The Oxnard Journal supports our Reserve troops now on Active Duty

=. . . . .the Oxnard Journal
........... 2003

Chairman Winter's Comment to City Council - 10/28 -
re: the Old Saint John's Hospital Site.

You have before you a parcel map--- upon which you will offer approval or disapproval. We as a Neighborhood – the Wilson Neighborhood – have put up with this building going thru various stages of progressive neglect for Ten-Plus Years. We as a Neighborhood have reached our point of saturation.

Something more needs to be done with this property than passing permits and conditions that do nothing – that have no effect on the current and past condition of a Building which is, has been, and hopefully will no longer be, the ATTRACTIVE NUISANCE it has been for the past decade.

The show of citizenry you see here represents only a small portion of all the Wilson Neighborhood residents who are pissed off at the Developer, miffed along with the Architect, and brushed off by the City.

We are here tonight for action. We are here Tonight to seek relief from 10 + years of dealing with gangs, drugs, graffiti, vandalism, looting, trespassing, and most reprehensible – a Lack of Action to turn this monster of a building into a functional Senior housing Complex, replete with all the regalia we, as a Neighborhood have been told will be contained therein.

As the Chair of the Wilson Neighborhood I have been entrusted to work with the Developer, the architect and the City of Oxnard to get this project underway – completed and done. I take this responsibility very seriously – and you all know me to be a fairly pleasant and an easy going fellow….But I must inform you – that there is a season for being nice and a season for breeding pit bulls. We are currently suitor-ing our hounds.

You may go ahead and vote to approve this map --- we want this process to go along – but please mark our words…..

if nothing happens in December – we’ll be here to remind you.

if nothing happens in January – we’ll be here to remind you.

if nothing happens in February – Nothing in March – we’ll be here if nothing in April – we’ll be here to remind you.
if nothing happens in may – we’ll be here to remind you. June – we’ll be here -- July – we’ll be here
August – we’ll be here to remind you. & if nothing happens in September – we’ll be here to remind you. if nothing happens in October – we’ll be here to remind you. if nothing happens in November – we’ll be here to remind you.

And what happens in November of 2004 – some of you find new seat cushions.

But until then – we in the Wilson Neighborhood have to live with what you as our City Leadership have to provide us. We’re not asking for much --- we want this project – – but – I must play the part of Neville Chamberlain and ask for appeasement with our adversary. Hopefully, Peace in our time will not be an adage, but a reality if this Old Saint Johns Hospital site can be renovated and developed and turned into the project we, as a city and all of us in the Wilson Neighborhood are envisioning. Whatever you can do to promote this within your City Staff and whatever you can do to push the powers that be to get this project done - please do so. We are with you - not against you in the goal to make Oxnard a better place to live. We will be grateful. At the risk of being bold, may I request that tonight, you add a provision to this map approval to give some deferment of fees and help this project along. The result will not be as audacious as approving a downtown theatre, but will – allow this project to happen sooner. Mr. Otero is using his own costs with no visible return on his investment. I hear the hold up is with the City – so tonight, let’s not hold this project up – but rather encourage all entities to get the ball rolling. *** We want a complete fence around the site – as conditionally provisioned by the Planning Commission earlier this month. We want more adequate security as provisioned in the condition added to the Special Use Permit as approved on 16 October of this year.

We want more adequate security on site – especially if this approval and building project is held up any much more than one hour from yesterday - & - Get this done by edict of the City Council. --- You have the power to do this – please do it for Oxnard – we are your Oxnard. ---

Bill Winter – Chair --- Wilson Neighborhood. ---

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Are you fed up with gangs, drugs, theft, broken windows, graffiti
and unkempt landscaping at old St. John’s Hospital?

It’s time to hold the owner and the City of Oxnard accountable!

Fact: Developer Albert Ortero of American Housing has promised the Wilson Neighborhood the construction of a wall in the alley on the Southwest corner of old St. John’s Hospital. The purpose of the wall is to curtail graffiti, drug use, crime and speeding vehicles from accessing “F” street from the “G” street alley.
After two years of promises, the developer has failed to deliver!

Fact: Developer Albert Ortero of American Housing has employed one part-time security guard per shift to patrol the premises of old St. John’s Hospital. In the past year alone, the majority of the hospitals windows have been blown out, walls have been covered with graffiti, gangs and others have used the facility for parties, pornography has been spread thoughout the building, the grass and landscaping is unkempt and the flooded emergency room parking lot was a breeding ground last winter for mosquitos! The security firm on the premises believes the building needs four-24 hour guards! After two years of promises, the developer has failed to deliver!

Fact: The City of Oxnard has failed to issue citations for the neglected condition of the building. According to the building’s day time supervisor, Oxnard City Code Enforcement was “talked into not issuing citations” by certain employees of the developer. This building is a public nuisance, a hot bed of crime and an embarrassing eyesore! After 11 years, the City of Oxnard has failed to deliver!

Question: Why has the leadership of the City of Oxnard not responded? Would any other city in the county allow a building to remain vacant and in this condition for over ten years? ............What can you do?

Answer: Make your views known to the Oxnard Mayor and City Council this Tuesday, October 28, 2003, at 7:00pm at the Council Chambers!
Fill out a comment card for Item I 3 on the Information and Consent Agenda.
You will have three minutes to speak so make your comments brief!
Goals:
1. Immediate construction of the alley wall
2. Sealed fencing around the perimeter of the building
3. Removal of all graffiti and board up the windows.
4. Four-24 hour security guards
5. Maintained landscaping
Questions? Call Bill Winter at 486-9415 or Tim Flynn at 340-1922.
Show your neighborhood that you care! Thank you for your support!
The Wilson Neighborhood !!!
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KVTA Drops the Ball -----

Numerous calls to the KVTA Board Operator go un-answered ---- Why does KVTA not run full
Coverage of the Fires in Santa Paula - Moorpark - and Simi Valley --- there is no active news coverage.
KVTA should be our News Source in Ventura County - but we have to depend on the complete coverage
of Ventura County by Los Angeles-based KNX - 1070.

When KVEN was our news source, they covered the news actively - sorry to say KVTA dropped the
Ball in serving the county -- oh yes, KVTA offered reports every half hour - but - when we are faced
with Danger - we need news NOW - not in 20 minutes from NOW - shame on KVTA.

So If you want to know what is going on here - especially emergency - forget KVTA - and go
direct to KNX - 1070

For Action call: KVTA Studio Line: (805) 289-1520
Leave a Voice Mail for Rich Gullano - News Director: Business Phone: (805) 289-1400

Simi Valley Fire-View - © - Coast-to-Coast-AM (Art Bell)

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Read the November Issue ~~ as it is assembled
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The First Debate - Supervisorial Candidates go face-to-face / toe-to-toe

For the first time on any platform, the showcase of our current County Supervisor candidates for District 5
came to the Port Hueneme VFW. A crowd of 100+ Democrats and a few low-lying Republicans like myself,
came out to the GOOD [ Greater Order of Oxnard Democrats ] CLUB Candidate's Debate on October 8th.

Martin Jones took center stage at the beginning of the event to give an update of his lawsuit against the City of Oxnard.

Complete Text of Update

It was interesting to watch the expressions of
Mayor Lopez and Councilman Zaragoza who had to keep smiling while Mr. Jones spoke directly about actions he has taken against their seated City Council because of improper adherence to the Brown Act.

Mr. Jones' report was very well received by the group of local citizens who applauded his presentation.

Mr. Jones' act of bravery by filing this lawsuit, as he said
is not to benefit him financially and in no wise will he
get anything in settlement as the best remedy
would simply be what Mr. Jones is asking for.

That the City re-negotiate this contract in the open and not
to convene such and similar meetings behind
closed doors as was done with the
groundwork of the DownTown
Multi-Plex Movie Theatre

----- More problems for theatre - story developing -

I had the privilege of sitting next to Mayor Lopez's wife Irma. She used this time to explain to me that my editorial
which appeared in the Kapitbahay ( local Filipino newspaper) and also in abridged form in the Oxnard Journal,
was hurtful to the Mayor. I did have to agree with her regarding the character of the editorial and she graciously explained to me that as a public official, the Mayor has to endure some rather rude comments from time to time.
True, we both agreed that the Mayor never did anything against me and at times he has been very supportive
of my work in the city of Oxnard.

However, John Flynn said it correctly tonight. Mayor Lopez is doing a superb job for the City of Oxnard and his wish, along with mine in writing the editorial, was that he remain our Mayor. The editorial questioned why the Mayor would run now for Supervisor when he was doing such a fine job as Mayor of the City of Oxnard.

This first debate did open many eyes to the reasons why Mayor Lopez wants to run for Supervisor,
and it will be the voters who ultimately determine the outcome on March 2nd.2004.

The Three Candidates - Oxnard Councilman John C. Zaragoza, the Mayor of Oxnard, Dr. Manuel Lopez
and the current County Supervisor, the Honorable John Flynn of Oxnard. Photo taken just before debate.

Cumulative highlights from tonight's debate are as follows:

John Flynn has 27 years of service to Oxnard as County Supervisor. Flynn has made 'accessibility' the rule for
his constituents. People can call him directly and get results. He respects the individual and understands individual
needs. Samples of his leadership are evident such as his fight to keep NAS Point Mugu off the BRAC (Base Re-
Alignment Committee) list which preserved the Navy's $1.5 Billion contributor to our County.

John Zaragoza relied on his background which earned him a City Council seat, his 31 years of service to the City
and his leadership as a department head. He focused on his work as Refuse Dept. head and mentioned the
recycling programs, the managed trash, and the other aspects from his public service as a Department Head.
He mentioned his service on the Oxnard Airport Authority, LAFCO, and of course his terms on the City Council.
Zaragoza also detailed his successful real estate and tax service which has been in business since he retired from
the City.

Mayor Lopez said his prime motivation to run for the Supervisor's seat was to give something back to the City
of Oxnard. He highlighted his education, his early struggles, his successful business practice and investor savvy.
Because of his detailed experience and study of Hospitals and health care, the Mayor wants to concentrate on
improving service at the County Hospital and associated health care outlets. The Mayor did mention his access
was as open as Flynn's except that he relies on City Staff to pass him messages from time to time throughout the day

The candidates answered questions about agriculture, the tax base, the law-suit by the DA and Sheriff against the
County, the County's running of the Channel Islands Harbor and the most heated topic: the recent intrusion of
a possible LNG platform and pipeline which threatens the entire Oxnard Plain.

<<< Stand-by for more on the LNG Issue /// Both Pro & Con >>>>

Since tonight's meeting was sponsored by Democrats, the anti-Republican jokes and jabs filled the night.
One serious caution was mentioned which did not raise laughter. With a new Republican Governor,
and a current White House which seems to want to ride herd over the wishes of the people and environment
when it comes to Energy Issues - Oxnard and the County must remain on alert.

As Supervisor Flynn put it - This Is War.

So prepare for a real fight with the "LNG Issue" as Supervisor Flynn warned that powers may try to bypass local authority and override our rights as residents and citizens to push thru this Fart Tube to come into Oxnard from the
sea to the shinning "C" - - C Street that is - Texas - C ..... Zaragoza said the fart-pipeline route was planned to span Gonzales Blvd. where there are multiple schools located along the route.
Councilman Zaragoza warned that 400-Thousand souls would be affected by the placement of this LNG pipeline and
that any danger from earthquake or liquefaction could spell disaster. Flynn assured the audience that liquefaction and Aquifers were threatened.

Mayor Lopez takes his turn at the podium as he explains his reasons for why we should vote for him
as our next County Supervisor. Ed Roblings, the moderator, sits in the first chair

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Go To Sleep Now .......

E-Bay WARNING :::::: Do Not Respond to this E-Mail

America Needs this Drug Problem....

Read about PLV Trees

---- Photo Feature::::::::::Xmas at the Outlet ---

¿ How Will You Celebrate Christmas in Oxnard this Year ?.

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-- A Sign You're In Oxnard --- Welcome to our Neighborhood --

Oxnard Police Chief Lopez addresses a recent INCF
Meeting (Oct. 1st.) at Oxnard City Council Chambers
Roger Pariseau - INCF Chairman is seated to the left.
..........................................................................photo by bill winter

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