OIL, OIL, EVERYWHERE AND GAS PRICES
GO THROUGH THE ROOF
By: Rellis Smith
Posted: 01/01/12
So my question is, do we really care about Iran's Oil? Tell them to cease uranium enrichment program or face the consequences.
America is sitting on top of a super massive 200 billion barrel oil field that could potentially make America Energy Independent and until now has largely gone unnoticed. Thanks to new technology by Bakken Formation in North Dakota, America's Oil reserves could be boosted by an incredible 10 times, giving western economies the trump card against OPEC's short squeeze on oil supply and making Iranian and Venezuelan threats of disrupted supply irrelevant.
The US imported about 14 million barrels of oil per day in 2007, which means the US consumers sent about $340 BILLION DOLLARS over seas building palaces in Dubai and propping up unfriendly regimes around the world. If 200 billion barrels of oil at $90 a barrel are recovered in the high plains, the added wealth to the US economy would be $18 TRILLION DOLLARS, which would go a long way in stabilizing the US trade deficit and could cut the cost of oil in half in the long run.
MUST BICYCLE BE LICENSED
IN THE CITY OF VENTURA?
By: Ariel Pierre Calonne
Provided By: Ellis Smith
Posted: 01/31/12
In response to Rellis Smith's question to Ariel Callone, Ventura City Attorney, "does the city have an ordinance that required a license to ride a bicycle in Ventura?"
Callone's response was, "It seems we do have such an ordinance:
According to Sec. 16.315.010, August 1, 1975, no resident shall ride, move, haul or leave standing, or allow to be ridden, moved, hauled, or left standing any bicycle on any road, street, highway or other public property within the City of San Buenaventura unless such bicycle has been licensed in accordance with this chapter or has been licensed in accordance with former Ordinance Code section 7611 et seq.
This chapter does not apply to bicycle manufacturers or bicycle dealers transporting bicycles in the normal course of business.
(Code 1971, § 7621.1)
I haven't researched its enforceability under state law."
Ariel Pierre Calonne
City Attorney
City of San Buenaventura
(805) 654-7818
CITY HELD RESPONSABLE FOR VENTURA WATER/PUBLIC INTEREST GROUPS PROTECT SANTA CLARA RIVER ESTUARY WITH SETTLEMENT
QUESTION IS THER MORE TO THE STORY?
Provided By: Rellis Smith
Posted: 02/01/12
On December 12, 2011, the city council approved the final agreement between Ventura Water, Heal the Bay, and Wishtoyo Foundation's Ventura Coastkeeper Program that will, by 2025, forever change how the city's reclamation facility uses and discharges its highly treated water into the Santa Clara River Estuary. The approval vote followed 120 days of extensive public outreach, including a town hall meeting on November 10, 2011, which was attended by nearly 50 residents and other interested stakeholders.
The settlement will resolve a long-standing debate about the impact of the tertiary treated water on the sensitive ecology of the estuary as well as associated legal and administrative actions against the city. Innovative in its approach, the settlement outlines common goals and a collaborative process, which relies on the best available science to decide how to use the reclaimed water produced by the wastewater facility in the future. The major points of the long-term settlement include:
- Creating opportunities to use between 50-100% of the treated water for landscaping or other non-drinking uses to stretch water supplies and reduce the amount released into the estuary.
- If any treated water is still released into the estuary, a treatment wetlands will be constructed to further improve water quality.
- Working together with Ventura Water's customers to arrive at the most responsible and sustainable solution for the health of the estuary and Ventura's water supply by 2025.
The total costs of these projects are capped at $55 million, which could possibly result in an additional cost of $3.52 per month per average household until 2055. The different options to fund this program will be evaluated during Ventura Water's Cost of Service information and can be viewed on the City of Ventura's Website under the Public Works Department as long as it is available on the city's Website.
Editor's Notes:
A source of Town Biz 101, who wishes to remain anonymous, indicates that the City Of Ventura tried to make needed changes to the Santa Clara River Estuary some 15 - 25 years ago; however, the State of California declined to let them do so. To my knowledge, the research of this fact has yet to be done. However, if and I repeat if such a fact is true, then, it WOULD APPEAR that the State of California would be liable and not the City of Ventura.
COUNCIL ADVISORY GROUPS LIST
Provided By: Rellis Smith
Posted: 02/01/12
The following is a list of all the Council Advisory Groups whose members serve at the pleasure of the city council:*
- Cultural Affairs Commission
- Design Review Committee
- Downtown Parking Advisory Committee
- Housing Authority Board
- Historic Preservation Committee
- Library Advisory Commission
- Local (Construction) Appeals Board
- Mobile Home Rent Review Board
- Parks and Recreation Commission
- Planning Commission
- Public Art Commission
- Tree Advisory Committee
- Ventura Port District Board
* Notice it says these commissions serve at the pleasure of the city council.
VENTURA LEADS IN VENTURA COUNTY
IN PER CAPITA CRIME RATE
By: Ventura Police Department
Contact Person:
Assistant Chief Quinn Fenwick
(805) 339-4434
Posted: 02-01-12
For the year 2011, the City of Ventura continued to lead Ventura County in Per Capita Crime Rate. The Part I Per Capita Crime Index for 2011 was 34.8 crimes per one thousand residents. Comparatively, 2010 data for the City of Oxnard reported 24.7, Thousand Oaks 16.8, and Simi Valley 18.5 crimes per one thousand residents.
Most significantly was the rise in violent crime with 63 more felonious violent crimes reported in 2011, an increase of 24% over 2010. This includes 27 more reported robberies and 34 additional felony assaults. Violent gang crime increased by 59% with 73 crimes reported in 2011 versus 46 in 2010. One homicide occurred in 2011 compared to 3 in 2010. Reported rape increased from 16 in 2010 to 20 in 2011.
Overall, reported Part I Property Crimes reduced by 140 crimes in 2011. Leading the reduction was reported thefts with 2,468 in 2011 versus 2,654 in 2010. Burglaries of homes and businesses increased slightly with 657 reported in 2011 versus 652 in 2010. The number of reported auto thefts rose significantly, increasing by 28%, from 152 in 2010 to 195 in 2011. Arson decreased by 2 with 5 reported crimes in 2011 versus 7 in 2010.
In addition, violent crime solved in Ventura by arrest or arrest warrant continued to be above the most recent available national average data. The crime fighting efforts of the Ventura Police Department (VPD) resulted in an overall violent crime clearance rate of 56%, approximately 6% better than the 2009 national average for cities in the 100,000 to 250,000-population range. Comparatively, the VPD's violent crime clearance rate in previous years was 54% in 2010 and 58% in 2009. The overall Part I Property Crime clearance was 22%, down from 25% in 2010, but still above the most recent national average data of 18%.
Editor's Notes: The jury is still out regarding whether this increase in crime is related to California's Early Release Of Prisoners 2011 Program due to lack of jail and prison space.
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Barstools & Dinettes
California Chile
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