Podcast addresses social host ordinance

Straight Up Ventura County's newest podcast exploring the Social Host Ordinance being enforced throughout Ventura County is now online. Narrated by a Ventura County youth, the podcast features appearances by Ventura County Behavioral Health Department program administrator of prevention services Dan Hicks and Thousand Oaks Police Capt. Randy Pentis.

Both gentlemen discuss the civil fine that is issued to responsible individuals hosting a loud and disruptive party where underage drinking is taking place and the effectiveness of the ordinance since it has been placed into effect.

Information in the podcast includes the range of fines that vary from city to city, the conditions that need to occur in order for a fine to be issued and statistics on how effective the ordinance has been throughout the county.

"We thought this was a very important issue that parents, as well as teens, should know about," said Katherine Kasmir, director of Straight Up. "The ordinance is in place in every city in the county, and most people aren't aware of it."