S SENTRY The Tri County’s Only Multicultural Newspaper
The Tri County’s Only Multicultural Newspaper
TRI TRICOUNTY COUNTY
ENTRY VOL. XXVII NO. 6
FEBRUARY 8, 2019
‘Now, Do You Feel like a Big Boy?’ n See page 4
s e t a r b e l e c y r a r b i L c i l rd Pub
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By Chris Frost chris@tricountysentry.com Oxnard— The Oxnard Public Library spent Feb, 4 commemorating Black History Month, which featured contributions from African-Americans who made significant contributions across the world.
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LACK History Month, also known as Af r icanAmerican History Month, celebrates the contributions that African Americans made in the United States, as well as Canada, Ireland, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom. Children’s Librarian Vanesa Chua led the kids through a pop quiz and asked the kids about significant figures in African American history,
like Rosa Parks and Dr. Ben Carson. She said last year, the Oxnard Public Library celebrated Martin Luther King Day and this is the first Black History Month Celebration. “I am always learning something new,” she said. The Links Incorporated Past President Dr. Suzanne Fussell from the Channels Islands Chapter participated in the event and said they have chapters throughout the United States and other parts of the world. “We came about in 1948,
and two ladies got together, Margaret Hawkins and Strickland Scott, and noticed there needs to be more support in the community for the youth,” Fussell said. “They got their money together and performed at libraries like this for African American kids and also got scholarships so kids can further their education.” She said the two ladies were essential to the youth. “Fast forward a few years later, and we have chapters composed of women who, with the same goal of helping African American kids go forward in terms of arts, n Black History, see page 6
MANDALAY BAY SEAWALL KICKS UP A DEBATE By Chris Frost chris@tricountysentry.com Oxnard— Councilman Bert Perello pulled a budget appropriation for the Mandalay Bay seawall repairs off the consent agenda, Feb. 5, which is supposed to be noncontroversial, but he wanted all his colleagues to hear the item in detail. The item asked the City Council to approve a $163,431budget appropriation from the Waterways Assessment District (Fund 121) to establish an engineering services budget for seawall repair. Perello spoke to City Attorney Stephen Fischer and said the addresses in the item are also in a lawsuit. He hopes the plan will expedite the speed where something can be done about the seawalls because if the public
(Courtesy photo)
Oxnard City Councilman Bert Perello
reads the document, there were damage claims between 20122014. “I am also wondering what plan B is if that damage
were to go bad,” he said. “The City of Oxnard is not in the financial position to take care of everything, but I don’t want to get in the habit of a past district attorney report on the City of Oxnard, where a comment was made by a current city employee about a previous city manager that the policy was dilly-dallying and delay.” Perello said he is impressed with Public Works Director Rosemarie Gaglione, but the public asks questions about the company that does the work and its previous work. “Every city council member needs to be brought up to speed about what’s going on in that harbor,” he said. “This is a big deal, and it’s going to impact the City of Oxnard for a long time.” Gaglione said there is no dilly-dally and delay at all. “We looked at the original plan for a repair of the seawalls,
and in my professional opinion there were better options, which is what we are looking to pursue here,” she said. “I expect the construction of this other option if this all plays out and the steel sheet pile can be used, construction will be quicker, and the cost will be 30 percent of the original $86 million estimate to do all of the seawalls, and the product will last twice as long because steel is hardier than concrete and rebar.” If the seawalls started slipping into the harbor, she would pull the engineers in and come up with a plan quickly. “It would be an emergency, then,” she said. Perello asked if there are any plans in the works for funding and Gaglione said the city’s lobbyists are talking to the Army Corps of Engineers about assistance. n Seawall, see page 2
Photo by Chris Frost
Cutline: Ann Walsh from Shea Properties in Oxnard addresses the council about the River Park retail project.
Council approves River Park signs By Chris Frost chris@tricountysentry.com Oxnard-- The Oxnard City Council approved the first reading by title only and waived further reading of an ordinance amending the River Park Specific Plan Sign Standards, Feb. 6. The agreement paves the way for two monument signs in planning districts B and C. Planning & Environmental Services Manager Kathleen Mallory brought the amendment to the council and said section 5.933 changes the River Park Specific Plan to allow two future signs. Additionally, she said there are two modifications, and there is no construction proposed with the application, currently. “The two new monument signs that are proposed to be constructed down the road will not be visible from the freeway,” she said. “The sign area, structure size, and the sign content will conform with the existing monument signs n River Park, see page 3