Newsletter for April

April 2010 GHOSTWATCH NEWSLETTER

The official Newsletter of Richard & Debbie Senate

Mr. Senate does Cameo for Hollywood film!

Mr. Senate played himself in a scene shot for a new Hollywood film. It is a film about ghost hunting and psychics titled LA Paranormal. Watch for him when the film comes out in perhaps a year or so. “Don’t blink,” says Mr. Senate, “If you do you may miss me.” The film looks like it will be a fun picture.

Mr. Senate is featured in the recent issue of Haunted Times Magazine.

An article on a haunted barn in The Carson Valley, Nevada is the focus of a story on the murder of Sam Brown, the Nevada gunfighter. It is also linked to a lost gold mine as well. The barn is built over the site of a hotel when the murderous gunfighter met his end.

The quest to find the burial site of Mr. Brown still eluded Mr. Senate as there are two sites for his grave and the tombstone, being made of wood, is long gone. Perhaps psychic archaeology can find the site. Pick up a copy or check it out on line.

Psychic Archaeology at Olivas locates burials & lost tunnel.

On March 28 a team of Mr. Senate’s students gathered to seek data on the legendary family burial grounds at the old Adobe. The stories say that the family buried their dead in the corner of the courtyard. The next owner removed the tombstones and the grave sites are lost. The dowsing rods were used and located three burials inside the court –Two men and a baby. The team also looked for the storied Native American graveyard, and found four burial sites. Two were a man and woman, buried side by side. The man seemed too tall for a Native American, and the rods were used to determine he was part Irish and worked at the ranch as a coachman. An illness took his life and that of his wife.

The team also located the rout of the lost tunnel. It was dug by the Olivas Family as an escape tunnel if the Hacienda was ever attacked. All the data was recorded and can not be confirmed until someone excavates the grounds in the future. “Now if we had only found the lost treasure,” commented Mr. Senate with a laugh.

Psychic Investigation at Camulos Adobe.

The historic Camulos Adobe, the storied home of Ramona, is a California landmark. Some believe that the complex of buildings is haunted by several spirits. Mr. Senate took a team to the site after getting permission from the group running the adobe. The team toured the place and, got several odd readings on their equipment as well as some distinct psychic impressions. The Sala and the book room (also called the Rose Room) were the focal points of the investigation. Much was left over energies rather than true haunts. Still, more investigations might uncover more at this fabulous site. Mr. Senate and the Ventura Paranormal Team wish to express many thanks to the docents of the Camulos Adobe for their help in this investigation.

Mr. Senate’s new book: Flight of the Hercules on Lulu.

It is an adventure novel of an 1895 voyage by balloon. It is his first published fictional work. It sells for $9.99 and can be purchased on Amazon.com and Lulu.com. I hope people find it a fun romp. For those who would like a direct link try:

http://www.lulu.com/product/paperback/the-flight-of-the-hercules/5995821?productTrackingContext=center_search_results

Mr. Senate offers wedding services

Long ago Mr. Senate joined the Universal Life Church. There were many reasons he and his friends, Bob Young and Marcelo Siero did this. But over the years it has been a fun thing. Now Mr. Senate is offering to marry people. “I want to offer a service to the public,” he says. “I discovered most charge $300 for this service—I believe in this economic time that’s a bit high so I will conduct the service for $100. I will also do house Blessings, Funeral services and Motivational talks.” This applies to Ventura/Santa Barbara Counties with a slight increase to travel father. If you are interested contact him at: Hanthunter@aol.com

Mr. Senate’s first wedding in decades on board the paddlewheel vessel SS Scarlet Belle was a real hit. “It was just perfect,” commented one wedding guest.

New Tours Coming: April

April 3, Saturday Afternoon, from 1 to 3 pm. Perry Mason Tour. This tour tells of Erle Stanley Gardner’s days in Ventura and how he became a mystery writer. Very Popular Tour offered by Mr. Senate. Call the City of Ventura for tickets. 805-658-4726

April 12 Class Offered by Mr. Senate at Ventura College Community Services. “The Tales Tombstones Tell” is a lecture on local cemeteries and tombstone art. There will be some ghost stories as well. A visit to a local graveyard will also be set up with the students. Contact Ventura College, Community Services for tickets. 7 to 9 pm.

April 18 Special Tour of Ventura’s Ghosts.1 to 3 pm. This is a special tour $12 per person. This is a private tour that will meet at the fountain of Mission San Buenaventura on Main Street. Contact Mr. Senate for tickets for this event: haunthunter@aol.com This is a one time event.

April 30-May 1 Saturday-Sunday Ghost Convention on the Queen Mary in Long Beach, California. Mr. Senate will be one of several speakers at the event and will have some of his books on sale as well. This is a good chance to see what he and Debbie are up to. He will be speaking on his newest findings and investigations regarding ghosts and haunted houses. It will include his fascinating discoveries at the Tim Burton Mansion.

Mr. Senate’s Birthday Is Coming up on April 23!

“I am older than dirt,” remarks Mr. Senate. “But in the words of the great Maurice Chevalier, considering the alternative to getting older—I am quite content.” He has no plans for his special day but Debbie seems to have something special in mind. Wish him a happy birthday and send him a card or e-mail. “Money and gifts, will also be accepted.”

Quote Worth Remembering:

“Ghosts fear men more than men fear ghosts.” Ancient Chinese saying.

Happy Year of the Tiger!

Mr. Senate is now on Facebook

He is listed as Richard Leonard (Yes, his middle name is Leonard) and would like to hear from all who enjoy hunting for ghosts and seeking to answer the great mysteries of history.

Psychic Archaeology at Olivas Adobe

Dateline: March 28, 2010

The two dowsing rods trembled in her hands, and then, slowly, they moved together, crossing one over the other. The look on her face was one of surprise as the rods in her hands seemingly moved by them selves! It was all part of an experiment conducted by students from a class in ghost hunting offered by the Ventura College. The team was at the site of the historic Olivas Adobe located in Ventura, California. The old 1847 hacienda of the rich Olivas ranching family is filled with unknowns. The team was to use the new and controversial science of “Psychic Archaeology” to uncover the mysteries of the site. The expedition was a qualified success.

The team had three goals: A) Locate and confirm the existence of a family burial ground within the courtyard, to determine how many were buried there. B) Find and trace the location of the legendary lost tunnel of the adobe, and C) Discover if a Chumash Shaman’s allegedly discovered a Chumash Native American Burial grounds was really true and how many were buried there. These were tall questions. The courtyard cemetery is mentioned in local lore and several groups have used such means in the past—but would this new team, operating completely independently, find the same results?

The team members, armed with dowsing rods, scanned the corner of the old courtyard where stories claim there was once a cemetery. They first targeted “Skulls” and at each point the rods crossed a coin (showing heads) was placed on the location. A second scan was conducted with the team focusing on “Feet”—more markers were placed where the rods crossed. Next the points between the two markers were measured. Three “burials” were discovered. A woman, 5 foot two, a man, five foot six and a baby were found. The burials were strangely orientated to the path of the sun—typical of early Spanish burial practices. This was the same findings as teams who investigated nearly a decade ago, yet none of this team knew of early California burial Customs or the maps drawn by other teams! Using the rods questions were asked and the answers confirmed that all were members of the Olivas Family, the baby was an un-baptized infant who died at birth from a woman named Dominga (Such a name is found in the records of the family).

The team then went to the East Lawn in an attempt to locate the legendary lost tunnel. Stories say it was built as an escape route if the hacienda was surrounded and went to the river nearly a quarter mile from the house. Other teams had failed to locate the site in the past. At first this team met with frustration. But they continued and found that the tunnel didn’t start at the house at all but in the walled courtyard. The team found it was four and a half feet wide and came right out of the courtyard and turned towards the water well. It may have provided access to water and the adobe homes of the Native Workers employed by the Olivas Family. Stories, not as well founded as the rumors of a family burial plot in the courtyard, exist of a cemetery for the Native Chumash workers. Years ago a visiting Chumash holy man claimed he “felt” there was a burial ground near three trees on the east lawn. Could he have felt something? The team went on to try to use dowsing rods to locate these burial grounds. They found four burials using the same methods they employed in the courtyard. Two, a man and a woman, were buried side by side oriented to the path of the sun. The woman was short, about five foot tall, but the man was nearly six foot tall! This was too tall for a Native American of that era. Dowsing rods were used and a question and answering code set up. The male form claimed that he was part Irish, this might be the cause of his tall height. The surprise came when they asked his occupation. It said no to vaquero (cowboy), worker, sheep man, vintner, cook, servant, only answering yes to the job of coachman. A tall man, perhaps wearing a top hat, sitting in the box, driving a matched set of thoughbred horses would have been impressive. His job would have also included that of groom, making sure the horses were ready and in good health to take the family to church or any appointment, perhaps as far away as Santa Barbara. Tax records do show that the Olivas Family owned two fine carriages, so such an occupation was possible in the mid 19^th Century. Questions also reveled that the man and woman were husband and wife and died of disease, a common problem in those days. There were two other burials; both appeared to be young people.

Did the team really find these lost elements? We can not confirm them until excavations locate the bones of these people. Something no one is planning at this time. So, until more data comes to light, the discoveries are merely speculation. Other teams well be employed in future expeditions, and as data is collected, a case will be made that the tools of psychic archaeology can discover the past in new ways. I want to express many thanks to the Olivas Adobe Docents for their help and for all member of the team who gave up a Sunday morning to attempt to gain more knowledge about this historic treasure.

Newsletter for March

IDES Of MARCH GHOSTWATCH NEWSLETTER

The Official Newsletter of Richard and Debbie Senate 3/2010

Hail Friends, Romans and Countrymen!

Once more we offer up another edition of Ghostwatch—this time for the Ideas of March. For those historically impaired this was the date (March 15^th) that saw the assassination of Julius Caesar in Rome. Rome is a very ghost ridden place but all sites linked to murders are haunted so it is al together fitting that we publish on this date all the things we have been up to in the last few weeks.

Mr. Senate sells a new adventure story!

“I enjoy a good adventure story and cut my teeth on such authors as Jules Vern and Edgar Rice Burroughs,” recalls Mr. Senate in a telephone interview. “When a new magazine asked me to pen a short story I took it up as a challenge. The story is set in Africa in 1914 on the eve of the First World War. I hope people will like it.” The story is titled “The Killer Apes” and seems a rousing adventure tale. On the heels of this story being accepted he penned another done in the popular “Steam Punk” style. Its about a mysterious thing sighted in the Southwest and called by the Native American People “The Blue Demon.” “It’s a sort of Jules Vern type of story,” explained Mr. Senate. If anyone is interested in reading these tales the new magazine will be out in April or May.

More on this in future editions of Ghostwatch.

GHOST INVESTGATION AT HAUNTED SCHOOL

The old school was the target of a second investigation as bizarre events were reported by the staff. The strangest being a photograph of a child in a mirror with a child extra in the background. A blessing service was held by Debbie Senate that seems to have helped. It was determined that three spirits haunted the place. We shall have to see if this visit did the trick and ended the strange events at the school.

Mr. Senate offers wedding services

Long ago Mr. Senate joined the Universal Life Church. There were many reasons he and his friends, Bob Young and Marcelo Siero did this. But over the years it has been a fun thing. Now Mr. Senate is offering to Marry people. “I want to offer a service to the public,” he says. “I discovered most charge $300 for this service—I believe in this economic time that’s a bit high so I will conduct the service for $100. I will also do house Blessings, Funeral services and Motivational talks.” This applies to Ventura/Santa Barbara Counties with a slight increase to travel father. If you are interested contact him at: Hanthunter@aol.com

QUOTE WORTH REMEMBERING

“Never give up! Never, Never Give up.” Sir Winston Churchill

“ The harder the battle, the more glorious the victory.” Thomas Pain

New Tours Coming: March-April

March 20, Saturday night 8 to 10 Ghosts and Ghouls Tour of City Hall Ventura. Mr. Senate’s popular ghost tour is back with all the thrills and chills For tickets call the city of Ventura at 805-658-4726. “I love this tour And I am always adding new elements.” Says Mr. Senate.

March 27, Saturday afternoon. From 1 to 3 pm. The Battle of San Buenaventura. In March of 1838 there was a battle in Ventura between two rival Governors. In the two day conflict one man was killed. This tour will Tell of the battle and what happened at the mission. Call the city for

Tickets.

April 3, Saturday Afternoon, from 1 to 3 pm. Perry Mason Tour. This tour tells of Erle Stanley Gardner’s days in Ventura and how he became a Mystery writer. Very Popular Tour offered by Mr. Senate. Call the City of Ventura for tickets 805-658-4726

April 12 Class Offered by Mr. Senate at Ventura College Community Services. “The Tales Tombstones Tell” a lecture on local cemeteries and Tombstone art. There will be some ghost stories as well. A visit To a local graveyard will also be set up with the students. Contact Ventura College, Community Services for tickets. 7 to 9 pm.

April 30-May 1 Saturday-Sunday Ghost Convention on the Queen Mary in Long Beach, California. Mr. Senate will be one of several speakers at the event and will have some of his books on sale as well. This is a good chance to see what he and Debbie are up to. He will be speaking on his newer findings regarding ghosts and haunted houses.

Mr. Senate’s Birthday April 23!

“I am older than dirt,” remarks Mr. Senate. “But in the words of the great Maurice Chevalier, considering the alternative to getting older—I am quite content.” He has no plans for his special day but Debbie seems to have something special in mind. Wish him a happy birthday and send him a card or e-mail.

NEW PROJECT IN WORKS

Mr. Senate and artist Don Childers are working on a new book. The title is “The Illustrated Ghosts of Venture County.” The work will include haunted places in Ventura Count. It will be lavishly illustrated by Mr. Childers, a former award winning artist for NASA. More in future issues.

Introduction

This is an intoductin to the Richard Senate Ghost Blog. I have been hunting ghosts for 32 years and I would like to share my many experiances, theories, and ideas with the public. I am interested in hearing from anyone who has had a ghosty experiance.