Hi neighbor,

Camarillo rejected a youth-led climate resolution 3-2, but asked staff to bring back a narrower version. Council also took up another very Camarillo problem: spotty cell service.

Also in this issue: 88 supportive housing units broke ground near Lewis Road, the Strawberry Festival turns 40, a guide to Sandstone Peak, and Shadowfax the husky mix is looking for her person.

Let’s get into it.

Local forecast via Grant @CamWX

☀️ A Mild Weekend

A mild, sunny stretch is ahead for Camarillo. Highs stay comfortable, from the upper 60s Thursday to the low/mid 70s by Saturday, with mostly sunny skies and light afternoon breezes. Sunday cools slightly to around 70, but still looks clear and easy for weekend plans. One more reason not to stay inside.

More local weather updates → CamWX.com

It's the California Strawberry Festival's 40th anniversary. Spend the weekend at the fairgrounds for strawberry everything imaginable, paint sections of California's longest mural Saturday morning, or take the kids to Pleasant Valley's free water safety drop-in before pool season hits.

Saturday & Sunday · 10am to 6:30pm · Ventura County Fairgrounds

The 40th anniversary year. Over 50 food booths serving strawberry everything (nachos, pizza, beer, deep-fried, tamales, you name it), 150 artists and crafters, carnival rides, four stages of music, plus the famous $7 build-your-own Strawberry Shortcake. $15 adults, $10 seniors and military, $8 for ages 5-12, free under 4.

👉 Buy Tickets

Saturday · 8am to noon · Ventura (location shared on RSVP)

Help paint sections of the longest mural in California, guided by pro artists from Studio Channel Islands Art Center. No experience needed. Must be 12 or older (under 18 with an adult), and you'll be working in a flood control channel reached by an 11-foot ladder, so dress for mud: closed-toe shoes, long pants, long sleeves. Free, RSVP for a time slot.

👉 RSVP Here

Saturday · 10am to 1pm · Pleasant Valley Aquatic Center

Free, family-friendly drop-in from Pleasant Valley Rec & Park. Swim lesson evaluations, sidewalk CPR demos, water safety info for pools and ocean, plus open swim. A practical brush-up before summer with pool time for the kids built in.

👉 More Info

A youth-led climate resolution failed 3-2 at Camarillo City Council this week after a packed meeting over oil drilling, wildfire risk, air quality, jobs, and whether the issue belongs in the city’s lane at all.

The resolution would have put Camarillo on record supporting a phase-out of oil and gas production in Ventura County, defending California’s 3,200-foot oil and gas setback law, and backing future “polluters pay” legislation.

Councilmembers split sharply on scope, not necessarily on concern. The three no votes said the resolution went beyond Camarillo’s jurisdiction. The two yes votes said climate and public health do not stop at city limits.

Now staff has been directed to bring back a narrower, Camarillo-specific version with input from youth advocates and oil and gas representatives.

👉 Read the full breakdown →

A new permanent supportive housing project broke ground this week on county-owned land off Lewis Road, just outside Camarillo. The Homekey+ Lewis Road project will include 88 units for people experiencing homelessness who also have a behavioral health condition, plus one onsite manager’s unit. The buildings will be modular units manufactured offsite by LifeArk, whose project page includes renderings of the planned campus.

The $38.14 million project is largely funded through California’s Prop 1 mental health bond, with additional support from Ventura County, Gold Coast Health Plan, Behavioral Health funding, donated county land, and a $2 million contribution from the City of Camarillo. That city funding reserves 10 units for Camarillo residents under a 55-year agreement.

It’s not a shelter. Residents will be referred through the county’s Coordinated Entry System and receive onsite supportive services.

See more about the development→

Camarillo knows it has a cell service problem. Now the city has a technical memo explaining part of why: wireless companies have gotten permits for towers and equipment, but many approved sites were never built.

A consultant found that only about a third of approved wireless facilities over the last 20 years were actually constructed, and the city’s design rules may be part of the problem. Camarillo’s code pushes carriers toward shorter, hidden, or heavily camouflaged equipment. That keeps the city prettier, but it can also make the sites more expensive and less useful for coverage.

Council members were blunt. They called the current service “completely unacceptable,” pointed to dropped calls, and said the issue became especially serious during the Mountain Fire, when power outages left some residents with little or no cell coverage.

The council voted 5-0 to have staff keep studying possible code changes, review the city’s wireless siting rules, and look at areas with recurring coverage problems.

See what the city found→

About 25 minutes from Camarillo at Circle X Ranch, there's a trailhead that leads to the highest point in the Santa Monica Mountains. From the top of Sandstone Peak, on a clear morning you'll see the Pacific, the Channel Islands offshore, the Oxnard Plain stretching toward Camarillo, and the Conejo Valley behind you. Full 360-degree view.

Two ways up: the straight-shot trail (3 miles round trip, summit and back) or the 6-mile Mishe Mokwa loop, which winds past Echo Cliffs, Balanced Rock, and Split Rock before reaching the peak.

At the top, a bronze plaque calls it "Mt. Allen," a 1960s Boy Scout naming attempt that was rejected because you can't name geography after a living person. Underneath the plaque is a small metal box with a register inside. Sign it.

Best October through May. Bring more water than you think you need and go early.

👉 Get Directions

Two-year-old Siberian Husky mix with the blue eyes to prove it. She’s been waiting at the Camarillo Animal Shelter since March, but she’s already proven she can work a crowd. She charmed crowds at the Christmas parade and has been making appearances at PetSmart adoption events. Loves other dogs and ready for her person.

👉 See Shadowfax’s full profile

Ventura County Animal Services is currently offering $0 adoption fees for all shelter pets, with a special need for adopters for large dogs.

Pets leave the shelter: Spayed/neutered, Vaccinated, Microchipped, Flea treated

A $25 licensing fee applies for county residents.

👉 Get directions to meet Shadowfax

Know someone looking for a great dog?

Forward this email and help Shadowfax find her home. 🐾

If you made it this far, you’re officially more in-the-know than most of Camarillo.

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The Camarillo Caller is a local newsletter created by Camarillo resident Gabrielle Ridgeway.