Central Cost Roundup

By Redaccion
[email protected]

The County of Ventura’s Department of Agriculture/Weights and Measures presented the 2022 Crop and Livestock Report to the Board of Supervisors at their regular plenary meeting this week. 

During the presentation, Agricultural Commissioner Ed Williams reported the value of crops for the county for 2022 was valued at $2,127,682,000, an increase of 2% from 2021.  

Williams confirmed that for 20 years in a row, strawberries have remained the top crop for the county, or the first time, avocados took the number two spot previously held by lemons. 

Williams credits prices and a production boom for a 95% increase in avocado sales.

Meanwhile nursery stock moved to fourth place followed by celery, raspberries, peppers, blackberries, blueberries and cabbage. 

“We were dealing with some significant drought in the years leading into 2022 and 2022 saw some of the residual impacts of those drought conditions as well. So, to come up with the numbers that we have, the industry has done an amazing job,” said Williams.

This year, as the County of Ventura is celebrating its sesquicentennial, it seemed fitting to mark another milestone with the theme for this year’s report, ‘Over 100 Years of Crop & Livestock Reports.’ 

The report illustrates the history of the department’s reporting process with archived documents and photos. 

The report also pays tribute to Williams’ fifth and final crop report before retiring as Agricultural Commissioner/Sealer next month.

“The ag industry is still going strong “We are still the number 10 ag county in the state and number 10 in the United States for agricultural production. Ventura County ag is a major player. We are proud of ag and proud of trying to help agriculture stay strong and stay resilient into the future,” shared Williams.

Since 1895, under the direction of the Board of Supervisors, the Department has worked in cooperation with the California Departments of Food and Agriculture and Pesticide Regulation, agricultural community partners, residents, and others to protect and promote Ventura County’s agriculture in the areas of pesticide use enforcement, permitting, quality control, certification of exports, among others.

MAN HAD DRUG LAB IN HIS CAR

Last Friday at approximately 6:27 p.m., deputies from the Santa Barbara County Sheriff Office (SBCSO), responded to the 5500-block of Hollister for a report of a subject who had passed out in a vehicle. 

When deputies arrived, they contacted 24-year-old Dawson Geoffry Carter from Santa Paula in his vehicle in the parking lot of a business, where they established that Carter had driven to the business while being under the influence and he was subsequently arrested. 

“During a search of Carter’s vehicle, deputies found a clandestine drug manufacturing lab with numerous controlled substances including methamphetamine, heroin, LSD, MDMA, and psilocybin along with evidence of drug sales and manufacturing,” said the SBCSO in a press release.

Carter was booked at the main jail for driving under the influence (misdemeanor), possession of burglary tools (misdemeanor), maintaining a lab for manufacturing drugs (felony), drug sales (felony), and transportation for sales (felony) and according to the SBCSO he was later released on bail. 

MAN ARRESTED IN MOVIE THEATER

On Wednesday, officers from the Oxnard Police Department (OXPD) responded to a report of a man armed with a gun inside the Cinemark Century Riverpark Theaters in Oxnard. 

A victim reported the suspect, a 62-year-old Oxnard resident, was in the theater when he began to yell at the screen and claimed to be armed with a handgun. 

The suspect was seen brandishing what the victim believed to be a handgun in a threatening manner.

Officers responded, evacuated all theater patrons, and detained the suspect, who was found to possess a taser resembling a firearm. 

“The suspect was arrested for disturbing the peace and weapons-related offenses. No one was injured during this incident,” said the OXPD in a press release.

COUPLE FROM ARRESTED IN CAMARILLO FOR THEFT

On Tuesday Ventura County Sheriff’s (VCSO) deputies responded and arrested a man and a woman from Bakersfield for stealing products from a local cosmetics business, wherein the suspects fled but then were located a short time later thanks to witnesses. 

It was about 2:43 p.m. when deputies assigned to patrol the City of Camarillo responded to a theft call in the 100 block E. Daily Drive.

“The witness was able to provide the license plate and description of the suspect’s vehicle along with a description of the suspects involved in the theft,” said the authorities. 

A short time later, deputies located the vehicle and conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle. 

The driver, later identified as Jayme Fahy of Bakersfield (44), was contacted and found to be in possession of a false ID with another name and her photograph on it. 

During the contact, Fahy was found to be in possession of narcotics and paraphernalia. 

Deputies searched Fahy’s vehicle and located credit cards, driver’s licenses, and medication in the names of other people from the Bakersfield and Fountain Valley areas. Also, the officials discovered a stolen check that appeared to be stolen mail from Bakersfield and located a large quantity of narcotics and drug paraphernalia in a bag located next to her, including Fentanyl, methamphetamine, numerous pills, a glass pipe, and a scale with drug residue. 

“The quantities recovered were consistent with drug sales. Deputies also recovered a handicap placard that had been stolen two days prior during a residential burglary in Bakersfield,” the VCSO said in a press release.

Then the officials located ammunition in the vehicle and found out that Fahy is a prohibited person and cannot legally possess weapons or ammunition. 

The second suspect, Anthony Limon (37) of Bakersfield, was a passenger in the car. 

Limon was identified by witnesses as the primary suspect in the theft. 

During the contact with Limon, he was found to be in possession of stolen property from the Camarillo business valued at over $1,000, and he also possessed narcotics and drug paraphernalia. 

Fahy was booked into the Ventura County Pre-Trial Detention Facility and remains in custody in lieu of $50,000 bail.

Meanwhile, Limon was booked into the Ventura County Pre-Trial Detention Facility and remains in custody in lieu of $20,000 bail.

VTA APROBES FUNDS FOR HOMELESS HOUSING

This week the Board of Supervisors voted to approve $1.62 million in funding to support efforts to provide housing for homeless individuals in the Santa Clara Valley, serving individuals experiencing homelessness in the cities of Santa Paula, Fillmore, and the unincorporated area of Piru. 

The funding from the County will match funding provided by the cities of Santa Paula and Fillmore, as well as the State of California. 

The funds, which will be provided over a two-year period, starting in 2024, will go to support ongoing operations of a permanent year-round shelter with housing navigation services administrated by the non-profit Spirit of Santa Paula.

 “This is a resource not just for one city – it’s for the city of Santa Paula, the city of Fillmore, and unincorporated areas,” said 3^rd District Supervisor Kelly Long. 

“The Spirit of Santa Paula is a homeless shelter with a big heart. It serves a great purpose for the Santa Clara Valley as a whole and represents the city of Santa Paula, the city of Fillmore, and the County coming together to provide this resource. This action today is making the operations of the shelter sustainable for the future.”

This is the 4^th initiative approved by the Board of Supervisors to address the growing need for affordable housing and increased services for individuals experiencing homelessness in the region. 

The Board of Supervisors has established previous agreements with the cities of Ventura, Oxnard, and Thousand Oaks to support needs related to assisting individuals experiencing homelessness.  

“This cost sharing agreement will provide much needed resources to those experiencing homelessness in the Santa Clara Valley, including case management and housing navigation. We applaud the County Board of Supervisors and cities of Santa Paula and Fillmore for their dedication to ending homelessness in Ventura County!,” said Long.