February 2015    

Afghanistan War Veteran Jeff Gorell to Serve as Grand Marshal of 27th St. Patrick's Day Parade

 

Ventura St. Patrick's Day Parade poster Former assemblyman and Afghanistan War veteran Jeff Gorell will serve as Grand Marshal when the annual Ventura County St. Patrick's Day Parade marches down Main Street for the 27th time in downtown Ventura on Saturday, March 14.

 

The theme of this year's parade, which begins in front of Mission San Buenaventura at 10 a.m., is "Honoring Our Troops."

 

Gorell represented the 37th District in the California Assembly from 2010 to 2012, and after the decennial redistricting, the 44th District from 2012-2014. Just before the Nov. 2, 2010 general election, Gorell announced that he was being deployed to Afghanistan on March 18, 2011 as a lieutenant commander in the U.S. Navy Reserve. It marked Gorell's second yearlong tour of duty in Afghanistan; his first started three weeks after 9/11 in 2001. Upon winning, Gorell spent less than three months in office before becoming the first sitting California lawmaker since World War II to be called into active military duty overseas. 

 

Last year's parade drew over 90 entries, including floats sponsored by civic groups, nonprofits and local businesses and restaurants; marching bands; car clubs; horses; clowns and the Biggest Green Pig in the World. There also will be high school pep bands, youth groups and fun-loving adult groups entered in the parade.

 

For more information about the parade, visit www.venturastpatricksdayparade.com, or call 643-4275. 

Whisenhunt Communications graphic designer Cindy Daly prepares the website, program and ads for the parade and John Cressy prepares press releases for the event.

Water: Take One Awards Ceremony is March 19 - RSVP for
this FREE Film Event in Ventura
 

 

Celebrate and learn about water and conservation with a night at the movies in Ventura!

 

The 2014 Water: Take 1 (www.watertake1.com) Awards Ceremony is from 6 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, March 19 at the Century 10 Downtown Movie Theater in Ventura. The event is free and tickets are not required, but those interested in attending need to register ahead of time as seating is limited. 

 

To register, email Debra Martinez at [email protected]. She will add your name to the guest list and email back a confirmation for your attendance. If you have questions email Debra or call (805) 652-4587.

 

You may also register by clicking here.

 

Water: Take 1, presented by Ventura Water, is a global online film contest that is now in its third year. The contest showcases short films of under five minutes in length that address the topic of water in any genre, including documentary, drama, comedy, animation, sci-fi or experimental. This year, 51 films were submitted. The ceremony will kick off with a screening of the nine finalist films followed by the exciting announcement of Water: Take 1 winners. Great prizes are offered to winners in various categories. 

 

Visit www.watertake1.com to view the films entered this year. 

 

Whisenhunt Communications prepares a monthly email newsletter for Ventura Water called Pipeline (view them by clicking here), and helps with other media and communication projects.

FREE Microchips for Your Pets 

at Shelter Hope Pet Shop in Thousand Oaks

 

microchip dog During the months of February and March, Shelter Hope Pet Shop at the Janss Marketplace in Thousand Oaks invites owners to bring their dogs and cats for FREE microchip implants, including lifetime monitoring. Microchipping is a quick, virtually painless insertion of a tiny information chip under the animal's skin.

 

The microchip database information allows animal shelters, vets and others to help locate lost pet owners if a pet has a microchip. Call Shelter Hope Pet Shop at 805-379-3538 to make an appointment for your pet's free microchip implant. If you can't get to Thousand Oaks, call Shelter Hope to receive a free mailed microchip for your vet to implant in your pet. 

 

Shelter Hope Pet Shop is a non-profit agency that rescues dogs from shelters throughout the Greater Los Angeles area and promotes animal humane education. The shop is open to the public from Wednesday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

 

Shelter Hope Pet Shop is between Sears and the Gold's Gym Kid's Club at Janss Markeplace off the 101 Freeway at the intersection of Hillcrest Drive and Moorpark Road in Thousand Oaks. Visit www.shelterhopepetshop.org.

 

Whisenhunt Communications writer Amy Bentley wrote and distributed a press release on this event to local media for Shelter Hope Pet Shop.

Register Now for FREE Water Wise Gardening Classes in Ventura

 

Ventura Water and the City of Ventura are pleased to announce that sign-ups are now being taken for FREE Water Wise classes through June. Here are the topics:


March 7: Water Wise Gardens ~Held at the City of Ventura Public Works Maintenance Yard, 336 Sanjon Road  

Join local landscape designer Lisa Burton to learn about turf alternatives, native and climate appropriate plants, converting spray to drip irrigation, and other ways to rethink the traditional American lawn. RSVP: waterwisegardens.eventbrite.com 


April 11: Composting & Vegetable Gardening ~Held at Green Thumb, 1899 S. Victoria Ave. 

Professionals from Green Thumb, Ventura Coop and the City of Ventura's Environmental Sustainability Division will demonstrate ways to improve your yard's water-holding capacity and vitality through soil biology and creating healthy compost and compost teas, plus learn ways to bring edibles beneficial insects and companion planting into your landscape. RSVP: compostingvegetables.eventbrite.com 


May 2: Graywater & Rainwater Harvesting ~336 Sanjon Road

Graywater professional Laura Maher will teach participants how to set up a simple laundry-to-landscape Graywater system; install a rain barrel or rain garden; and properly maintain these systems. RSVP: graywaterrainwater.eventbrite.com 


June 6: Control Your Controllers ~336 Sanjon Road

Professionals from Ewing Irrigation will discuss how to set your controller to ensure compliance with watering restrictions, prevent water run-off and keep your landscape healthy. RSVP: irrigationcontrollers101.eventbrite.com


Info: www.cityofventura.net/water/landscape or call 652-4501.

Jeff Paul Named as New CMHS Board Chairman

  

Jeff Paul Jeff Paul, a longtime Venturan with over 30 years of experience in the local banking field, has been named the new Chairman of the Board for Community Memorial Health System

 

Paul, who served previously as treasurer on the CMHS board, succeeds Dr. Martin Pops, who has served as board chairman since 2009. Longtime trustee Gary Wolfe, a former board chairman, will replace Paul as Treasurer.

 

Paul is the director of Retail and Commercial Banking at Montecito Bank & Trust, the oldest and largest independently owned community bank in Santa Barbara and Ventura County. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Chico State University in political science and graduated from the Pacific Coast Banking School at the University of Washington.

 

Also joining CMHS's Board of Trustees are Lamar Bushnell, M.D., chief of staff of Community Memorial Hospital; Elizabeth Patterson, M.D., chief of staff of Ojai Valley Community Hospital; Lydia Hopps, president of the Community Memorial Healthcare Foundation; and Sandy Frandsen, CMHS Auxiliary president.

 

Community Memorial Health System, a longtime client of Whisenhunt Communications, is a not-for-profit health system, which is comprised of Community Memorial Hospital in Ventura, Ojai Valley Community Hospital, and 12 family-practice health centers entitled Centers for Family Health.

Commissioner Jim Friedman
to Chair the Ventura Port
District Board

 

Jim Friedman Jim Friedman has been selected to serve as the new chairman of the Ventura Port District Board of Port Commissioners, taking over the role from the outgoing chair, Commissioner Gregory Carson.

 

At the Port District's board meeting on Jan. 28, the commissioners selected Friedman to serve as the chair, Commissioner Everard Ashworth to serve as vice chair and Commissioner Bruce Smith to serve as secretary. The new terms are for two years. The five commissioners are: Friedman, Ashworth, Smith, Gregory Carson and Robert Bravo. The board meets monthly to discuss Port District business and policy. The public is welcome to attend the meetings, which are held at 7 p.m. every other Wednesday of the month at 1603 Anchors Way Drive at Ventura Harbor.

 

Friedman previously served as a member of the Ventura City Council from 1995 through 2003 and Mayor from 1997 through 1999. He is a past president of the Ventura Chamber of Commerce. He was appointed to the Port District board in August of 2012 and his term on the Port District board expires June 30, 2017.

 

"I am excited to serve as chair of the Port District commission for the next two years.  We will face many challenges and opportunities. I am comforted in knowing that this board is definitely up to the task," Friedman said.

 

Ashworth said, "I'm very grateful for the opportunity to serve with Commissioner Jim Friedman and my colleagues on the Port Commission. We all share a commitment to improve all facets of the Ventura Port District's operations, which will benefit our tenants and ensure that a visit to Ventura Harbor is something special."

 

Visit www.venturaharbor.com.

Casitas Distributes Winter
Newsletter & Utility Bills

   

The Casitas Municipal Water District is a longtime Whisenhunt Communications client, and graphic designer Cindy Daly was busy helping Casitas with their communications to customers this winter. 

 

Cindy designed the water district's winter newsletter and also designed three different utility bill inserts that alert customers about their billing going monthly this year.

 

The newsletter discusses the ongoing drought and water conservation efforts, among other news, and lists free water conservation/landscape classes, held for the public's benefit, in Oak View. 

 

For more information about the classes, held April 18 and Aug. 8, visit www.casitaswater.org.

Issue: 66
whisenhunt logo
Russ Charvonia

Now is the Perfect Time to Take Control of Finances, Plan Your Estate

 


Special to 

News Flash 
  By Russ Charvonia, Channel Islands
Law Group

 

Now that we are well into February and have received our year-end financial statements, 1099s and W-2s, our minds shift to the dreaded tax preparation. 

 

While preparing for the annual visit to your CPA, now is an ideal time to assess your financial condition. Are you saving enough for retirement? Do you have a plan to get there? Have you created an estate plan to protect your assets and avoid probate? 

 

With increasing life expectancies and the virtual extinction of pension plans, it has never been more important than now to create a plan for the future and adhere to it. 

 

Schedule a complimentary appointment with the local independent advisors at Channel Islands Group to begin the process to assess your level of preparedness. 

 

Russ Charvonia is a founding partner at Channel Islands Group in Ventura and has over 35 years of experience providing investment advice to individual and institutional clients. Russ graduated from the Ventura College of Law with a Juris Doctor degree and was admitted to practice law in 2004. Russ previously co-founded and operated an estate planning practice, The Renaissance Law Group, in Ventura. Russ is a Certified Financial Planner, a Chartered Financial Consultant, Chartered Life Underwriter 

and Retirement Plans Associate.  He also holds California life, health and disability insurance licenses.

 

Whisenhunt Communications welcomes Channel Islands Group as a new client this year. Channel Islands Group is located at 121 N. Fir St Suite H, in Ventura, CA. Call 805.652.6944 or visit www.channelislandsfg.com. 

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Client News In This Issue
Ventura County St. Patrick's Day Parade
Ventura Water
Shelter Hope Pet Shop
Ventura Water & the City of Ventura
Community Memorial Health System (CMHS)
Ventura Port Distict
Casitas Municipal Water District
Channel Islands Group

 

Vote in VC
Star's Readers' Choice Poll


It's time to vote in the Ventura County Star's annual Readers' Choice Poll. 

 

Whisenhunt Communications urges you to vote for some of our clients who have been nominated in some of the categories or, if you wish, you can "write in" some candidates. We would like to give a shout-out to our clients for the great services they provide.

 

To vote, go online to VCStar.com/ReadersChoice.

 

Clients to consider:

 

Employers with 50 or more employees

  • Community Memorial Health System
  • or, write in Harrison Industries or Alert Communications

Non-Profits

  • Community Memorial Healthcare Foundation
  • Santa Paula Animal Rescue Center
  • or, write in the Ventura County Humane Society or Shelter Hope Pet Shop.

Place to take visitors in West County

  • Island Packers
  • Ventura Harbor

Family doctor in West County

  • Edward Banman
  • Primary Medical Group

Hospital, West County 

  • Community Memorial Hospital

Law firms West County

  • Write in the law firms of Arnold LaRochelle Mathews VanConas & Zirbel LLP (A to Z Law), or Hathaway Law Firm

Moving company, West County

  • Movegreen, formerly Sheeler Moving & Storage
 
Check Out WC's
Website


Visit Whisenhunt Communications' website www.whizcomm.biz.

Whisenhunt Communications new website

Read about the company and its team of media and graphics experts.

Founded in 1990, Whisenhunt Communications specializes in helping businesses, school districts, governmental agencies and nonprofit organizations reach targeted audiences.

The firm's many diverse clients make enormous contributions to the community and the public relations firm has been instrumental in helping them accomplish their goals.

All Whisenhunt associates have extensive experience with print and digital media. 
Stan Whisenhunt
Whisenhunt Communications