By Chris Frost chris@tricountysentry.com Oxnard— The Oxnard City Council waived the city’s land-use regulations, July 16, which permits the National Guard Armory to serve as a 24 hour-a-day shelter through December 31, 2019 and authorized the Mayor to execute Professional Services Agreement with Mercy House to provide homeless shelter services.   The group also approved a $1.5 million budget appropriation in Homeless Emergency Aid Program (HEAP) grant funding from the State and Local Grant Fund for shelter operations and Downtown Pilot...

By Chris Frost chris@tricountysentry.com Oxnard-- The conversation about a proposed short-term rental ordinance (STR) in the City of Oxnard continues with public comments on the item, which brought lots of anger and some threats to the dais.   The committee advised staff to follow a 5 percent cap guideline for short-term rentals in the city during the July 9, Housing & Economic Development Committee meeting. Two of three members supported a 180-day limit for the units. The city staff had proposed removing those limits before the meeting. The committee also...

By Chris Frost chris@tricountysentry.com Oxnard—The Union Jack flew proudly below the American Flag at Channel Islands Harbor’s Marine Emporium Landing, July 14, as the 29th Annual Central Coast British Car Club Show drew a large crowd of car lovers excited to see the classic and sporty designs that make British autos unique.   The afternoon took on a party-like atmosphere, as British rock played in the background. More than 140 cars lovers participated in the event, which included an auto parts swap meet, food booths and awards given to the most...

By Chris Frost chris@tricountysentry.com Oxnard—Oxnard Beach Park was the backdrop for a fantastic day, July 14, as the 27th Annual Rehab Point Project Picnic came off without a hitch and celebrated the spirit that abounds in the city's special population, along with seniors, and disabled American Veterans.   The event featured a free lunch, live entertainment, raffle prizes, local services providers with lots of information, and most of all, fun and festivities for everyone who attended.   Rehab Point Project President Christine Portillo said...

OXNARD—Select local restaurants will again compete for the title of “Ventura County’s Best Chowder” at the Fifth Annual CHOWDERFEST on Sunday, August 4, 2019, 2-6pm at the Channel Islands Maritime Museum. Judged by both professional judges and guests, chowder tastings are complimented by wine tastings from local wineries and fine craft beer provided by Firestone Walker Brewery. Live music will create a festive mood with Kelly’s Lot and Friends. Chowderfest is an annual collaborative fundraiser hosted by the Channel Islands Maritime Museum, IOGB...

By Anita Snow   BISBEE, Ariz. (AP)—The darkest, most violent chapter in the history of Bisbee was an open secret for decades in the funky old Arizona copper town 7 miles (11 kilometers) north of the U.S.-Mexico border. But few residents knew the details of how about 1,200 miners, most of them immigrants, were pulled violently from their homes a century ago by a private police force and put on cattle cars for their deportation to a desolate area of New Mexico. The filming of “Bisbee '17,” a documentary about what happened July 12, 1917, was a...

By Jake Coyle   NEW YORK (AP)—In 1964, Stanley Kubrick, on the recommendation of the science-fiction author Arthur C. Clarke, bought a telescope. “He got this Questar and he attached one of his cameras to it,” remembers Katharina Kubrick, the filmmaker's stepdaughter. “On a night where there was a lunar eclipse, he dragged us all out onto the balcony and we were able to see the moon like a big rubber ball. I don't think I've seen it as clearly since. He loved that thing. He looked at it all the time.” Space exploration was then...

By Lindsey Bahr   LOS ANGELES (AP)—“Spider-Man: Far From Home” is celebrating another weekend at No. 1, but non-franchise fare continues to struggle at the box office. Fresh studio-released counterprograming such as the horror movie “Crawl” and the action-comedy “Stuber” barely made a dent in the web-slinger's earnings, although there is a glimmer of hope in the independent world. The “Spider-Man” sequel added $45.3 million in its second weekend, down only 51% according to studio estimates Sunday, bringing its...

By Marilynn Marchione   LOS ANGELES (AP)—Scientists are closing in on a long-sought goal—a blood test to screen people for possible signs of Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia. On Monday at the Alzheimer's Association International Conference, half a dozen research groups gave new results on various experimental tests, including one that seems 88% accurate at indicating Alzheimer's risk. Doctors are hoping for something to use during routine exams, where most dementia symptoms are evaluated, to gauge who needs more extensive...

SACRAMENTO (AP)—A California proposal aimed at limiting high medical bills from emergency room visits stalled Wednesday, with the author saying opposition from hospitals was insurmountable this year. Democratic Assemblyman David Chiu said he'll continue working on the bill and try to bring it back next year. It's the latest attempt by a state Legislature or Congress to rein in exorbitant hospitals bills when patients need emergency care but have little say about what hospitals they are taken to. Chiu's bill would have capped what emergency patients pay at their...