Writers' club names poetry contest winners

The Ventura County Writers Club announced the winners of its inaugural poetry contest.

Unpublished poets: First place, Melissa Grossman, "8th Birthday"; second place, Danielle Brown, "Joy in the Morning"; third place, Paul Westefer, "Battles." Honorable mentions went to Melissa Grossman, Danielle Brown and Helen Stockdale.

Published poets: First place, Cathryn Adressen, "Tanka"; second place, Michael Faran, "Some Reasons I Won't Loan You $500"; third place, Phil Taggart, "Rick Sings." Honorable mentions went to Doris Vernon, Risky Betts, Michael Faran and Mary H. Shaffer.

Winners will receive cash and certificate awards, the amount of which were matched by Doug Crosse, publisher of In the Spotlight, the magazine for the Alliance for the Arts at the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza.

The contest had entries from 65 poets. The entries were judged by Jackson Wheeler, founder of the Ventura Poetry Festival.