above to a great article in the VC Reporter that answers the questions I had about committing to a local eating lifestyle. Turns out you can sign up and still hang on to three foods each month that are things that may not be available locally. In my case I was worried about giving up organically grown brown rice, millet and tofu --three things my Dutch-Indonesian bones cannot live without. Now that I know I can eat grains with my local vegies, I'm ready to sign up.

There is an introductory meeting on Saturday, May 10th at 7:00 PM at the Young's house in Ojai. Here is an invitation with the details: .http://groups.google.com/group/eat-local-one-year

Download, view, or print the meeting flyer here.

Continue reading "EAT LOCAL ONE YEAR ~ BE THE CHANGE OJAI " »

Posted by Suza Francina at 11:32 AM | Permalink | Comments (15) | author bio

Thanks to all the volunteers who gathered signatures in Ojai, Ventura and rest of California, our Secretary of State Debra Bowen certified an anti-cruelty ballot initiative for the statewide general election to be held November 4, 2008.

This statewide initiative was the effort of Californians for Humane Farms, a coalition of animal protection organizations, veterinarians, environmentalists, food safety organizations and concerned citizens. According to Californians for Humane Farms, the Prevention of Farm Animal Cruelty Act will provide the most basic protection to nearly 20 million animals confined in industrial factory farms in California: that they be able to turn around and extend their limbs.

Continue reading "Announcement from Rosie and Tillie: Anti-Cruelty Measure Certified for California’s November Ballot" »

Posted by Suza Francina at 02:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (6) | author bio

Iraq Veterans Against the War held a series of hearings on the weekend of March 14 through 16, 2008 (the same weekend as Not One More! here in Libbey Park) called "Winter Soldier 2008", modeled after the Winter Soldier hearings in 1971 during the Vietnam War.

i have downloaded all of the testimony from these emotional and enlightening hearings, and will gladly burn you a 10-disc audio set for $10 (a single mp3 disc for $1). $5 will go to the Ojai Peace Coalition, and $5 will go toward the new IVAW Chapter in Ventura. email me to request a copy.

here's Infantrymen Clifton Hicks and Steven Casey giving testimony as part of the March 14th panel "Rules of Engagement, Part One": LISTEN. DOWNLOAD.

Continue reading "Winter Soldier Audio Discs Available" »

Posted by evan austin at 11:33 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | author bio

New on the Ojai Peace Coalition Action Blog:

• Mother's Day for Peace: Sunday May 4th from 3-5pm at the E.P.Foster Library on Main Street in Ventura.

• The Future of Local Transportation, Saturday, May 10, 2008 (National Train Day) from 2-3:30pm at Ruby's Café of Oxnard, 348 South Oxnard Blvd.

• Nominate a Peace Pioneer for a $10,000 prize from Ben & Jerry's!

• Tell the Presidential candidates to declare clean cars a priority starting Day One of their administration.

• Women today make up 56% of college graduates and nearly half of the labor force in this country, yet women make only 73 cents to a man's dollar, and mothers only make 60 cents, for the exact same job. AND THE SENATE FAILED TO PASS THE FAIR PAY ACT LAST WEEK, with Senator McCain saying that women just need "education and training". Tell him he's off-target.
(for the energetic: sign this petition in support of the Fair Pay Act through Commitee for a Democratic Majority)

• DVDs of last week's "Are Peace and Impeachment Possible?" town hall are coming...email me if you'd like a copy!

• Tell DHS that the Social Security database is not an appropriate tool for enforcing the immigration laws.

• Share your story or comments about how important it is to provide healthcare coverage for all kids in California. MomsRising.org will share your comments and pictures with California lawmakers to show them that real families are impacted and care about this issue.

Posted by evan austin at 12:48 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | author bio

"FOOD, FARM AND ECO-EATING" — an Ojai Valley Green Coalition presentation, will be held today, Thursday at 7--8:30 p.m. at Chaparral High School Auditorium.

This evening the Food and Agriculture Action Committee will give a lively presentation on how every choice we make about buying fresh and nutritious food, grown by our region's farmers, is a choice for the health of our environment -- both for the Ojai Valley and the global community.

Come discover other food resources that exist within the valley through the coalition's Food Security Assessment. Learn more about local food production and about a new Community Supported Agriculture program. Consider the environmental impact of livestock production and learn about Eco-Eating, an environmental option focusing on a plant-based diet.

We look forward to sharing an evening of film & media, gardening programs, books and what the food lovers of our valley are doing to add to our enjoyment of life and our food security through sustainable agriculture.

Chaparral Auditorium Unified School District 414 E. Ojai Ave.
$2 donation appreciated, but all welcome.To learn more about this event and other activities, visit us:
www.OjaiValleyGreenCoalition.org Info: 805.653.8445

"Every time you pick up your fork, you can make a big difference for the environment."
http://www.ojaivalleygreencoalition.org/media/PresentationAnnouncement-FA.pdf

Posted by Suza Francina at 08:26 AM | Permalink | Comments (5) | author bio

Green Yoga by Georg Feuerstein, Ph.D. and Brenda Feuerstein
View image

It's a beautiful Earth Day here in the Ojai Valley. Yet we cannot turn a blind eye to the fact that growing numbers of scientists and biologists are proclaiming that our planet is dying. We who are alive today are living in the midst of an unprecedented ecological crisis in which the fate of our entire planet hangs in the balance. Biologists have labeled this tragedy the Sixth Mass Extinction: Every day, an estimated 150 species are becoming extinct -- an entire species comprising tens of thousands and even millions of individual plants, insects and animals.

As others have pointed out, individual action is both a drop in the bucket --- and potentially, collectively, supremely important.

Green Yoga is a blueprint for how the philosophy of yoga, with its reverence for life and recognition of universal consciousness, provides the spiritual wisdom to enable us to respond intelligently in our daily life.

Continue reading "A Yoga In the Ojai Valley Earth Day Review: Green Yoga" »

Posted by Suza Francina at 02:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (2) | author bio

There is life after taxes (even though said taxes are funding the estimated $3 trillion war bill and and annual $54 billion in nuclear weapons, which are all about Death), and in the Valley of Plenty, there's lots of living to be done:

Tomorrow (Friday April 18th, 2008) sees parents socializing about their joys and challenges and Besant Hill School students performing Broadway's 27th longest running musical. The long-fenced Wetlands Project between Nordhoff High and Meiners Oaks is newly restored and open once again to the public, and a rally and fundraising kickoff to Save Ojai Schools (from State budget cuts) will be held on Sunday April 20th at OUSD Headquarters. An ongoing art exhibit titled "A Sense of Place" will feature the paintings of local artist Tegan Hope at Busy Babes hair salon until May 31st, and the Ojai City Council will meet on Tuesday the 22nd at 7:30pm. That same evening, co-founder of afterdowningstreet.org, David Swanson, will be speaking at the Ojai Retreat on strategies for saving our Constitution, Economy and Environment.

Just around the corner, the Ojai Storytelling Festival will open May 1st in Libbey Bowl, and an organizational meeting for Ojai's new locavore group is slated for May 10th (sign up here).

Click on over to the Ojai Post for current discussions of global warming, downed power lines, ending the war, illegal immigration, 9/11, childbirth, and more!

cross-posted at OjaiNews.com

Posted by evan austin at 11:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (12) | author bio

Had a wonderful time out at Ojai Earth Day. Thank you to everyone who worked very hard on this community event at Oak Grove School. As a member of the Ojai Valley Green Coalition, it was great to talk with so many people willing to make a difference in Ojai Valley. Share your Earth Day experience.

Posted by Kenley Neufeld at 06:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (5) | author bio

(photo courtesy of Daly Road Graphics & Ray Smith)

On Tuesday afternoon, April 8th, members of "Stop the Trucks" coalition successfully testified before the Ventura County Board of Supervisors at their regular weekly meeting after a presentation by consultant Tom Berg, who had been hired to assess issues and problems at the county's Resource Management Agency which includes the Planning Division.

The Coalition stressed the need for monitoring and enforcement of permit conditions, particularly of gravel mine operations, a fact that was reflected back by four of the Supervisors to County staff at the end of the meeting.
The Planning Division currently is responsible for oversight of the Conditional Use Permit (CUP) issued to the Ozena Mine and Gravel operation.

According to an article in the Ventura County Star by Tony Biasotti on Wednesday, April 9, 2008, Berg's noted that there are there are many ways in which the county could be more "transparent, predictable and accountable."
And, " the system has some problems."

Continue reading ""Stop the Trucks:" Expert cites problems in Ventura County's Resource Mangement Agency & Planning Division " »

Posted by Howard Smith at 07:18 PM | Permalink | author bio

In a news story written by Nao Braverman in Friday's Ojai Valley News, "owners of the Ozena Valley Sand and Gravel Mine and the Virgilio Family Trust filed a lawsuit against Ventura County last week, for allegedly changing the scope of their permitted operations without prior notice, hearing or environmental review, according to the lawsuit. They are also filing charges against the county for restricting the use of State Highway 33, which is allegedly in excess of the authority granted to the county, according to the legal petition."

Continue reading "STOP THE TRUCKS: Gravel Truck Owners Suing Ventura County" »

Posted by Howard Smith at 08:47 AM | Permalink | author bio

Saturday, March 29, 2008, 8-9pm local time.

http://www9.earthhourus.org/

Posted by evan austin at 12:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (1) | author bio

OJAI FILM FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES
LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT HONOREES
Richard + Lauren Shuler Donner
and Ray Bradbury

Early Entry Deadline for Filmmakers April 15

(Ojai, CA) Ojai Film Festival has announced it will produce two Lifetime Achievement Awards programs to honor high powered producers, Lauren Shuler Donner and Richard Donner, Friday, Nov. 7 as well as an American icon, Ray Bradbury on Saturday November 8 as part of its ninth annual event set to run November 6 through 9, at the five-diamond resort – the Ojai Valley Inn & Spa.

Chairman of the Festival Board, David Shor enthused, “I am pleased and honored to announce, Ray Bradbury and the Donners' have accepted our invitation to be honored at the Ojai Film Festival with a Lifetime Achievement Award for their amazing bodies of work that have inspired and entertained so many people around the world. All the honorees have one thing in common – they can’t be categorized in any one genre. These are major developments for our festival.”

Continue reading "OJAI FILM FESTIVAL TO HONOR RAY BRADBURY AND RICHARD & LAUREN SHULER DONNER" »

Posted by Howard Smith at 06:25 PM | Permalink | author bio

A Yoga in the Ojai Valley DVD Review

EARTHLINGS
Nature Animals Humankind MAKE THE CONNECTION

Watch the movie here: http://freedocumentaries.org/film.php?id=119

Written, produced and directed by Shaun Monson.
Narrated by Academy Award Nominee Joaquin Phoenix.
Music by critically acclaimed platinum artist Moby.

This is the single most powerful and informative movie about society's treatment of animals! A must-see film for anyone who cares enough to know.
-- Woody Harrelson

The Humane Society calls EARTHLINGS "The definitive documentary film of all times that Americans don't want to see. "

If I had to name one movie that I want everyone to see, including my family, friends and yoga students, it would be EARTHLINGS . Then they would understand why I am so adamant that human beings must speak out on behalf of animals.

Continue reading "EARTHLINGS" »

Posted by Suza Francina at 11:14 AM | Permalink | Comments (15) | author bio

........We also scout on hands and knees to really get in touch with that modest universe at our feet. There we observed today aphids that had been parasitized by a wee wasp that flies around laying her eggs on the aphids heads. ........

Continue reading "F o r a g e r 27FEB2008" »

Posted by Steve Sprinkel at 01:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (2) | author bio

Subscribe to ovgc-transportation

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Posted by Kenley Neufeld at 05:59 AM | Permalink | Comments (1) | author bio

At my request, the National Priorities Project, which bills itself as "a 501(c)(3) research organization that analyzes and clarifies federal data so that people can understand and influence how their tax dollars are spent", has calculated war cost data specifically for the City of Ojai (previously the closest data available was for Ventura County).

By the numbers:
Taxpayers in Ojai, California will pay $12.6 million for the cost of the Iraq War through 2007. For the same amount of money, the following could have been provided:

5,170 People with Health Care OR
22,429 Homes with Renewable Electricity OR
234 Public Safety Officers OR
188 Music and Arts Teachers OR
1,933 Scholarships for University Students OR
1 New Elementary Schools OR
38 Affordable Housing Units OR
4,695 Children with Health Care OR
1,494 Head Start Places for Children OR
190 Elementary School Teachers OR
168 Port Container Inspectors

Posted by evan austin at 09:55 AM | Permalink | Comments (33) | author bio

(Photo by Troy Harvey/Special to the VC Star)

In this Sunday's edition of the Ventura County Star, we see barracades divert traffic around a section of Maricopa Highway - Route 33 - about 10 miles north of Ojai that has collapsed into the North Fork of Matilija Creek.

Only residents and emergency personnnel are allowed to use northbound lanes. For all other vehicles, the CHP expects a long-term closure of the highway between Lockwood Valley to the north, where most of the gravel mines in dispute are located, and Matilija Road and the Ojai Valley to the south.

Continue reading "Stop the Trucks: Collapse of Route 33" »

Posted by Howard Smith at 07:59 AM | Permalink | Comments (2) | author bio

over-pass-work2.pdf

In today's Ventura County Star:
Saturday, February 23, 2008, from staff reports:

Bridge on Highway 33 Collapses: No One Hurt

A bridge support beam failure caused 130 to 150 feet of embankment along south-bound Highway 33 above Ojai to slide into the North Fork of Matilija Creek on Friday evening, authorities said.

The roadway was empty at the time of the collapse and no one was hurt, California Highway Patrol officials sad.

The bridge, located 10 to 12 miles north of Ojai, reportedly gave way about 6:15 p.m., according to the CHP.

Only southbound lanes were affected, officials said and northbound lanes remained open to residents and emergency personnel.

For all other vehicles, the CHP expects a long-term closure of the highway between Lockwood Valley Road to the north and Matilija Road to the south.

Caltrans crews worked to repair the roadway Friday night, authorities said.

Continue reading "Stop the Trucks: Highway 33 Bridge Collapses!" »

Posted by Howard Smith at 08:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (1) | author bio

From a letter sent by the Ojai Valley Democratic Club:

Because of the hard work we have all been doing, Ventura County is about to change from Republican to Democrat. Four years ago we were 16,000 behind. Now the gap is only 473! Help us close the gap and move on to a decisive majority!

To discuss common objectives and strategies in that pursuit, supporters of Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, and Dennis Kucinich, along with members of the Ojai Peace Coalition, MoveOn.org, and the Ojai Green Coalition, are invited to attend a general meeting of the Ojai Valley Democratic Club this Saturday, February 23rd at 10:00am at the Ojai Arts Center, 113 South Montgomery Street, Ojai.

Posted by evan austin at 05:51 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | author bio

Christmas in Ojai from Daly Road Graphics

On February 1, 2008 "Stop the Trucks," filed the following formal complaint against the Ozena Mine with the head of the Ventura County Planning Division, Kim Rodriguez:

Please consider this letter on behalf of Ojai residents, John Broesamle, Howard Smith and the “Stop the Trucks” coalition a formal request to re-open the investigation of possible C.U.P violations on August 14, 2007 in the operation of gravel trucks in conjunction with the Ozena Valley Sand and Gravel Mine.

The Ojai “Stop the Trucks Coalition is comprised of the City of Ojai; Forestwatch; the Ojai Valley Chamber of Commerce; the Ojai Valley School District; the Ojai Valley Board of Realtors; and many hundreds of private citizens.

In your September 27, 2007 letter to Howard Smith (prepared by Pat Richards) and your January 8, 2008 letter to John Broesamle, the department denies both complaints of early morning and late afternoon CUP truck violations by citing the weigh tickets provided to the Planning Department by Ozena.

After an extensive forensic study of the weigh tickets turned over to the Planning Division by the agent for Ozena, John Hecht of West Coast Environmental & Engineering, “Stop the Trucks,” now firmly believes that the use of self-prepared weigh tickets, which appear to be the sole tool used by the division to monitor truck traffic, is not valid. It is a method in which the results can seemingly be manipulated at will by the mine operator; and/or the weigh master; the trucking contractor; and/or their designated drivers; and may result in fraud or misrepresentation of the facts. Clearly they fail the test as the evidentiary basis for any claims, pro or con.

Details of our review are in the “Analysis” provided both below and attached separately.

Continue reading "Stop the Trucks: Complaint Against Ozena" »

Posted by Howard Smith at 04:01 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | author bio

A new story by Nao Braverman of the Ojai Valley News along with last year's press release from the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) reveals the heightened threat to our community: "Mine Owners Seek Expanded Routes, Hours; Despite death, bid to expand mine continues."

Some of the highlights from the OVN: "In mid-January, owners of the Ozena Valley Mine applied for modifications to their Conditional Use Permit to mine sand and gravel in Ozena Valley. Included in the application is a request to increase the number of truck trips hauling sand and gravel to and from the plant and expand the hours that their gravel hauling trucks are permitted to travel on Highway 33."

Continue reading "Stop the Trucks: Ozena Mine Seek Expanded Routes & Hours" »

Posted by Howard Smith at 05:46 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | author bio

The Ventura County Reporter features news story on "Appeal denied in truck violation case."

Bill Lascher, Editor of the VC Reporter, published in this past week's edition a short article on the Gravel Truck battles, which Bill says is the prelude to a much longer story in the coming weeks.

Some excerpts and a link to the full article follow:

….The most recent development came with County planners’ refusal to hear an appeal by Ozena’s owners of a violation of existing conditional use permits…

“We’re opposed to having this town, which is dependent on a tourist economy, education, and the arts, inject industrialization. “It completely obscures and takes away from the heart and soul of what the town is about…”

Continue reading "Stop the Truck: Between a rock mine and a hard place" »

Posted by Howard Smith at 04:08 PM | Permalink | author bio

i don't pretend to know a whole lot about economics or all the troubles that the housing market is in right now, but i'm comfortable enough to know that certain frivolities of society (schools, roads, health care, etc) are feeling a pinch. i also tend to believe educated economists when they say that a declining housing market and general loss of net jobs are sure signs of what they call "recession".

i get a little bit worried when, despite January's unemployment rate being higher than December's, President Bush claims that "for the first time in 52 months, we didn't create jobs." i become alarmed when he says that our economy is in a "rough patch", as though the financial standings of the world's only superpower are a neglected corner of his ranch.

what i DO know is that the occupation of and war on Iraq is costing the United States $720 Million every day of the tax money we're about to send more of. locally, that amounts to $487 Million from Ventura County alone to pay for fiscal year 2007, with FY2008 estimated to cost OUR COUNTY $550 Million. that's a lot of money. how much?

Continue reading "My Economic Stimulus Package : End the F#*%ing War!" »

Posted by evan austin at 02:41 PM | Permalink | Comments (2) | author bio

Today is January 30th, 2008. It was on this day in 1948 that Mohandas K. Gandhi was shot and killed in Delhi, and it is on this date that we begin the Season for Nonviolence. This 64-day period between the memorial dates of Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr. (April 4th) and is used globally as a time for personal and community reflection on the healing and transforming power of nonviolence and the contributions towards Peace made by these two great leaders.

In this spirit the Ojai Peace Coalition presents our handy, consolidated, easily-printable, wallet-fittable, fun-to-foldable 64 Daily Reflections Card to keep with you so your commitments to Peace and Compassion are never more than a glance away. Enjoy!

Our first week of reflections are:
Jan 30: Today, I will reflect on what peace means to me.
Feb 01: Today, I will look at opportunities to be a peacemaker.
Feb 02: Today, I will practice nonviolence and respect for Mother Earth by making good use of her resources.
Feb 03: Today, I will take time to admire and appreciate nature.
Feb 04: Today, I will plant seeds--plants or constructive ideas.
Feb 05: Today, I will hold a vision of plenty for all the world’s hungry and be open to guidance as to how I can help alleviate some of that hunger.
Feb 06: Today, I will acknowledge every human being’s fundamental right to justice, equity, and equality.

Posted by evan austin at 01:01 AM | Permalink | Comments (3) | author bio

Photo by Daly Road Grapics, Ojai Ave at Montgomery, 7:00am on 1/22/08

Appeal by Ozena Mine to Expand Trucking Hours Rejected

Such changes would have expanded allowable and permitted trucking through our valley from the current seven hours a day on weekdays to more than double that.

Continue reading "Stop the Trucks: Another Victory for Ojai!" »

Posted by Howard Smith at 05:41 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | author bio

The rain continues steadily, with a forecast for continued sky-water through Saturday night (AccuWeather) or Monday (Weather Channel). Our local Police and Highway Patrol are reporting no road closures or major accidents, but there are many flooded areas which are mostly marked with cones and/or signs. As always in the rain, simply be cautious and aware, reduce your speed, and increase your stopping distance.

Continue reading "A Downpour of News" »

Posted by evan austin at 05:38 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | author bio

Do you stay in your house all day and all night? Though there may be a few folks out there in this category, I suspect the majority do cross the threshold into the greater Ojai Valley and beyond. This begs the question of how we choose to get around. Do you walk? Ride a bike? Skateboard? Drive a car? A motorcycle? A electric car? Perhaps you even ride the bus or participate in a car pool? We have many choices for meeting our transportation needs. Beyond our decision of mode of transportation, we then have the decision of frequency of transportation. Do we drive around the Ojai Valley multiple times in the day or do you combine trips? What about participating in a no car day?

These are some of the questions the transportation committee of the Ojai Valley Green Coalition is trying to explore. Beyond these basics, we really don't have an agenda. This is where you come in. What ideas do you have pertaining to transportation in the Ojai Valley? What are the issues? What could be done differently? Who needs to talk to whom to improve the environmental impacts of transportation? Think differently. Think radically. No idea will be dismissed.

If you'd like to actively participate on this committee, join our email list. In the meantime, post your comments over on the Ojai Valley Green Coalition blog.

Posted by Kenley Neufeld at 02:16 PM | Permalink | Comments (3) | author bio

In case you had any doubts about Fox News and you have 10 minutes to spend watching a video exposing their successful effort to squelch their own story about the dangers of bovine growth hormone, here you go......

Thanks to Lanny Kaufer for sending this!

http://www.blinkx.com/burl?v=_PA6ybzbJ9HjYZ8K4bupObjZCCNPvBOm

(I watched the whole thing while I did my morning shoulder stretches...it will wake you up!)

"In essence, the news organization owned by media baron Rupert Murdoch, argued the First Amendment gives broadcasters the right to even lie or deliberately distort news reports on the public airwaves."

Posted by Suza Francina at 05:40 AM | Permalink | Comments (3) | author bio

Happening in the Valley today and into the weekend: "Bringing Up Baby" at the Nan Tolbert Nurturing Center in Oak View begins today (which i can personally vouch for as an excellent parenting/partnering/caregiving experience with real benefit to our community and planet), followed by music, cooking, peace, and theater tomorrow. Saturday sees the 22nd Annual Peddler's Fair, free chiropractic, and tequila tasting. Sunday is all about more eating, more drinking...and supporting Democratic presidential candidate and Ojai visitor Dennis Kucinich.

Continue reading "After the Rain, a Smattering of Headlines" »

Posted by evan austin at 07:15 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | author bio

Weighing In On Global Warming

Posted by Raymond Powers at 11:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (3) | author bio

Yogi, Presidential Candidate and Peace Activist Dennis Kucinich

Congressman Dennis Kucinich practices yoga every morning, follows a vegan diet and has been an outspoken critic of the war in Iraq since its inception. He infuses spiritual philosophy into his rhetoric, truly sees that everything is connected, and believes that peace begins within. No wonder I was impressed when Kucinich and his wife Elizabeth came to Ojai and spoke in September, 2007!

Can I help it that I'm excited about someone who connects global warring and global warming? Who supports the humane treatment of animals and sees the connection between public health and animal health? Plus, how can you not love someone who proposes a Works Green Administration that will allow us to organize our country around sustainability and conservation and free our country from dependence on foreign oil! I could go on and on...and I will!

The first time I recall hearing any mention of Kucinich was a year ago, when I walked into Gem Quest and Meg Easling, the owner at the time, went on and on about how great he was. Her spiel went in one ear and out the other. Plus sometimes I think our choice for who should be our fearless leader is about as rational as our choice for a mate -- and tall people are perceived as more powerful.

My family is a political soup. If we want to eat in peace, we don't discuss politics at the table. What do I say to those near and dear to me whose Bush/Cheney marriage=man+woman bumper stickers are wedded to their vehicles?

Here's why I'm going to cast my lot with the Kucinich team, and vote for him in the primaries:

Continue reading ""A Man with the Courage of a Lion, a Heart of Gold and Backbone of Steel"" »

Posted by Suza Francina at 07:53 AM | Permalink | Comments (18) | author bio

"White is the praise of winter"
-- Ojai, Land of Man's Sacred Nature

Today is a spectacular winter day in Ojai. There is a dazzling blanket of white snow on the majestic Topa Topa mountains. Ojai has sometimes been compared to a valley in Switzerland, and on a day like this you can see why. A few more days of snow and I can imagine sledding down Signal Street or Thacher Road, just like when I was a kid in Holland! All along Pratt trail the creeks are flowing. Several times my dogs immersed themselves in the water.

When I see the beauty of Ojai, my mind naturally turns to how to preserve it. I have three giant scrapbooks filled with articles from the Ojai Valley News documenting all the environmental battles fought in Ojai all the way back to 1967. These scrapbooks formed the basis for an editorial I was requested to write by the OVN's that appeared eight years ago today on January 7, 2000.

Since many of the issues Ojai has faced remain essentially the same, I thought I would post this editorial here, exactly as it first appeared. Only the dates have been changed to 2008.

Continue reading "Ojai is still a place that uplifts the spirit" »

Posted by Suza Francina at 01:08 PM | Permalink | Comments (2) | author bio

A writer friend and I have been gathering quotes about the Ojai Valley. Here's one for this beautiful Sunday morning, from a letter written in 1922 by Nitya (Nityananda), the brother of Jiddu Krishnamurti, to Dr. Annie Besant. Nitya's letter was composed a few weeks after the two brothers first came to Ojai, and began living in the east end, on McAndrew Road.

In a long and narrow valley of apricot orchards and orange groves is
our house, and the hot sun shines down day after day to remind us of
Adyar, but of an evening the cool air comes down from the range of
hills on either side. Far beyond the lower end of the valley runs the
long, perfect road from Seattle in Washington down to San Diego in
Southern California, some two thousand miles, with a ceaseless flow of
turbulent traffic, yet our valley lies happily, unknown and forgotten,
for a road wanders in but knows no way out. The American Indians
called our valley the Ojai or the nest, and for centuries they must
have sought it as a refuge.

Source:
Krishnamurti: The Years of Awakening, London: John Murray, 1975, Shambhala reprint edition 1997, by Mary Lutyens

Posted by Suza Francina at 08:19 AM | Permalink | Comments (3) | author bio

So this is Christmas, And what have you done
Another year over, And a new one just begun
And so this is Christmas, I hope you have fun
The near and the dear ones, The old and the young

A very merry Christmas, And a happy New Year
Let's hope it's a good one, Without any fear

And so this is Christmas, For weak and for strong
For rich and the poor ones, The road is so long
And so happy Christmas, For black and for white
For yellow and red ones, Let's stop all the fight

Posted by evan austin at 07:26 AM | Permalink | Comments (4) | author bio

Not a new one, but still a good one. Click to listen:

Brett Dennen - They Holidays Are Here (And We're Still At War)

(Lyrics after the jump)

Continue reading "The Holidays Are Here (And We're STILL At War)" »

Posted by evan austin at 06:16 PM | Permalink | Comments (13) | author bio

Malibu resident William H. Weissberg was killed in this crash when an out-of-control gravel truck hit his Mercedes-Benz as he was entering an intersection on PCH. The driver of the gravel truck, Hovik Papikyan, also died.

This story and photo, published in the Malibu Times in October was forwarded to the "Stop the Trucks" coalition by a concerned Ojai resident. (Copyright © 2007 Malibu Times. All rights reserved.)

We have posted it here as both an illustration and a reminder of the potential dangers gravel trucks may present to our community, partcularly as they attempt to navigate hazardous road conditions on both Route 150 between Ojai and Santa Paula and Route 33 from Ojai to the Cuyama Valley.

Continue reading "Stop The Trucks: Two Killed in Gravel Truck Accident" »

Posted by Howard Smith at 07:46 PM | Permalink | author bio

I'm hoping we can continue this discussion of consumption and the environment, especially as we get closer to Christmas. The question is, do we really need to give more stuff or can we do something else. This is a trailer for a longer (20-minute) video that is well worth the time. Watch the trailer or pop over to the full film.

Posted by Kenley Neufeld at 09:59 PM | Permalink | Comments (7) | author bio

Two recent articles in the Ojai Valley News and the Los Angeles Times highlight the ongoing problems created by massive numbers of gravel trucks coming through the Ojai Valley.

The first is from the November 21st edition of the OVN by Nao Braverman in which she reports:

"Traffic threat from Santa Barbara County mines remains..."

"...Two new gravel mine expansion applications have Ojai Valley advocates concerned about an increase in truck traffic. Those community members are fighting to protect the quality of local air, noise and safety, particularly because the valley’s tourist-based economy depends on it…"

Continue reading "Stop the Trucks: Gravel Mines Eye Expansion and a Clear Pattern of Risk Emerges from Smog" »

Posted by Howard Smith at 08:49 PM | Permalink | author bio

Dear family and friends,

As is the case in most presidential elections, our upcoming one is marked by serious and complex issues that We, The People are tasked with deciding the course of. More often than not, these issues are about our common humanity and morality and NOT as shallow as partisan politics, as the media and political machines would have us believe. The most urgent issues facing me this election cycle are
• Iraq – a strategy for ending the war and bringing every soldier home.
• Iran – preventing another unnecessary war by exercising creative and intelligent diplomacy
• Nuclear Weapons – halting the development of a new generation of U.S. nukes, and leading the international community in disarmament.

Some very brief facts about each of these topics:
• Iraq - as of NOW – Saturday December 8th at 9am – there have been 3,886 U.S. troop deaths in Iraq, coupled with tens of thousands of injuries and estimates of up to a MILLION killed Iraqis, and all at a cost to our children and grandchildren and great-grandchildren of more than $475 BILLION.
• Iran - a recent intelligence report reveals that Iran halted its nuclear weapons program as long as FOUR YEARS AGO, and yet the Bush Administration continues to try to scare us with the threat of a nuclear Iran. Reports are showing that President Bush knew about the cessation of nuclear activities, and yet his administration is currently spinning that data as reinforcement for their belief in imminent danger and fear.
• Nukes - this administration has been pursuing production of new nuclear weapons during its entire term, even though we already have a stockpile of nearly 10,000 Earth-destroying weapons (approx. 1/3 of the entire nuclear stock on this planet, and most of them are armed.) each ONE of them carries about 30 times the destructive power of the Hiroshima bomb, and it would take no more than a few hundred of them to destroy a major portion of the world.

Most of our choices for President have a position on these issues, which makes it fairly clear what kind of world we can expect with them in office. Here’s my simplified rundown:

Continue reading "This February and Next November, Vote for Peace!" »

Posted by evan austin at 09:33 AM | Permalink | Comments (5) | author bio

"If a path to the better there be, it begins with a full look at the worst."
--Thomas Hardy

It's a spectacularly beautiful day here in Ojai. Everything looks so fresh and clean after last night's rain. I just had to abandon my desk work to soak up the sight of golden raindrops sparkling on all the leaves. A friend and I took a good brisk walk up Foothill and let the dogs run free in a wide open field. All the while we enjoyed that invigorating feeling that comes after the rain, when the world feels infused with the force of life.

As a yoga teacher I know how good it feels to stretch my limbs. All human beings can understand the pain of being confined in a small space. We know that being out in nature, under the clear blue sky, lifts our spirit.

When I came home I opened my e-mail. The first message I read was from the director of Humane California. It contained an article published in The Reporter,

Continue reading "The Call to Mercy" »

Posted by Suza Francina at 12:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (19) | author bio

Really a fascinating article on building according to natures laws.

There are many factors at work in the creation of a building aligned with principles of Vastu Science, and their importance is slowly making inroads in the West. Feng shui, a derivative of Sthapatya Ved, is probably the best known similar building methodology currently used in the U.S. With the increase in interest, some architects are going to the source.

Posted by Raymond Powers at 12:10 PM | Permalink | Comments (5) | author bio

Click to enlarge. "The Five Stages of (Causing) Grief" courtesy Cectic. So what's on your mind this Sunday?

Posted by Tyler Suchman at 03:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (9) | author bio

"The greatness of a nation...can be judged by the way its animals are treated."
-- Mahatma Gandhi

It's Sunday morning, time to run to Farmer's Market to collect signatures. For the past two months, a group of Ojai citizens (in the yoga world we call these citizen volunteers "karma yogis") has been working with people in Ventura County and throughout California to collect signatures to put a Humane Farming initiative on the ballot next November. The Petition for the Humane Treatment of Farm Animals could greatly improve the lives of millions of animals. If you see one of us at Farmer's Market, or if someone approaches you and asks you to sign the petition, here is what it is all about.

Continue reading "Say YES! for Humane Treatment of Animals" »

Posted by Suza Francina at 07:30 AM | Permalink | Comments (13) | author bio

According to a National Geographic report, temperatures in North America have risen almost two degrees in the last twenty years. Can this big thaw be stopped? I previously posted about vegetarianism and the environment and highlighted other changes taking place in our environment. I am deeply concerned about the future my children may experience. Right now I am receiving inspiration from Thich Nhat Hanh as his community transitions to veggie vechiles, solar energy, and car free days. But what has given me the most to consider is what he said in October.

The Buddha taught that all phenomena are impermanent; there is birth, then there is death. Our civilization is also like that. In the history of the earth, many civilizations have ended. If our modern civilization is destroyed, it also follows the law of impermanence. If our human race continues to live in ignorance and in the bottomless pit of greed as at present, then the destruction of this civilization is not very far away.

We have to accept this truth, just like we accept our own death. Once we can accept it, we will not react with anger, denial, and despair anymore. We will have peace. Once we have peace, we will know how to live so that the earth has a future; so that we can come together in the spirit of brotherhood and sisterhood and apply the modern technology available to us, in order to save our beloved green planet. If not, we will die from mental anguish, before our civilization actually terminates.

Continue reading "The End of Civilization" »

Posted by Kenley Neufeld at 09:32 AM | Permalink | Comments (21) | author bio

Introducing the new Ojai Peace Coalition Action Blog, which will feature current actions, archive our action alerts, maintain a set of links for online peace activism, and more! Visit now and let me know what you think about it!

Posted by evan austin at 10:43 AM | Permalink | Comments (6) | author bio

FARM presents “SPIRITED CHRISTMAS” CONCERT
featuring JIMMY CALIRE and APRIL HENDRIX
DECEMBER 8, 2007

Foundation of American Roots Music (FARM), the non-profit organization behind Ojai’s famed Bowlful of Blues, will host a fundraising concert in the Ojai Art Center gallery on Saturday, December 8th beginning at 8 p.m. The evening, entitled “Spirited Christmas,” will feature the Jimmy Calire Quartet playing jazz arrangements of Christmas standards from his album of the same name followed by a holiday-themed blues dance with special guest vocalist April Hendrix.

FARM, under the direction of blues impresario Michael Kaufer, hopes to bring back the Bowlful of Blues in the fall of ’08. The group also plans to reinstate its Roots Music-in-the-Schools programs that have reached many Ventura County children over the 20-plus years of the festival’s history. All proceeds from the December 8 event will be applied toward those goals.

Holiday appetizers and an open bar will be available. Admission is $20 per person. Tickets are now on sale at Cardinali Brothers Music, 139 W. El Roblar Dr., Meiners Oaks; Ojai Creates, 606 E. Ojai Ave.; and Ojai House, 304 N. Montgomery St., Ojai. Any remaining tickets will be available at the door.

Businesses are encouraged to reserve blocks of seats early for holiday staff parties by calling FARM’s information line at 646-7230. For more information, go to www.bowlfulofblues.com.

Bowlful of Blues staff and supporters invite the community to bring in the holiday season in a swinging fashion while helping FARM bring back Ojai’s own Bowlful of Blues!

Continue reading "FARM presents "Spirited Christmas"