actors Marin Ireland and Jon Bernthal rehearse for the upcoming “Ironbound” performances are Nordhoff students Jasper Gaggia and Lincoln Robison from left: actors Michael Govan Hackett and Marin Ireland and Nordhoff Theatre Arts Director John Hoj Acclaimed Hollywood actor and longtime Ojai resident Jon Bernthal is launching a major cultural and educational initiative aimed at revitalizing the performing arts for local students and the wider Ojai Valley community known for his roles in “The Punisher,” “King Richard,” and “The Wolf of Wall Street,” as well as hit series like “The Walking Dead” and “The Bear,” is spearheading the creation of the Ojai Theatre Festival which will bring Broadway-caliber productions to Ojai while investing directly in the local school district The Ojai Theatre Festival will open with “Ironbound” by Pulitzer Prize-winner Martyna Majok timely story of a Polish immigrant’s struggle to survive in America Bernthal will star alongside Tony-nominated actress Marin Ireland acclaimed for her emotionally powerful work on both stage and screen Speaking exclusively to the Ojai Valley News, Bernthal said launching this theater festival has been a dream years in the making: “Ever since studying (at the Moscow Art Theatre School) in Russia, I’ve wanted to create a theater focused equally on performance and education, passing knowledge from experienced artists on to younger generations.” At the heart of the project is the transformation of the former Chaparral Auditorium, a long-unused performance space owned by Ojai Unified School District in downtown Ojai. Bernthal and his producing partners, Josh Bitton and Isidora Goreshter, are converting the site into a fully equipped black box theater designed for both professional productions and use by Nordhoff Junior High and High School. “We’re building a black box theater within the existing structure,” Bernthal explained. “We’re installing professional-grade lighting and sound systems that will stay permanently for Nordhoff students to use for their own productions.” According to John Hoj, director of Nordhoff Theatre Arts, Chaparral fills a much-needed gap between the district’s large and small performance spaces. “Chaparral is the sweet spot in size, location, and flexibility,” he said. “It creates a unique theater experience where no one is more than 30 feet from the action.” Beyond infrastructure, the festival is placing a strong emphasis on educational access. Rehearsals are open to Nordhoff students, who have had the opportunity to observe the process, participate in talkbacks with the cast and crew, and receive mentorship from visiting actors and directors.  While not open to the public, these sessions offer rare behind-the-scenes access to working professionals. “Students are getting real-time exposure to actors, directors, and technicians,” Hoj said. “The mentorships and learning opportunities are already creating special moments for our theater students.” Bernthal added: “This is really what the project is about. We’re excited, and I believe audiences are going to really connect with the play.” Looking ahead, the initiative is designed as a long-term collaboration with the school district, and Bernthal hopes the festival will continue to grow. “Ultimately, we hope to build a program that positions Nordhoff as a leading center for professional-level theater training,” he said. “The focus right now is on delivering world-class productions here in Ojai, at an affordable price, and inspiring young artists the way transformative theater experiences inspired me growing up.” Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to read or post comments. One subscription gets you full access to the Ojai Valley News | Ventura County Sun coverage daily online, weekly in print and when it breaks. Included is the E-Edition, news alerts, newsletters, and OVN archives. Subscribe today for as little as $1.12 per week. 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Print Jon Bernthal is in his preferred habitat: on a stage At Los Angeles’ storied Rogue Machine Theatre he volleys dialogue with actor Marin Ireland while rehearsing an upcoming performance of the play “Ironbound” as part of his decades-long passion project premiere of “The Accountant 2” in a few hours his excitement for this particular process and the material is palpable “Theater has always been the closest thing that I’ve ever known to church to spirituality and to religion,” said Bernthal “I feel like I have a connection to something so much bigger than myself This is about [collaborating with] artists who love this and Bernthal will be back in that favored haven He and his co-artistic directors will launch the Ojai Theatre Festival with their inaugural production “Ironbound.” Taking place at Ojai’s Chaparral Auditorium over two weekends in May the project is a labor of love for everyone involved most of whom are donating their time and talents a major component of which included renovating a closed public school building to use as the performance venue that will be donated to the local school’s arts department after the festival rarely used building from a defunct school district and we’ve refurbished it,” explained Bernthal “We put in state-of-the-art lighting and sound and we’re donating it to the Nordhoff theater department and to the Højs who are [Nordhoff High School’s] drama teacher and dance teacher They’re institutional artists that have raised so many young artists and now they will have a theater for their performances.” Joining Bernthal on his mission are longtime friends Josh Bitton and Isidora Goreshter who want to bring Broadway-caliber productions and arts programs to the local community “We’re just three actors trying to figure out how to throw a theater festival in Ojai,” said Goreshter he’s always wanted to bring theater to Ojai.” Given Bernthal’s demanding work schedule over the last year and a half the actor entrusted Bitton and Goreshter with big decisions and finding the space where they’d host the festival I walked in [to the Chaparral] and had chills,” Goreshter continued ‘This is it.’ The building means a lot to the community Bernthal has lived in the small, formerly sleepy valley town for 10 years with his wife it’s the most I’ve ever felt at home,” he said “I’ve become friends with everybody on the school board I play basketball with them and I’ve coached their kids.” Seeing firsthand how gentrification and rapidly rising housing costs have started to negatively affect the mostly blue-collar town and the thing that I think has suffered the most is the public school,” he said “I want to show the kids [here] what a life in the arts is about.” the actor is dedicated to preserving the integrity of the close-knit community while fostering its artistic growth doing a theater festival has always been a dream of mine “I hope this doesn’t come off too grandiose or douchey but as I see the place changing in the way that it is I wanted to bring something great to this town and to do it in the right way for the right reasons.” The actor is proud to be fulfilling his dream and supporting it financially Bernthal credits his mother, Joan, with recognizing his potential as a performer early on. Born and raised in an affluent suburb of Washington, D.C., his younger years were plagued with what he called “complete buffoonery” — street fights, misplaced aggression and behavior that resulted in multiple arrests. Bernthal’s mom, a social worker, sent him to his first acting class essentially as punishment, an initial toe dip that he said felt electric, like “touching the third rail.” Entertainment & Arts ‘Star Wars’ actor Alden Ehrenreich bought a historic trolley station in Cypress Park and transformed it into a hub for artistic work and creativity Because he was an athlete heading to New York’s Skidmore College on a baseball scholarship In college he “took a theater course really by accident,” taught by his future mentor Alma Becker “Tapping into the same energy that in my life got me in trouble I found that taking the energy of a room and turning it on its head scaring myself … was actually getting me love and respect and encouragement.” Acting was the answer “It was like I was dead set on proving everybody I was a real Class-A f— up,” he said but Becker stuck by him and helped get him into the prestigious Moscow Art Theatre program in 1999 “She really saved my life,” he said of Becker whose name Bernthal has lovingly tattooed on his forearm along with the emblem for the Moscow Art Theatre “For a kid who thought he was this tough street-smart kid from D.C. I was in for a very rude awakening,” he said “It was the most rigorous and disciplined training I had ever gone through.” The day Bernthal returned from Moscow and in 2002 he graduated with a master of fine arts from Harvard “There’s no way I would be able to put food on my kids’ table by doing this if it wasn’t for Alma and the decision to go there.” Launching the festival is giving Bernthal not only an opportunity to practice his favorite art form but to pay it forward “We really want to make theater that everybody will enjoy,” said Bernthal “We want to put on plays that you could only see in New York or London or maybe in L.A. but to make it all open for the public school kids.” All “Ironbound” rehearsals will be open to the public and local students are involved in the production They’re going to work at the theater,” said Bernthal we’re going to have classes for the kids.” Jon Bernthal (standing next to director Guillermo Cienfuegos) and actor Marin Ireland rehearse an upcoming performance of the play “Ironbound.” (Marcus Ubungen / For The Times) “I really want to show L.A. “This is not going to be valet parking and [trendy] restaurants This is an Ojai thing put on by and with Ojai residents It’s for this town and will always be for this town.” All proceeds will go directly to the school district with all associated programs and classes available for free for local students They hope to expand the event from one play to an annual festival with multiple productions in the coming years to make Ojai a bona fide theatrical destination “I want my kids to grow up around and among a real thriving theater community but I cannot wait to have a bunch of 10-year-old Ojai kids as ushers And when people see how polite and respectful and how present they are I want that same magic to [happen for] those same kids when they watch this complicated play and be [transformed] like ‘What the f—?’ ‘Holy s—.’ ‘This is possible.’” Where: The Chaparral Auditorium, 450 E. Ojai Ave., OjaiWhen: 8 p.m. May 9-10; 3 p.m. May 11; 8 p.m. May 16-17; 3 p.m. May 18Tickets: $35 (profits will be donated to the Nordhoff High School theater arts department)Contact: Ojai Theatre Festival Hollywood Inc. Travel & Experiences Music Television Subscribe for unlimited accessSite Map UCLA PhotographyWomen's Tennis Set for Big Ten Tournament in Ojai April 23 Deputies are investigating a break-in April 26 at an Ojai house while residents were inside A resident in the 800 block of Mercer Avenue The city contracts police services with the sheriff's office The resident reported seeing a light flash under a bedroom door while putting a child to bed A prowler opened the door and flashed the light in the resident's eyes the person ran from the home through a sliding glass door and drove away Because the light was flashed in the resident's eyes the victim could not provide of full description but video footage in the neighborhood indicated the prowler drove away in a white car that is possibly a Mercedes The sheriff's captain said there was no forced entry so investigators believe the prowler entered through the sliding door Deputies searched the area but were unable to locate the vehicle Anyone with information about the inicident is asked to call the Ojai station at 805-646-1414 Stacie N. Galang is the news director of the Ventura County Star. She can be reached at 805-437-0222 or by email at stacie.galang@vcstar.com Ojai Valley News photo by Perry Van Houten pictured outside District headquarters in Ojai on April 29 Marshall Alford is the new Ojai District ranger after taking the helm in early March from the retiring Tim Short was born and raised in the central Rockies of Colorado and Forest Service as a seasonal employee on a trail crew “I really got hooked on natural resource management and that informed my selection of a degree that aligned with the work I wanted to do,” he told the Ojai Valley News After graduating from Colorado State University with a bachelor’s degree in natural resources management and a minor in conservation biology Alford took a position as a natural resource specialist for the USFS in northern New Mexico Landing a job with the Forest Service as a recreation manager in Utah “I decided I needed to try out being a district ranger and had an opportunity to take a ranger position on the Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest where I was also working in recreation,” Alford said With Alford’s sister living in the Ventura area “this position opening up was just a wonderful opportunity in my career to move closer to my family instead of farther away,” he said Family includes “Turquoise,” a 2-year-old Chesapeake Bay retriever “He loves hitting the trails with me,” Alford said “Hiking has been a pretty significant part of the way that I explore a landscape.” hunting and fishing are other favorite outdoor activities Alford’s first few months as Ojai District ranger have been a time for listening and understanding I’m sensing what is and is not in need of change as I’m incoming to this position I’m not eager to run in and change what does work,” he said “I’d really like to have a well-engaged team that is integrated with the community and serves the natural resource objectives that we have laid out in our land management plan.” includes a recreation specialist and two recreation technicians along with a full complement of fire personnel Firefighting resources across the District include five engines the Sundowners hand crew and a contract helicopter “They’re well-positioned to engage in fire suppression and response activities on forest lands,” Alford said As for ongoing USFS projects in the southern Los Padres many involve recovery from the 2017 Thomas Fire and the debris flows that followed “Those two events paired together have resulted in quite a bit of storm damage and resource impacts that have affected our roads and our trails and have really structured a lot of the project work that we’re undertaking right now,” Alford said Alford looks forward to participating in the projects he oversees on the District field work has been an essential component of the way we implement projects and how we stay connected to the work we do,” he said And the Ojai Ranger District will remain firmly connected to the many forest-lovers who help maintain trails “Our volunteers are a critical resource,” he said “not just for implementing our project work but for how we work closely with communities who care so deeply about the natural resources and the landscapes they engage with.” Email notifications are only sent once a day or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to read or post comments One subscription gets you full access to the Ojai Valley News | Ventura County Sun coverage daily online Subscribe today for as little as $1.12 per week Thank you for supporting local independent accurate View archived e-Editions of Ojai Valley News Subscriber digital copy of Friday's newspaper Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the email address listed on your account Filters Close filters Neighborhood All Ojai Ventura County Category all Meditation Center Library Art Museum More Less Parks & Trails all Park More Less Price Print Spiritual seekers have flocked to Ojai Valley for more than a century on a quest for truth wisdom and self-knowledge.In the area’s many meditation centers pilgrimage sites and awe-inspiring natural spaces modern-day visitors can follow in their footsteps There are many reasons to visit the Ojai Valley — the hiking this small mountain town an hour east of Santa Barbara has been drawing spiritual seekers to its beautiful environs for meditation inspiration and the dream of building a new Ojai’s modern spiritual roots can be traced back to 1922 when the philosopher and teacher Krishnamurti and his brother Nitya arrived in the rural mountain town with the hope that its warm dry climate would soothe Nitya’s tuberculosis The brothers enjoyed their time in the peaceful scenic valley so much they decided to keep a permanent residence there and Krishnamurti continued to speak and teach in Ojai until his death in 1986 at the age of 90 Krishnamurti was already a well-known spiritual teacher when he arrived in Ojai and his presence drew early 20th century seekers to the valley to attend his lectures The area’s reputation as a spiritual center received a further boost in 1924 when the Theosophical community Krotona which was dedicated to “the spiritual awakening of the human family,” left its original home in Hollywood and moved to Ojai as well Stay up to date on the best things to do, see and eat in L.A When Annie Besant, president of the Theosophical Society, an international organization dedicated to the study of the world’s wisdom traditions, visited Ojai in 1927, she wrote that it would one day become the “cradle of the New Civilization of America.” She promptly raised funds to buy 520 acres in upper Ojai where she could establish a school that would educate future members of this new society Annie Besant thought it could take 700 years for Ojai to birth the new civilization she saw in her vision, but that shouldn’t stop you from visiting now and perhaps sowing your own seeds of spirituality and connection to the divine. Here are six places where you can ground, meditate and experience Ojai’s rich spiritual history for yourself. Lifestyle Pictured are some of the artists participating in the Upper Ojai and East End OSA mini tour on May 10 The “bite-sized” mini tour takes visitors through gorgeous scenery and includes famed Ojai artists Gayel Childress Sylvia Raz and the estate of the late Nancy Whitman along with two artists new to OSA and the local arts scene: abstract painter Douglas Teiger and interdisciplinary wunderkind Rebecca Odes who will be showing a new group of her accomplished oil paintings “The East End is really special,” she said “It’s a chance to really take in the beautiful mountain views orchards and gardens bursting with Spring.” Susan Stinsmuehlen-Amend will unveil fanciful stained glass creations she calls “Whimseys,” linear forms based on doodles sketched on Post-It Notes while on the Phone or Zoom calls Also on the Amend compound is ceramist Wyatt Amend showing off his unique techniques for emulating glass goblets and drinking vessels and the striking semi-abstracts of Richard Amend who “remains completely open to unexpected consequences with surprising destinations.” Painter Emily Thomas MaHarry welcomes guests into a new studio that reflects her vivid landscapes “It’s located exactly where I like to be — in the mountains “I spend a lot of time in the areas I paint before I paint them Sandy Treadwell opens up his home studio to display charcoal portraits — many of famed local Ojai residents — made since discovering he could draw at age 67 The studio of ceramist Valerie Freeman is tucked in the foothills of Chief Peak offering visitors a chance to view recent work inspired by the animals and land found at the Turtle Conservancy and Taft Gardens Other highlights of the tour include the lustrous home goods of ceramist Emily Brown accomplished drawings and sculpture from Richard Franklin Christopher Noxon’s colorful semi-abstracts and intricate graphite drawings from former “Star Wars” model-builder Jeff Mann pictured on a hilltop above the valley he loved and fought to protect In describing Ojai resident John Broesamle's life's work of environmental conservation "Like a Cannon" serves as an inspiring call to action "Like a Cannon" is a short film created in the Ojai Valley Registration in advance is required at https://ojairetreatculturalcenter.org/event More information is online at https://ojairetreatculturalcenter.org/event Stock photo of Ventura County Sheriff's vehicle Ojai police are investigating the report of a stranger who fled a house with residents inside on Saturday A resident on the 800 block of Mercer Avenue in Ojai called 911 on Saturday after being “surprised by someone inside the house,” Ojai Det.-Sgt “We know it was very scary for the resident.” The resident was in the process of getting children ready for bed when they heard noises inside their residence according to a press release from the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office putting the time of the intrusion between 8:15 and 9 p.m “The suspect was scared away by the resident and they called 911,” according to the news release Dike said investigators are reviewing surveillance footage Ojai Police Chief Steve Jenkins said they believe there’s a “little crew” going around knocking on doors to see if anyone is home Detectives are currently working on the case and there are no known suspects at this time A vehicle of interest that was captured on video in the area is a newer white SUV Police are asking area residents to share with the police any video footage from their surveillance cameras to help locate the suspect or suspects. Videos can be submitted at: tinyurl.com/bdfaf8fj  Anyone with information about the incident can also call Det Several species of trees soak up the sun on April 30 after being planted at Soule Park on Boardman Road in Ojai as part of a phased plan to replace 82 trees that were killed by improper use of an herbicide to abate weeds Several trees have been planted at Soule Park on Boardman Road in Ojai as part of Ventura County’s plan to plant 300 trees to replace 82 trees that were killed when county staff improperly applied herbicides containing imazapyr at the base of large mature sycamores Following Ojai Valley News reports in 2023 about dying trees at multiple county parks and an investigation Ventura County Agricultural Commissioner Korinne Bell cited Ventura County Parks in 2024 for improper applications of imazapyr for weed control that led to the deaths of more than 400 trees at various county parks Those violations did not include the tree deaths at Soule Park No violations were issued regarding the death of the Soule Park trees due to a legal issue regarding the dates of the improper application of herbicide being outside the statute of limitations to issue a violation Ventura County Parks Deputy Director Colter Chisum told the Ojai Valley News on May 1 that there are no plans to move forward with RV camping at Soule Park That plan had been proposed as a way to increase revenue at the park The county parks department was creating a master plan for the park with trails and other amenities there is not revenue for additional amenities like trails,” said Chisum May 2 ONLINE UPDATE: Responding by email Chisum wrote: "The current tree planting is our Phase 1A which includes 29 trees Selection and installation of the trees has been in coordination with certified arborist Dave Muffley of Oaktopia and our contracted landscape architect PCLD (Pacific Coast Land Design) Trees are being thoughtfully installed based on size and location relative to existing park features and viewsheds the Parks Team will work on the scheduling for the next phase of trees." The county also had the soil tested "for the presence of imazapyr" where these trees are being planted "and there was none detected," Chisum said HERE is past OVN reporting on the countywide tree deaths at Ventura County managed parks that resulted in the deaths of 400 trees. 2 Ohio State University Women’s tennis celebrates their 4-3 victory over No 1 Michigan in the first ever Big Ten Women’s Tennis Tournament at The Ojai on Saturday The battle came down to a final match on Court 4 at Libbey Park where OSU freshwoman Nao Nishino defeated U of M Emily Sartz-Lunde in the third-set of the final match Ojai volunteers roll the water off Libbey Park courts 1 and 2 after a downpour on Saturday morning 2025 QuickStart Tennis Challenge main champions Kamran and Kian Lashkari from Sunset Elementary School and finalists Ivy and Lou Kaufman are pictured on Lower Libbey Park courts on April 27 6-3) in the Girls 14s Singles Final on Sunday 6-3 in the Girls 16s Singles Final during the 123rd Ojai Tennis Tournament on April 27 Junior Girls 18s Singles champion and local Weil Tennis Academy student Waverly Potter 6-1 in the final at Ojai’s downtown Libbey Park on April 27 Junior Girls 18s Doubles champions and local Weil Tennis Academy students Waverly Potter (left) and Logan Cates defeated Mia Wolter and Lisa Lieberman in the final on April 27 at Libbey Park in Ojai 1 Seed Christian Pohoski (pictured) defeated No 3 Jaxon Moore in the 123rd Ojai on April 27 by a score of 7-6 (7-4) Local Weil Tennis Academy student Sergio Garin 6-1 in the Junior Boys 16s Singles Final on April 27 at Libbey Park in Ojai 6-4 in the Boys CIF Singles event at The 123rd Ojai on April 27 3C2A Women’s Singles champion Mina Koloski (Chabot College) defeated Aileena Hu (American River College) 3-6 6-3 in the CCCAA tournament final on April 27 in Ojai 3C2A Women’s Doubles champions Paige Valenzuela and Julianna Vich San Antonio College defeated Callie Tzab and Yoshino Fujita of Santa Barbara City College by a score of 6-2 Two 3C2A men from Irvine Valley College faced off in the Men’s Singles Final during the 123rd Ojai Tennis Tournament The Irvine Valley duo of Luciano Pardo and Nick Grove defeated Foothill College’s Keisuke Ariga and Abdala Quintero in the 3C2A Men’s Doubles Final at Libbey Park in Ojai on April 27 Ojai Valley News photo by Holly Roberts     Open Women’s Singles champion Ava Markham in action during her Ojai Open Women’s Championship Final versus three-time champion Chanel Simmonds Markham pulled out the win in three sets (6-4 1 Seeds Stefan Menichella (right) and Garrett Patton defeated No 6-4 in the Ojai Open Men’s Doubles Final on April 27 The 2025 Ojai Men’s Open Singles Champion Allessandro Ventre getting airborne during his 6-3 6-3 victory over Stefan Menichella in the final on April 27 at Libbey Park The match start was delayed somewhat due to rain 1 Seeds Eduarda Piai and Shakhnoza Khatamova defeated No 3 Frances Angelica Santiago and Lucia Quiterio in three sets during the final at the 123rd Ojai Tennis Tournament American River College (pictured) defeated Bakersfield College 5-3 in the the 2025 California Community College Athletic Association State Women’s Team Final during the 123rd Ojai Tennis Tournament Irvine Valley College (pictured) defeated Foothill College 5-3 in the 2025 California Community College Athletic Association State Men’s Team Final during the 123rd Ojai Tennis Tournament defeated Trevor Nguyen and David Tran of Marina High School The 123rd Ojai Tennis Tournament wrapped up all division finals on Sunday April 27 after a week full of jam-packed QuickStart No where else can one find so many different levels of tennis happening all in a single event Cooler than usual temps prevailed all week while puffy cumulus clouds made for a spectacular backdrop against the Topatopa Mountains surrounding the small town of Ojai Although rain cells were expected on Saturday morning significant rain showers drenched the Ojai courts The Tea Tent volunteers dried off all the tables and chairs once Lester Cook’s morning youth tennis clinic was canceled and crews of volunteers hit the courts with squeegees and brooms No one would have imagined that it had ever rained by the time the first matches began on completely dry courts at 1 p.m The Ojai Tennis Tournament has embraced a panoply of juniors college and professional players to compete and vie to be remembered as one of the greats Champions and finalists receive medals and have their names etched into historic trophies while their photos will become part of the walk of fame Some of those very juniors or college players have gone on to win grand slams To become part of The Ojai is to be part of something much bigger than oneself 123rd Ojai Tournament Champions and Finalists “The 2025 QuickStart Tennis Challenge was again a big success We had 30 students from three different schools (Mira Monte and Sunset),” said Director Philippe Gache and included both a main draw with single elimination All participants received a tennis goody bag and an event t-shirt with the winners and finalists in the main draw receiving trophies as well as the consolation draw winners also received $50 Tennis Warehouse gift certificates Main Draw Champions: Kamran and Kian Lashkari (Sunset Elementary School) Main Draw Finalists: Ivy and Lou Kaufman (Topa Topa Elementary) Consolation Draw Champions: Camila and Lorenzo Krankle (Mira Monte Elementary) Consolation Draw Finalists: Andrie Marlee and Cooper Wagner (Sunset) Junior Tournament Director Craig Fugle said that it was a challenging year because of the weather particularly on Saturday morning when it poured two different times and then on Sunday when the drizzle caused a couple of short delays so we made some adjustments on the Friday schedule then rescheduled Saturday morning matches to the afternoon,” Fugle noted The tournament added a shortened scoring format in order to fit in all the matches “We got two full rounds of juniors in at the new Nordhoff courts on into the evening using their lights including crews who could dry off the courts like masters,” added Fugle Champion: Rishvanth Krishna (University High School) Finalist: Matteo Huarte (Mater Dei High School) Champions: Caden Lee/Zhiyu Yuan (Beckman-Arnold High School) Finalists: Trevor Nguyen/David Tran (Marina High School) California Community College Athletic Association (3C2A) Ojai Collegiate Division Tournament Co-Director Jen Soller said the 3C2A decided not to make a format change and let everyone play it out.” Matches started at the Ojai Valley Athletic Club and moved to Weil Tennis Academy for the final four matches “The last matches finished under lights at 10:50 p.m.,” added Soller Tournament Directors Soller and Diane Hendrickson decided to move the scheduled Sunday morning matches from Lower Libbey Park to OVAC 3C2A finals for both women and men singles and doubles were also moved later in the day on Sunday at Libbey Park Finalist: Aileena Hu (American River College) Champions: Paige Valenzuela/Julianna Vich (Mt Finalists: Callie Tzab/Yoshino Fujita (Santa Barbara City College) Champions: Luciano Pardo/Nick Grove (Irvine Valley) Finalists: Keisuke Ariga/Abdala Quintero (Foothill College) Big Ten Women’s Tennis Tournament (NCAA Division 1) For the first time since the inception of The Ojai in 1896 the tournament included the Big Ten Women’s Tennis Tournament 2 Ohio State University played out in the final at Libbey Park on the evening of Saturday in spite of a rain delay earlier in the day OSU prevailed 4-3 over Michigan in an intense final match on Court 4 after the teams were tied 3-3 Michigan’s Emily Sartz-Lunde won her first set 7-6 (7-5) in a tiebreak against OSU’s freshwoman Nao Nishino then was up 6-5 at match point in the second set tiebreak server Sartz-Lunde received a point penalty for her third overruled line call in the match but the deficit proved too much of a hurdle Nishino won the third set 6-4 for the team point which put the Buckeyes in front of the Wolverines 4-3 3: Piper Charney/Emily Sartz-Lunde (U-M) d *Court Order of Completion: Doubles 3-1; Singles 2-1-5-6-3-4 Three-time Ojai Open Women’s Singles champion Chanel Simmonds once again played through to the final 4 Men’s Open Singles player Stefan Menichella did his best against No 3 Allesandro Ventre in their rocking final on Libbey Court 1 on April 27 Locals came out in numbers to watch the Open singles and doubles matches Many recreational players especially enjoy doubles action with its strategic and dynamic partner interaction Menichella turned around later in the day to play with partner Garrett Patton as the No 1 pair in the Men’s Open Doubles Final versus No 6-4 in an entertaining back-and-forth match that kept the crowd cheering 1 Women’s Open Doubles duo of Eduarda Piai and Shakhnoza Khatamova defeated No Champions: Eduarda Piai/Shakhnoza Khatamova [No Finalists: Frances Angelica Santiago/Lucia Quiterio [No Champions: Stefan Menichella/Garrett Patton [No Men’s Open Doubles Finalists: Ed Nava/Kristian Sharma [No Correction: 2025 Ojai Boys CIF Doubles champions Caden Lee and Zhiyu Yuan are from Beckman-Arnold High School while the Finalists Trevor Nguyen and David Tran are from Marina High School Protesters at Libbey Park in Ojai on April 5 Ojai Valley News photo by Kimberly Rivers  A person in an Elon Musk costume parades down the center lane on Ojai Avenue carrying a plastic chainsaw with the word "distraction" on it several hundred protesters gathered April 5 on Ojai Avenue in downtown Ojai protesting against President Trump’s actions to cut funding and close federal agencies WATCH a video of the protest on the Ojai Valley News YouTube Channel online HERE. Example of the exterior portion of a composting toilet Ojai’s Community Development Department is hosting a workshop on Sunday to help flush out some answers about amendments to the city’s tiny home ordinance the Ojai City Council is considering The council is considering amending city code to allow up to two “movable tiny homes” on a residential property and allowing the option of a compostable toilet if a sewer connection is not possible or cost-prohibitive and the city’s application and permitting process will take place 10 to 11 a.m on the west side of the Ojai City Hall campus at 111 W Ojai Valley News photo by Marianne Ratcliff who graduated from Nordhoff High School in 2008 is remembered with flowers and his photo at Summit Elementary School following a solo motorcycle crash in Upper Ojai on March 26 California Highway Patrol on scene of a fatal motorcycle crash on SR-150 in Upper Ojai in the parking lot of the vacant Summit School The motorcycle involved in a fatal crash in Upper Ojai in the parking lot of Summit School A solo motorcycle collision in Upper Ojai on Wednesday March 26 claimed the life of a Ventura man Flowers are placed along the fence at Summit Elementary School in Upper Ojai in memory of Chad Michael Gibson who was killed in a solo motorcycle accident on Wednesday in the parking lot of the school at 12525 Ojai Road Graveside services will be held for Chad on Friday Chad grew up in the Upper Ojai area and attended Summit Matilija Junior High and Nordhoff High School where he played football and graduated in 2008 He had worked at The Thacher School in Ojai A photo of Chad in his Nordhoff jacket is set among the flowers outside the school he attended all through his grade school years with his twin brother who works at the Stagecoach store next to the school was one of three sets of twins who attended Summit with the Gibson and Garcia twins and remembered her former classmate fondly local kid" she grew up with through her school years who would stop by the store from time to time Chad’s obituary in the April 4 edition of Ojai Valley News describes Chad as “an outgoing generous … He loved riding his motorcycle and hiking in the Punch Bowls near our home He was a standout football player for Nordhoff and enjoyed golfing and playing the guitar occurred as Chad was riding a 2022 Royal Enfield eastbound on the highway he crossed into the westbound lane and collided with a fence and a tree according to the California Highway Patrol He was pronounced dead at the scene by the firefighters from the local fire station according to first responders at the scene CHP officers and coroners also responded to the scene The motorcycle was reported down in the parking lot of Summit School except for one witness on the school grounds according to CHP Officer Weston Haver at the scene The cause of the crash is under investigation The crash was not impacting traffic on the two-lane highway Bob Skankey at the Tamesna Festival in 2013 celebrating the opening of the Center for Nomadic Life in Niger where he treated patients at the clinic and then trained traditional birth attendants from 2012 to 2015 Bob Skankey is being remembered as a humanitarian At the Rotary Club of Ojai’s April 4 meeting at the Aquinas Center Bob’s” fellow Rotarians gave recollections of his many and diverse acts of service and generosity To view a video of Dr. Skankey, click on the Ojai Valley Newsreel and fast forward to the 3:35-minute time stamp HERE said to have delivered more than 3,000 babies in the Ojai Valley Bob Skankey was an example of a life dedicated to ‘Service Above Self,’” said Rotary’s Mike Weaver Not only was the doctor generous with his time and talents “A few years ago when he moved to Utah to be closer to his family members Bob gave our foundation a donation of $100,000 to be used as we thought best to enhance our club projects,” he said One such project is the Rotary Club of Ojai Educational Foundation which annually gives $150,000 in scholarships to graduating seniors from the Ojai Valley “Bob is an innovator and problem-solver by nature,” said Dr “(He) leaves a legacy of service locally as well as internationally.” Community Memorial Hospital and local donors Skankey helped establish and support a free clinic on Roatan When the clinic ran out of supplies used to detect cervical cancer the doctor came up with an effective alternative using simple vinegar the Foundation established a health clinic to serve nomads on their migration route Of the 837 patients the clinic saw the first week stocking and furnishing the clinic with a Rotary grant “My life and work were transformed by knowing him,” Clark said “Not only did he create the most significant program the Nomad Foundation has ever done he was just as interested in projects in Ojai Fred Fauvre in 1995 started the “Freedom Run,” which happens just before the Ojai Independence Day Parade with Nordhoff High School track coach Ken Reeves Skankey created “Student of the Month” to honor outstanding students for sportsmanship and leadership Skankey and Judy Gabriel started Club MAD (Making a Difference) a Rotary-sponsored club at Matilija Junior High School that did local service projects director of the Ojai Valley Family Shelter and circulation manager at  Ojai Valley News “Bob always encouraged people in the good things they were doing and he trusted in the goodness of people,” said Kay Bliss Bliss described the doctor as “a devoted husband and father who loved being with his family.” “We were so lucky to know him and see the many ways he left the world a better place.” Pictured at last year’s Ojai Pixie Tangerines Celebration are the Ojai Valley Chamber of Commerce and local growers are throwing a free party The third annual Ojai Pixie Tangerines Celebration is set for Saturday The event features locally grown Pixies by the truckload we have over 30 local artisans participating,” said Chamber CEO Jamie Fleming “Most will have tangerine as part of their offerings Ojai Syrup Company and Pixie’s General Store music from a group returning for a third year will fill the sweet-scented air Local growers will be on hand to talk all things Pixie just-picked tangerines from two antique farm trucks “The growers just seem to love talking to the community,” Fleming said “and I always get a big smile seeing them downtown “We’re really looking forward to it,” said Emily Ayala with Friend’s Ranches and the Ojai Pixie Growers Association “We’ll have Pixies for sampling and Pixies for sale We hope people get their hands nice and sticky from eating Pixies.” Ojai Pixie lunchboxes with artwork by cartoonist and local resident Sergio Aragonés will be offered for sale Pick up a free Pixie bumpersticker while you shop at vendor booths selling tangerine-themed wares “It’s always interesting for the growers to see what people in town make out of the Pixies,” Ayala said A new contest will challenge you to “Guess the Number of Pixies” for fun and prizes To help celebrate Ojai Pixie Tangerine Month Topa Topa Brewing Co.’s Pixie IPA will debut on Saturday at the brewery’s Colt Street location in Ventura A Friend’s Ranches stand will give out Pixies at the event The Pixie IPA will also be available at Topa Topa’s Ojai location runners in the 13th Mountains 2 Beach Marathon will be treated to Ojai Pixies as they cross the finish line Plans are being finalized now for the traditional Pixie giveaways at local schools “We definitely have the fruit for it,” she said And growers have plenty of Pixies for a longer-than-normal season “We’re about halfway harvested,” Ayala said Ojai Pixie Month pennants hang beneath the arches of the Arcade Other Ojai Valley Chamber of Commerce events coming to Fountain Plaza at Libbey Park this year include the Ojai Local Lavender Celebration on Saturday An Ojai Olive Oil Celebration is set for Saturday “We celebrate a lot of things through the year,” Fleming said Ojai Valley News Foundation receives a $5,000 Volun-T grant from T-Mobile at the April 17 Ventura Chamber of Commerce Business Expo Ojai Valley News publisher and Ojai Valley News Foundation executive director; Robert Lobato Pictured in the background on the far left is Dan Browne T-Mobile presented the Ojai Valley News Foundation with a $5,000 grant from its Volun-T grant program at the April 17 Ventura Chamber of Commerce Business Expo “The Ojai Valley News Foundation applied for and received a grant to assist with the expansion of the Ojai Valley News Ventura County bureau,” said Laura Rearwin Ward “It is nice to see a large company doing business in the Ojai Valley taking an interest in our local community.” The Ojai Valley News Foundation’s mission is to support Ventura County-owned, adjudicated, independent newspapers by expanding reporting coverage, promoting local media literacy and access, preserving newspaper history, and fostering professional relationships within the local independent news community. To learn more, visit: OVNF.org.  T-Mobile’s Volun-T Grant Program provides employees an opportunity to apply for funding from the T-Mobile Foundation to support volunteer projects in their local communities Through T-Mobile’s Employee Matching program employees can volunteer and receive donations to support the causes that inspire them the most T-Mobile employees in the Ojai Valley have provided a total of $25,000 ($5,000 to each) in funding to five organizations through its Volun-T Grant program • December 2024: Boys & Girls Club of Ojai Valley • April 2024: Ojai Valley Youth Foundation • October 2023: Ojai Valley Land Conservancy said: “I’m deeply proud of the support that we have been able to offer our beautiful Ojai Valley community Our retail team at Red Horse Plaza remains dedicated to serving our customers and I’m honored to serve local businesses as we continue the meaningful tradition of giving back.” Rearwin Ward added: “It is rare we see this kind of support at the local level and I appreciate the reach-out and personal interest Robert Lobato has shown to local news on behalf of T-Mobile.” In addition to T-Mobile’s Volun-T grant program an initiative started in 2021 to provide up to $50,000 in funding to 25 towns each quarter to kick-start local development projects that enhance and strengthen their communities the initiative has provided more than $15 million in funding to 375 communities across 48 states and Puerto Rico 14 towns have received a total of more than $600,000 for their communities T-Mobile awards 25 Hometown Grants to small towns and U.S territories with populations of 50,000 or less To apply for a Hometown Grant, visit t-mobile.com late-season storm that arrived on Saturday April 26 brought between a quarter and a half an inch of rain to locations around the Ojai Valley A few inches of snow fell at elevations above 5,000 feet but not enough to cause travel impacts on SR-33 through Los Padres National Forest or I-5 over the Grapevine Maximum temperatures over the weekend were on the chilly side with highs around the valley only in the mid-to upper 50s recorded a high of 46 on Saturday and 50 on Sunday Forecasters predicted clear skies and a warming trend through Tuesday with highs near or slightly above normal on Tuesday “Expect more in the way of low clouds during the night through morning hours Tuesday night through Friday,” forecasters said “There will be a few degrees of cooling Wednesday with minor day to day changes in temperatures through Friday.” Highs in the lower 70s should be the rule in Ojai the remainder of the week An upper level low pressure system could bring some light rain or showers to the Ojai Valley over the weekend but cold upper lows in early May can sometimes produce some surprises,” forecasters said “including thunderstorms and low-ish snow levels For the latest forecasts and weather information, see weather.gov/lox/ Rainfall totals from the weekend storm include: Zyanya Valora remains missing, and more information and ways to help are available on the GoFundMe set up for the family at: https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-zyanyas-search-every-dollar-counts  Photo via Ventura County Sheriff's Office  More information on Beverly Sabo's missing person's case is available at: https://www.venturasheriff.org/cold-cases/ More information on James Todd's missing person's case is available at: https://www.venturasheriff.org/cold-cases/ More information on Debra, Joshua, and Jackson Kidwell's missing person's case is available at: https://www.venturasheriff.org/cold-cases/ More information on Kathy Silveri's missing person's case is available at: https://www.venturasheriff.org/cold-cases/ Three local law enforcement departments are hosting what's being called a first-of-its-kind event in Ojai focusing on missing persons’ cases throughout the county "Missing in the Ojai Valley" will be held from 10 a.m in the Nordhoff Junior High and High School parking lot at 1401 Maricopa Highway There are 235 active missing persons cases for Ventura County dating between 1969 and 2025 according to Ojai Police chief Steve Jenkins “Every person matters,” Jenkins told the Ojai Valley News “The Ojai Police Department and the Sheriff’s Office stand united with families of the missing and urging continued community support to help bring loved ones home.” The event is hosted by the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office Major Crimes Bureau in collaboration with the Ojai Police Department and the Ventura County Crime Analysis Unit “We’re trying to feature people from the Ojai Valley,” Ventura County Sheriff’s Office Det “People aren’t aware sometimes of all the missing people in Ventura County of all the missing people in the United States.” More than 563,000 people were reported missing in the United States in 2023 according to the FBI’s Crime Information Center with an estimated 125,390 potentially leaving voluntarily Investigators and experts will be on-site at the event to talk about the latest developments and practices using genealogical DNA with the goal of providing awareness and offering resources to the public “People don’t realize sometimes they have that missing piece that could solve a case,” Dyer said Families and friends of those who have disappeared are encouraged to attend the event and bring any photos or other items that may be relevant to the search Experts will also be on site from the Sheriff’s Office to help participants provide a DNA sample Kids and vulnerable adults can even create their own “Kid / Adult Print” that would be used by investigators if that person ever goes missing and hand and palm prints are gathered from those who want to participate Dyer said cases and information shared at the event will date back to the 1980s “That’s just the tip of the spear when it comes to some of these cases in Ventura County of people missing,” he said “It’s an important reminder that people know there are still people missing.”  One of those still missing from the Ojai Valley is Zyanya Valora at her home in the 11000 block of North Ventura Avenue in Mira Monte “Zyanya’s case is still very much at the forefront of the Sheriff’s Office,” Dyer said and that’s still something that weighs heavy; we’re talking less than a year (ago) when that happened.” Ojai’s Chief Jenkins confirmed that while leads on Zyanya have died down and encouraged anyone with information to reach out to the Sheriff's Office at 805-654-9111 Zyanya’s family shared that they will be attending the event with a table set up and with flyers featuring photos and other information on Zyanya A search for Zyanya will also take place that day are hopeful that another organized search will result in new leads doing one thing after another," Dac told the Ojai Valley News "We do our best to keep going on with the search." the family raised $10,000 to offer as a reward “for the successful location and physical recovery” of Zyanya They have not given up on finding their daughter Dac has attended several Ventura County Sheriff's Office "Coffee with a Cop" events held throughout the county to ensure that the search for her daughter continues She also leaves flyers about Zyanya in libraries and other community hubs hoping someone will know something and call the Sheriff's Office at 805-654-9111 or call 911 if they see Zyanya • The family has set up a GoFundMe page to support the ongoing search, which can be viewed online at https://tinyurl.com/554uav88 • There's also a Find Zyanya Facebook page, which is at: https://tinyurl.com/3vzb26jy • Zyanya was featured in an episode of the popular podcast “The Vanished,” which can be viewed at https://tinyurl.com/2uud9psp • And a message from Zyanya's family from July 2024 requesting the public's help in finding their daughter, is online at https://tinyurl.com/mt82dwak  Dyer said other Ojai-based cases will be discussed at the event was last seen at the Starbucks coffee shop in Ojai at 11534 N Her car was found abandoned at the start of the Gridley Trail leading into Los Padres National Forest according to reporting from the Ojai Valley News at the time Perry was in the early stages of Alzheimer’s Disease at the time of her disappearance who was reported missing by his wife on Nov According to information from the Ventura County Sheriff's Office Walker's wife said they were driving on Highway 33 near the Casitas Springs and Foster Park area when James stopped the vehicle and retrieved a firearm and some paperwork from the glovebox James then got out of the vehicle and walked away into the woods Walker's wife told investigators that James had been depressed since losing his job who was reported missing by his brother on Nov after failing to return from a hiking trip He was dropped off by his father on Toland Road in Santa Paula and was supposed to return later in the evening While a multi-day search was conducted by Ventura County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue Juliette Bates Grey was 76 when she was last seen on June 28 on a ranch on Bates Road in the Rincon area Grey was also reported to have Alzheimer's and had wandered away from her home but an extensive search of the area failed to find her Eight older cases of missing persons are also listed on the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office Cold Case website who went missing in May of 1979; James Todd who went missing in August of 2011; Alyssa Marie Burns who went missing in February of 2008; Marvin Blake Shahan who went missing in March of 2003; Kathy Silveri who went missing in January of 1996; and Beverly Gail Sabo More information on each of the cases is available at: https://www.venturasheriff.org/cold-cases/ Additional information on California cases is available at the Office of the Attorney General's California Missing Person's page at: https://oag.ca.gov/missing “These are local cases that the Sheriff’s Office still looks at,” Dyer said “We hope to do this again in other parts of the county.” An artist rendering of the “rewilded” Ojai Library courtyard Morgan Ramirez and Ron Solórzano in the Ojai Library courtyard on April 22 The Ojai Library is about to undergo a transformation a project is underway to “rewild” the courtyard with native plants The project is the vision of Ojai resident Karen Bellavita who frequently passes the library on her walks into town “I saw the courtyard as a calling out,” she said The guiding philosophy of the project is Ojai Valley Land Conservancy’s Rewild Ojai program Bellavita approached the nonprofit’s deputy director who brought in Rewild Ojai coordinator Claire Woolson Both immediately expressed their enthusiasm and support for the project Bellavita decided to put the Rewild philosophy to work at the library after seeing the recent restoration at Birdsong Ranch one of the premiere stops on this Saturday’s Rewild Ojai Native Garden Tour “This is the way to make native plants work in a public space,” she said The new courtyard garden is being designed to represent every element of Ojai a water feature representing the Ventura River and native grasses representing the valley’s meadows and grasslands “so that it feels like a microcosm of this environment we live in,” Bellavita said helped design the native garden at Birdsong She’s also designing the library courtyard “We’re opening up the corner and the courtyard for people to access,” she said by demolishing the 4-foot-high perimeter wall and creating an entrance from the corner of East Ojai Avenue and South Ventura Street “many of our references were found within Ojai public spaces,” Ramirez said “a vernacular along the trails and seen around the city.” The plan is to create an “ultimate courtyard and corridor” for people and wildlife alike The courtyard will become “an extension of the library,” said Bellavita No trees will be removed during the rewilding “and our boulder collection is also staying,” said Ramirez There will also be a “kids’ zone” and more bicycle parking When the library took the idea to officials with the county library system participants in the project include the Ojai Valley Library Friends and Foundation and the Library Courtyard Project Committee Ramirez has recently completed eight projects in Ojai “From observing what works there we’re able to bring that to the library,” she said As for which plants to plant in the courtyard “I’m focused right now on our keystone species because those are going to attract the most moths and the most butterflies Species to be planted both inside and outside the courtyard will include California buckwheat The existing turf will be removed and a native lawn will be installed “We will source all of our plants from OVLC,” said Ramirez and the courtyard will be a demonstration garden “We’re also trying to make this garden an example of what a fire-wise garden and landscape would look like.” With fundraising for the project expected to run through 2025 “we’re hoping to break ground in early 2026,” Ramirez said The county recently gave the green light to renovating the interior of the library starting as soon as this August and finishing by the start of 2026 a regional librarian with the Ventura County Library system gets excited when the community comes to him with an idea The courtyard project is “an example of that community feedback and also a really good idea that’s going to have a lot of positive impacts,” he said “We’ve thought about various elements like this over the years and to have it all come together all the things we’ve ever thought and dreamed of it’s just amazing to see it on the page,” Solórzano said the library will not only be a place to learn about topics such as history and literature but the courtyard will serve as “a teaching tool for the community,” he said “Education is such a big part of what we do.” BEFORE: Polecraft fencing lines both sides of the Ojai Valley Trail AFTER: The Ojai Valley Trail with polecraft fencing removed but due to be replaced in certain sections accessibility and overall enjoyment of the Ojai Valley Trail is targeted for completion in early summer The Ojai Valley Trail Repaving Project got underway Oct 14 and includes the resurfacing of the existing trail “You have 40-year-old asphalt that’s getting replaced and dilapidated fencing that’s being removed and relocated where needed,” Chisum said “It should look and feel close to what was originally laid out The three-phase project to “re-establish the trail corridor” covers 9.5 miles of the path used by walkers from Foster Park to the Soule Park Golf Course The fencing that was removed will be replaced by similar polecraft fencing “We’ll reinstall fencing at every intersection for a certain course of length and then monitor if there are any other places that benefit from having fencing returned after Phase 3 is complete,” he said Phase 1 of the project was nearing competion with fencing set to be installed in designated areas from Casitas Vista Road to Santa Ana Road between Feb Phase 2 is underway from Santa Boulevard to the Highway 150/33 split and compaction of the trail and repaving set to be finished by Feb and the installation of bollards and railing from Feb from Highway 33/150 to Soule Park Golf Course Resurfacing for Phases 1 and 3 should be finished in March To keep disruptions for trail-users to a minimum clearly marked closures of the trail during construction Funding for the project was provided by a grant from the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 The Ojai Valley Trail was created in the early ’80s after the county acquired the upper portion of old Southern Pacific Railroad right-of-way “There’s certainly the longterm vision,” Chisum said and “a lot of complexities to get bike riders through a golf course but it’s certainly something we’ve had conversations with folks in Ojai about.” The historic corridor for transportation provides a cherished connection between communities it has outdoor recreation health benefits for everyone it’s got exceptional views and wildlife landscape,” he said high-quality asphalt surface that should be great for everyone.” The "Missing in Ojai" event will no longer take place on Saturday according to Ojai Police Chief Steve Jenkins The decision to postpone the event came from the Ventura County Sheriff's Office Major Crimes Bureau Search & Rescue teams were planning to participate and conduct a search early in the morning on April 26 to look for Zyanya Valora a 22-year-old Ojai resident who has been missing since June 24 Because of the potential for rain and other dangerous conditions for the Search & Rescue team He Jenkins said the event might take place in May on a date with weather more conducive for a search this small yet vibrant town on Chumash land offers wine Grape-growing in the Ojai region dates back over 150 years to the arrival of Italian immigrants and Spanish missionaries modern winemaking in Ojai took root in the early 1980s with Adam Tolmach Tolmach initially co-founded the iconic Au Bon Climat alongside Jim Clendenen After parting ways with Clendenen in the early 1990s where he dedicated himself to crafting wines that have since put the region on the map Unlike other mountain ranges in the Americas that run north and south the local mountains are part of the unique Western Transverse Range an east-west-oriented formation that draws cool ocean air from the Pacific This rare geography creates a Mediterranean climate further inland – warm days cool nights and a gentle coastal influence – ideal for grape-growing and Ojai’s flourishing agriculture The town of Ojai is quaint and local-focused with its strict prohibition of chain stores With the popularity of the destination for out-of-towners Ojai is known for its organic and sustainable farming as well as its strong local artist community with numerous galleries and studios offering a variety of retreats and wellness centres Its natural hot springs have long been valued for their healing properties The culinary scene is robust now that out-of-towners dominate local tourism Check into the Ojai Valley Inn for the weekend the 100-year-old property redefines luxury the resort balances relaxed and luxe amenities with a reverence for the unspoiled natural beauty of the region that embodies the authentic spirit of Ojai Ojai Valley Inn offers championship-calibre golf wellness pursuits and kid-friendly activities Relax in your suite with unrivalled mountain views before dinner at Olivella onsite a fine-dining restaurant focusing on seasonal and local produce with valley-to-table dining California cuisine with Italian influence includes signature dishes such as kabocha squash caramelle Petrossian Royal Ossetra caviar with stracciatella pannacotta plus a ‘milk and honey’ dessert featuring local Brokaw Ranch kiwi and honey from the onsite apiary Wine pairings feature local producers and wines from classic regions of the world A visit to Ojai would not be complete without coffee and fresh pastries at The Dutchess in downtown Ojai The Dutchess features classic French baked goods coffee from locally roasted beans and a popular weekend brunch Come dinnertime the menu is full of dishes with Burmese-California flavours Highlights include the lamb masala and tea leaf salad With a full belly, head up the windy, narrow roads of Sulphur Mountain for a private wine tasting at Ojai Mountain Estate close to 3,000 feet (915 metres) above sea level and above the fog line you can see the Pacific and Catalina Island With a focus on Syrah and other Rhône varieties this high-elevation vineyard is biodynamically farmed The tight selection of wines is intense in colour with immense fruit concentration Return to the Ojai Valley Inn for a late lunch and treatment at the 31,000-square-foot luxury Spa Ojai Treatment highlights include the Pure Radiance Facial Don’t miss Ojai’s famous ‘pink moment’ at dusk which is visible from many locations on the property The fading sun emits an alpenglow of reddish and pink colours across the Topatopa Mountains you look east and see the sunset colours reflecting on the mountains This is one of only a handful of places in the world where a ‘pink moment’ happens For dinner, head downtown to Izakaya Full Moon for fresh sushi Enjoy a leisurely breakfast at the resort. Options include Libbey’s Market for something quick or to-go without sacrificing quality All bread and pastries are made fresh onsite including their not-to-miss riff on Pop-Tarts with a homemade Frosted Brown Sugar Cinnamon toaster pastry including challah french toast and the local ‘pink moment’ kombucha made with ginger embark on a guided walk through the sprawling Ojai Valley Inn property touring the gardens and other landmarks while enjoying the mountain vistas For a casual lunch, head back downtown to the ever-popular Ojai Rôtie for French-Lebanese rotisserie chicken including the crowd-pleaser ‘dippity dips’ a trio of Mediterranean dips served with grilled manouche flatbread Don’t miss the ‘Wine Box’ on the patio After filling up at lunch, head just outside downtown for a ‘secret garden’ style wine tasting with Walson Holland. The wines are made by Benjamin Holland who honed his skills at Amisfield in the Central Otago and Kosta Browne and Sine Qua Non in California which feature the Mélange Blanc and Rouge wines featuring both estate-grown and locally sourced Rhône varieties Rita Hills Chardonnay and Pinot Noir bottlings round out the thoughtful offering Dinner tonight downtown at Rory’s Place A trendy eatery with an extensive natural wine list that frames the menu Highlights include local Channel Islands uni tinned fish with Ritz crackers and dishes made with endless local produce Sisters Rory and Meave McAuliffe of Rory’s Place For your last breakfast stop before wine tasting, base up at Farmer and The Cook featuring a thick handmade corn tortilla with grilled potatoes Before heading out of town, it’s one last wine tasting at The Ojai Vineyard the aforementioned place that put Ojai wine on the map The simple yet stunning tasting room features a large glass room holding the library wines of the over-40-year-old local winery always had an affinity for Rhône varieties and the winery now makes more than two dozen different wines Taste in the sleek tasting room with the library wine room as your backdrop or on the more casual outdoor patio Time for a final jaunt through downtown Ojai for last-minute souvenir shopping. With their no-chain policy, something unique might strike your fancy. Not the souvenir type? A stop at Bart’s Books might be the answer The self-proclaimed largest outdoor bookstore in the world opened in 1964 Most of the books in its 130,000 collection are used you’ll leave the calm oasis of Ojai for the requisite traffic of southern California Three local law enforcement departments are hosting a first-of-its-kind event in Ojai focusing on missing persons’ cases throughout the county “Missing in the Ojai Valley” will be held from 10 a.m Experts will be on site from the Sheriff’s Office to help participants provide a DNA sample Kids and vulnerable adults can even create their own “Kid/Adult Print” that would be used by investigators if that person ever goes missing the 22-year-old Mira Monte resident who has been missing since June 24 will also be attending the event and hosting a search for Zyanya More information on the “Missing in Ojai" event as well as missing persons’ cases in Ojai and throughout Ventura County tinyurl.com/2mmxx5ax  Among those demonstrating in opposition to Trump administration policies on Saturday Behind them are supporters of Trump administration policies Jason and Kristen Kaufman with 4-month-old baby Brooke hold signs protesting Trump administration policies at the Feb 8 demonstration on the Arcade side of Ojai Avenue A Ventura man waves a "Trump 2024 Take America Back" sign in support of Trump administration policies at the Feb 8 demonstration on Ojai Avenue by Libbey Park Phil DiGiacoma of Ojai holds up a sign on the Arcade side of Ojai Avenue at the Feb people lined up on both sides of Ojai Avenue at Libbey Park on Saturday to demonstrate about Trump administration policies an hour and a half into the demonstration that started at 11 a.m. more than 60 people showed up to protest Trump policies and five to support Brooke Kaufman of Ojai was the youngest protester at 4 months old cradled her in one arm while holding up a sign in the other Jason said: “I think in times like this you remember the people who did nothing just as much as the people who are doing all the bad stuff we’re protesting against and it feels like there’s a community out here I feel like you can’t just sit around and do nothing.” “No one voted for Elon Musk,” said he was protesting because “we’ve got to do something.” of Ventura waved a black-and-white flag with the words “Trump 2024 Take America Back.” Near him was one pro-Trump supporter sporting a MAGA hat; one wearing a cowgirl hat with the word “Trump” on it holding a blue “Take America Back” sign; one waving a large U.S flag; and one holding a red “Take America Back” sign Of the supporters of Trump administration policies He said he came to the demonstration with his family One Ojaian who gave lengthy comments supporting Trump administration policies to the Ojai Valley News asked that he not be quoted “I want Trump out,” said Carol Munter of Ojai “It’s a complete betrayal of everything that America stands for Anne Shrage of Ojai said: “And I’m old enough to remember I remember people coming back from Germany with tattoos on their body Munter added: “My grandfather ran away from Germany when he was 13 because of the Brownshirts … And it’s hard to believe that even the Republicans who voted for him expected this “Voting Matters,” below a caricature of the statue of President Lincoln at the Lincoln Memorial holding his head in despair Ponnambalam said he immigrated from Sri Lanka because of the genocide against the Tamil people in 1983 “Dogs for Peace” Joey and Anbu (meaning love) To view a short video of the protest, click HERE a quiet revolution in food festivals is taking place While large-scale events often feel like crowded Ojai Food + Wine is designed to be something different—something personal This isn’t about endless lines at tasting booths or big-name sponsorships plastered across every surface it’s about connection: between chefs and diners and a community that values hospitality above all else emerged as a response to a void in the culinary landscape “There was an obvious absence of food and wine festivals from the pandemic years,” says Ben Kephart general manager of Ojai Valley Inn and the driving force behind Ojai Food + Wine Ojai Food + Wine didn’t appear out of nowhere Its roots trace back to The Farmhouse at Ojai Valley Inn a culinary retreat that seamlessly blends rustic charm with modern sophistication and a setting that instantly makes guests unwind The Farmhouse has become a destination in its own right its intimate chef series—bringing in culinary luminaries like Nancy Silverton and Evan Funke—laid the foundation for what would eventually become the festival Kephart and his team realized they had built something special The relationships forged through these one-night dinners could be expanded into a multi-day event allowing chefs and winemakers to showcase their work on a larger stage while maintaining the intimacy that makes The Farmhouse unique “We absolutely treasure our relationships,” Kephart says and when you bring someone into your home and your kitchen Unlike the sprawling chaos of other food festivals Ojai Food + Wine keeps things intentionally small and many are capped at just 20 or 30 people creating a rare level of access to top-tier talent “Having access to people you really admire is important,” Kephart explains “I’ve sat in wine seminars with over 100 people The 2025 lineup features more than 100 chefs Perhaps the most striking thing about Ojai Food + Wine is its commitment to balancing authenticity with partnerships Unlike other festivals that rely on major sponsorship deals Kephart and his team carefully choose partners that align with their vision “I find it really gross when festivals feel like NASCAR with corporate patches everywhere,” he says “We want to protect the integrity of this event.” That ethos extends to how the festival operates behind the scenes Ojai Valley Inn covers lodging for chefs and winemakers buys the wine for seminars (instead of requiring donations) and ensures that every participant—whether cooking “We really try to be good partners,” Kephart says “A lot of chefs don’t like coming to food festivals because they can feel like a cattle call But because of the intimacy of this place and the authenticity of the event everyone leaves here feeling really good about it the festival has already carved out a distinct identity The move to March from its original October slot makes it easier for winemakers and chefs to attend—without the constraints of harvest season or the post-holiday rush Though there’s no fixed theme for each year Kephart acknowledges the challenge of balancing returning favorites with fresh talent “Ojai has a way of throwing out the frauds It celebrates realism and individualism,” he says “So while we want to bring back the chefs and winemakers that made year one so special we also have a responsibility to introduce new faces—people who are destined for the Hall of Fame chef-driven approach and a commitment to keeping things intimate and meaningful Ojai Food + Wine isn’t just another festival—it’s a hospitality-driven experience for true food lovers Ojai Food + Wine takes place March 13–16, 2025. Individual event tickets and weekend packages are now available at ojaifoodandwine.com Cailee Spaeny and Carey Mulligan film a scene for the second season of Netflix's "Beef" in downtown Ojai in front of the Arcade on Monday The production base camp set up at Libbey Park with equipment and crew on Monday Crew members work in front of the arcade in downtown Ojai on Monday March 3 for the filming of the second season of the Netflix series "Beef." Crew can be seen holding up light diffusers and looking through monitors during the filming of the second season of the Netflix series "Beef" in downtown Ojai on Monday Actor Charles Melton (left) and Cailee Spaeny can be seen filming a scene for the second season of Netflix's "Beef" in downtown Ojai in front of the Arcade on Monday A-List actors and extras could be seen walking downtown Ojai in front of the Arcade on the morning and afternoon of Monday as Netflix and production company A24 took over the shopping area to film its second season of the popular series "Beef." Three-time Academy Award nominee Carey Mulligan could be seen on location as well as recent "Priscilla" and "Civil War" star Cailee Spaeny and Charles Melton of "Riverdale" fame equipment and crew members was set up near Libbey Park Fountain Production assistants and other crew members were present at crosswalks and corners to help direct foot traffic in-between scenes different companies will reach out to the city to do filming or photography; usually was a little bit bigger production," said Ojai Police Chief Trina Newman Newman said the crew is likely to finish by late afternoon and also shared that extra patrol deputies are out to help direct traffic and to ensure safety for those filming and walking by "We suggest that when they do events like that that they pay for extra enforcement out there to make sure the traffic keeps flowing correctly and that it doesn't cause any other constraints in the city in terms of pedestrian traffic or that they impede on any businesses or anything like that," Newman said "That's why you see the extra patrol staff out there."  The A24 and Netflix series "Beef' is a comedy-drama anthology that first premiered in April 2023 and received critical acclaim including for Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series as well as all three Golden Globe Awards it was nominated for including Best Limited or Anthology Series The second season of the series was confirmed in October with a brand-new cast which includes three-time Academy Award nominee Carey Mulligan Melton and Spaeny could be seen in downtown Ojai in front of the Arcade California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE)  Top: 2011 Fire Hazard map for the Ojai area Red areas show the designated "very high" hazard areas At that time that was the only fire hazard severity designation in use Bottom: 2025 recommended Fire Hazard Map for the Ojai area Yellow areas show "moderate" fire hazard severity Orange denotes the "high" fire hazard severity area Red shows the areas designated with a "very high" fire hazard severity orange and yellow are in the Local Responsibility Area for the Ventura County Fire Department See the 2025 recommended Fire Hazard Maps online HERE.  Cal Fire released updated Fire Hazard Severity Zone maps for the city of Ojai and the entire unincorporated Ojai Valley on March 10 The new maps added two types of hazard severity levels and increased the size of all severity levels in the city and across the valley Ojai Assistant City Manager Carl Alameda said “As Ojai is within the County Fire Protection District the county Board of Supervisors will be the body that formally adopts the new maps.” He said a presentation on the maps is tentatively scheduled for the Ojai City Council’s May 27 meeting There will be public comment at that meeting but the council will not be asked to take any action State law mandates that local agencies responsible for firefighting in the jurisdiction adopt the maps within 120 days of their release Ventura County Fire Protection District is responsible for fighting all fires for the entire Ojai Valley The maps show the surrounding open spaces areas where the responsibility shifts from the Ventura County Fire Protection District to Cal Fire and then to federal agencies The new interactive maps are online HERE.  as the local agency responsible for firefighting across the Ojai Valley can make changes to the level of Local Responsibility Area Fire Hazard Safety Zone that has been recommended by the Office of the State Fire Marshal The only change allowed by state law is an expansion of the areas under certain severity hazard levels According to the Ventura County Fire Protection District website the agency “is not proposing any additions or increases” in the Local Responsibility Area designated in the Fire Hazard Severity Zone County Fire public meetings on Fire Severity Maps Two meetings are set in May and will take place at the Ventura County Government Center Public comments will be accepted at both meetings — First hearing before the Board of Directors for introduction of the adoption ordinance (VCFPD Ordinance 33) read in title only and set full public hearing for adoption on May 20 Los Angeles resident Farah Ysvette Mourad Vera crosses the Ventura Marathon finish line in 2024 The Ventura Marathon starts in Ojai’s East End and ends in downtown Ventura Law enforcement officials expect traffic-related issues from a marathon that starts in Ojai’s East End this Sunday point-to-point Ventura Marathon starts at 6:30 a.m on McNell Road between Grand Avenue and Reeves Road Both directions of McNell will be closed between Grand and Reeves from 3 a.m to 8:30 a.m racers will head west on Grand Avenue and then turn south on Carne Road to SR-150 (Ojai Avenue) While the eastbound lane of Ojai Avenue will remain open during the full marathon the westbound lane between Carne Road and Maricopa Highway will be closed from 6 to 9:30 a.m seeing as the race starts fairly early in the morning There will be some delays but it should move along pretty quickly,” said Gunnar Dike administrative sergeant with the Ojai Police Department After running west on SR-150 into downtown Ojai they’ll reverse direction and complete a loop using Gridley Road “Probably Ojai Avenue for a portion and then Grand Avenue for a portion as the race circles around,” Dike said with “some minor impacts on Ventura Street and Blanche (Street) but those should be pretty insignificant because they’re not heavily traveled thoroughfares.” The course then follows West Ojai Avenue to the Y but but rather will turn right onto SR-33 (Maricopa Highway) to El Roblar Drive in Meiners Oaks “They (race organizers) changed the route just a little bit and made some minor modifications to it that will significantly reduce any traffic impacts It should move pretty smoothly,” Dike told the Ojai Valley News the course turns south onto Rice Road and then Baldwin Road (SR-150) before heading west to Burnham Road and then south on Burnham and Riverside roads to Santa Ana Boulevard in Oak View “We’ll have staff there at the intersections that will be impacted,” Dike said the race course joins the Ojai Valley Trail (the bike path) on Old Baldwin Road and finishes in downtown Ventura Dike expected the heaviest traffic in Ojai to occur before 8 a.m Exactly when the race clears the Ojai Valley is up to the pace of the racers VCSO personnel were scheduled to remain along the route until 11:30 a.m Fewer than 15 VCSO personnel — a combination of sworn and non-sworn staff — are needed to help with the event including the Ojai Police Department’s Volunteers in Policing Since the event is being held early Sunday morning and racers should be beyond the Ojai city limits by mid-morning “unless you’re running the race you’re not really going to know it’s going on,” Dike said For more information, visit venturamarathon.com Three-time Ojai Open Singles champion Chanel Simmonds in action during the Women’s Open Singles Final in 2024 on Court 1 at Libbey Park in downtown Ojai Simmonds will be back to compete for a fourth title The Ojai Tennis Tournament is around the corner April 23 to 27 The Ojai has attracted untold numbers of players coaches and fans to its many and varied levels of spirited competitions across Ventura County and ultimately at Ojai’s Libbey Park and implemented each year by the Ojai Valley Tennis Club with more than 600 volunteers The Ojai will offer up its 123rd iteration which includes five tournaments in one: Juniors California Community College Athletic Association (CCCAA) After the Pac-12 Conference dissolution last year The Ojai welcomes the Division 1 Big Ten Women’s Tennis Championship Tournament as one of its main draws for the first time in its history Here’s a peek at some of the expected action at this year’s Ojai: Junior tennis players throughout Southern California and beyond vie each year to compete for the chance to hold a trophy in Libbey Park and get their name etched into the history books local Weil Tennis Academy will have about 75 junior players out of 160 entrants competing in several divisions who is headed to play at the University of Washington next year Other Weil phenoms such as Sergio Garin will play in the Boys 16s as the No 1 Seed Marina Vigil takes on her peers in the Girls 16s Charlie Powers of Foothill Tech in Ventura will also compete in the Boys 16s event The top boys high school tennis players in Southern California will once again come to Ojai representing the California Interscholastic Federation’s Southern with 64 playing singles and 64 teams registered in doubles Tournament Director Craig Fugle said: “There has been a high school event at The Ojai since 1899 This is a remarkable event where the players are representing their schools and accompanied by their coaches such as Robbie Holdsworth of Nordhoff and Mateo Nix of Thacher.” Boys CIF action begins on the morning of April 24 at various sites around the valley while semifinals and finals will take place on April 26 at Libbey Park USC freshman Niels Hoffmann held off Topanga’s Lorenzo Brunkow from Palisades High Brunkow — the future UCSB Gaucho — will be highly seeded as he returns to vie for the prestigious Ojai title California Community College Athletic Association Men’s and Women’s Dual Team State Championship competitions begin April 23 at Ventura College while the Individual State Championships run April 24  to 25 at various sites Buena and Oxnard high schools and Ventura College 3C2A action moves to the Ojai Valley Athletic Club on Saturday while the finals happen at Libbey Park on Sunday The Ventura County men’s tennis team has been nothing short of a powerhouse the past couple of years Coach Nelson Emery’s Pirates won the CCCAA dual-team state championship in Ventura on the Wednesday of tournament week and then earned enough points Thursday through Sunday in the individual tournament to win the overall team title American River will be looking to three-peat and were led last year by the state’s No who is now playing for the University of the Pacific Cerritos and Santa Monica are other top teams vying for the title The Big Ten Conference — the oldest NCAA Division I collegiate athletic conference in the United States — was founded in 1896 which continues to be one of North America’s longest-running tennis tournaments Twelve teams out of the 18-school Big Ten Conference will vie for the right to hoist the Big Ten Women’s Tennis Tournament trophy on April 27 at Libbey Park Court 1 Former Pac-12 conference leaders such as UCLA USC and Washington will return to make a run at their new Big Ten competitors while forever rivals and conference leaders like Michigan and Ohio State will bring their ongoing battle to a historical event like no other Several Big Ten coaches and players have Ojai connections including Iowa Head Coach Sasha Boros from Poway and Badger player Taylor Cataldi from Corona Michigan Women’s Tennis Head Coach Ronni Bernstein who experienced The Ojai as an assistant coach with Arizona State earlier in her career also played and won an Open Doubles title at The Ojai in 1991 with partner Heliane Steden It will be exciting to see another part of the country a place that these kids haven’t experienced I do think it’s going to be great as far as competition.” Other Big Ten schools that will potentially make an appearance include programs such as Wisconsin though final seeding will not occur until regular season match play wraps up this week Ojai Big Ten dual match play takes place exclusively at Ojai’s downtown Libbey Park with four opening Round 1 matches on April 23 with semifinals on April 25 at noon and 3 p.m The Big Ten Women’s Tennis Tournament Final takes center stage at Libbey Park on April 26 at 5 p.m The Open tournament sponsors a purse of $20,000 in prize money divided equally among the women and men singles and doubles brackets Qualifiers take place at the Ojai Valley Athletic Club on April 22 while the Main Draw action will take place at the Ojai Valley Inn April 24-26 before hosting the finals at Libbey Park on April 27 Three-peat Open Women’s Singles winner and former WTA player Chanel Simmonds will be back to defend her 2024 title Simmonds was also an Open Women Doubles winner in 2022 Other top-rated women playing singles in the Open include Ava Markham and Lucia Quiterio “We have two hot players in the Men’s Open Maciej Rajski and Lucas Gomez,” said Open Tournament Director Anne Williamson who was the Ojai Girls 18s Singles Finalist in 2024 will be competing in the Ojai Open Women’s Singles tournament Braicu will head to play at Harvard next year headed to Top 5 Division III program at Pomona-Pitzer will also play in this year’s Open Women’s Singles event The Open finals schedule for April 27 includes: Women’s Singles Final at 9 a.m.; Men’s Singles Final at 10:30 a.m.; Women’s Doubles Final at 1 p.m.; and Men’s Doubles Final at 2:30 p.m The public is invited to attend the grand opening of Ojai Valley Organics at 11 a.m past the trailhead of the Ventura River Preserve at the end of Old Baldwin Road a location for recycling yard clippings and lumber That final use will again be the site’s purpose as Progressive Environmental Industries Inc. The site has been vacant for six years due to difficulties finding a qualified contractor to pursue permits and operate the site delays continued as the selected contractor met challenges with the permit process borrowed $1.2 million of state funds through the Ventura County Recycling Market Development Zone program He bought a new grinder and other equipment expecting the Ojai site to be available soon he deployed the equipment at his similar site in downtown Santa Barbara The equipment will finally be operational at Ojai Valley Organics by the grand opening the Ojai Valley has not had a locally available recycler for yard clippings and lumber Businesses relied on Harrison Industries to haul bins for organics residents with home improvement projects and contractors in the wood framing stage of construction often had to haul materials to Ventura or Oxnard recycling at the Gold Coast or Del Norte recycling and transfer stations expensive and did not provide an incentive for keeping recyclable yard clippings and lumber separate from other materials Some of the Ojai Valley’s need for local management of organic waste was met by the nonprofit Concerned Resource and Environmental Workers With help from grants provided by Cal Fire and the California Fire Safe Council last year the group cleared over 221 acres of hazardous vegetation chipped over 22 tons of material and provided chipping and brush clearance services to 608 properties Some recycling businesses encounter a “not in my backyard” response from local residents but Progressive Environmental didn't encounter opposition on the reopening of Ojai Valley Organics several people formed the “Save OVO Coalition” and took actions such as sending letters of support to permitting authorities when key decisions were being considered whose 1st District seat includes the Ojai Valley and who will speak at Monday's grand opening to bring together four permitting entities in the county for three meetings that eventually broke a regulatory logjam Clensay is now Ventura's assistant community development director Nathan Whitman, owner of Pan’s Garden Nursery in Ojai explained the importance of OVO for Ojai Valley residents and businesses He got mulch from OVO and brought landscape waste there for recycling "Now I may revive my landscape business after OVO reopens," Whitman said an environmental resource analyst with the Ventura County Public Works Agency can be reached at 805-658-4312 or david.goldstein@ventura.org Two Orange County residents were arrested April 21 for two burglaries that occurred in the 1400 and 1900 blocks of East Ojai Avenue One burglary took place at Ojai Lumber Co. while the second burglary took place in the 1400 block of East Ojai Avenue The two people have been arrested and booked each for two counts of unlawful taking of a vehicle delaying a peace officer and conspiracy to commit a crime According to information from the Ojai Police Department a resident in the 1400 block of East Ojai Avenue was woken by several loud noises on April 21 at 11:48 p.m The victims discovered that a John Deere Gator had been stolen from the property and their property gate was forced open A responding deputy noticed a suspicious U-Haul truck traveling away from the scene according to Ojai Police Department and alerted additional deputies to be on the lookout for the vehicle April 22 in the area near Ventura Avenue at Valley Meadow Drive They were later apprehended by the deputies and were identified as Maria Ochoa Hernandez The U-Haul was an unreported stolen vehicle from the Lancaster area A search of the U-Haul revealed stolen tools and other property that was linked to the Ojai Lumber Co burglary of approximately $2,000 worth of property that took place at approximately 5:20 a.m Both Luis Heredia and Ochoa Hernandez were in custody Robin Greenfield in Los Angeles’ Griffith Park Renowned environmental activist and adventurer Robin Greenfield will visit Ojai to share his latest chapter in simple and sustainable living on Wednesday, April 30, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at Sane Living, 316 E. Matilija St. For more information on the free event, email info@saneliving.com or call 805-646-6000.  Once on track to become a millionaire before the age of 30 Greenfield said he awoke to the realization that the “American Dream” he was living is actually the world’s nightmare He immediately set out to change his life one step at a time to live in harmony with Earth but his current radical life experiment in simple living began after he set out on a “Walk of Gratitude” from Canada to Los Angeles — a 1,600-mile journey he gave away every possession and dollar he owned and continued living in Griffith Park of Los Angeles as possession-free as possible to begin an immersive experiment in nonownership He has committed himself to living in harmony with the Earth and challenging systems of consumption and disconnection Ojai residents are invited to join the event to hear Greenfield’s reflections and explore pathways to deeper connection with humanity This stop is part of his California Speaking Tour, which also includes events in Ventura, Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, Santa Cruz, San Francisco, Oakland, and Sebastopol. Learn more at robingreenfield.org or find the full tour schedule at robingreenfield.org/schedule Greenfield was on the cover of Ojai Magazine’s fall 2022 issue. To read “Rob Greenfield’s 30 Days of Trash,” by Tiffany Paige, visit: ojaimag.com star of the ’80s BMX movie “Rad,” will pull into the Ojai Playhouse for a special postshow Q&A on Sunday Behind the scenes of “Bike Short.” From left Part of the Helltrack sequence in “Rad” (1986) Kevin McDevitt stands in front of the “Bike Short” poster on display at Ojai Playhouse on April 23 Moviegoers will be watching the wheels go round and round when Kevin McDevitt of Ojai’s “true-crime comedy” short film “Bike Short,” makes its Ojai Playhouse debut It will be shown right before a screening of the classic 1986 BMX feature film “Rad.”  After “Rad,” BMX film buffs will be treated to “A Rad Documentary,” showing the making of the film McDevitt will interview “Rad” star Bill Allen in an onstage Q&A Tickets are $15 for this ride-filled extravaganza at ojaiplayhouse.com.  Behind the scenes of “Bike Short.” From left, Stephanie McDevitt, Yakov Kolontarov, Zaramok Bachok, Kevin Caffee, Michael Stinnett and Kevin McDevitt.  “Bike Short” was first screened at last year’s Ojai Film Festival. McDevitt, who wrote and directed the short, said: “I was inspired on the spring evening that I walked out my front door to retrieve my drying bike shorts, and found they’d been stolen from my driveway. They not only took my shorts, but also my drying rack. ... I knew immediately the shorts were gone, but what I didn’t know was …who would steal bike shorts?” He continued, “Rather than report it to the police, I, for some reason, decided a better use of resources would be to make a movie about it — my short film debut, no less!” McDevitt took home Best Local Filmmaker award at the Santa Barbara Indie Film Festival; the film also earned Audience Awards at the We Make Movies International Film Festival in LA and Bicycle Shorts Film Festival in Philadelphia.  “Bike Short” will then segue into “Rad,” a coming-of-age BMX adventure flick starring Bill Allen as teenage rider Cru Jones. The film also stars Lori Loughlin, Talia Shire and Ray Walston. “‘Rad’ is a real treat; it was directed by one of the greatest stuntmen and action film directors of all time, Hal Needham (“Smokey and The Bandit”), and features some of the best bicycle action ever put to film,” McDevitt enthused.  Part of the Helltrack sequence in “Rad” (1986). Kevin McDevitt stands in front of the “Bike Short” poster on display at Ojai Playhouse on April 23.  Allen will be on hand to sign books and DVDs at the Playhouse after the Q&A with McDevitt. Allen published his book in 2020: “My RAD Career: It Was The 1980’s…Hollywood, Celebrities, and the Dawn of Extreme Sports.” In it, he discusses working with Loughlin, George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Tom Cruise, Michael J. Fox and more in different ’80s projects throughout his career.  McDevitt spoke highly of Ojai Playhouse owner David Berger, saying Berger’s done “a phenomenal job bringing back our treasured cinema, and my favorite thing about the reopened Playhouse is the quality and curation of what’s being shown — every week there are must-see options for not only the film buffs, but families as well, and so often they’re able to get the creative talent involved with the films to appear in person.”  McDevitt concluded, in good humor: “Other than entertaining the crowd, my one hope is that my little comedy film will create the publicity that can lead to the shorts being returned to their rightful owner. Not that I want them back! But I do want justice. This is a small town — someone definitely knows something! You never know, this article for OVN could be what helps us get to the bottom of this mystery ...” The Ojai MLK Day Committee and their advisers. Standing, from left, Laercio Bombonati, Andra Braica, Sebastien Boliscar, Maya Chavarria, Keira Dixon, Ella Seery, Samantha Cordero, Paige Wilson, Ben Varela, Joseph Chavarria, Logan Cates, Lisa Lieberman, Kate Russell, Thien Scofield. Sitting, from left, Mia Wolter, Bernadette Guardado, Charlene Carino, Amber Deylon, America Perez. Ojai Valley Youth Foundation will host the 25th annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebration on Monday, Jan. 20. The free event, from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Libbey Park, will feature musical performances, poetry recitations, and speeches by members of the Ojai community. The tradition is planned and organized each year by volunteers from six area schools  — Nordhoff Junior High & High School, Villanova Preparatory School, Weil Tennis Academy, Oak Grove School, The Thacher School and Ventura High School. “I love seeing all the schools join in and come together,” said Ella Seery, a Nordhoff junior serving her fourth year on the MLK Day Committee. For Sebastien Boliscar, a senior at Weil Tennis Academy, this is his first year on the committee. “To plan it and oversee it has been an exciting ride,” he told the Ojai Valley News. The event is a day to come together and honor the civil rights work of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., who would have turned 96 on Jan. 15. Helping to plan the event for the third year is America Perez, a senior at Villanova Preparatory School, who said it’s not just about sharing the life of MLK, but “figuring out different ways we can celebrate his message. It’s been just a wonderful opportunity for me.” The celebration is not only an event the entire Ojai Valley can enjoy, but it provides leadership opportunities for teens and helps them connect with the community. “When I stepped in, I took a more backseat role, but now that I’ve been on the committee for a couple of years I feel confident to take on more leadership roles,” said Seery. Boliscar, who’ll serve as an emcee at the event, also plans to recite a poem he’s written. “I’m genuinely so honored to have the opportunity to speak about how I feel,” he said. “It’s really exciting for me.” Many on the MLK Day Committee have been serving on it throughout their high school career, learning valuable skills through their service along the way. “It’s really cool to be able to participate in a way you feel comfortable but also share those leadership abilities that you have and wish to grow,” said Perez. The theme of this year’s event is “vitality in community.” For Boliscar, that means fostering a more tight-knit community, where “everyone is open-minded to the idea of coming together and really putting ourselves out there to bring a better community,” he said. “It’s just beautiful seeing how much our community comes together despite the fact that we’re all so different,” said Perez. “We’ve had a lot of hardship lately, and this year and last year we’ve really been focusing on bringing people together, from all different backgrounds,” said Seery. The nonprofit OVYF was established in 1997 by the city of Ojai, the County of Ventura, the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office and Ojai Unified School District, with Caryn Bosson as founding director. The organization introduced Ojai’s MLK Day celebration in 2000, with a grant from the California Wellness Foundation. Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. That changed Saturday afternoon when the Irvine University sophomore added his name to a distinguished list by winning the boys CIF singles championship with a 6-4, 6-4 triumph over another 10th-grader, Matteo Huarte of Mater Dei, in an all-Orange County final at Libbey Park. Huarte trailed 5-2 in the second set, but pulled to within 5-4 before Krishna closed it out to become the fourth boys singles champion from University in the last five years at Ojai. Corona del Mar’s Niels Hoffmann ended the Warriors’ streak of three in a row by winning last spring. High School Sports The junior quarterback has developed into one of the nation’s top football prospects after starting since his freshman year for the Panthers. Past CIF singles champions at Ojai, the longest-running amateur tennis tournament in North America to be held in the same location (dating back to 1899), include Bobby Riggs, Stan Smith, Rick Leach, Jeff Tarango, Sam Querrey and Marcos Giron — elite company Krishna is happy to join. Despite being seeded No. 3 in the 64-player bracket, the 16-year-old Krishna flew under the radar until Friday’s semifinals, where he pulled off the upset of the weekend by beating top-seeded Lorenzo Brunkow of Palisades, last year’s runner-up. Morning rain in Saturday’s forecast prompted tournament officials to add an extra round Friday but it did not seem to rattle Krishna. Nor did falling behind 5-2 in the opening set, as he reeled off four straight games to take a 6-5 lead on his way to winning a tiebreaker and rolling to a 7-6 (4), 6-1 victory over Brunkow, a senior committed to UC Santa Barbara. Huarte, the No. 6 seed, also pulled off a big surprise in a marathon quarterfinal earlier in the day at Ojai Athletic Club, splitting sets with No. 2 Cayden Wang from Crean Lutheran, 6-7 (5), 6-4, before prevailing 10-8 in a super tiebreaker. He then swept Jeremy Sieben of Flintridge Prep to set up a finals matchup with Krishna, who had edged Newport Harbor’s Ryan Honary 9-7 in a pro set in his first match of the day. Saturday’s doubles final between the top two seeds saw the No. 2 duo of Caden Lee and Zhiyu Yuan from Beckman rally past No. 1 Trevor Nguyen and David Tran of Marina, 4-6, 6-4, 7-6 (5). Neither tandem dropped a set in its first five matches. It was the second consecutive Ojai doubles crown for Lee, who won it last year with his younger brother, Tyler. An Orange County duo has won the last four doubles titles at Ojai. Eighth-seeded JiHyuk Im and Humam Alajeely helped University win the coveted Griggs Cup, awarded to the school with the most combined wins in singles and doubles, by advancing to the semifinals before falling to Tran and Nguyen, 7-6, 6-4. The Warriors have captured the Cup four of the last five times. founder of the Ojai Valley Racquet Club (now the Ojai Valley Athletic Club) He is pictured holding the Feb. 21 issue of the Ojai Valley News in which his life and history at the Club is profiled in the story by Mimi Walker titled, “Ojai Valley Athletic Club: 50 years of fitness.” To read the full story, click here. Ojai’s John Ruf in action during a game with his new Philadelphia Union MLS Next U16 Academy team in February John Ruf playing as a youth in AYSO at Sarzotti Park in Ojai Ruf participated in several other recreational sports in Ojai a special student-athlete makes a leap from the small village of Ojai to the wider stage played all kinds of sports recreationally including basketball and soccer – then fast-forward several years to his recent recruitment to play for the Philadelphia Union MLS Next Academy U16 team Ruf went from kicking the ball around in his backyard He switched to the Santa Barbara Soccer Club (SBSC) at the age of 12 in the U13 Division under Academy Director and Coach Christy Gates-Bowes Gates-Bowes oversees the SBSC teams who compete in the MLS Next Academy League the highest level of youth soccer in the country SBSC competes in the same league as LAFC’s Academy and LA Galaxy’s Academy teams as well as teams nationwide such as Philadelphia Union’s MLS Next Academy “The majority of our players will move on to college programs The goal is to get them scholarships to go play in college Another handful of players will also leave us at various age groups to try and go sign for a professional club like John did; their goal being to secure a professional contract….” Gates-Bowes said Ruf said that he initially competed in the central midfield to play for their professional academy - he and I combined to score a lot of goals and I got a little bit of attention from LAFC (Los Angeles Football Club) throughout that year,” Ruf added SBSC Academy Coach and Westmont College Head Coach Morgan Cathey began working with John Ruf in 2024 which is all of the MLS Next teams in the whole country Philadelphia Union Head of Scouting Paul Killian was in attendance and things moved quickly from there Killian said that he had already been watching John at various live events and through film knowing that he competed with a strong club team but that he really came on their radar in December “After speaking with his club…and speaking with the directors and coaches there that John could be somebody who might have some really interesting potential knows he's just such an impressive young man - highly intellectual and highly motivated to be the best version of himself; whether that's on the soccer field Ruf said that he really started to dial down that he wanted to become a professional soccer player last year and then he was invited out for a training visit to Philadelphia Union’s MLS Next Academy in early January so he ended up training with the U18 group instead Ruf’s SBSC Coach Cathey had already started him training with older players to help his development “Playing against older guys that are better And then I think that's kind of what culminated in me being able to get better faster,” added Ruf Soon after the initial training session in Philadelphia in January John Ruf was invited to join the Philadelphia Union’s Academy U16 team and left Ojai to begin his next level of development In response to the question of what was unique about John Ruf He's a very talented young man with a really good skill-set technically But I think the number one thing that set John aside from a lot of his peers is his mentality and his drive to succeed and his drive to compete he's a very determined young man; very focused and just a very competitive young man as well to go and move into a new environment and strive I think John's an example of someone who can do that He's a good kid and a good person overall.” John lives in a dorm with other players who are from distant locations and attends the academy school in addition to training in soccer He might have a gym session or a specialty striker session in the early mornings and then to a team training session in the afternoons His team plays against other professional and elite club youth academies in the MLS Next League regionally and nationally John said that he thinks of himself as a well-rounded player because he played midfield for a long time building a great relationship with the ball and having great technique.” He gives a lot of credit to his parents and siblings for helping him achieve his goals because they just have made everything possible just every day playing soccer in the school yard with all the kids And I just think there’s like a community aspect in Ojai that is pretty unique.” The potential path for John Ruf includes earning a spot in the MLS Next Pro League and the goal is a homegrown contract to play for a first level team who starts as a new academy coach for San Diego FC on May 1 has heard from members of the coaching staff that John is doing well at the Philadelphia Union MLS Next Academy and that “he’s fitting right in.” Mira Monte resident James Gay holds an upside down American flag at the April 5 rally on Ojai Avenue Local residents rally in downtown Ojai on April 5 Ojai residents hold hand made signs in downtown Ojai at an April 5 rally against President Donald Trump's policies Residents stand in the large arch going into Libbey Park during a rally on April 5 against President Donald Trump's policies Ojai City Councilmember Leslie Rule holds a sign that reads "Hands off my rights," at the April 5 rally in downtown Ojai Residents rally in downtown Ojai on April 5 as part of a national day of action with roughly 1200 protests taking place across cities and towns in the U.S in opposition to President Donald Trump's policies “I don’t want Trump to continue to dismantle our government and turn it into a dictatorship,” said James Gay of Mira Monte while holding a large American flag upside down at the April 5 rally at Libbey Park The upside down flag “is a universal sign for dire distress and our country is really in major trouble,” he said Gay joined a crowd of a few hundred who gathered to demonstrate from 11 a.m on both sides of Ojai Avenue at Libbey Park and the Arcade in downtown Ojai From the Post Office to Ojai Coffee Roasters Social Security,” “Stop Fascism” and “Save our Democracy.” The Ojai protest was one of roughly 1,200 similar actions that took place in cities and towns across the country as part of a national day of action called “Hands Off.” A second “Hands Off” national event is planned for April 19 with the aim of expressing opposition to President Trump’s orders policies and the resulting actions of his administration Executive branch actions have resulted in the layoffs of thousands of federal workers the planned shuttering of federal departments the revocation of regulations implementing environmental protection statutes and the opening of National Forest lands to more timber harvesting Local resident and business owner Barbara Bowman but a majority of the people here are my generation.” She said the “younger people” need to be attending these rallies Bowman said the Ojai Avenue crowd was the largest she’d seen even comparing it to protests during the Vietnam War and Civil Rights Movement Bowman said: “All the things that have shifted changed are because people are in the streets But you gotta have people in the streets.” Contact: J. Colter Chisum, Parks Director, (805) 654-3945, County.Parks@Ventura.org CA – The County of Ventura is excited to announce the upcoming paving project for the Ojai Valley Trail This essential project aims to enhance safety and overall enjoyment for the community and visitors alike a cherished local asset that spans from the City of Ventura through the City of Ojai and provides a vital connection for walkers The project includes resurfacing existing paths and adding new signage to ensure a safer and more enjoyable experience for all users These improvements will provide a lasting benefit to residents and visitors making the Ojai Valley Trail an even more inviting destination For more information about the project or to sign up for updates, please visit www.Ventura.org/parks-department/ or email County.Parks@Ventura.org Ventura County Parks Department is dedicated to the preservation and enhancement of park and recreation facilities within Ventura County and the delivery of world class customer service high-quality recreation experience that is self-supporting and exceeds the needs and expectations of our customers The Parks Department is a department of the County of Ventura’s General Services Agency The parks are funded and operated with revenues received from user fees and grants The department is not supported by local tax dollars through the County’s General Fund All user fees are retained by the Parks Enterprise Fund for the continued maintenance and enhancement of its recreational facilities ShareSaveCommentLeadershipForbesWomenOjai Valley Inn’s Spiritual Wellness Programming Is Attracting A New Kind Of TravelerByYola Robert Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights brands and trends across various industries Follow AuthorApr 09 07:34pm EDTShareSaveCommentOjai Valley Inn is attracting travelers seeking spiritual wellness amongst five star amenities has organized spiritual wellness experiences for years and has recently seen an uptick in requests “More individuals are seeking to incorporate spirituality into their travels as a way to connect with themselves and nature on a deeper level many are looking for meaningful experiences that promote self-discovery Many hotels and resorts are now featuring holistic wellness packages that include activities like guided meditations some hospitality providers are incorporating local cultural practices such as indigenous healing techniques or temple meditation more immersive experiences for their guests,” Lima de Charbonnieres explained One destination in particular has attracted travelers looking for spiritual wellness programming for over 20 years Ojai Valley Inn has designed their programming to refocus and revive body “Wellness is a journey of self-discovery designed to help guests achieve a deeper sense of peace and fulfillment by fostering a meaningful connection between mind The program offers an opportunity to gain more value and benefit from traditional touch therapy or changes in relationships or careers to seeking greater self-awareness and deeper connections with others,” shared Kristina Clemons Certified Sound Therapist at Ojai Valley Inn Kristina Clemons hosting a sound therapy sessions The program is uniquely designed for each guest based on what their goal is Once their focus is established a practitioner will be assigned to the guest “We focus on selecting the individuals who lead our experiences rather than the offerings themselves Each practitioner featured in our Spiritual Wellness program has a profound connection to Ojai and a deep appreciation for the unique energy of this special place They bring their own distinctive approach to spiritual wellness and deep intuition that make each experience truly transformative,” Clemons has seen sound therapy practices become a popular request as more research emerges showing the positive effects it has to reduce stress “Sound therapy isn’t new but it's slowly making its way to a more mainstream audience as more people are looking for natural ways to boost wellbeing and combat anxiety I believe platforms like social media are partially responsible for exposing more people to holistic practices they might not have considered before A large percentage of people are overworked and stuck in a fight-or-flight nervous system state - this isn't sustainable and science has shown this leads to health issues A sound bath pulls in elements of meditation and guided relaxation - all with the backdrop of soothing sounds and vibrations this has a powerful effect on the nervous system which most of us really need in our lives.” Katie Manzella performing a crystal and reiki session Ojai Valley Inn’s views its Spiritual Wellness program as a compliment to more traditional Spa and Wellness practices that are also offered such as a signature Ojai massage or a nature walk in within the Mind Body program Adding a Spiritual Wellness session can help guests holistically complete a mind Spiritual wellness treatments include the cleansing sage ritual The allure of curated spiritual wellness programming set amongst five-star amenities such as championship-caliber golf and concierge services keeps guests returning for more Many guests even continue working with their spiritual practitioners upon returning home While many properties are capitalizing on The White Lotus effect spiritual wellness will always be at Ojai Valley Inn’s core essence Dance Ojai’s Bollywood Troupe illuminates the Libbey Bowl stage at last year’s inaugural Ojai World Dance Festival This year’s expanded festival features a free daytime community event at Libbey Park followed by a ticketed evening production at Libbey Bowl from 7:30 to 9 p.m. musicians and dance enthusiasts from all over Southern California To buy tickets, visit: danceojai.org. For more information, email: contact@danceojai.org is a vibrant showcase of multicultural dance From Bollywood and Flamenco to Irish and West African drumming and dance audiences will be taken on a mesmerizing journey through movement and rhythm the festival expands beyond a single evening performance to include a full-day community celebration at Libbey Park with a global marketplace featuring handmade wares and an open dance floor for attendees to get their groove on Dance Ojai Founder and Artistic Director Isha Ferraz said: “This festival is a testament to the power of the performing arts to unite us we celebrate the beauty of all traditions and recognize that through dance we can transcend boundaries and come together as one community.” To read more about Dance Ojai and the Ojai World Dance Festival, read Ojai Magazine’s winter 2024 story “Dance Ojai & The Ojai World Dance Festival: Isha Ferraz builds bridges between cultures through the art of dance,” by OVN Arts & Culture Editor Mimi Walker, at ojaimag.com owner of Progressive Environmental Industries which takes green waste and processes it into 2-inch mulch The public is invited to attend the grand opening of Ojai Valley Organics on Monday That final use will again be the site’s purpose as Progressive Environmental Industries (PEI) The equipment will finally be operational at its intended location Ojai Valley has not had a locally available recycler for yard clippings and lumber and these bins also allow bagged food waste and contractors in the wood-framing stage of construction often had to haul materials to Ventura or Oxnard and did not provide an incentive for keeping recyclable yard clippings and lumber separate from other materials such as irrigation tubing and construction debris Some of the Ojai Valley’s need for local management of organic waste was met by the nonprofit Concerned Resource and Environmental Workers (C.R.E.W.) With help from grants provided by Cal Fire and California Fire Safe Council last year the group cleared more than 221 acres of hazardous vegetation and provided chipping and brush clearance services to 608 properties continues to work with Ventura Regional Fire Safe Council to provide grant-funded free services to Ventura County residents in Fire Hazard Severity Zones or those who face significant barriers to making fire-safe changes on their own The organization’s website, crewojai.org/chipping enables qualified residents to sign up for five free drop-off chipping opportunities over the next six months or for curbside chipping service See the website for a list of acceptable materials and other rules Some recycling businesses encounter a “not in my back yard” response from local residents the county’s contractor to reopen Ojai Valley Organics several people formed the “Save OVO Coalition” and took actions such as sending letters of support to permitting authorities when key permit decisions were being considered Ventura County District 1 Supervisor Matt LaVere he assigned chief aide Maruja Clensay to bring together four permitting entities in the county for three meetings that eventually broke a regulatory logjam Clensay is now assistant Community Development Director with the city of Ventura also played a key role in the permitting process stressing to county officials the importance of returning a local organics recycling opportunity for city residents explained the importance of OVO to Ojai Valley residents and businesses: “I used to also do landscaping and I brought landscape waste there for recycling Now I may revive my landscape business after OVO opens.”  — David Goldstein is the Environmental Resource analyst with the Ventura County Public Works Agency. He can be reached at 805-658-4312 or david.goldstein@ventura.org Iowa’s Daianne Hayashida connects with a forehand during her singles match versus Maryland No 1 singles Kallista Liu in the Big Ten Women’s Tennis Tournament dual match on April 23 at Libbey Park The 123rd Ojai Tennis Tournament officially began Wednesday The Ojai banners fly in the Arcade alcoves and across Ojai Avenue by the post office The Ojai kicked off match play with the Big Ten Women’s Tennis Tournament Round 1 matches on April 23 in Libbey Park Eleven of the twelve Big Ten Women’s Tennis Tournament coaches attended a Welcome to The Ojai gathering in Libbey Park on Tuesday Head Coaches pictured standing from left include:  Sasha Boros (Iowa) Big Ten head coaches pictured kneeling include Illinois Head Coach Evan Clark is not pictured 2 Ohio State Buckeyes visit the iconic Ojai Tea Tent in Libbey Park on April 23 after an afternoon practice for their Big Ten Women’s Tennis Tournament quarterfinal match versus No USC’s Emma Charney takes care of business on Libbey Park Court 2 during the Trojans Big Ten Women’s Tennis Tournament dual Round 1 match versus Michigan State on April 23 during The Ojai Charney defeated Spartan Ellie Blackford 6-2 8 Maryland Terrapins huddle on Libbey Court 1 prior to their Big Ten Women’s Tennis Tournament Round 1 match versus No Ojai is buzzing with anticipation and excitement for The 123rd Ojai Tennis Tournament happening this week through Sunday The Ojai banners are flying across Ojai Avenue and along the Arcade downtown Libbey Park is the hub for action-packed tennis with a side of fresh-squeezed orange juice in the mornings and hand-poured tea with cookies served at the Tea Tent each afternoon Matches take place on private courts tucked in the hills of Ojai on high school courts from Oxnard to Ventura Weil Tennis Academy and the Ojai Valley Athletic Club Tournament finals culminate at Libbey Park on Saturday and Sunday 16s and 18s age groups and High School Boys CIF-SS to Community College teams competing in the CCCAA championships to the Open tournament which offers a total purse of $20,000 for Men’s and Women’s singles and doubles champions The Ojai encompasses a free youth clinic sponsored by The Ojai Valley Tennis Club and hosted by former ATP professional and eight-time Ojai champion The annual QuickStart Tennis Tournament for area elementary school players happens at 10 a.m The former Pac-12 Conference held their tennis championships at The Ojai for over 70 years before the conference dissolution last year New for the first time in its 123-year history The Ojai will include the Big Ten Women’s Tennis Tournament Round 1 Big Ten dual match play began on April 23 Big Ten quarterfinal dual matches happen on Thursday 1 Michigan to kick-off the action at 9 a.m The Big Ten Conference announced their 2025 women’s tennis all-conference teams and individual awards on April 23 after a vote by all the league’s head coaches The Michigan Wolverines earned their third consecutive Big Ten Championship award Head Coach Ronni Bernstein received Coach of the Year for the third straight year freshwoman Emily Sartz-Lunde won the Freshman of the Year award and senior Julia Fliegner was named as the Big Ten Women’s Tennis Player of the Year Coach Bernstein said that having the Big Ten Women’s Tennis Tournament in Ojai this year “is going be a great experience for our girls I can tell there is an excitement that they feel already I think the fans are going to see really good tennis and some good energy out there.” who played at The Ojai as a student with Arizona State before starting her coaching career is excited to be back and to introduce The Ojai to her players “I have really fun memories with my teammates - eating at (Boccali’s) I vividly remember how wonderful the community was specifically if you made the semis or the finals - the atmosphere was just unmatched with the support of the community members just showing up to watch our matches a truly once in a lifetime event here at the Big Ten Championships in Ojai,” McKenna said Big Ten Women’s Tennis Tournament Semifinals take place on Friday with the final taking center stage on Saturday Visit theojai.net for updated scores and results of matches in all five tournaments (Juniors Mayor Andy Gilman and Mayor Pro Tem Rachel Lang listen as Ojai City Councilmember Leslie Rule (at right) offers copies of a settlement offer she received from the city of Ojai at the Feb Rule told the OVN that her attorneys are "preparing a claim and preparing an offer giving the city the opportunity to end this now The claim is for indemnity for costs already incurred and assigns the case to them after arguing the appeal."  According to a document received by Rule’s attorneys on the morning of Feb the city offered Rule “up to $125,000 in attorneys fees and costs incurred by Rule in the Byrne matter.” Rule’s attorney, Stephen Johnson, spoke virtually during public comment at the Feb. 11 council meeting and said the city has chosen to spend more money to hire a lawyer to refuse to reimburse Councilmember Rule in the actual amount of her defense costs than it (costs) to simply pay them.” Rule submitted an indemnification request to the city invokes a legal duty of the city to cover her costs because she acted within the scope of her role as an elected official Johnson and Rule have said that if the city does not indemnify Rule “There remains an ongoing disagreement between the parties as to whether the City’s duty to defend and indemnify Rule in the Byrne matter is permissive or mandatory.” Rule argues that state law requires the city to provide for her defense in the case against her Rule and her legal team are relying their argument that the city has a duty to indemnify her on state law (GovCode section 995) that reads “Upon request of an employee or former employee a public entity shall provide for the defense of any civil action or proceeding brought against him in his official or individual capacity or both on account of an act or omission in the scope of his employment as an employee of the public entity." ONLINE UPDATE Feb. 14: After press deadline Rule told the OVN, "We are no longer asking for a 'defense' under (Gov.Code Section) 995, but indemnity under (Gov. Code Section) 825."  Government Code Section 825 states: "If an employee or former employee of a public entity requests the public entity to defend him or her against any claim or action against him or her for an injury arising out of an act .. occurring within the scope of his or her employment as an employee of the public entity and the request is made in writing not less than 10 days before the day of trial and the employee or former employee reasonably cooperates in good faith in the defense of the claim or action the public entity shall pay any judgment based thereon or any compromise or settlement of the claim or action to which the public entity has agreed." State law provides that City Council members are considered employees in this context And in order to receive indemnification or a defense Exceptions to the duty to indemnify or provide a defense include when the “employee” acts with “fraud or actual malice.” The ultimate outcome of the civil lawsuit is irrelevant under the law According to the settlement offer “The city determined it does not have a mandatory duty to defend or indemnify” Rule in this case decide to voluntarily defend or indemnify…” Rule’s attorneys argue the city does not have a choice whether to indemnify Rule and has retained the law firm Meyers Nave to provide “indemnification analysis.” The Meyers Nave firm has five offices in California the city of Ojai has paid Meyer Nave $117,453 4 to prepare the city’s six-page settlement offer That amount continues to increase as Rule is represented in seeking indemnification from the city and the appeal in the initial case is ongoing Final briefs in the appeal were submitted Feb When the civil case against Rule was dismissed in 2023 the court also awarded attorney fees and costs to Rule The court reduced the amount requested to $79,950 The award of attorney fees is disputed in the case on appeal Rule’s attorney Johnson said the preparation of the settlement offer was “wasteful spending” by the city because the city was informed on Feb 5 that Rule would not accept an offer of the sort discussed at the Feb Speaking in person at the Feb. 11 meeting during public comment, Drucker said that after the city was informed Rule would not accept the offer discussed Feb “Meyers Nave then took a week to do precisely what we had told them not to do What are they going to charge the city for that Drucker is referenced in the settlement offer, which reads “No portion of funds paid under this Agreement shall be paid by City to Drucker for any attorney’s fees or costs in his capacity as a defendant or an attorney in the Byrne matter.” Drucker and Johnson are Rule’s attorneys of record in the case against her The settlement offer states that in June 2023 when the council was considering Rule’s indemnification request in open session “Rule stated her attorney was working pro bono.” Drucker told the Ojai Valley News: “I worked pro bono on Leslie’s behalf before the litigation (mid-January-April 28 The entire settlement agreement drafted on behalf of the city is attached below:  Teens arrested in Newbury Park High vandalism caseAuthorities have arrested two teens in connection with graffiti vandalism that included a swastika at Newbury Park High School in February the Ventura County Sheriff's Office said in a May 1 news release the other a 17-year-old Simi Valley resident The incident was reported on the night of Feb 27 in the quad of the campus on North Reino Road Deputies with the Thousand Oaks station found racial slurs The sheriff's office is contracted to provide police services in Thousand Oaks The sheriff's major crimes unit for the east county launched an investigation They ultimately identified the two juveniles as suspects detectives served residential search warrants at the teens' homes Both of the minors were cited on suspicion of felony offenses including vandalism Authorities in Ojai are seeking the public's help after a resident reportedly encountered a prowler in her home on the night of April 26 a woman was in the process of getting her children ready for bed when she heard a door slam at the home in the 800 block of Mercer Avenue according to the Ventura County Sheriff's Office The agency is contracted to provide police services in the city A person reportedly shined a flashlight into the woman's eyes said Detective Joe Sharif of the Ojai station She thought it was her husband and made a remark The suspect was apparently scared when encountering the resident and fled Deputies responded quickly but weren't able to locate the suspect The Ojai investigations bureau is hoping residents of the neighborhood can provide more information Anyone with surveillance video or other information is asked to call Sharif at 805-477-7038 or Detective Eric Nelson at 805-477-4042 The sheriff's office also has a link and QR code where residents can submit video footage Three suspects burglarized the North Oaks Pharmacy in Thousand Oaks during the early morning of May 1 Ventura County Sheriff’s deputies arrived to an audible alarm in the business at 1014 E Avenida De Los Arboles shortly after 2:45 a.m. The pharmacy is located in a strip mall west of Highway 23 Authorities reviewed security footage that showed the suspects had broken through the back door using crowbars There was no estimate of how much was taken A police dog helped find a suspect hiding in a field after a pursuit in east Ventura on April 30 a caller reported seeing a man passed out in a vehicle with drug paraphernalia in plain view near Wells Road and Del Norte Street the Ventura Police Department said in a news release the suspect suddenly started the engine and drove off He reportedly ignored the officer's commands to stop When a second officer arrived on a police motorcycle the suspect drove around the officer and fled the area The motorcycle officer initiated a pursuit into a nearby neighborhood but lost sight of the suspect Additional officers found the vehicle with no one inside near Pear Avenue and Mimosa Street found the suspect hiding in tall grass in a field nearby He was arrested on suspicion of felony evading as well as narcotics and DUI violations He was on post-release supervision at the time for a 2023 felony conviction He was housed at the county's main jail without bail (This story has been updated with new information from the sheriff's office.) An apparent trespasser at an Ojai-area charter school prompted a lockdown and law enforcement response late Wednesday morning Valley Oak Charter School officials reported shortly after 11:45 a.m that a man who didn't belong had walked onto campus The man was reportedly knocking on doors and looking through classroom windows School officials locked down the campus at 907 El Centro St The site is west of city limits in the unincorporated Mira Monte area The sheriff's office initially detained a possible suspect but later determined the person was not involved the lockdown at the campus had been lifted Valley Oak's home-school partnership program offers some on-site classes and tutoring California Department of Education enrollment data show the school had 44 students in grade K-12 last school year Ernesto Centeno Araujo covers breaking news for the Ventura County Star. He can be reached at ecentenoaraujo@vcstar.com.