Local News |
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Fathers Responsibility Doesn’t Just End at Conception |
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Dr. Lonnie G. McCowan
Pastor of Miracle Center of Ventura
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By Pastor Lonnie G. McCowan
Responsibility doesn’t just end at conception. That doesn’t make you a father. “What makes you a man is not the ability to have a child, any idiot can have a child. That doesn’t make you a father. What makes you a father is the courage to raise your child, give that child love, respect, and be committed and connected to them for the rest of your life.
For many, Father’s Day brings mixed emotions for those who do not personally know their biological father or are disconnected from them.
Father’s Day sometimes reminds them of hidden pain. I am reminded of all that I missed with my biological father, and the longing for him to have been a good dad.
A lot of children and adults as well try to ignore or block out this day we call “Father’s Day.”
Father’s Day makes me happy that I am a proud father and my kids, now adults, are always very respectful and honoring to me. However this day also makes me think about my own biological father and the many people who are without their biological father. The father is so important because it is from him that we get our identity, and much-needed wisdom.
After Jesus was baptized he heard his father’s voice say, “This is my son in whom I am well pleased.” Many of us, especially men, long to hear our father’s voice say “I’m pleased with you”.
My father is a lifelong tenant of California correctional institutions and even though from time to time we write and occasionally talk by phone, I guess there is still this hope in me that my father will someday come home.
Many black men feel that they are in a weird predicament. There is an ominous feeling that surrounds us that we can’t explain. In the black community, black men are perpetuating this feeling in their abandoned children. Abandonment is not just the absence of a father, but also when the father is emotionally disconnected even while in the home.
Recently I was watching a TV show a young black man who was accused of having fathered five children by five different women. He denied them all. As it turned out, four of them were his. He was so excited, actually cocky, that he indeed was not five for five. When asked how many children he may have fathered, he commented, “Word on the street is fourteen of ‘em.” ‘Em equals his biological children. Of course ladies you can also avoid this in most cases by just being wise, responsible and having self-dignity.
What I know is, a child who doesn’t grow up with his biological father feels the loss. You don’t even know what the loss is, but there is a palpable loss. Not being able to define it just makes it that much more difficult to understand and ultimately hard to deal with.
I had many father figures to help me grow up. I thank God for them however there is no way to replace your biological father. Kids are wired to their biological parents, much the way a penguin can find his parent in a sea of other penguins. “Father figures” are unsung heroes; this can be a coach, teacher, pastor, friend, etc.
I replace what I think that I missed by not having my biological father connected to me, though I don’t full know what it is that I miss. I hate that too many black kids go through what I am going through, the constant yearning. In the black community, it’s getting worse, not better. I stay connected to my adult kids but also I am a “father figure” to those who do not have a biological father.
Happy Father’s Day to the fathers who are being a father, and the “father figures” and if you haven’t been a good father start today. Be courageous and own up to your responsibilities of being a father; Your children deserve it. Don’t say it’s too late, even if they are already adults. Reach out to them. Be there even if they act like they don’t want to you. They need you.
Lonnie G. McCowan is pastor at The Miracle Center of Ventura, in Ventura. He can be contacted through email at lonnie100@msn.com or by visiting www.miraclecenterventure.com.
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Thousand Oaks Youth Club Receives Grand Prize
for Local Recycling Challenge
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The Sequoia Boys & Girls Club gather to receive the $3,000 check as Grand Prize Winners of the recycling competition, 'The Chapter Challenge.'
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THOUSAND OAKS, CA – Today the Boys & Girls Clubs of Conejo & Las Virgenes and the plastics industries of the American Chemistry Council (ACC) announced the grand prize winner in their recycling competition, the Chapter Challenge. The Sequoia Boys & Girls Club won the grand prize of $3,000 for recycling a total of 623 pounds of plastic, aluminum and glass during the course of the three-phase competition. Five Conejo & Las Virgenes Boys & Girls clubs participated. Together, the clubs recycled 1,175 pounds of materials during the course of the competition.
“The Chapter Challenge has taught our kids valuable lessons about the importance of recycling,” said Boys & Girls Clubs Resource and Events Coordinator Becky Fleishman. “They have enjoyed learning about recycling every step of the way, and they are thrilled to be a part of the program.”
The program launched last fall as a way of rewarding young people for recycling. The Sequoia Boys & Girls Club won the first and second phases by recycling 231 pounds of plastic, aluminum and glass. During phase three Sequoia secured the final prize by bringing in an additional 392 pounds, bringing the grand total from the Sequoia Boys & Girls Club to 623 pounds of materials that may otherwise have found their way to a landfill.
Collectively, the five participating clubs recycled 1,175 pounds of plastic, glass and aluminum between September 2011 and May 2012, and the participants have committed to continuing their recycling practices. Each chapter’s efforts helped see that plastics, aluminum, glass and other recyclable materials didn’t go to waste, but were given a chance to have second or third lives as useful products.
“Our partnership with the Boys & Girls Club has been a huge success,” said Steve Russell, vice president of the Plastics Division for the American Chemistry Council. “We hope that these kids continue to recycle. It’s one of the easiest ways to keep communities clean.”
The Chapter Challenge is a friendly recycling competition where participating clubs compete for the opportunity to win prize money to benefit the club’s programs. The initiative is a partnership between Boys & Girls Clubs of Conejo & Las Virgenes and the plastics makers of the American Chemistry Council. The Chapter Challenge runs from September 12, 2011 through June 1, 2012.
www.americanchemistry.com/newsroom
The American Chemistry Council (ACC) represents the leading companies engaged in the business of chemistry. ACC members apply the science of chemistry to make innovative products and services that make people’s lives better, healthier and safer. ACC is committed to improved environmental, health and safety performance through Responsible Care®, common sense advocacy designed to address major public policy issues, and health and environmental research and product testing. The business of chemistry is a $674 billion enterprise and a key element of the nation’s economy. It is one of the nation’s largest exporters, accounting for ten cents out of every dollar in U.S. exports. Chemistry companies are among the largest investors in research and development. Safety and security have always been primary concerns of ACC members, and they have intensified their efforts, working closely with government agencies to improve security and to defend against any threat to the nation’s critical infrastructure.
About the Boys & Girls Clubs of Conejo & Las Virgenes
The Boys & Girls Clubs of Conejo & Las Virgenes are open before and after school, during lunch, on weekends and all day during school vacations with summer tours of the Clubs available upon request. For more information about supervised youth programs, to donate, volunteer, or register online, please log onto www.bgcconejo.org or call 818-706-0905.
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This fall, Ojai’s Libbey Bowl will be the site of the valley’s newest festival when the Ojai World Music Festival takes the stage with music from the far corners of the world. The Ojai World Music Festival will present the acclaimed ukulele player, Jake Shimabukuro and the Cedric Watson Bijou Creole Band in a magical evening of music under the stars on Oct. 6 starting at 7 pm.
Jake Shimabukuro
“Forget everything you know about the ukulele…and go do a Google search. The first video that pops up won’t be some grainy clip of Tiny Tim or George Formby but a performance by a hair-gelled 34-year old Hawaiian named Jake Shimabukuro.”-Time magazine feature
It’s rare for a young musician to earn comparisons to the likes of Jimi Hendrix and Miles Davis. It’s even harder to find an artist who has entirely redefined an instrument by his early thirties. But Jake Shimabukuro (she-ma-boo-koo-row) has already accomplished these feats, and more, in a little over a decade of playing and recording music…on the ukulele.
Cedric Watson
Injecting a healthy dose of his own personality and ingenuity, Cedric has been exciting an ever-broadening audience with his unique take on traditional Creole music, and with his new compositions that expand the genre while still respecting its roots. In the few years since he assumed the role of bandleader, all three of his albums have been nominated for Grammy Awards.Moving with ease between fiddle and accordion, and adding his strong blues-inflected vocals, Cedric’s creative style and obvious joy in playing make him an engaging and exciting performer.
Festival organizers guarantee an exciting and joyful experience with acclaimed musicians that have brought audiences to their feet everywhere they have played. The Ojai World Music Festival is the brain-child of award-winning composer and musician John Zeretzke, and Brian Bemel of Performances To Grow On and the Ojai Storytelling Festival. The Ojai World Music Festival joins the list of great festivals held in the Ojai Valley and promises an eclectic mix of engaging music. Tickets are $45 and are available by phone at 805-646-8907 or on the website at www.ojaiworldmusic.org. A special Vip ticket is available with reserved seating in the first 5 rows for $100 along with a special Meet the Artists reception. that includes wine, desserts, coffee and hordeuvres.
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5 Ways to Save Money on Health Insurance |
(NewsUSA) - The overwhelming mass of uninsured Americans is firsthand evidence that health insurance is too expensive -- as if we didn’t already know.
On average, middle-income families with individual coverage spend 22 percent of their income on health care. Others pay up to 50 percent of their household income on health coverage, according to data from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.
To avoid paying more for less quality coverage, it’s essential to compare insurance options and gather as many quotes as possible. There are, however, some other ways to save money on health insurance, too.
Check out five tricks and tips to save on health coverage:
1. If you get a call from an insurance provider as part of an application process, do not divulge any additional details. Since these calls are usually recorded, disclosing extra info could come back to bite you as a higher premium.
2. Know your insurance policy well, and review it when needed. You should know precisely what services and costs are and are not covered. Visiting in-network doctors, for example, can save a lot of money. In the event of complex surgeries or assessments, ask both the doctor and insurance provider explicitly what is covered before undergoing a procedure.
3. Exhaust group insurance options before buying an individual policy. Group insurance is always cheaper, but if your employer doesn’t offer health insurance, or if you’re self-employed, consider other group options. Groups like labor unions, fraternal and business organizations, student associations and other special-interest groups may offer coverage.
4. Consider reputable discount opportunities. Several states offer discount programs, and the Medicare Prescription Drug Discount Card and the Together Rx Access Card both save money on medication costs. Also, a new consumer-driven movement called All Our Power emerged recently that provides group buying power for individuals. As more people join the movement at www.allourpower.com, AOP negotiates with top insurance companies to secure lower rates for its members.
5. Regardless of your coverage, ask physicians and hospitals about paying for services in cash. Many hospitals offer huge discounts for patients paying in cash, but your insurance provider likely won’t be forthcoming about that tidbit.
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News from the D.A. |
District Attorney Gregory D. Totten announced today that Joe Fidel Flores (DOB 4/23/80), of Santa Paula, was sentenced to life without the possibility of parole plus 30 years for the 2003 murder of Samuel Travis Reeves, age 15. A jury found Flores guilty on March 13, 2012, of first-degree murder and also found true the special circumstance allegation and other special allegations regarding the use of a gun, and that the murder was committed to further the activities of the “Bad Boyz” criminal street gang.
Samuel Reeves had no association with any gang. On October 11, 2003, he and two of his brothers attended a party near Santa Paula. Flores was also at the party with a gun and several of his fellow gang members. A fight broke out and Flores joined the fight, shooting at near-contact range and killing the unarmed 15-year-old. |
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Amphay Somchith of Oxnard was arrested on or about June 5 in Riverside County on suspicion of tresspassing.
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Raymond Gonzales of Oxnard was arrested on or about June 5 in Ventura County on suspicion of other drugs.
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Christopher Boggsd of Oxnard was arrested on or about June 2 in Ventura County on suspicion of dangerous drugs.
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Sabrina Medina of Oxnard was arrested on or about June 5 in Ventura County on suspicion of other drugs.
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Laura Aramburo of Oxnard was arrested on or about June 5 in Ventura County on suspicion of assault.
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Sarah Nelson of Oxnard was arrested on or about June 5 in Ventura County on suspicion of assault and battery, misdemeanor offenses.
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Randall Moreno of Oxnard was arrested on or about June 5 in Ventura County on suspicion of felony theft.
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Matthew Winton of Oxnard was arrested on or about June 5 in Ventura County on suspicion of lewd or lascivious.
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Aurelio R Mones of Oxnard was arrested on or about May 29 in Los Angeles County on suspicion of driving offenses, vehicle moving violations.
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Oscar Castaneda of Oxnard was arrested on or about June 5 in Los Angeles County on suspicion of petty theft.
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