Ojai Valley News - Editorial

Letter from the publisher: Justice without trains

Details: Published: Friday, 08 October 2021 10:35

web 10 8 LAURA photo

Ojai Valley News Publisher Laura Rearwin Ward

A seed planted by this small-town paper’s battle has grown a meaningful result.

After months of work putting pressure on the Los Angeles Superior Court with help from the 1st Amendment Coalition, pro bono legal help from UC Irvine, letters from the ACLU, and my award-winning editorial, “Want justice? Take the train,” the Ojai Valley News achieved temporary remote access to the water-adjudication hearings in the Los Angeles Superior Court from January to June 15. The opening came about when Presiding Judge Eric C. Taylor took over at the LA Superior Court in January. Remote access to the media was shut again when the governor opened the state.

OVN EDITORIAL and OP-ED from Ojai mayor pro tem: Ventura City Council: End this water war on the Ojai Valley

Details: Published: Friday, 06 August 2021 10:44

web Screen Shot 2021 08 06 at 10.37.26 AM

Ojai Valley News letter to Ventura City Council:

To Mayor Rubalcava and Ventura City Council:

Why are you suing nearly 14,000 of your Ojai Valley neighbors and Ventura constituents? We were told originally that it was because you were being sued by Santa Barbara Channelkeeper. Now that the case against you has been dismissed, why are you still suing us?

Attorneys laughed in Los Angeles Superior court recently when Judge William Highberger said the case will go on so long that, eventually, this will be a job for his successors. Best, Best & Krieger attorneys have structured their yacht, mansion and retirement plans, guessing you will not bother to do your due diligence for your constituents and fi gure out that you are being taken for a ride.

OVN EDITORIAL: Casitas conundrum: Don’t feed the sharks

Details: Published: Saturday, 31 July 2021 16:00

web Screen Shot 2021 07 30 at 9.26.47 AM

The city of Ventura has come to Casitas Municipal Water District asking for $10 million — about the same amount Ventura has paid the Walnut Creek legal gang of Best Best & Krieger to attack our dear valley in the adjudication lawsuit.

Case Dismissed. So why is Ventura still suing us?

Details: Published: Friday, 02 July 2021 08:53

Ojai Valley News

The launch to nowhere: The stairs to Lake Casitas now go to dry ground. Effective July 1, Ventura City Council rescinded its Stage 2 water-shortage event, “based on current supply,” while Casitas users remain in Stage 3.

The Santa Barbara Channelkeeper complaint against the city of Ventura has been dismissed. Ventura was taking too much water from the river and has now agreed to take less during the dry months.

The share for sheriff services

Details: Published: Friday, 28 May 2021 09:20

When will the Ventura County sheriff and Ventura County Board of Supervisors stop making excuses to explain how charging Ojai residents double what residents of any other city pay is justified?

What does it mean to be a local citizen?

Details: Published: Friday, 21 May 2021 09:03

Laura Ward

Given the times, it is hard not to get sucked into the turbulence of our national politics.

Passion for the topic du jour quickly bubbles to the surface as people share the latest facts or their personal outrage. Too often, national news is presented on television as entertainment, leading some to get caught up in the newscycle not as participating citizens, but as fans ... hobbyists. Think Raiders vs. Broncos. Polarized political “teams” create the black-and- white thinking that has splintered the nation as well as small-town communities. Ojai is not im-mune. (One example is the vitriol over a half mile of roadway — the ATP.)

The fandom created by national politics and sports teams generates little to no effect on outcome. “Engaged” participants merely shout opinion and advice at the TV and their social media echo chamber, gaining the emotional reward of being a part of a group.

The opiate of national news overconsumption can lead to feelings of disconnection, depression and helplessness. Such national political hobbyism only promotes division and discourages problem solving.

To the overexcited news junkie, reading about local water, economy, school, infrastructure and government is boring in comparison to drama on the national stage. Finding solutions to these pressing local issues requires a different mind-set because it’s easier to state an opinion than to take action.

However a lack of understanding of local laws, policies, government process or the history of an issue can sometimes cause setbacks to local progress. For evidence look to the Ojai City Council negotiation of the city’s contract with the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office. The effort to update the 40-year contract could save our cash- strapped city more than $1 million annually. The sheriff has miscalculated the city’s responsibility and the county saves money by looking the other way. Those complicating the negotiations with the subject of police conduct reform are giving them more cover. For a tiny city to make a roar, an informed, active citizenry is essential.

Instead of being negatively affected by national politics, over which we have limited control, we can more effectively channel our collective energies here at home. One way to tune in is to do what readers of the Ojai Valley News are doing now, subscribing to their local news source, volunteering for worthy causes, and participating in City Council, school board and other agency meetings, to name a few. Local news readers are committed Ojai Valley citizens.

We recommend residents leverage their local newspaper. The OVN covers meetings many may not have time to attend, and our news reporters objectively unpack it for you. We are your advocate. Help us to ask the right questions and dig up the truth. Share the tips and the triumphs .... You can also read or share issues on the Opinion page and in the “Thumbs” column.

Local government may not offer the allure of constant national scandal and intrigue, but it is exactly where informed citizens can make the most difference. Your local newspaper is offering up our Ojai Valley story every week. The OVN — the valley’s record for 130 years — strives every day to be a resource, “reporting for the people.” Hand in hand we create the Ojai Valley we deserve. The Ojai Valley News ... if you live here, you get it. Subscribe at: https://www.ojaivalleynews.com/contact-us/subscriptions.

Believer in local news,

Laura Rearwin Ward

EDITORIAL on OPINION Page: Brown Act fades to black in OUSD handbook

Details: Published: Friday, 23 April 2021 09:26

Ojai Unified School District should not waste any more time discussing its proposed “Board Governance Handbook.”

OUSD Superintendent Morse thanked

Details: Published: Friday, 23 April 2021 09:09

Bob Daddi and the Ojai Valley News want to personally thank and commend Ojai Unified School District superintendent, Dr. Tiffany Morse, for partnering with the city of Ojai and being instrumental in solving some of the ATP project engineering deficiencies at Nordhoff High School related to lanes and bicycle circulation.