closed since the building flooded in December 2023 reopened on May 3 with an airy new layout and a refreshed collection of about 32,000 books Prueter Library included repairs to flood damage as well a renovation of the library’s story-time room into a tech-focused innovation lab Artists painted a new mural outside the front door with larger-than-life local flora and fauna We’re really excited for the children and the community to have this as a resource,” said Nancy Schram director of the Ventura County Library System The library celebration followed shortly on the heels of a ribbon cutting for the new playground at neighboring Bubbling Springs Park $15.4 million remodeling effort of its own Fences came down and baseball fields at the park reopened April 18 A new dog park opened soon after and May 3 saw the debut of the playground and a pair of artificial-turf sports fields.“It's amazing for us Bubbling Springs Park is really a hidden jewel of our community," said Port Hueneme City Manager James Vega "This project was a chance to remodel it and bring new life into it.” County library officials were already working on plans to remodel part of the Prueter Library before the heavy December 2023 storm that damaged hundreds of homes and vehicles and caused city officials to declare a local emergency.At the library water seeped into the front door and bubbled into the building from the creek that runs behind it The water wicked up into the drywall and bookshelves and washed out electrical lines in the floor You could just smell it was musty and damp," Schram said The rest were stashed away in shipping containers in the library parking lot while workers rid the library of mold and worked on the interior Roughly $4.8 million has gone into the project so far library funds and contributions from the city of Port Hueneme and private donors Cleaning up mold and other toxic substances cost about $1 million electrical wiring and other flood-damaged infrastructure The library bought shorter replacement bookshelves that allow a clear view out of the picture windows along the back wall giving librarians the option to clear them out of the vault-ceilinged main space for events Library officials have so far spent a bit over $600,000 from the state grant to replace a too-small story-time room with the open-plan innovation lab where children can do homework or join in on science Schram said the remainder of the $1.5 million grant will be spent on flood prevention and system upgrades two projects that won't require the library to close We have been going as fast as we can," she said "We know how much the community needs this library." Isaiah Murtaugh covers Oxnard, Port Hueneme and Camarillo for the Ventura County Star. Reach him at isaiah.murtaugh@vcstar.com or 805-437-0236 Port Hueneme Division Public AffairsTraining Sailors to tackle corrosion on Navy vessels is the goal of a new project that Naval Surface Warfare Center Port Hueneme Division (NSWC PHD) has launched with Clemson University California-based command recently selected the public research institution in Clemson to develop virtual reality (VR)-based training targeting shipboard corrosion under the Naval Engineering Education Consortium (NEEC) program A $150,000-per-year NEEC grant will fund the work at Clemson NSWC PHD can renew the agreement for up to three years the command’s corrosion lead and NEEC director said there’s a need for training modules tailored to Sailors who are on the front lines of battling saltwater corrosion in the fleet more than half of which is related to ships and other naval vessels which Kvryan described as “a difficult subject,” typically require prior knowledge in other areas The new training will drill down on the basics of corrosion and present it in an easy-to-understand manner for naval personnel who don’t have an educational background on those topics.Kvryan said he expects the content to delve into identifying different types of corrosion — for instance while a white spot is probably aluminum corrosion — and how to treat them The course would also cover pertinent topics like paints coatings and protective oxidation layers — which workers often mistakenly scrape off leaving bare metal that is more susceptible to corrosion This enhanced knowledge would help the Navy save time and money on dealing with corrosion and it would enable Sailors to more accurately characterize corrosion-related issues when they communicate with In-Service Engineering Agent personnel “The idea is creating a skilled workforce that is consistently trained on the same data sets.”Initially Sailors involved in ship maintenance would take the corrosion course on VR headsets while visiting NSWC PHD The goal would be to eventually expand its availability to other ports Another factor in selecting Clemson was its plan for utilizing students in the project the Department of Labor’s Veterans’ Employment and Training Service and other organizations in an effort to involve veteran students.Poursaee said he expects to hire two to three students to develop the corrosion curriculum and the VR component The team will include graduate and undergraduate students Gramopadhye added.Kvryan said he was also impressed by the university leaders’ approach to the project as a partnership rather than a transactional relationship “They said let’s do this together,” Kvryan said “They genuinely want to do good and help the warfighter.” That motivation aligns with Clemson’s many years of experience working with all branches of the U.S according to Gramopadhye.“We have a deep history of Department of Defense research,” he said Tapping academiaThe NEEC program funds research projects at all 10 Naval Sea Systems Command warfare centers and involves more than 50 universities across the country.NSWC PHD requests proposals for NEEC projects via a procurement tool called broad agency announcements A selection committee at the command reviews and grades the proposals to determine the winner The corrosion project attracted proposals from about 20 universities Kvryan said that NEEC is an avenue for NSWC PHD to tap academia for efforts that the command doesn’t have the bandwidth to pursue in-house — particularly in the realm of research and development.Another aim of the program is to develop and attract new professionals into the technical fields associated with U.S Or email us at news@clemson.edu Clemson News is the go-to source for stories and news about the innovations research and accomplishments of the Clemson Family This work, Port Hueneme Micro Market offers 24-hour access and self-checkout, by LTJG Drew Verbis, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright The new baseball fields at Bubbling Springs Park in Port Hueneme following the renovations The ribbon cutting for Bubbling Springs Park in Port Hueneme on Saturday The Little League attendees celebrate the opening of Bubbling Springs Park on Saturday Hundreds of community members came together to celebrate the grand reopening of Bubbling Springs Park on Saturday the renovations included updates to the baseball and T-ball fields new batting cages and the reopening of the snack bar Before all the young athletes took the field a ceremonial first pitch was thrown by Port Hueneme’s own former Major League Baseball pitcher Towers was an Oxnard College graduate who played for several teams from 2001 to 2009 including the Baltimore Oriels All the upgrades and renovations were funded via state grants 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 Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.We recommend switching to one of the following browsers: Account processing issue - the email address may already exist Subscriber digital copy of Friday's newspaper Invalid password or account does not exist 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 many of them older and waving signs targeting everything from due process to Elon Musk Organizers estimated the crowd at the anti-Trump rally in front of the Ventura County Government Center at 2,500 people. But the gathering that started at 11 a.m. on a weekday appeared smaller than the crowd at a weekend rally on April 19 that brought a similar estimate The protest was part of the third round of Ventura County rallies in less than a month that drew big crowds and were part of nationwide days of action targeting the Trump White House people gathered in Oxnard's Plaza Park and on freeway bridges in Simi Valley and Thousand Oaks People gathered in Port Hueneme in front of Naval Base Ventura County in what was billed as a silent demonstration to support veterans people chanted on both sides of Victoria Avenue One man carried a toilet plunger inscribed with the words "tired of this (feces)." Julie Nathanson waved a sign that showed a picture of Albert Einstein and a quote that began "the world is a dangerous place." "All of us here are making noise," she said "We're making good trouble and good noise." Tom Kisken covers health care and other news for the Ventura County Star. Reach him at tom.kisken@vcstar.com SUPPORT LOCAL JOURNALISM: To see more stories like this, subscribe This work, Port Hueneme food services flex to complete operations shift, maintain mission readiness, by LTJG Drew Verbis, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright This work, MSC Chartered Ship MV Ocean Gladiator Arrives in Port Hueneme Bringing to Close MSC’s Operation Deep Freeze 2025 Mission, by Sarah Cannon, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright A person was transported to a local hospital in critical condition after being rescued from a motel fire in Port Hueneme in the early hours of April 15 Fire crews responding to the Seaside Inn Motel shortly after 3:30 a.m. found fire coming out of one room at the single-story motel, according to a social media post from the Ventura County Fire Department at the northeast corner with Surfside Drive Firefighters rescued an occupant after receiving reports someone was trapped inside one of the rooms The victim was transported to a local hospital in critical condition A second person from a nearby room was treated for smoke inhalation and also taken to a hospital for additional care The fire was ultimately knocked down with help from the Oxnard Fire Department and Federal Fire Ventura County around 40 firefighters assisted in the incident Crews remained on scene for several hours to make the fire was completely extinguished Crews were able to keep the damage isolated to one unit said Andrew Dowd a spokesperson for the county fire agency Ernesto Centeno Araujo covers breaking news for the Ventura County Star. He can be reached at ecentenoaraujo@vcstar.com Port Hueneme reopened its baseball fields on April 12 as part of a major overhaul of Richard Bard Bubbling Springs Park The fields are home to the popular Port Hueneme Little League "Those are a big deal," said City Manager James Vega of the fields and the local league's history Many of the park's other facilities opened amid the Saturday celebration: the renovated snack bar new bathrooms and the city's first dog park which almost counts as two dog parks since it boasts areas for large and small dogs Visitors were also able return to the 21-acre park's long About 400 people turned out for the reopening of the baseball fields and the first Little League games at the upgraded site a former Major League Baseball pitcher from Port Hueneme Towers' Little League jersey number was retired in his honor The snack bar launched operations after a ribbon cutting The park upgrades, which totaled about $15.4 million, have been in progress for more than a year State and federal grants covered about $10.5 million of the cost with nearly $4.9 million paid by city funds The park's remaining amenities will open then including a new playground and youth soccer field Prueter Library will hold its grand reopening on May 3 when a community mural project will be unveiled Port Hueneme will change its primary electricity provider in October from Southern California Edison to the Clean Power Alliance a utility company jointly governed by a group of member communities in Ventura and Los Angeles counties The Port Hueneme City Council voted for the power move in March 2023 and finalized some terms during the Jan leaving Fillmore as the only community in Ventura County not to join the alliance the Clean Power Alliance supplies energy through many of the same mechanisms as Southern California Edison but provides a tiered-rate system that allows residential and business customers to decide how much of their electricity comes from environmentally cleaner sources like solar wind and zero-carbon hydroelectric generators Many of Ventura County's cities joined early The alliance today also includes about two dozen cities in Los Angeles County and the governments of Ventura and Los Angeles counties Customers in the cheapest "lean" tier get about 40% of their energy from renewable sources and clean zero-carbon hydro power The middle "clean" tier offers about 50% renewable energy or customers can go 100% renewable — sources that include wind solar and geothermal — in the most expensive "green" tier 6 to start city electricity customers in the middle tier as a default Customers will be able to switch to either of the other tiers or opt out and go back to Southern California Edison's supply said over a video call during the meeting that for any new city's first nine months rates are set relative to Edison's standard base Customers in some discount programs based on low-income status or healthcare needs will retain those discounts The alliance provided an estimate of monthly bills in the council agenda packet based on the projected average monthly bill in October 2025 CategorySCE BaseCPA LeanCPA CleanCPA GreenResidential$193$191$193$202Small/medium business$275$272$275$289Full information available in Port Hueneme City Council agenda for Jan Bardacke said that with the exception of one year the alliance has always had at least one tier cheaper than Edison's standard rate All five council members also voted to exempt the city's street lights from the change to Clean Power Alliance The alliance's street light rates are assessed differently and are historically between 19% and 26.5% more expensive than Edison's City Manager James Vega moved to Port Hueneme midway through the city's process but was part of Ojai's transition to the alliance when it launched in 2019 The early days of the rollout were complicated selected by another unanimous council vote will serve as the city's voice on the Clean Power Alliance board which includes representatives from each alliance city and the counties of Ventura and Los Angeles Councilmember Jess Lopez will serve as her alternate the city and alliance will start a series of joint outreach and education efforts Fillmore has had the opportunity to switch to the alliance but has not chosen to change The council heard a presentation from the alliance in June 2023 followed by Southern California Edison at its next meeting An attempt by Councilmember Christina Villaseñor to move the process forward in August 2023 garnered no support from her four colleagues Interim City Manager Erika Herrera said by email that she was unsure if the city would consider a change in the future It would be up to the Fillmore council — which includes two new members and Villaseñor — to decide whether to agendize the issue More information on the Clean Power Alliance, including answers to a list of frequently asked questions, is available at cleanpoweralliance.org Isaiah Murtaugh covers Oxnard, Port Hueneme and Camarillo for the Ventura County Star. Reach him at isaiah.murtaugh@vcstar.com or 805-437-0236 and follow him on Twitter @isaiahmurtaugh Here's a roundup of incidents and announcements from Ventura County agencies: Port Hueneme man convicted of raping woman with Alzheimer's diseaseA jury convicted a Port Hueneme man on April 24 of the rape of an incompetent person who was identified as a woman with Alzheimer's disease Prosecutors said Joseph Lynn Johnson was caught having sex with the victim in Feburary 2020 The incident allegedly happened at a home in Port Hueneme the District Attorney's Office said in a news release A judge also found true that the victim was particularly vulnerable He was remanded into custody at county jail where he is being held without bail Fentanyl arrest made after Ventura chaseA man was booked into jail on multiple charges on April 26 after he was allegedly seen throwing an item identified as fentanyl from the Victoria Avenue overpass onto Highway 126 in Ventura Officers said they apprehended the 34-year-old Ventura resident in the 4700 block of Nielsen Street after a brief pursuit that began near Balboa Middle School and collided with a patrol vehicle that police used to block his path he did not report any injuries and was taken into custody the Ventura Police Department said in a news release Police suspect he was the same person whom a resident reported seeing that morning tampering with a vehicle at an apartment complex near the Ventura County Government Center He was booked into jail on suspicion of two felonies: possession of a hard drug and possession for sale of a controlled substance Jail records show he was also detained on misdemeanor charges of damaging a vehicle resisting a peace officer and concealment of evidence He is being held in lieu of $130,000 bail in in the main jail in Ventura A man died Tuesday after a single-vehicle crash in Port Hueneme that may have involved a medical incident The accident was reported shortly after 10:30 a.m near the intersection with East Pleasant Valley Road the Port Hueneme Police Department said in a news release was found unresponsive when officers and firefighters arrived Responders provided life-saving measures at the scene before the man was transported to a hospital His name was not released pending notification of next of kin Traffic investigators are looking into whether the driver had a medical emergency prior to the crash The investigation closed Ventura Road between Pleasant Valley and Park Avenue Anyone with information is asked to contact Traffic Sgt President Donald Trump’s sweeping tariff package has jolted stock markets and sent foreign governments scrambling to respond or negotiate business has held to a cautious status quo CEO and Port Director Kristin Decas said that companies that ship goods from refrigerated fruit like bananas to automobiles into the port have told staff they don't plan to make changes until they understand which of the Trump administration's moves are permanent “The common theme is not to have any knee-jerk reactions,” Decas said "The consensus is that this is probably more like a negotiation could affect most of the foreign goods that are imported through Hueneme Almost half of the port's revenue comes from auto imports which on Thursday were officially submitted to a 25% tariff Cars assembled in Mexico and Canada could be partially exempt if they use some American-made parts trades with will be hit with tariffs of at minimum 10% starting on Wednesday U.S. port officials have also expressed concern of the possible side effects of another Trump initiative to boost American ship-building by hitting shipping companies that use Chinese-made vessels with fees of up to $1.5 million each time they dock. Decas spoke about how the port is navigating the changing currents The interview was edited for length and clarity Have you seen any practical effects of tariffs and vessel fees in the last few days?We have not with all these different tariff announcements we weren't clear on what was going to get rolled out A lot of the discussions that you heard about in newscasts and those sorts of things were really geared around perhaps Canada We didn't have eyes on the fact that there may be a target on the automotive industry We were surprised by the 25% tariff on all foreign automobiles The industry wouldn't have any time to make a reaction in just three days do you expect to eventually see this new round of tariffs having an effect on port business?It's a difficult question for me to answer in my capacity because the tariffs formerly were really targeted at China and we did very little business with China Most of our customers are in different trades Our automotive cargo is largely from South Korea We didn't feel the impact the Port of Los Angeles and Port of Long Beach did What they saw happen there was a race to get cargo in before the tariffs went into effect In that case there was an expectation the tariffs were coming we all knew a major announcement was coming but it was hard to really predict what plan would ultimately come out of the administration Every manufacturing customer I talked to is planning to ship the same volumes of product they planned on shipping We have a number of different (automotive) brands that come through the Port of Hueneme the common theme is to not hyper react to what we're seeing happening The consensus is that this is probably more like a negotiation but there's more conversation and opportunity to change some of the rules and provisions of the tariff plan The other piece that's big business for the port is refrigerated cargo I don't think we anticipated there would be a 10% tariff added on other countries But it would definitely increase the cost of freight coming into the United States A little history lesson here: America was once a very strong maritime nation we've really shifted how we move cargo domestically into trains and trucks ship-building in America really became a thing of the past What shipyards in America really build today is naval vessels So ship-building has really gone into foreign markets There's something to be said about reinvigorating and reenergizing American shipbuilding I think that would be actually a great thing for our country But these costs to bear on current ocean carriers would be a tremendous burden I heard a shipping company CEO say at a conference that if these fees go into effect they would just stop calling at the Port of Oakland and only go into San Pedro ports The amount of revenue we make from a customer calling at the Port of Hueneme might be in the realm of $3 million Then all of a sudden they have to pay an extra $1.5 (million) to call here but we have to do some real modeling to understand how We're looking at strategic ways that we can help our customers navigate through certain elements of this One tool we have at our disposal is something we can set up called a foreign trade zone These zones are considered to be still outside of the United States of America So if cargo comes here and then moves to one of these zones you don't have to pay a tariff inside that zone until the cargo leaves the zone and is considered to have entered the United States That allows companies to hold back cargo and not have to pay the tariff right away which is certainly important because it allows them to manage their cash better The main action we're taking on is just really staying in very close touch with our customers We want to understand what they're thinking the general theme is that here is some still uncertainty Our customers are not going to make decisions and shift course without true information and until the permanent decisions are really understood A police pursuit Saturday ended in the arrest and jailing of an Oxnard man on multiple felony charges The pursuit reportedly started after a Port Hueneme officer tried to stop a Cadillac Escalade for a traffic violation shortly before 10:30 a.m The motorist did not stop and fled through the streets of the coastal city for a few minutes colliding with another vehicle where there were minor injuries The collision with the second vehicle occurred at the intersection of Pleasant Valley and Ventura roads but the Cadillac ultimately stopped in the 3400 block of Kern Street according to a news release issued by the Port Hueneme Police Department The driver tried to flee and resist officers but was stopped and arrested after police used a Taser device Officers located what they said was a stolen public fire hydrant in the Cadillac although it wasn't clear whether that had anything to do with Saturday's pursuit The investigation of the stolen hydrant is ongoing Two passengers who were in the Cadillac fled and were not found The 33-year-old suspect remained in county jail Monday in lieu of $50,000 bail He was booked on felony charges of evading an officer leaving the scene of an accident and receiving stolen property over $950 as well as drug-related misdemeanors Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Sgt Jesus Chavez at jchavez@cityofporthueneme.org or 805-986-6615 Editor's note: This story is one in a series on the Nov. 5 general election. For more coverage, visit vcstar.com/news/elections Six candidates are competing for two seats on the Port Hueneme City Council Incumbent Misty Perez will face challengers Thomas Fiala, Lamont Hayes, Jesus "Jess" Lopez, Luis Mendez II and Randall Thomas. Port Hueneme holds citywide elections, so voters can choose two candidates on the November ballot Council members set policy for the city of roughly 22,000 taking action on legislative matters from adopting local ordinances to approving budgets and housing developments The Star asked the candidates to answer a brief questionnaire Their responses may be edited for length and clarity but we asked candidates and checked public voter rolls to include party registration information Candidates are listed in the order they will appear on the ballot Education: Bachelor's degree in television production CSU Northridge; associate degrees in liberal arts Website: Tom Fiala for Port Hueneme City Council Facebook page what’s your top priority and how do you plan to accomplish it As a Navy veteran and commander of the VFW I partnered with city government to bring back the POW/MIA Flag on Veterans Day and Memorial Day When last December’s floods devastated our community I helped our Hueneme Bay neighbors clear out damaged property and feed those evacuated we need to collaborate with government agencies to address this issue business owners and residents tell me we need less red tape I will make these a priority and work with our police department to focus on the problem of porch pirates and participation on the REACH Board of Directors helped me create many collaborative relationships I can’t promise to solve all the issues in Port Hueneme Reed Christian College & Western Theological Campaign website: hayesforcitycouncil2024.org we could have saved money on our budget to allow room for our youth programs and community development An EDC credit would be an Economic Development Credit that will be given to businesses and residents affected by the growth changes and beautification of the city I would create youth programs and youth jobs for summer 2025 l will work with the property owners to get vacant shops filled I would also go to the city of Oxnard and to the county of Ventura and request that Port Hueneme extend its city limits and indoor and outdoor entertainment to strip malls on Hueneme Road These investments will help to develop and to enrich our Economic Development Plan Occupation: Supervisory equipment specialist Education: Bachelor's and master's degrees in leadership and management University of La Verne; associate degree in aviation technology Campaign Website: jesslopez4hueneme.org My top priority is to strengthen our local economy by improving infrastructure and enhancing community services I will achieve this through a collaborative approach with community members focusing on efficient project execution and transparent communication I plan to build a strong partnership with Naval Base Ventura County leveraging my 30 years of naval service to bridge the city of Hueneme with our U.S This collaboration will integrate the base’s resources and expertise with local needs creating a more robust and well-connected community that benefits all residents Education: Bachelor's degree in communication studies Campaign Website: Luis Mendez II for Port Hueneme City Council 2024 Facebook page I am running for the City Council of Port Hueneme to bring balance I have deep ties to the community and a vested interest in the success and growth of Port Hueneme Affordable Housing and Fiscal Responsibility Safety: Implement policies and approve budgets that assist our police and first responders to meet community needs Allocate funds to modernize equipment and infrastructure Affordable housing: Advocate for the city to purchase properties and convert to affordable housing units Update and streamline the permitting process for ADU construction Fiscal Responsibility: Collaborate with community stakeholders finding ways to increase revenue ensuring economic stability Continue to pass balanced budget proposals while looking for opportunities to cut costs and promote economic growth I am the right candidate at the right time for Port Hueneme Misty PerezOccupation: Litigation paralegal Campaign website: facebook.com/mistyperezforporthueneme My campaign is built on the unwavering commitment to community economic development and policies that support affordable housing I am dedicated to ensuring our city fosters an environment where every resident can thrive Some of our biggest challenges are housing and economic growth We are a small city with limited land available for development We will need to implement new policies that would allow for creative development ideas in already developed communities to bring much needed housing We just put forth an Economic Development Plan that will take a full team effort and require innovative ideas while leveraging local resources to attract investors collaborate with private companies to invest in infrastructure real estate and commercial development projects and partnering with local colleges/unions to offer vocational training and skill development programs tailored to local industry needs Occupation: Administrative technical specialist for the Navy Campaign Website: facebook.com/randall.thomas4porthueneme My campaign aims to build a stronger local economy by supporting small businesses through grants promoting local products and fostering entrepreneurship I aim to enhance workforce development by educating young professionals about the job opportunities that may be available to them in our local area I would also like to focus on ensuring that housing can remain as affordable as possible for all people within the city of Port Hueneme Along with charting a course of sustainability in economic growth for the city and the people that live here to continue the high standard of living we all enjoy I believe would bring success to the overall city and the people that live here we would bring back the basis of the American dream to our people The Port Hueneme Police Department was fined by state regulators for “serious” workplace safety violations after a sergeant accidentally fired a handgun inside the department briefing room striking a fellow officer in the face with a bullet fragment The accidental shooting occurred the evening of Feb. 8, as first reported by The Star in June Officers had gathered in the briefing room for a shift change when a sergeant picked up a fellow sergeant's handgun to examine it and a piece of one bullet ricocheted up and hit an officer in the temple The officer who was hit was not seriously injured The California Occupational Health and Safety Program didn’t learn about the incident until almost two months later when someone made an anonymous complaint to the agency’s Van Nuys office according to Cal OSHA documents recently released to The Star That call started a four-month investigation that ended with the city paying $24,125 in fines for three separate violations of workplace safety rules Cal OSHA found that the Port Hueneme Police Department allowed the sergeant to handle a gun improperly on Feb and that such mishandling of firearms was "common practice," with multiple officers telling the OHSA investigator they'd seen their colleagues take a gun out in the briefing room or other unapproved places before without any consequences Some officers also told Cal OSHA's inspector they were reluctant to say anything to their superiors when they saw careless handling of weapons In a report recommending citations for the city Cal OSHA's inspector wrote that although the Port Hueneme Police Department has detailed written policies on firearm safety it "has not effectively enforced these policies among its police officers but the agency cut it approximately in half because in August the city agreed to a few "abatement measures." Those measures included installing a new “clearing station” for safely loading and handling firearms additional safety training for employees and training for supervisors that focused on creating a culture where rank-and-file officers are comfortable voicing their concerns Port Hueneme City Manager James Vega said the city could have appealed the OSHA citations but he decided not to because an appeal would have been expensive and time-consuming and because OSHA and the city came to a mutual agreement on how to resolve the case "I was very pleased with the immediate response of our police department to implement improvements to try to mitigate the chances of something like this happening again," Vega said but it's about how we respond to them and correct them We felt like we worked with OSHA to really make sure we addressed their concerns and we found some things we needed to address." the city hired a private investigator for an inquiry into the accidental shooting citing state law that only requires disclosure of police internal investigations and discipline proceedings under certain circumstances Those circumstances include any time an officer fires a gun at a person; the city’s position is that accidental shootings are not covered by that law Vega said in an email that “discipline was imposed” due to the accidental shooting but would not say who was disciplined or what the discipline entailed The Star continues to pursue the records from the city Vega also said the city did nothing wrong in not reporting the injury to Cal OSHA it did not meet the legal threshold for informing Cal OSHA The department did document the injury in its own records which are available to Cal OSHA when it makes inspections There is no legal requirement to report non-serious injuries While Cal OSHA did cite the city for lax safety practices it did not issue a citation for failing to report a serious injury If Cal OSHA hadn't gotten that anonymous tip in April it likely would never have learned about the accidental shooting and would never have cited Port Hueneme for safety violations a former Cal OSHA employee who is now a consultant and expert witness for employers in workplace safety cases "If you look at the reporting requirements they don't have to report this because the level of injury isn't listed in the standard as something you have to call Cal OSHA about," Andersen said yesterday a guy got a sprained thumb,' but they do want to you to record it 'It was just to show him the piece'In this case A representative of the agency visited the Port Hueneme Police Department’s headquarters at City Hall in April and returned in June and July reviewing department records and policies and interviewing eight employees in response to a public records request from The Star Cal OSHA released 489 pages of documents from its investigation The file includes transcripts of interviews with the officers involved and other witnesses officers from both the morning and night shifts had gathered in the briefing room to hear from the day-shift crew about what had gone on that day One of the sergeants had his personal handgun with him a 9 mm from a brand called Staccato that he had owned for about six months It's not the handgun the department issues to its officers but it had been approved by the chief of police for use as an on-duty weapon According to statements that Port Hueneme officers made to Cal OSHA more expensive and exotic than the department's standard-issued Sig Sauer P320 one Port Hueneme officer said the Staccato is "like the Aston Martin of guns The sergeant who owned the Staccato had left it on a desk in the briefing room He saw a fellow sergeant who was off duty that day and had stopped in to drop something off and he asked an officer who was sitting nearby to pick up the gun and hand it to the off-duty sergeant He'd just put a new magazine well on the gun and wanted his colleague to check it out "It was just to show him the piece," the owner of the Staccato told Cal OSHA's inspector another sergeant said it's common for a police officer to want to "show off" a new weapon this is a new toy that somebody got,'" he said The off-duty sergeant who wanted to look at the gun was the department's rangemaster which means he was in charge of firearms training and safety The position requires completing a 40-hour firearms instructor course for law enforcement officers "He manipulates more firearms a year than probably any of us," one Port Hueneme officer told Cal OHSA's inspector if anybody knows the ins and outs of firearms and the terminology The Star is not naming the sergeant involved because he isn’t a public figure or a top manager in the department According to the rangemaster's interview with Cal OSHA he took the Staccato and "rendered it safe," removing the magazine and a round from the chamber he put the magazine back and pulled and released the slide fired two rounds into the ground," the rangemaster told Cal OSHA The rangemaster said he was "just shocked at first." He held the gun up and said It took a moment to realize someone was hit The officer who was struck by a bullet fragment — the same officer who had handed the rangemaster the gun — didn't realize it himself and then I felt my face wet," he said in his interview with Cal OSHA So then I looked down and my lapel had blood on it." He didn't want to go to the hospital at first where the doctors removed a bullet fragment from his left temple Though the rangemaster had proclaimed that he never touched the trigger Cal OSHA's inspector found that explanation unlikely There were no mechanical issues with the handgun that would have caused it to fire without pressure on the trigger "There is a high likelihood that (the rangemaster) had his index finger on the trigger despite being trained and advised against it," the Cal OSHA inspector wrote in his report "should have known better than to point the pistol and finger the trigger at anything or anyone and it is alleged he is an expert in firearms and he willfully ignored Port Hueneme Police firearms policy but a complete disregard for safety from the Port Hueneme Police Department for allowing supervisors to handle display and manipulate firearms in an environment where other personnel were present and knowing the foreseeable risk a firearm can cause when it strikes a human being." The rangemaster violated all of the four basic rules for firearm safety Those rules are: don't rely on the gun's safety mechanisms; never point a gun at anything you don't intend to shoot; keep your finger off the trigger until you're ready to fire; and do not shoot unless you are sure of your target what's behind and what could come in front of it One of the two serious Cal OSHA violations was for not adequately training the Port Hueneme Police Department's supervisors and not enforcing its own safety codes when it allowed the rangemaster to unsafely handle the gun on Feb Other supervisors who were in the room had an obligation to correct him before the gun went off The other serious violation was for allowing personnel to use "machinery or equipment" — in this case a handgun — contrary to the manufacturer's recommendations related to problems with the department's record keeping for safety training and inspections sent before the city and the agency agreed to settle the case Robert Albertson said his department "took all steps a reasonable and responsive employer in like circumstances should be expected to take" to prevent safety violations and took "effective action" to protect employees in the wake of the Feb The department first investigated the incident itself then hired an outside investigator for a full report and it had the Staccato handgun inspected by a certified armorer Albertson sent extra training bulletins to all officers regarding firearm safety and the policies on carrying personally owned firearms the department purchased a second "clearing station," which is a barrel filled with sand ballistic rubber or another substance that will safely absorb a bullet Officers can point a gun into the barrel when loading unloading or otherwise handling the weapon The Port Hueneme Police Department already had a clearing barrel at the time of the Feb The new barrel was placed in the briefing room "The Department's stance is that the February 8 2024 incident was the result of intentional employee misconduct and not a lack of training or defective or unsafe equipment," Albertson said in his letter to Cal OSHA "Adequate policies and training were in place to prevent the incident and it would not have occurred but for the employee choosing to intentionally violate policy." in part because the unsafe handling of the handgun was by a supervisor which means the department was responsible for his conduct said he should have gone outside to the clearing barrel if he was going to handle the weapon "This is what happens when you cut corners," he said and it was a lapse in judgment on my part.” Port Hueneme officers interviewed by Cal OSHA said this was the first accidental discharge of a weapon they could remember in at least the past five years One longtime employee said he could recall only one such incident in the past 12 years But the department's employees also told Cal OSHA they had witnessed conduct which could have resulted in additional accidental discharges One officer said he'd "seen it before," referring to officers pointing their guns at the ground indoors while checking to see if they were loaded said he'd done that himself and had seen other officers do it "a handful" of times but it's happened in the past," the rangemaster said when asked if it was normal for officers to unholster loaded guns in the briefing room One department employee told Cal OSHA's inspector that there was a lack of accountability in the department "these bad habits have already been formed." "This is what leads to people getting hurt," he said and ultimately complacency leads to somebody in a job like this getting killed." Another officer told the Cal OSHA inspector that he felt supervisors and other senior employees weren't held to the same standards for gun safety as some junior officers said in an email that the police department has tried to address those issues through its recent training sessions Supervisors have been taught to deal with things like generational differences and peer pressure among officers "Several segments of the training emphasized creating a culture where junior employees were encouraged to feel comfortable in bringing forward their concerns and those are areas our leadership teams will continue to focus on," Vega said Tony Biasotti is an investigative and watchdog reporter for the Ventura County Star. Reach him at tbiasotti@vcstar.com This story was made possible by a grant from the Ventura County Community Foundation's Fund to Support Local Journalism This work, Naval Surface Warfare Center, Port Hueneme Division Enters into Virtual Reality Educational Partnership with Glendale Community College, by Gail Davis, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright – Joseph Lynn Johnson of Port Hueneme has been convicted by a Ventura County jury of raping an elderly woman with Alzheimer's disease A judge also found true the special allegation that Johnson took advantage of someone who was particularly vulnerable stated the Ventura County District Attorney's Office in a press release Thursday Johnson was caught having sex with a woman suffering from Alzheimer's disease at the Port Hueneme home of a family friend who was being taken care of by her daughter detailed the Ventura County District Attorney's Office According to the Ventura County District Attorney's Office the daughter was taking a shower and when she returned to check on her mother she found Johnson on top of the elderly woman in the bedroom "We are grateful to the jury for their careful consideration and for delivering a verdict that brings justice to the victim," said Deputy District Attorney Emily Reber who prosecuted the case "This defendant exploited the vulnerability of a woman who deserved care and dignity Johnson is currently scheduled to be sentenced on May 22 2025 in courtroom 14 of the Ventura County Superior Court where he faces eight years in state prison stated the Ventura County District Attorney's Office He was remanded into custody at the Ventura County Jail following his conviction shared the Ventura County District Attorney's Office Andrew is a Digital Content Producer and Assignment Desk Assistant for News Channel 3-12. For more about Andrew, click here. News Channel 3-12 is committed to providing a forum for civil and constructive conversation Please keep your comments respectful and relevant. You can review our Community Guidelines by clicking here If you would like to share a story idea, please submit it here Terms of Service Privacy Policy Community Guidelines FCC Public File EEO Public File Report FCC Applications Do Not Sell My Personal Information Suspect arrested after break-in at boba shop in Port HuenemeAn Oxnard man was charged Tuesday for his alleged involvement in a commercial burglary in Port Hueneme last week Port Hueneme Police Department officers responded around 6:40 a.m to a possible commercial burglary at Gobble Up Boba & Dessert at 599 W The store is in a shopping center anchored by a Ralphs supermarket Police found electronics on the shop's floor indicating a suspect may have left quickly officers were able to identify the suspect as an 18-year-old Oxnard man they knew from prior contacts Officers checked the surrounding area and locations the suspect was known to frequent where he was arrested on suspicion of commercial burglary Police were able to locate where he had hidden some of the stolen property The man was charged with felony commercial burglary in Ventura County Superior Court Tuesday when he pleaded not guilty to the charge during arraignment He was released from custody on his own recognizance and is next due in court April 4 The police department has asked anyone with information about the case to call Detective Sgt A suspect in a stolen vehicle led authorities on a pursuit with through Port Hueneme and Oxnard Sunday morning Port Hueneme Police Department officers located the stolen maroon Hyundai Elantra stopped in the area of Ventura and Pleasant Valley roads shortly after 6:15 a.m. The area is east of Naval Base Ventura County The suspect led officers on a pursuit into Oxnard The chase ended when the driver jumped out of the moving car near Pleasant Valley Road and Rose Avenue The vehicle came to a stop after rolling into a street curb Officers ran after him and eventually found him hiding in the parking lot of a nearby apartment complex police officials said was also found to be on probation for auto theft Prosecutors subsequently charged him with four felony counts related to vehicle theft and evading He pleaded not guilty to all charges in Ventura County Superior Court Tuesday The driver remained in county jail custody Wednesday with bail set at $60,000 He is next scheduled to appear in court on April 4 Editor's note: This story was updated with the final election results on Dec Results in the Port Hueneme City Council race show Misty Perez a Department of Defense equipment specialist Port Hueneme holds citywide elections, so voters could choose two candidates on the November ballot according to the final tally posted Tuesday afternoon Behind the top two were Thomas Fiala with about 17% Luis Mendez II with nearly 12% and Lamont Hayes with 8% Council members serve four-year terms. They set policy for the city of roughly 22,000 residents The other five candidates would be newcomers to elected office VFW Post 3935 commander and a retired post-production manager; Hayes an administrative technical specialist for the Navy For more coverage of local races in the Nov. 5 general election, visit vcstar.com/news/elections Cheri Carlson covers the environment and county government for the Ventura County Star. Reach her at cheri.carlson@vcstar.com or 805-437-0260 a 37-year-old Santa Barbara man was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder assault with a firearm and other suspected crimes related to the Dec A man suffered injuries after being shot Tuesday night in Port Hueneme The Port Hueneme Police said a patrol officer spotted a disturbance at 10:48 p.m The officer approached a group of people and found the shooting victim who was taken to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries The suspect was gone by the time the officer arrived The suspect was described as a Hispanic man who fled in a black SUV No arrests have been made as of Wednesday morning Detectives are investigating the shooting. Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to contact Detective Sgt. Jesus Chavez at jchavez@cityofporthueneme.org or 805-986-6615 2 arrested in apparent hate crime in Thousand OaksA 19-year-old man and a teen were arrested Tuesday night in Thousand Oaks after an apparent fight in which the pair made racist remarks Thousand Oaks police were called to the 2000 block of Los Feliz Drive around 7:20 p.m The sheriff's office is contracted by the city of Thousand Oaks to provide police services Investigators determined that the man and teen had driven past an apartment building and saw the victims The pair driving by started verbally berating the two leaving the apartments and physically assaulted them The teen is accused of using a baseball bat in the altercation Odenath said neither the suspects nor the victims appeared to know each other He said the suspects were believed to be documented gang members The 19-year-old was taken to Ventura County jail on suspicion of a felony violation of civil rights and street terrorism He is being held on $135,000 bail and is expected to appear in Ventura County Superior Court Friday The teen was taken to juvenile hall and faces the equivalent of assault with a deadly weapon A man was in critical condition after being struck by a vehicle in Santa Paula Tuesday afternoon The Santa Paula Police Department said the collision happened at about 3:05 p.m at the intersection of Santa Barbara and Davis streets A woman in her 70s was driving westbound on Santa Barbara Street He was taken to Ventura County Medical Center The driver stopped and cooperated with police The intersection has stop signs only between the north and south directions Anyone with information about the collision is asked to contact Detective Yvette Solis at 805-826-7512 orysolis@spcity.org (This story has been updated with new information from police.) A single-vehicle crash in Port Hueneme early Saturday turned fatal for the 18-year-old driver The accident was reported shortly before 12:30 a.m Port Hueneme Police Chief Michael Federico said in an email The block is in a residential area east of Patterson Road along the north edge of city limits had driven off the road onto a residential property where his vehicle hit a tree Officers performed life-saving measures until emergency medical personnel arrived His name was not immediately released pending family notifications A person inside the residence was hit by debris from the crash and was treated at the scene for minor injuries The department's preliminary investigation found the driver had been traveling at high speed when he crashed Investigators have not yet determined whether drugs or alcohol were a factor Anyone with information is asked to contact Traffic Sergeant RyanBates at 805-986-6620 or at RBates@cityofporthueneme.org Richard Bard Bubbling Springs Park in Port Hueneme is set to reopen this spring after a year's closure and a $15.4 million overhaul a pair of small artificial turf fields and a dog park are visible from outside the temporary fence lining the green belt of park that cuts diagonally southwest from the corner of Bard Road and J Street plastic-wrapped exercise equipment lay waiting to be installed along a walking path and workers shoveled mulch out in the area around a future playground City staff are aiming for a grand reopening in mid-April the Port Hueneme Little League temporarily displaced from its home fields Many areas of the park were taken down to the dirt before improvements were constructed "People are waiting with bated breath," Anna Hanely the city's community and recreation services manager Half of the project is being funded by a $7.5 million state grant with another $3 million coming from federal money given to the city under the 2021 American Rescue Plan Act Just under $4.9 million of the project is paid from Port Hueneme's general fund a fenced area with separate sections for large and small canines will be the first of its kind in the 4.5-square-mile city Hanely said sidewalks and a walking path around the park's perimeter will better integrate the green belt into the surrounding neighborhood and add a new use Possibly the most anticipated improvement of all will be the reconstruction of the park's four-field baseball complex The outdated baseball snack bar an important source of revenue for the Port Hueneme Little League for much of its history was closed during the pandemic and never reopened over code concerns But the baseball area renovation includes an enhanced concession stand leveled playing surfaces and replaced irrigation With brand new lights and three fields of little league regulation size — one field was expanded during construction and the fourth is for tee ball — the Port Hueneme Little League now has the potential to host tournaments a few old features will return: a set of bathrooms Isaiah Murtaugh covers Oxnard, Port Hueneme and Camarillo for the Ventura County Star. Reach him at isaiah.murtaugh@vcstar.com or 805-437-0236 and follow him on Twitter @isaiahembee The pipe starts as a curling tail at a dredging barge outside Channel Islands Harbor It floats for a few hundred yards across the water shooting below the sand of Silver Strand Beach and diving back down under the entrance to the Port of Hueneme a dark torrent of sediment and water erupts onto the sand it rebuilds the eroded shoreline an inch at a time Dredging crews have until the end of the month to complete this year's project which harvests sand from the harbor to feed beaches down the coast Harbor Director Michael Tripp said the barge processes between 30,000 to 40,000 cubic yards of sand each day Crews estimate they'll get to a total 1.2 million: the equivalent of more than 13,600 full standard shipping containers The biennial project has been running since the 1960s, overseen by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Without it, the mouth of Channel Islands Harbor could clog and erosion on Hueneme Beach could begin to hurt infrastructure, as it did in 2014 The final dredge total this year will be about half of the 2.5 million cubic yards of sand local officials hoped for The project was shortened by nearly three months in the fall when the Army Corps hit permitting delays with the California State Water Resources Control Board Dredging at Channel Islands Harbor is only allowed between October and February when it won't disturb shorebird nesting and migration The north end of the beach perpetually recedes as waves eat at the shoreline Southbound sand flows that would naturally replenish the beach are blocked by the same deep underwater canyon that allows shipping into the Port of Hueneme The dredging barge outside the harbor uses a massive spinning bit to dislodge collected sand from the ocean floor A massive pump sucks the material up in a wet slurry and sends it shooting south to Hueneme Beach An estimated 80,000 gallons of treated sewage spilled from the ocean outfall of Oxnard's wastewater treatment plant on Perkins Road closing nearby beaches in Oxnard and Port Hueneme Ventura County's Environmental Health Division posted warning signs at Port Hueneme Beach Park and along Ormond Beach at J Street The beaches will stay closed until samples test clean A spill report filed with the state showed the flow started around 8:35 p.m Thursday and was stopped about two hours later all county beaches remain under a rainfall advisory due to recent rains meaning the division recommends surfers and swimmers stay out of the water due to potentially harmful bacteria in stormwater runoff Residents should avoid contact for at least 72 hours after rain stops An interactive map of local beaches and other information is available at the environmental division's ocean water quality monitoring page at vcrma.org PORT HUENEME, Calif. – The U.S. Navy released its Final Environmental Assessment regarding the proposed construction of about 123,000 square-feet of permanent testing and maintenance facilities at Naval Base Ventura County and found no significant impact on the local environment The proposal includes permanent facilities to test unmanned undersea and surface platforms including: laboratories expeditionary support and material storage areas Navy in a press release about the environmental assessment Construction of the new facilities and pierside renovations are expected to begin no earlier than 2026 shared the U.S "Orca [Boeing's Extra Large Unmanned Undersea Vehicle] are an important step forward as we drive towards our future hybrid fleet which is going be composed of manned and unmanned platforms," explained Chief of Naval Operation Admiral Lisa Franchetti after touring the new vessel in December of last year the construction proposal would fit within the existing infrastructure at the naval installation and "therefore would not result in significant impacts to potable water Navy received concurrence from the National Marine Fisheries Service on Sep that the proposal would not adversely affect Endangered Species Act-listed and proposed marine species nor designated critical habitats and received a concurrence from the California Coastal Commission on Sep that the proposal would not have a significant effect on the coastal zone Some voluntary mitigation efforts will be taken by the U.S Navy despite the conclusion of the final assessment and concurrences of the minimal environmental impact added the U.S the proposed action also includes the training and testing of up to six Extra Large Unmanned Undersea Vehicles (XLUUV) and two Unmanned Surface Vessels in the waters to the west and southwest of Naval Base Ventura County Port Hueneme explained the U.S No explosive ordinance or detonation events are expected to be part of training and testing added the U.S The Boeing-designed XLUUV -or 'Orca'- is an autonomous submersible with the energy capacity for a 6,500 nautical mile range, enabling months-long missions with limited human input shared Boeing Friday's announced environmental review only applies to training and testing in 2025 and training and testing beyond this year will be addressed in future National Environmental Policy Act-based assessments shared the U.S shows an XLUUV during final preparations at its Huntington Beach manufacturing site which can produce up to 12 XLUUVs per year explained Boeing three comments were received about the proposal stated the U.S both of those comments resulted in revisions to the final environmental assessment announced Friday The third comment was a request for consultation from the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians that resulted in agreements over procedures for Tribal observations potential archaeological Tribal monitoring of proposed construction sites and avoidance of tribal fishing areas explained the U.S The evaluation and operation of autonomous systems and platforms are a key component of the Chief of Naval Operations' Navigation Plan for America's Warfighting Navy 2024 For two frenetic hours on Tuesday afternoon the white-stuccoed carcass of the Surfside Motel came to life Port Hueneme city staff and police milled about with construction workers attorneys and the handful of people who have been living in the few intact buildings on the shuttered property the property's owner and one of the Central Coast's most infamous landlords planting his feet in the dirt and his hands in his shorts pockets He surveyed code inspectors as they snapped photos throughout the partially demolished two-story motel buildings on the corner of Port Hueneme Road and Surfside Drive He watched as city police spoke with people living at the site The motel was approved in 2021 to be redeveloped into 41 apartments and 32 motel rooms "I'm desperate to finish that thing," Pini said Saturday Port Hueneme staff followed their inspection on Thursday with yellow tag notices on three small structures and red tag notices on the rest City Manager James Vega said the buildings were already not certified for occupation — Pini has been working through a renovation for well over a decade — but the tags declare the property uninhabitable in bold letters city staff found three small stand-alone bungalow units still inhabited people living there in unsafe conditions," Vega said said those occupied units are the reason demolition has stalled recently Burns said he asked the city last month to issue the yellow tags They open a path for courts to issue emergency orders to clear out individuals living on the property Tenants in one of the units had moved out by Saturday with relocation assistance from Pini and the attorney plans to request court orders this week for the other two This week's events marked the public renewal of the city's years-long battle with Pini over conditions in the motel and apartment complex the city has armed itself for potential new litigation Vega announced during last week's council meeting the city had retained attorney Matt Silver Silver, of Santa Barbara firm Civica Law, specializes in code enforcement and substandard housing litigation and previously represented the city of Santa Barbara in its own past battles with Pini Port Hueneme has been tussling with Pini over Surfside for years Pini applied in 2012 to develop the property into 65 affordable housing units but only did major work on one apartment building running along the street The building's paint still appears a crisp white asking a court to place Surfside under the control of a third party The court rejected the complaint and instructed the city to give Pini more time city officials approved Pini's plan to redevelop the remainder of the property into a combination of apartments and motel giving him a timeline of two and a half years the only work apparently done to the other two-story structures has been demolition stripping interiors to studs and dismantling external stairs and balconies they stood as empty husks with glassless windows overlooking the Bubbling Springs Greenbelt Representatives for the city and Pini disagree on why the project has taken so long Pini and his team say he is still waiting for permits City staff say the landlord has tried to change the project from the plan he was already approved for and that he has yet to complete the demolition and maintenance work he is permitted to do "Once you get a permit approved you can do what that permit says — or you can apply for a something different." "you can’t just decide you are going to do something different than what was approved Both sides say their ultimate goal is to get the complex completed and open “We’ve told him we’d work with him to do that,” Vega said “If we have to go to court to force the project to be completed Pini called the motel property an “eyesore.” the Surfside Motel and Apartments project is one of just a handful of immediate opportunities to increase housing stock in a county that has one of the nation’s worst housing affordability problems who estimated his real estate empire includes over 200 properties Pini says his rentals fill a gap in the market for people who can’t afford other options “Sometimes you try to help somebody and then the government steps in,” he said Vega said conditions at Pini’s rentals need to meet safety standards but there’s a right way to do it,” the city manager said “Putting people in unsafe conditions and collecting rent isn’t doing a service Vega said city staff found all three yellow-tagged bungalow units in dangerous condition without basic utilities including water or heat had lived there for at least part of their respective stays with the landlord’s knowledge and permission said that none of the people living at the property have paid rent this calendar year but that he could not discuss rent details further This work, Port Hueneme Clears the Deck: Paving the Way for New Business at NBVC, by Frank Valdez, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright The Port of Hueneme’s plan to go all-electric by 2045 just got a $42.3 million jumpstart from the U.S The grant is part of a total $3 billion that will be awarded by the EPA to ports across the country as part of the Clean Ports Program The grants are funded by the Inflation Reduction Act Hueneme plans to use its slice of the pie to replace up to 95% of its current diesel-powered cargo handling equipment — vehicles like container-hauling tractors — with electric-powered alternatives and charging infrastructure Federal and local officials cheered the new grant in a Wednesday press release lauded the port’s “innovative sustainability efforts.” Port CEO Kristin Decas said the money would boost the port’s efforts to be the nation’s first with zero emission cargo handling The port aims to get to zero emissions from terminal equipment by 2030 and is signed on to the state’s goal of 100% clean emission trucking by 2045 account for a quarter of on-road greenhouse gas emissions the port had cobbled together more than $100 million in local state and federal funding to refurbish basic infrastructure and begin purchasing electric and emissions-control equipment the port’s director of environment and sustainability said in an interview it could still take years for the port to feel the newest cash injection The port won’t get access to the money until early next year and has to go through the normal public process to make its purchases a storm caused millions of dollars in damage to port infrastructure closing down a shore-based power system that allowed ships to entirely shut down their diesel engines when berthed Pettifor said the port is still in the design process to rebuild the system and hopes to pay for the project which is expected to run $40 million to $50 million It will take at least 18 months of construction in part because on-shore power is a newer technology and competition between ports airports and other industries is stiff for the limited supply of heavy electrical infrastructure parts and equipment ”We are at the pointy end of the spear,” he said The port’s long-term goals to reduce emissions could be similarly bottlenecked by the pace of development of electric-powered technology Manufacturers have yet to start building heavy watercraft like tug boats Electric trucks are still prohibitively expensive and public infrastructure for charging them is scarce There is currently only one publicly accessible medium- and heavy-duty charging facility in Ventura County More would be necessary to make electric trucking viable “That’s the 80,000-pound elephant in the room,” Pettifor said there were only 37 medium- and heavy-duty electric vehicles based in the county Isaiah Murtaugh covers Oxnard, Camarillo and Port Hueneme for the Ventura County Star. Reach him at isaiah.murtaugh@vcstar.com or 805-437-0236 and follow him on Twitter @isaiahmurtaugh On Feb. 22, Ventura County Star reporter Isaiah Murtaugh had an article entitled, “Hueneme Beach dredge nears end with half of original target.” The “half of the original target” is a reality which we need to change for our delicate coastal environment The federal expenditure for this project is an excellent example of what essential high return and sensible spending looks like fraud and abusive spending these days; this is not it beg and hope for the oxygen necessary to sustain your life This is precisely what happens every two years here in the city of Port Hueneme Ever since the creation of the Port of Hueneme Hueneme Beach’s sustainability relies entirely on the manual dredge process The Port of Hueneme provides Ventura County with tremendous amounts of jobs and economic activity Prior to the creation of the Port of Hueneme the sand traveled from the Santa Clara River through Oxnard Shores Ormond Beach then all the way to the sand hill of Point Mugu Prior to the creation of the Channel Islands Harbor the sand destined to Hueneme Beach and beyond was being lost into the Hueneme Submarine Canyon The Channel Islands Harbor was built to trap sand from the Santa Clara River and stop the loss of sand to the Hueneme Submarine Canyon This was done so the sand would be available for dredging to Hueneme Beach Mother Nature would deliver 1.2 million cubic per year through Hueneme Beach prior to the creation of the Port of Hueneme The target for each dredge cycle is 2.4 million cubic yards of sand the federal government decided to not move forward with our full dredge project Our surfers on the ground knew what this would mean all they could do and was watch as the pier was closed picnic areas lost to the sea and the beach eroding all the way to surfside drive This catastrophe was completely preventable and it cost the city of Port Hueneme millions of dollars to recover The milestone was we exceeded the target (2.4 cubic yards) by 100,000 cubic yards there is a 38 million cubic yard sand deficit from the prior years This deficit has serious consequences down south at the Point Mugu Naval Air Station and beyond You can see that “deficit” in the dramatic growth of the sand dunes at Hollywood Beach while at the same time the slow disappearing sand from Point Mugu to the Ventura County Line at Neptune’s Net DOGE is getting a lot of attention these days and I hope we all can agree on what wasteful spending looks like The Port of Hueneme creates billions of economic activity and thousands of jobs The cost of mimicking Mother Nature (dredging) every two years is approximately $24 million That prudent expenditure results in 2.4 million cubic yards of sand being moved from the “sand trap” to sustain Hueneme Beach dredging crews have been working to remove sand from the harbor mouth and pump it to Hueneme Beach to combat erosion.” Because we want this highly legitimate expenditure to be without anxiety Many of us believe we should always say dredging crews have been working to mimic Mother Nature results in billions of dollars in economic activity in Ventura County Can we have the dredge cycle guaranteed through legislation so we (Port of Hueneme Congress Woman Brownley’s Office Staff and the Army Core of Engineers) can work on other challenges The time we spend on the dredge cycle dance every two years is a wasteful use of our energy and time It is the most legitimate federal expenditure I know of in this time of rooting out government preserving Hueneme Beach sustainability is the most worthy and value added federal expenditure This guest column is not a representation of the view of the entire city council of the city of Port Hueneme or the Port of Hueneme or the Ventura County Board of Supervisors or that of Congresswoman Julia Brownley It is the view of mine who happens to be a surfer city council person from the city of Port Hueneme Steven Gama is a member of the Port Hueneme City Council Port Hueneme has installed rubber medians at an intersection near Hueneme Beach Park as part of a pilot program to curb stunt driving The junction of Surfside Drive and Market Street bears evidence of "doughnuts," where drivers leave ring-shaped skid marks from spinning their cars in tight circles The move can cause loud squeals and put up clouds of smoke that drift into neighbors' yards The city was getting five to 10 complaints a week for several years and the maneuvers had become more visible because of social media But after the rubber medians were installed at the crossing on Aug Vega said he wasn't aware of any complaints having been filed since the devices went in “The caveat is that it’s been a week,” the city manager said “I don’t know if we’re ready to declare victory in the war against traffic doughnuts yet.” Drivers of various ages have been taking part in the practice with the doughnuts being performed at all times of day and night motorists often exceeded the 30 mph speed limit as they drove down the street afterward The frequency grew during the week before the medians were installed possibly because motorists heard about the devices and knew they couldn’t do the stunt driving later City officials have called such activity reckless and dangerous when large unsanctioned meets and races cropped up locally in high numbers following a crackdown in Los Angeles County Port Hueneme's pilot project with the medians may eventually lead to installation of the rubber devices at other intersections which is much cheaper than concrete medians including those operating emergency vehicles can safely drive over the rubber bumps as part of the normal traffic flow The city’s engineering team got the idea for the project from the manufacturer who previously created rubberized speed cushions for the city The medians are part of Port Hueneme’s efforts to improve traffic safety throughout the city That has included lowering the speed limit to 40 mph on parts of Ventura and Hueneme roads and Channel Islands Drive The police department has reinstated enforcement by a motorcycle officer and is waiting for the arrival of a second motorcycle it ordered Residents who witness reckless driving can file a complaint by calling the Port Hueneme Police Department at 805-986-6530 Dave Mason covers East County for the Ventura County Star. He can be reached at dave.mason@vcstar.com or 805-437-0232 Billions of dollars a year in goods ranging from fresh produce to vehicles are imported through Ventura County How will the Trump Administration's tariffs affect it The Port of Hueneme is the only deep-water port between Los Angeles and San Francisco It handles $25 billion a year in imports and exports Port officials are closely watching the tariffs for potential impacts on business One of the key areas of concern is how banana imports might be impacted "The port is a top trade gateway for the banana trade," said Kristen Decas "We move about five billion bananas through the port on an annual basis We can't grow enough bananas in our country to feed the nation," said Kristen Decas Decas said that depending on the country they come from some of the imported bananas might be impacted by tariffs "The primary countries (where the bananas come from) would be Guatemala "What we're looking at today from the recent developments is about a 10% tariff on those countries we source from She said there's a special exemption on bananas from Mexico The other major commodity that comes through the port is vehicles Trump Administration officials say about half of the 16 million new vehicles sold in the U.S With 25% tariffs in place for imported vehicles Some automakers with plants in Mexico and Canada are planning to shut them down temporarily With the tariffs just being announced last week Decas said so far there have been no impacts on operations there’s a lot of uncertainty in the shipping business "Our approach to this has been to stay really close to our customers Our strategy here is to not be knee-jerk," said Decas "The common thought here is that this negotiation is still ongoing." So far there’s no word of a reduction in vehicle shipments to the port "What I hear from my customers is that they're more interested to see what the U.S Decas said some automakers using the port may decide to take advantage of its unique foreign trade zone status They can ship the vehicles to the port and store them at designated facilities They won’t have to pay tariffs until the vehicles are shipped to dealers That gives them inventory prepositioned in the U.S. and they're also ready in case the tariffs are lifted a lot of people are keeping a close eye out for potential impacts on the port It’s responsible for 25,000 jobs in the region and generates about $236 million in local and state tax revenue annually 2023 was the busiest year on record for the port There was a slight slump in 2024 due to a rough year for crops from Latin America a Port Hueneme city councilmember and mayor for over three decades city officials announced in a news release Monday 31 with a celebration at his namesake Orvene S Carpenter was Port Hueneme's longest-serving councilmember "It is with heavy hearts that we extend our deepest condolences on the passing of Mr a true pillar of our community and a man whose life was defined by service dedication and leadership," the release from City Manager James Vega said Additional details about his death were not provided Carpenter's career outside of city office was also marked by public service including as postmaster in Port Hueneme from 1970 to 1975 and as postmaster in Oxnard from 1975 until his retirement in 1986 the wife of late councilmember Jonathan Sharkey said Carpenter came to the city early in its development and voted on some of Port Hueneme's most consequential development decisions Kelley worked with the city historical museum to interview the former councilmember last year and said he was full of stories who has lived in Port Hueneme more than two decades He always cared about what the city was doing," she said Vega said in an email that Carpenter's legacy was well known throughout Port Hueneme and should be a model to the world "I was amazed by his life of service to the community," Vega wrote Carpenter would attend city senior social events He was a source of inspiration to the city and a living archive of Port Hueneme history Carpenter's wife, Georgia, died in March 2021 who met as fourth graders in Arkansas and reconnected in Port Hueneme in 1944 Kelley said Carpenter had hoped to make it to his 100th birthday A graveside service will be held at 2 p.m. on March 11 at the Conejo Mountain Memorial Park at 2052 Howard Road in Camarillo at the Conejo Mountain Funeral Home at the same address Access this article in a different format: [DOC] Edited 09/25/2024 to correct the global logistics market value projections Oxnard College has launched its new Logistics Certificate program made possible through a key partnership with the U.S The new program will help train Ventura County residents to meet workforce needs at Naval Base Ventura County and the Port of Hueneme Oxnard College’s Logistics Certificate program includes four core courses designed to equip students with essential knowledge and skills in logistics The 12-unit curriculum covers a range of topics including logistics systems transportation systems and imports and exports Graduates of the program will be qualified for potential employment in logistics at the Port and Naval Base Ventura County “We are thrilled to partner with Naval Surface Warfare Center and the Port of Hueneme on this important initiative for Ventura County’s residents,” shared Dr we have partnered with the Port and NSWC PHD to train local workers and provide good-paying careers right here in our community.” valued at $8.96 trillion in 2023 and projected to reach $21.91 trillion by 2033 This growth is driven by increased global trade advancements in technology and the rise of e-commerce ranking among the top ten logistics markets worldwide With a growing economy and increasing demand for efficient supply chains the need for skilled logisticians is higher than ever “Community is so important to us at NSWC PHD and cultivating the next generation of our workforce is critical to ensure our fleet support mission is sustained,” said Bagrat Minasian “Logistics is a specific skill set that is essential to the success of our command and the U.S We are thrilled to partner with Oxnard College and cannot wait to meet the future logistics graduates of this program.” The logistics industry is a cornerstone of the global economy with a projected 18% job growth from 2022 to 2032 driven by increasing e-commerce and global trade creates numerous opportunities for logisticians third-party logistics providers are a significant market segment expected to rise from $168.4 billion in 2017 to $266.1 billion by 2027 Oxnard College is planning to offer an associate degree in Logistics The degree is anticipated to be available starting in Fall 2025 and will involve researching transfer pathways exploring articulation agreements with local universities and preparing necessary documentation for curriculum development The eventual associate degree will help graduates transfer to four-year universities and advance their careers “The Port of Hueneme is one of the most productive and efficient commercial trade gateways for niche cargo on the West Coast Port operations support the community by bringing $2.8 billion in economic activity and creating approximately 25,000 trade-related jobs The Port of Hueneme is proud to partner with regional leaders like Oxnard College and Navy Base Ventura County to create the Oxnard College Logistics Program This collaborative initiative helps ensure the local logistics workforce of tomorrow is properly trained today,” said Kristin Decas (805) 678-5800 ocinfo@vcccd.edu Oxnard College does not discriminate on the basis of race A dead minke whale washed up along the Ventura County coast last week but the tides kept a team from examining the young female until Saturday The whale, initially reported on Tuesday, was found near a jetty close to the lighthouse walkway in Port Hueneme. Minke whales are not endangered in the U.S. but are protected under the Marine Mammal Protection Act. The biggest threats to the whales include ship strikes, climate change and entanglement in fishing gear, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reported This weekend, the Channel Islands Marine & Wildlife Institute and the Channel Islands Cetacean Research Unit caught a break with the surf A team led by a biologist and a veterinarian from the organizations examined the 27-foot whale on the sand near the Port of Hueneme They hope to learn more about the 2- to 5-year-old and how it died performed under an agreement with NOAA Fisheries west coast region included an exam and collection of samples for genetic testing The work allows scientists to better understand ocean conditions, how the animal lived and how it may have died, said Lili Hartounian, lead stranding biologist with the Channel Islands Cetacean Research Unit The exact cause of death of the whale is not yet known but Hartounian and the team found extensive bruising on the right side of its flank which she described as what the whale uses to swim Why did the whale die?The injury would be consistent with a vessel striking the whale They also found indications that the whale was alive when the injury happened But the team has not ruled out other causes, including domoic acid poisoning caused by a naturally occurring toxin in algae The rapid growth of algae can cause elevated levels of the neurotoxin that can be harmful for wildlife Last month, dozens of sick and dying sea lions started showing up along the Ventura and Santa Barbara coasts which rescues and rehabilitates marine mammals in the two counties The animals appeared to be sick with domoic acid poisoning the whale carcass was towed 26 miles offshore In June, as many as 30 blue whales, including multiple pairs of mothers and calves, showed up off the remote islands. The largest animal in the world, blue whales can grow to be 100 feet long and weigh up to 160 tons They have been listed as endangered since the 1970s Minke whales typically are black or dark gray with a white underside They can weigh up to 20,000 pounds and reach 35 feet long creating distinct sounds that can vary by species and geographic area What to do if you find an injured, dead whale?Whether traveling in boats or paddleboards, people should stay at least 100 yards from whales, agencies say. People can report whale sightings using a free Whale Alert app at whalealert.org Reducing speeds and keeping an eye out for marine life helps reduce the risk of a collision Federal agencies recommend large vessels reduce speeds to 10 knots when moving through the Santa Barbara Channel from May to December Sanctuary officials also ask boats of any size to do the same To report a dead, injured or stranded marine mammal, contact the West Coast Region Stranding Hotline at 866-767-6114. More information and safety tips are available at sanctuaries.noaa.gov/wildlife-viewing/ Los Angeles District is preparing to award contract for the Channel Islands/Port Hueneme Harbors Maintenance Dredging project USACE dredges the sand trap and channels near the entrance of Channel Islands Harbor Dredging of the area has been conducted regularly since 1960 this year’s project includes a base bid for the first dredging cycle plus two options for additional dredging cycles USACE estimates dredging about 2 to 2.5 million cubic yards of sand during the project Material dredged from the federal navigation channels and sand traps will be pumped across the harbor entrance down Silver Strand Beach and deposited just to the south of the Port of Hueneme The contract award is expected in early 2025 with project completion scheduled before the end of Q1 Daily news and in-depth stories in your inbox Here's a roundup of recent incidents and announcements from Ventura County agencies:  Teen 'stable' after shooting in Port HuenemePolice are investigating a teen who was shot in Port Hueneme Sunday night and taken to a local hospital The Port Hueneme Police Department received multiple reports of shots heard around 8:35 p.m in the 300 block of East Port Hueneme Road Officers arrived to investigate and later learned a 15-year-old boy had arrived at St John's Regional Medical Center with a gunshot wound to the leg He was eventually taken to Ventura County Medical Center where he was listed in stable condition as of Monday morning Police did not yet have information on where the teen lives It was not clear if the teen knew the shooter Anyone with additional information is asked to contact Detective Sgt. Jesus Chavez at jchavez@cityofporthueneme.org or 805-986-6615 Authorities were investigating a shooting death believed to be a suicide Monday morning in the parking lot of a Camarillo hotel Sheriff's deputies from the Camarillo police station were called on a well-being check around 6:23 a.m in the 11000 block of East Ventura Boulevard Deputies discovered a man in a vehicle at the Good Nite Inn with what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound but Sullivan said no one else was injured and there was no threat to the public It was not immediately clear if the man had been staying at the hotel If you're feeling despondent, the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, for both English and Spanish speakers, can be reached by calling 988 and can be found on the web at https://988lifeline.org This work, NBVC Port Hueneme Opens Victoria Gate, by LTJG Drew Verbis, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright Add your event. – Firefighters responded to a brush fire Wednesday night in Oxnard Crews named it the Hueneme Fire since it started near Hueneme Road The wind blew a huge plumes of smoke towards Ormond Beach The dead end road near the fire appeared strewn with discarded clothing and wind-blown trash Firefighters stopped the forward progress before midnight Crews will stay late into the night to make the fire is fully contained They are positioned in the area due to strong winds that have sparked concerns all week Your News Channel will keep you updated as more information comes into the newsroom Port Hueneme Beach Park and some Oxnard beaches are closed on Friday people are advised by the Ventura County Environmental Health Division to stay out of the ocean for 72 hours after the rain due to stormwater runoff contamination An estimated 80,000-gallon sewage spill from the Oxnard Wastewater Treatment Plan near Perkins Road has closed beaches at Port Hueneme Beach Park and portions of Ormond Beach at J Street The spill occurred through the city's offshore outfall Those beaches have been posted with signs warning of the risks The sewage was treated to a "primary level," according to a county of Ventura spokesperson Primary treatment involves filtration and sedimentation of solid waste inside the Biological processes are used at the second stage to purify wastewater An interactive map of the closures may be viewed online at https://vcrma.org/en/ocean-water-quality-results According to the county of Ventura government the beaches will remain closed until the water quality is deemed safe a countywide “Rainfall Advisory” is in effect advising people at all the beaches in Ventura County to stay out of the ocean for at least 72 hours after the rain due to potential stormwater contamination The county Environmental Health Division is conducting weekly tests and will announce when it’s safe to return sewage may contain disease-causing microorganisms the rain creates a potential for the stormwater runoff to carry disease-causing bacteria to the beaches and into the water You can also view current beach advisories and learn about the state ocean water quality advisories on the VC Safe Beaches app NOTE: This article is provided free. Please subscribe to the Ojai Valley News | Ventura County Sun to help provide this important news reporting. SUBSCRIBE HERE Bacteriological sample results for specific beaches are also available in a recorded format on the county Environmental Health Division hotline at 805-662-6555 and on the division’s web page at www.vcrma.org/ocean-water-quality-monitoring-program contact the Oxnard Waste Water Treatment Plant at 805-271-2219 The banana-flavored beer was so popular at last year's Banana Festival at the Port of Hueneme and they didn't know how much to bring," Latimer said about last year's event we will have plenty on tap so we don't run out this year." The Banana Festival returns this Saturday from 10 a.m Parking is free at the Hueneme beach lots nearby Shuttles take guests from the lots to the entrance Latimer said the festival approached Ventura Coast Brewing Co "It’s actually very refreshing," Latimer said Other items with bananas include margaritas tamales and frozen chocolate covered bananas "We’re wanting to showcase the many different creative products that can be made out of bananas," said Miguel Rodriguez public community and labor relations manager at the Port of Hueneme A pie-eating contest is scheduled between 1:30 p.m The winner will receive a $100 gift certificate from Grocery Outlet and a swag bag of items from the port The Port of Hueneme consistently ranks among the top three U.S. ports for bananas, according to its website Port customers import more than 664,000 tons on over 156 vessels annually the festival will feature a classic car show retail vendors and a 40-foot container live art exhibit More than 10,000 people attended the festival last year with more expected this year "Charging Forward to Zero Emissions by 2030," is part of the Port of Hueneme's climate plan What bands are performing at Port of Hueneme Banana Festival?Musical entertainment will be provided by: The festival is designed to give people an insight on everything that comes through the port "I think the banana items are extremely popular and we want to make sure we fit the theme of the Banana Festival but also make sure people know there's more going on than just bananas," Latimer said the port supplies about one third of the nation's bananas For more information, visit bananaportfest.com Wes Woods II covers West County for the Ventura County Star. Reach him at wesley.woodsii@vcstar.com, 805-437-0262 or @JournoWes – Port Hueneme Police officers arrested a 38-year-old Oxnard man for arson after setting bushes on fire near Parkview Elementary School before 6:30 a.m Fire crews arrived and helped a citizen who intervened to put out the fire with only minor damage before the suspect fled on foot PRPD officers later found and arrested the Oxnard man for arson where he was later booked into the Ventura County Main Jail Those who have information on this crime can contact this number and anonymous tips on any crimes can be made at the Ventura County Crime Stoppers website Port Hueneme police were investigating a shooting in the city Friday afternoon Officers responded to reports of shots fired around 2:30 p.m Port Hueneme Police Chief Michael Federico said a man suffered gunshot wounds that were not considered life-threatening The victim was in a parked vehicle on the street at the time patrol units remained at the scene and no suspects were in custody Anyone with information is asked to contact Senior Detective Ricardo Miranda at 805-986-6619 or RMiranda@cityofporthueneme.org Anonymous tips can be made through Ventura County Crime Stoppers A crash into a parked truck early Friday in Oxnard seriously injured the passenger in a sedan The collision was reported around 2:20 a.m Oxnard Police Department officials said in a news release A 28-year-old Oxnard man was driving a 2014 Hyundai Accent sedan northbound on C Street at the time He crashed into a parked 2018 Dodge Ram 3500 pickup truck Firefighters pulled both men from the wreckage and they were taken by ambulance to Ventura County Medical Center The passenger's condition later deteriorated quickly and he was rushed into emergency surgery He was said to be in critical but stable condition late Friday afternoon Investigators believe alcohol was a contributing factor and are continuing to investigate the crash Anyone with information is asked to contact Officer Jay Benson at 805-385-7750 or at jay.benson@oxnardpd.org VENTURA COUNTY, Calif. – The Ventura County District Attorney's Office announced that Jaylin Edwards was convicted of all charged felonies including attempted murder and shooting at an inhabited dwelling for a July 2019 shooting that injured two people including partially paralyzing a seven-year-old A Ventura County jury convicted Edwards on all of the following felony charges as well as found true all of the following special allegations on Nov Edwards and a 17-year-old shot at a residence in Port Hueneme where they believed a man they were looking for lived stated a press release Monday from the Ventura County District Attorney's Office Inside of the home was a family of five sitting in their living room when at least eight of the 12 fired gunshots hit their home shared the Ventura County District Attorney's Office Three of those rounds hit family members including a seven-year-old girl who was hit in the head and the girl's pregnant mother who was hit in the foot and thigh detailed the Ventura County District Attorney's Office The seven-year-old was taken to the hospital and eventually airlifted to Los Angeles Children's Hospital where she spent the next three weeks in a coma explained the Ventura County District Attorney's Office The pregnant mother required surgery for her gunshot wounds and was released the following day shared the Ventura County District Attorney's Office the girl was able to return home but was left paralyzed on the left side of her body and has permanent cognitive impairment Edwards and the 17-year-old fled the scene after shooting stated the Ventura County District Attorney's Office According to the Ventura County District Attorney's Office, an investigation by the Port Hueneme Police Department and the Ventura County Sheriff's Office led to the arrest of the 17-year-old and the recovery of one of the two firearms used in July of 2019 Evidence collected eventually led investigators to Edwards who was arrested in December of 2021 but the second weapon used in the shooting was never recovered the shared the Ventura County District Attorney's Office "This verdict marks a significant step toward closure for the victims and the law enforcement team that spent months investigating this case," said Deputy District Attorney Stephanie Horlick who prosecuted the case "It is my hope that the jury's swift verdict provides a sense of justice to the victims as they continue their lifelong healing journey." Edwards is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan in courtroom 46 of the Ventura County Superior Court where he faces a maximum of 73 years and four months to life in state prison explained the Ventura County District Attorney's Office The co-offender was charged in juvenile court for their role in the shooting and the case is still pending in juvenile court added the Ventura County District Attorney's Office Teen found dead at Hueneme beachA teen was found dead near Port Hueneme Beach Promenade Sunday morning The Port Hueneme Police Department responded to a call for a health check for an unresponsive 15-year-old female on the beach near Surfside Drive at Market Street around 10 a.m Medical personnel pronounced her dead on the scene Police did not release additional information about the girl The teen was found between the rocks located south of the promenade The girl did not have visible signs of trauma The teen had been reported missing earlier in the day There was no indication that she had been swimming The Port Hueneme police requested that anyone with information about the case contact Chavez at jchavez@cityofporthueneme.org or 805-986-6615 chase ensuesThe attempted burglary of a pizza chain on Tapo Street in Simi Valley lead to a high-speed chase by police early Sunday morning A witness reported seeing four individuals wearing dark clothing attempting to load a safe into a vehicle from the closed business at about 1 a.m. according to a news release from the Simi Valley Police Department Police said the suspects dropped the safe when they spotted the witness and fled Officers were able to locate the suspects' vehicle and engaged in a pursuit The driver lead the officers on a high-speed chase that ended for them in Burbank and was handed over to the California Highway Patrol because the driver was determined to be reckless Morton said the pursuit ultimately ended at the Robertson Boulevard offramp of Interstate 10 in Los Angeles County No arrests had been made as of Monday morning The Simi Valley police asked that anyone with information about the burglary to call the station at 805-583-6950 Fire crews quickly put out a vegetation fire Monday morning off Highway 101 in Camarillo The fire was first reported shortly before 7 a.m on southbound 101 between Carmen Drive and Arneill Road according to the Ventura County Fire Department The blaze briefly affected traffic in the area an engineer-paramedic and department spokesman The city of Camarillo was notified of damage to property in the area This work, USS Fitzgerald (DDG 62) Returns to Naval Surface Warfare Center, Port Hueneme Division for Combat Systems Checkup [Image 2 of 2], by Dana Rene White, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright