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WASTEWATER From page 1A Since these projects will affect a resident’s water rates, the goal is to replace older parts of the plant with new technologies that are more advanced and cost efficient, all in an attempt to keep utility rates as reasonable as possible. Rydberg explained that this new water treatment plan is the first in the department’s history to pull together “water quality evaluation for water, storm water, recycled water, waste water, all done together as one plan.” The benefit of this is significant. “You can coordinate all the quality aspects of water,” he said. “Since your waste water quality and your storm water quality affect your drinking water, a lot of the water is going back into the aquifers, and so you want to make sure all of those are coordinated.” In addition, with California in a severe drought, the public works department wants to make water conservation a high priority. “In middle of this drought in California, we want to make sure we’re conserving, but also using storm water and waste water and recycling it as much as possible so that we’ll increase water supplies,” he said. The good news is that the public works department is making progress on several fronts. A new headworks station was installed in 2008, and if all goes as planned, a new advanced water purification facility is scheduled to go online next spring. Rydberg believes another point for the tour is to show that, for all the work and expense that goes into treating water in Oxnard, its residents are getting a good deal. “For the cost of my cell phone bill,” he explained, “I can pay for water and wastewater that is the best quality in the world. Compared to other things, it’s a pretty good value.” PINNOCK From page 1A testimony from behavioral and mental health experts and law enforcement officials examining police protocols and procedures for interactions with mentally ill persons. “We are trying to make sure that folks are clear their government is responsive to the needs of those who are concerned about safety,” Ridley-Thomas told the Los Angeles Watts Times prior to the hearing. He explained that the community advocacy piece is the reason why the hearing was being held. “If it wasn’t for community groups of strong and engaged guidance such as Mr. Danny Bakewell in particular, then we would not be having this conversation,” Ridley-Thomas stated. Assemblymember RidleyThomas said, “What brings us here today is the July 1st beating of a woman who may have been suffering from a mental health episode or crisis and the series of events that led her to have a violent interaction with a California Highway patrolman. Our purpose today is to examine the entirety of the systems and structures in place within California to find the point where levels of law enforcement, persons with mental illnesses, and providers of mental health services intersect.” Assembly member JonesSawyer said, “We’ve spent the last two years trying to correct two generations of public policy that criminalized persons suffering from mental illness. It’s time for California to get smart about crime prevention, mental health intervention, and behavioral health rehabilitation,” said Assembly Member Jones-Sawyer. BLESSINGS From page 2A I dare you to go back and get your blessings. The great thing about God it’s never too late you can reclaim lost blessings. Maybe you didn’t go into the promise land the first time when you were SO CLOSE TO GETTING IN but this time your attitude needs to be; I’m going to get in, this time nobody is going to talk me out of my victory, no obstacle is going to defeat me, no sickness is going to hold me back, no disappointment is going to discourage me. What I lost in the past God can make up in my future so I’m going into that reclaiming mode. I am going to reclaim every lost opportunity. I am going to reclaim every blessing that I passed up. I am reclaiming every promotion that should’ve been mine. I am reclaiming the victory that people tried to talk me out of. If somebody carried away your blessing in the past well this is your New Day you can still live a life of victory. You can still accomplish every dream, you can still overcome that addiction you can still be happy in that marriage, you can still be a successful satisfied single, you can still live a blessed prosperous life it is never too late to become all that Gods created you to be. Hear Pastor Lonnie each Sunday live at the Miracle Center, 5105 Walker Street
Friday AUGUST 8, 2014
in Ventura. Visit: http://www. miraclecenterventura.com, call: (805) 644-7722, or email: lonnie100@msn.com Lonnie G. McCowan is pastor at The Miracle Center of Ventura, in Ventura, CA. He can be contacted through email at lonnie100@msn.com or by visiting www.miraclecenterventura.com. WORKOUT From page 2A from your body to your brain, it’s best to treat pain directly through the subconscious. Shape Magazine (Feb 2003) cites a Harvard Medical School Study that found patients who used self-hypnosis needed less pain medication. Increasing tolerance to pain can also be helpful when fatigue is hindering your workout. As a bonus, hypnosis boosts the production of endorphins, the neurotransmitters in your body that suppress pain sensations. Imagery can also help you learn new skills more quickly, perhaps even preventing an injury. Often there is a limit on the amount of physical practice you can do, however, imagery allows you to go through the movement until you get it right. When you picture yourself succeeding, your mind becomes more comfortable with it. The subconscious mind does not know the difference between “reality” and what we imagine. Visualizing success boosts your confidence and helps you learn to believe in yourself. Let go of negative thoughts and fears. Think positive. Remember that your performance doesn’t come from any individual workout but from consistently effective workouts over a period of time. Focus on using good technique and having fun. Relax. For more information, visit www.TheMindMatters.com. For an appointment, call 805279-1551. SLOW From page 2A training our kids are involved in and club teams to “help” them excel in their skills and abilities. But are we truly “helping” them? Have we forgotten why we put them on these teams? Most of us simply began wanting our child to learn a sport and have fun doing it. We wanted them to learn teamwork and work on their motor skills and then they loved the game. When did all of that change? When did we start adding so much pressure to it, so much so that we have taken the fun out of the love of the game? All of the planned and structured activities our children are engaged in has somewhat taken away from our youth’s creativity and ability to just “be”. Do they even know what to do when they are outside without some phone, game or gadget in their hand? Playing outside used to be so much fun when we were kids, but many of the youth of today do not have that luxury. Do they know how to create games and simply have unplanned fun? What happened to going to the park simply “to play?” When we were growing up, walking to the store with your friends used to be a lot of fun. That was the activity. You used to be able to give kids blank paper and crayons and it would keep them busy. They would draw, play tic-tac-toe, mash, mad libs, etc. These days they would like it all written out for them. When they don’t have something to look at or listen to it seems to drive this generation crazy. When I sit and think about it, it is scary. But it is we who are bringing them up this way. Are we so busy trying to get work done and accomplish so much that we are missing a lot? Are we so busy trying to make money that we are losing time with our family and loved ones? By the way, that is time that we won’t get back. Do we buy nice homes, nice cars and all of the latest gadgets but never have time to enjoy and use them? We live in such a fast-paced world that we have forgotten some of the simple pleasures of life. We live right here by the beach. When was the last time you took some time to simply be out there and enjoy it - to walk, to play, to sit, to get in the water, etc.? When was the last time you picked up the phone and had a meaningful conversation with someone - without doing other things at the same time (I.e. driving, texting, on social media, cooking)? When was the last time you sat and had dinner with your family without your phones, without the television on and without any electronics? Even though you live with your family members, do you really know them? Do you take the time to actually talk with them? You may spend more time at work than you do home; do you know your co-workers? We have come such a long way in the areas of knowledge and technological advancements. The knowledge we have access to is much more than it has ever been and is readily available 24 hours a day. With that “always available and accessible” culture has come an increase in require-
ments to “get ‘er done mentality” for almost everything. And although we are getting smarter, are we missing out on some important things? Do we know how to look people in the eye when talking to them? Do we know how to shake a person’s hand and greet them correctly? Do not be so busy doing that you miss out on living! Don’t be so smart that you miss being human. Don’t be so busy that you miss what’s really important. One of the perks of living in this county is we have the best weather. Appreciate the scenery in which you live. Take the time to enjoy it. Slow down and participate in the lives of your children while there is still time raising them. Be actively engaged in the lives of those who are important to you. Simply slow down. You will then be able to see, hear and experience more than you could have imagined. Inez Lanns was born and raised in Ventura County. She currently owns an internet marketing & communications business called Inez Knows. She also writes on her blog on her web site: www.inezknows.com. COLLEGE From page 5A • You can rollover funds to a different 529 plan or change investment strategies once a year. If you want to do more than one rollover within a 12-month period, you’ll need to change the beneficiary in order to avoid taxes and penalties. (You can always change it back later.) • Contributions up to $14,000 a year, per recipient, are exempt from gift taxes ($28,000 for married couples). • You can also make a lump-sum contribution of up to $70,000 ($140,000/married couples) per beneficiary and then average the contribution over a five-year period without triggering the gift tax – provided you make no other gifts to that beneficiary for the next five years. • These plans are treated as an asset of the account owner (vs. the student) when calculating the expected family contribution toward college costs, so they have a comparatively low impact on financial aid eligibility. Most financial experts recommend looking first at your own state’s plan to see what tax advantages, if any, are offered to residents. They may be significant enough to offset lower fees or better fund performance in other states’ plans. Carefully examine the fee structure. Common fees include those for opening an account, annual maintenance, administration costs, and most importantly, sales commissions if you’re buying from a brokerage – which could be up to 5.75 percent of your contribution. Buying directly from the plan eliminates sales fees but puts the onus on you to research the best option for your needs. And finally, examine the investment performance of the funds, both when you enroll and periodically thereafter. Morningstar (www.morningstar. com), College Savings Plans Network (www.collegesavings. org) and FinAid (www.finaid. org) all have helpful comparison tools. Bottom line: The sooner you can start saving for college, the less your kids will have to rely on expensive loans. POOLS From page 5A Edison (SCE), which also offers a pool-pump rebate program to assist customers. “In addition to fixing any problems, that electrician should upgrade your pool, as well as your hot tub or spa, in accordance with local codes and the National Electrical Code.” GFCIs should also be used on pumps and electrical equipment, such as heaters, used with pools, spas and hot tubs and on all outlets within 20 feet of the water’s edge to protect people from shocks. These are all very important steps because there have been 60 electrocutions and nearly 50 serious electrical shocks in and around swimming pools in the U.S. since 1990, according to the safety commission. The commission said some of the deaths and shocks occurred during attempted rescues of shock victims because the rescuers were unaware of the electrical hazards. Another safe move is to have an electrician downgrade pool lighting from a potentially deadly 120 volts to 12 volts. The 120-volt lighting systems are particularly prevalent in older pools and GFCIs are recommended on any lighting system 15 volts or greater. “The lower voltage is simply less dangerous,” said Neal “In case of a broken glass or leakage into an underwater light, you should avoid having 120 volts introduced into your water. Landscape lighting should also be powered by a low-voltage system to prevent shocks on a rain-soaked lawn.” A well-ground power system is also very important since it
adds critical protection by guaranteeing that if something goes wrong, the power flows to the ground and not to those in the pool. “Pool owners should also make sure that electrical wires and junction boxes are a minimum of five feet away from water, as also required by the National Electrical Code,” said Neal. As for other hazards outside the water, a permanent or storable pool should never be built or set up underneath power lines (if this exists, there are clearance requirements, but pool owners should consult their local inspection agency). Long-handled cleaning tools also should be used away from power lines and electrical cords should be kept at least five feet away from the pool. Neal offers an additional warning on the electrical cords, suggesting that, “When possible, people should use battery-operated appliances and not cord-connected ones in and around a pool, spa or hot tub.” Meanwhile, pool owners should always have an emergency plan within view of pool users and power switches should be labeled for pool, hot tub and spa equipment and lighting so they can be turned off quickly during an electrical emergency. In addition, a fiberglass Shepherd’s crook should be used to remove any victims from the water, CPR should be administered and 911 should be called. As for rescuers not taking these precautions, they risk serious injury if they touch a conductive fixture or enter the water before the current is stopped. “Pool electrical accidents are easily prevented,” said Neal. “But pool owners must follow state-mandated codes, conduct proper inspection and maintenance and use qualified electricians to achieve that prevention.” CI From page 5A “This partnership engages students in complex science while also showing them that they can play an active and valuable role in saving their environment,” said CI’s Dr. Cause Hanna, Manager of the Santa Rosa Island Research Station, and one of the grant’s Principal Investigators. “We hope this will be a transformative learning experience that cultivates a new community of Channel Islands stewards and inspires more students to pursue disciplines like science, marine biology and natural resource management.” Learn more about NOAA’s B-WET program at http://www. oesd.noaa.gov/grants/bwet. Learn more about the Santa Rosa Island Research Station at http:// www.csuci.edu/sri/, or contact Dr. Cause Hanna at 805-4373785 or cause.hanna@csuci.edu. HOMELESS From page 6A The first lady’s challenge to mayors to tackle vet homelessness is part of the Obama administration’s larger plan to tackle the chronic issue nationally. Initiatives taken by the Obama administration have helped reduce veteran homelessness by 24 percent since 2010, the Department of Veterans Affairs announced last November. Some major cities -- including Phoenix and Salt Lake City -- have already ensured no vets are sleeping on their streets. MITCHELL From page 6A Interment: Inglewood Cemetery 720 E. Florence Avenue Inglewood, CA Immediately Following Service In Lieu of Flowers the family ask that you make a donation to: Mothers In Action c/o Brotherhood Crusade 200 East Slauson Avenue Los Angeles, CA 90011 BROWN From page 6A Other priorities mentioned included water supply reliability, groundwater cleanup, updating infrastructure and alternative water sources (recycled water). “Expanding recycled water use is something we’re starting to get into at the Fontana Water Company,” said General Manager Robert K. Young. “Recycled water use is extremely critical and beneficial for irrigation purposes.” MAYOR From page 7A professor and former city alderman. Emanuel’s popularity also has been plagued by mass closings of public schools, largely in black and Latino neighborhoods, and “the general problem of the perceived arrogance and unwillingness to have citizens involved in making decisions about the city,” Simpson said. JUDGE From page 7A Vanessa Enoch and Cheri Franklin-Scott, doctoral students with Cincinnati’s Union
Institute & University, have completed a case study in which they highlight the racial injustices within Hamilton County’s juvenile system. They state that over 80% of the juveniles charged within Hamilton County are African American, and that they have been subjected to a school-to-prison pipeline. These are the same injustices which Hunter had tried to eradicate until she was forced from her position. Enoch and Franklin-Scott contend that the $30 million budget associated with Hunter’s position (the second largest budget in Hamilton County) was also a motivating factor in targeting her. To contribute to The Honorable Judge Tracie Hunter defense, please follow either links at: www.traciehunterlegaldefensefund.com or www.gofundme.com/bmgc2k. NYPD From page 7A has a “backlog” of chokehold complaints currently under investigation. The latest chokehold incident comes just over a week after Staten Island man Eric Garner died while being placed in a chokehold by a member of the NYPD. At the time, Garner was being arrested on charges stemming from illegal cigarette sales. A bystander captured the incident on video. TRICKS From page 8A • Provide lunch – for free. While many may cringe at the expense, employee appreciation outweighs the cost, Daly’s client says, and it keeps people engaged within the office, rather than having employees leave for lunch. • Flatten the privilege structure. It’s not a good idea to create anything resembling a class system, including special parking for upper management. Parking should be on a firstcome, first-serve basis. Upper management shouldn’t feel too entitled or privileged above other employees. BOOMERS From page 9A In addition, the website includes other tools and features that can help you with your planning, such as: • Questions designed to deliver ideas and recommendations for destinations. • A personal page that allows you to save and organize trip ideas, itineraries and related articles. • Travel tips and online booking tools for hotels and rental cars through Expedia and Liberty Travel. For more information about AARP’s research on celebration vacations and trends, visit www. aarp.org/celebrationvacations. To plan a trip, visit, http://travel. aarp.org. MYTHS From page 9A • You need to buy “product X.” We live in a very moneybased culture – so much so that we often place the almighty dollar above health. Get out of this mindset, at least regarding exercise. What counts for building muscle includes determination, intensity, consistency and safety. • CrossFit is a good exercise program. If you want to build muscle, then CrossFit has many problems. First, it encourages ballistic movements from novice lifters, and since the program’s rise in popularity, there has been a marked increase in injury rates, which can set fitness goals back by many months. Second, as mentioned above, you don’t need to pound the body five times a week; you may increase endurance and lose fat, but you’ll also lose muscle. GARNER From page 11A the Newark, N.J. police force, which for years residents lodged complaints against. Now, it has come to light that officers in New Jersey’s largest city are even suspected of stealing personal property from residents they detain. In Chicago, the former city police commander, Jon Burge, presided over a department that regularly brutalized citizens and he himself was alleged to have engaged in violence. He was convicted in 2010 for lying about the torture of police suspects. NYPD Chief Bill Bratton’s order that all officers undergo training on the proper techniques to apprehend suspects is too little in light of the brutality of Garner’s death. For starters, every officer on the scene should be dismissed. If officers sworn to uphold the law can witness a citizen being choked to death and not intervene, they are not capable of fulfilling their legal duty to protect and serve. The video clip clearly shows a man who was not confrontational, who was attempting to defuse the situation and was trying to communicate with the officers. He is taken down by the officers and then thrown to the
ground as an officer puts him in a deadly choke hold. Garner can be heard on the video pleading “I can’t breathe,” but his physical condition was of little concern to the officers who were intent on demonstrating that they were the dominant force. Eric Garner was lynched. Walter Fields is executive editor of NorthStarNews.com. LIBERALS From page 11A taking place in PA. It is a stand against governmental interference with the free exercise of religion. It is the start of a clarion call to restore America to the ideals that have made this the greatest country in the world. It is the united movement to restore America! We are asking Americans to become a part of the movement; if Americans love this country, and want America to continue to be the beacon of light to the nations, we are inviting them to come and be a part of this awesome movement of restoration and hope. We are asking Americans to get involved in the Unite To Restore Americamovement. For more information go to: http://www.unitetorestoreamerica.com/. CFPB From page 11A since then. That’s a real accomplishment. CFPB has recovered a lot of money for consumers.” From a consumer perspective, CFPB is clearly working. Further and as an old Southern homily advises, “If it ain’t broke, why fix it?” Charlene Crowell is a communications manager with the Center for Responsible Lending. She can be reached at Charlene. crowell@responsiblelending.org. AFRICA From page 11A and engineered, agricultural growth.” Yes, this is it. Instead of developing the agriculture sector through the use of AGOA, they are abandoning that opportunity. Get some under the table cash and buy a textile mill and run as much Chinese and Indian cotton as possible. Ship them duty free with “Made in Kenya” tags or whatever nation is perpetrating the scheme. Go to a Joseph Banks store and look at the men’s suits. Some will say “Made in Haiti” but that isn’t the whole story. The success of any nation starts with its agricultural base. There is a reason why the United States is the most powerful nation in the world. We have the most arable land. Our agriculture sector is the champion of the world and it feeds our other sectors. Africa has so much potential. Zimbabwe was once known as “The Breadbasket of Africa”. In a racist act they ran out the white owned farms. Now, Zimbabwe is one of the poorest nations on earth. There is plenty of arable land and if it realized its full potential Africa would have over 660 million acres of arable land. That is without irrigation! With a good infrastructure for irrigation they would double that. As cotton once made the South king, it can do the same for the nations of sub Saharan Africa. Leaders of Africa please get busy. Stop playing the games and develop your agriculture potential Mr. Alford is the President/ CEO of the National Black Chamber of Commerce®. Website: www.nationalbcc.org Email: halford@nationalbcc.org. WORD-FINDS, From page 5A
SUDOKU, From page 5A
CROSSWORD COMPANION, From page 5A