Stopping a new generation from a lifetime of addiction
By Robert Levin, M.D., Health Officer for Ventura County
Daily news headlines of vape-related lung injuries and deaths are bringing the entire country to action on finding ways to stop youth vaping.
Summit Charter School: An urging to the Ojai Unified School Board
By Andy Gilman
Dec. 13, the Ojai Unified School District Board will vote on whether to approve the Summit Charter School petition for the creation of a new transitional kindergarten to eighth grade public school. The proposed location is the former Summit Elementary campus in Upper Ojai, but the location is a separate decision for the school board. I strongly encourage the board to consider the proposal, rise above misleading objections, work with the Summit Charter School Board, and approve the petition.
Ojai green-waste facility may close very soon
By Alasdair Coyne
A combination of irreconcilable circumstances is threatening to force the permanent closure, possibly in coming weeks, of the Ojai Valley Organics green-waste processing facility on Old Baldwin Road. This is likely to lead to an ongoing wave of illegal dumping of truckloads of brush across our valley’s back roads.
Help honor Ojai heroes on Veterans Day
By Nancy Hill
“Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn’t pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same, or one day we will spend our sunset years telling our children and our children’s children what it was once like in the United States where men were free.” — Ronald Reagan
The amazing powerful grace of Laurie Walters Slade
By Susan Kelejian
Words are powerful. They can destroy with a syllable, or uplift spirits with thoughtful brevity.
I was witness among 100 people in a packed courtroom Oct. 24 to the sentencing of a man who took away the life of our beloved community member, John Slade. I was also witness to his wife, our friend, Laurie, deliver a statement of words which will forever be burned into my psyche and be a life-changing moment, a snapshot “memory postcard” which serves as a catalyst for personal transformation. Which is appropriate as if you knew him, John had alchemical qualities. Laurie does, as well.
Not only did she have the courage to walk from her seat and stand a few feet away from the person whose actions took away from her the love of her life, as she put so succinctly her “soul’s mate,” but was able to clearly articulate sans a single “um” or stagger through sobs to try to describe an encapsulated beautiful life of John Slade: singer, songwriter, actor, writer, director, advocate, educator, father, husband, friend.
She spoke slowly and carefully, with calm clarity. She spoke with softness, she spoke for John, for herself, and for us. It was honest and raw, transparent and intimate, moving and difficult, but without histrionics, without a drop of vengeance in its tone. She spoke so well, that it moved me in 15 minutes to not manifest the compulsion to cry out “MURDER!” when I sat in the courtroom corner, burning my eyes into the back of his head.
Laurie, who was granted by the thoughtful listening judge to be able to face and speak directly to the convicted, said: “I am angry at you, Mr. McVickers. But I don’t hate you, and I don’t know why.” She then went on, as only a Shakespearean would do to educate on the origin of the word “penitentiary,” whereupon she explained to him that during the time he will serve doing his penance, and be truly penitent, he then would be able to walk out of the prison and finally “be free.”
Her clear, honest directness moved the guilty party so profoundly that he asked the judge spontaneously to address the room. Whereupon in a brief statement, Mr. McVickers turned around to face 100 people, so angry, so hurt, so wanting more justice than a four-year sentence of a misdemeanor and was able to tearfully express a deep sorrow for his actions and ask for forgiveness from us. My rage was turned to compassion, and that was because of Laurie.
She gave us a gift of such profound example of forgiveness that was so very unexpected, which allowed a man who made horrific decisions to be able to heal. She gave the community seated behind her a gift that we don’t have to be angry and sad and hurt about the loss of this multi-gifted light-being in form of John Slade, but can now collectively and individually move forward because of what his partner stated so eloquently. She showed courage of a rare kind, and which gave a man the courage to face us, to face himself, and to face what lies ahead.
Courage is French for “le coeur” (heart) and “age” (age/time) — a translation to mean “time of the heart.” Courage is when we are afraid to do something, but do it anyway because our heart leads us in that direction. Because our heart wins out. Courage has the power of love at its foundation, not hate or fear.
— Susan Keljian lives in Ojai.
Prioritize public health over profit
By Josh and Rebecca Harrell Tickell
We want to thank Mayor Johnny Johnston and Councilmember Suza Francina for attending the Ojai Health and Pesticides Town Hall on Sept. 28. It was also good to see a number of local Ojai growers and ranchers present in the audience. Also attending were Jonathan Katz, a local citrus grower, Steve Sprinkle, an organic farmer, and Conner Jones, a local permaculture rancher, who all spoke on our panel to discuss the issue of the overuse of toxic pesticides that we are facing in the Ojai Valley.
Farm Bureau director writes to mayor about spraying concerns in Ojai Valley
Re: Oct. 8 Ojai City Council agenda item 1i, “Letter to Ventura County Board of Supervisors and Agricultural Commission Requesting Advance Public Notification of Pesticide Application Time, Location and Amount”:
Farm Bureau of Ventura County represents the interests of several hundred citrus growers, conventional and organic, with operations in the Ojai Valley. We find the staff report supporting this request appalling for several reasons, and urge you to remove this item from the consent calendar. We ask that the council then reject it.
Some horse sense for drivers ... Can we talk?
By Lydia Ruark
We’re so lucky. Ojai is an equestrian community. That means so many good things about the culture here. In “the old days,” lots of kids and grown-ups rode all over town. Many have wistful happy memories of that.
Time to celebrate Indigenous Peoples' Day in Ojai
By Lanny Kaufer
I commend the city of Ojai for taking seriously the “think globally, act locally” creed by enacting several resolutions regarding worldwide or national issues, resolutions that may not appear at first glance to be directly related to Ojai and its citizens.
Support key to ‘invigorating relaxation’
By Mike Donohue
Well, we already know Ojai is an amazing peaceful place and a great town to kick up your heels. But if you look hard (not that hard) you can find all sorts of fun activity around town these days — even a bit of action.
Hemp cultivation a way for ag to survive in Ojai Valley
By SIMONE AND JACK PATTERSON
On 8/27 the Ojai City Council considered issues around hemp cultivation. We were proud of our council members and were particularly pleased with the comments made by Councilman Ryan Blatz and Councilwoman Suza Francina. Hemp is a new crop to our community and the council endorsed support for the Ventura County Agricultural Commissioner, Ed Williams, and his working group to develop sensible regulation regarding its cultivation in Ventura County. We hope any regulations will not be overly restrictive and that the issues not be excessively politicized.