Commemorative Air Force SoCal Wing Constructing New Hangar Complex as Part of Expansion

Existing CAF Hangar at Camarillo Airport

Construction is underway on a new, 32,800 sq. ft. hangar complex, part of a multimillion dollar plan by the Commemorative Air Force Wing to develop a modern WWII aviation museum that will attract more U.S. and world visitors to Ventura County wanting to see its historical archives and flying fighter, bomber, training, and other aircraft on display.

The Wing has run out of space in the current CAF complex, built 14 years ago, consisting ofa maintenance/restoration hangar, and adjoining museum/and event hangar.

Concrete has been poured around the exterior perimeter of the new hangar building including the big foundation pads where the main steel beam framework will be bolted into place. Once all the foundation cement and flooring is poured and cures, then attaching the steel sections begins.

The new hangar was engineered, manufactured and specifically designed by Butler Buildings to fit adjacent to the present western side of the CAF property.

One key element of the expansion plan is a CAF wing 30-year leasing agreement with the Department of Airports. It insures the aviation museum complex will remain at Camarillo Airport for years to come.

The agreement also involves a lease-land swap with Camarillo Chapter 723 of the Experimental Aircraft Association. It wanted to give up its land, old office building and hangars next door to the CAF. In the exchange, the E.A.A. gets new offices, a new hangar and is leasing facilities in the new CAF Complex. The old E.A.A. buildings were torn down and foundations removed.

The new Hangar complex provides the Wing with much needed space for parking and displaying aircraft and museum historical artifacts.

Ultimately this will be a new state-of-the-art, temperature-controlled indoor two-story aviation museum with all new exhibits, a theater, digital video areas, a restaurant with an outdoor viewing area of the museum and hangar complex and a new gift shop.

More information at www.cafsocal.com.

Former Leila's Location in Oak Park Has Sign Indicating "On The Thirty" May Be Coming

Twitter follower Andrew Chane took note recently that a liquor license sign is displayed in the window of the former Leila's Restaurant at 706 Lindero Canyon Road in Oak Park.

Update: On 11/7/15, On The Thirty noted its Oak Park location will be open very soon.

The sign indicates the applicant is "On The Thirty "2" Inc." which would seem to indicate that popular restaurant/wine bar On The Thirty based in Sherman Oaks may be in process of opening a second location right here! Stay tuned...

On The Thirty "home of the best pizza you've ever had" describes itself as having "30 Boutique California wines by the glass.  30 California craft beers on draft and by the bottle. Award winning Mixology menu. Gourmet pizza.  Artisan Sandwiches.  Rockin' salads.  Charcuterie.  Small bites.  Awesome atmosphere. Local, organic produce and hormone-free, grass-fed meat."

Learn more about On The Thirty at www.onthethirty.com.

DSW Designer Shoe Warehouse Opening at the Janss Marketplace on September 10th

DSW Designer Shoe Warehouse is opening at the Janss Marketplace in Thousand Oaks on Thursday, September 10th. It is located on the Hillcrest Drive side of the mall near the Nordstrom Rack store that is slated to open on October 1, 2015.  DSW is currently hiring for this new store.

Westlake Village Community Park, Skate Park and Triunfo YMCA Facility

Westlake Village Community Park construction well underway

Westlake Village Community Park is located on a hilltop at 31107 Thousand Oaks Blvd (just west of Lindero Canyon Road). There is a one-way entrance and a one-way exit off of Thousand Oaks Blvd that can be accessed by vehicle, bicycle, or sidewalk during park hours.

This is a 19 acre site that includes the park as well as the 55,000 sq ft Triunfo YMCA facility slated to open in early 2016. 

View of the Triunfo Y facility under construction

Once completed, Westlake Village Community Park will contain eight acres of lighted synthetic turf athletic fields for soccer, baseball, softball, and other sports, a walking/jogging trail, skate park, picnic areas, outdoor volleyball and basketball courts, fitness equipment, restroom/concession facilities, and children’s play areas. 

Ball fields 1 and 2 as well as the skate park are currently open to the public.

Skate park at Westlake Village Community Park is open to the public

Luna Grill and General Chow Eateries to Open at The Collection at RiverPark in 2016

Update Oct 2019: General Chow is now closed. Ouch, that didn’t last long.

Update Mar 2018: General Chow is now open.

Update Mar 2017: Luna Grill is now open.

Update Dec 2016: No updates, other than both eateries are still listed as "coming soon."

The Collection at RiverPark recently announced that Luna Grill and General Chow will be coming to the retail center next year.

Luna Grill offers Near East and Mediterranean cuisine, including juicy and tender kabobs served with fluffy Basmati rice and grilled tomato, gyros and falafel wraps and more. Luna Grill is scheduled to open in the summer of 2016.

General Chow is a modern Chinese restaurant with full bar and a menu that includes dumplings, soup, noodles, fresh seafood, and Szechwan spicy food. General Chow is the newest concept by restauranteur, Michael Kwan, who currently owns and operates 21 restaurants with eight different concepts in the Southern California area. General Chow is scheduled to open in the fall of 2016. 

Haggen Announces It Is Closing 27 Grocery Stores, Including 3 in Ventura County

Seen near the Newbury park location on labor day

Haggen announced today that it is closing 27 stores in California, Arizona, Oregon and Washington over the next 60 days as part of a restructuring. Local stores that will be operating as they wind down operations over the next 60 days are in Newbury Park (Newbury Road) and two in Simi Valley (Cochran St and Madera, 660 E. Los Angeles Ave).

38 staff will lose their jobs at the Newbury Park location.  53 at the Los Angeles Ave location.

Earlier this year, the Haggen grocery store chain acquired 146 stores as part of the Albertsons/Safeway merger. Prior to the acquisition, Haggen operated 18 stores in Oregon and Washington. 

Of the 146 stores, eight are based on Ventura County. After the closures, that leaves five Haggen stores operating in the local area.

Remaining local area Haggen stores in Westlake Village (Lindero Canyon), Thousand Oaks (Arboles), Simi Valley (E. Los Angeles), Camarillo (Las Posas), Oxnard (Ventura Rd) and Ventura (Telegraph Rd). www.haggen.com/find-our-stores

Ventura County Sheriff's Office Announces "Operation Take Back the Pumps" Effort

Operation Take Back the Pumps is a collaborative effort by Ventura County law enforcement agencies, businesses, and Federal agencies to combat credit/debit card fraud and identity theft facilitated through the illegal use of credit card skimming devices placed on gasoline/fuel pumps.

Identity theft is a national problem that is significantly affecting citizens in Ventura County. One way thieves are obtaining victim’s credit and debit card information is through the use of illegal card skimming devices being surreptitiously placed in fuel pumps. When an unsuspecting customer swipes their debit or credit card into the pay station on the fuel pump, these illegal devices capture the card and pin information. The thieves then use this stolen information to commit identity theft and other fraud related crimes. Losses from a single illegal skimming device on a fuel pump usually averages between $50,000 and $100,000.

Operation Take Back the Pumps consists of multiple phases designed to combat identity theft perpetuated by the use of illegal card skimming devices on fuel pumps. The phases consists of training law enforcement and gasoline station personnel on prevention methods and the identification/detection of illegal skimming devices; Programs that promote regular inspections of the pumps for tampering and/or illegal card skimming devices, if the agency should decide; And finally, education of the public on practices that will help keep them from becoming victims of identity theft.

Operation Take Back the Pumps was coordinated by the Moorpark Police Department and launched on August 13, 2015, beginning with a joint effort by all of the involved agencies/businesses coming together in an attempt to inspect all fuel pumps in Ventura County. This proved to be successful as 1,512 fuel pumps were inspected and three (3) illegal skimming devices were discovered and removed. These devices will be used as evidence in an attempt to identify and prosecute the suspect(s) responsible for these crimes.

The following is a breakdown by city of pumps inspected and the number of illegal card skimming devices found:

City of Camarillo - 155 pumps inspected and no devices found
City of Fillmore - 76 pumps inspected and no devices found
City of Moorpark - 72 pumps inspected and no devices found
City of Ojai - 44 pumps inspected and no devices found
City of Oxnard - 335 pumps inspected and no devices found
City of Port Hueneme - 8 pumps inspected and no devices found
City of Santa Paula - 42 pumps inspected and no devices found
City of Simi Valley - 173 pumps inspected and no devices found
City of Thousand Oaks - 272 pumps inspected and three (3) devices found
City of Ventura – 335 pumps inspected and no devices found

Law enforcement and participants in this operation encourage the public to consider the following steps when purchasing fuel. Following these steps will significantly reduce the risk of being victimized by identity thieves.

• Pay with cash whenever possible.
• If paying with a credit/debit card, go inside the gas station instead of paying at the pump.
• Look for security seals/stickers on fuel pumps. If the seals/stickers are broken, cut or read “VOID,” do not use that pump and immediately report your observations to gas station personnel

Source of Release: Ventura County Sheriff's Office

Every Picture Tells a Story Photo Exhibit at Ventura College Santa Paula Campus 8/3 to 12/18/15

Every Picture Tells a Story - From Presidents to Pop Stars
Personal Collection of Journalist Ivor Davis
August 3 - December 18, 2015
Monday- Thursday, 8 am to 8:30 pm
Ventura College Santa Paula Campus
957 Faulkner Road, Rm 106, Santa Paula, CA 93060

Reception with Ivor Davis and Book Signing
Thursday, September 24 - 6 to 8 pm

Mama's Hummus Announces It Will Be Opening a Camarillo Location

UPDATE: Mama's Hummus Camarillo opened for business today, Sunday, August 9th.

Mama's Hummus announced yesterday that it will be opening a 2nd Ventura County location soon. Its original location in Newbury Park opened February 20, 2014, bringing local residents delicous, made from scratch Mediterranean food, including falafel, hummus, kababs and more. The new location will be at the former home of Tacone Flavor Grill at 5021 Verdugo Way, Suite C108 in Camarillo. We'll announce updates right here and you can check the MH Facebook page at www.facebook.com/mamashummus.