The Port of Hueneme’s 13th Annual Banana Festival set a second consecutive attendance record as nearly 19,000 guests came to the Port for a celebratory day of live music, banana treats, tours, a classic car show, and family-friendly fun. This year’s theme, “Gateway to the World,” highlighted the Port’s role in connecting local consumers to global goods and markets.
Ventura County is preparing for the first Santa Ana wind event of the season, with strong winds, hot and dry conditions, and an elevated risk of wildfires expected across the region. Residents are encouraged to prepare for potential Southern California Edison (SCE) power outages, take necessary safety precautions, and stay informed as weather conditions evolve throughout the week.
The National Weather Service has issued a Red Flag Warning from Thursday, October 15, at 6:00 a.m. through Friday, October 16, at 10:00 p.m. This wind event is expected to bring sustained winds of 25–40 mph, with gusts potentially exceeding 50 mph across our valleys, coastal communities, and mountain areas.
CENTRAL COAST — At Mission Gardens II, a group of 14 owner-builders have begun building their own homes through the People’s Self-Help Housing (PSHH) mutual self-help program.
Located in San Miguel, San Luis Obispo County, this new development is seeing the future homeowners construct 14 single-story homes located at the end of N Street. Each home is set to have three or four bedrooms, two bathrooms, and a two-car garage. They will also be equipped with energy-efficient features, PV solar, and drought-tolerant landscaping.
MOORPARK — Moorpark College and Cal State Channel Islands (CSUCI) (on Oct. 12) announced the Spring 2027 launch of two new bachelor’s degree programs in cybersecurity, marking a significant milestone in higher education for Ventura County and the broader region. The programs respond directly to an urgent national demand for skilled cybersecurity professionals—a workforce gap projected to reach hundreds of thousands of unfilled positions across the United States.
“The future of higher education depends on our ability to work together, respond to the evolving needs of our communities, and create meaningful opportunities for students,” said Dr. Rick MacLennan, Chancellor of the Ventura County Community College District. “This collaboration reflects what is possible when our institutions align their strengths to expand educational pathways, support regional workforce needs, and prepare students for an increasingly complex and interconnected world.”
SANTA MARIA — When Allan Hancock College Community Education introduced its new Image Transfers from Photographs course, instructor and U.S. Navy veteran Helen Boursier expected to bring together students interested in art and creativity.?
What she did not expect was that the class would become a gathering place for seven veterans representing more than six decades of combined military service.?
“I wasn’t surprised to see so many veterans in the class because I already knew several of them through the local veteran community, but I was incredibly pleased that they decided to sign up,” Boursier said. “It was especially rewarding to hear that they enjoyed the experience and wanted to know when I would be teaching the class again.”
CARPINTERIA — Girls Inc. of Carpinteria is reaffirming the organization’s commitment to emergency preparedness and community resilience as El Niño brings uncertainty about unpredictable and potentially dangerous weather.
The Girls Inc. of Carpinteria (GIC) campus, located at 5315 Foothill Rd. in Carpinteria, is well-equipped in the event of an emergency — with large indoor and outdoor spaces, an industrial-sized kitchen stocked with necessities, and basic supplies at the ready.
Under normal circumstances, these features equip GIC to serve the more than 700 girls and young women who access their programs each year. In the event of an emergency, they would allow the organization to respond to a crisis by offering food, shelter, and other resiliency resources.
Celebrate Día de los Muertos with a Free Family Day
Sunday, October 25
11 am – 4 pm
Explore a vibrant display of community-created altars, engage in hands-on art activities for all ages, and enjoy a festive Calenda procession featuring traditional music and dance from Oaxaca and Guerrero.
Now in its third year, the procession, produced by the Museum of Contemporary Art Santa Barbara, celebrates Mexican traditions while bringing the community together in a joyful expression of remembrance, culture, and connection.
SANTA BARBARA — Cottage Health is proud to announce that Paula Gallucci, BSN, RN, CCRN, Manager, Medical Intensive Care Unit, has been selected as a 2026 My SoCal Hospital Hero by the Hospital Association of Southern California (HASC). The honor recognizes employees across Southern California hospitals who contribute to outstanding patient care through embodying excellence, compassion and dedication in their work every day.
Paula was chosen for her extraordinary impact on patients, colleagues and the hospital community. She leads with a unique combination of clinical rigor, creative energy and boundless compassion. In a high-stakes environment, she brings the steady, inspired leadership that transforms a critical care unit into a place where people want to work – and patients and families feel genuinely cared for.
SANTA PAULA — At its Oct. 7, 2026 meeting, the Santa Paula City Council voted unanimously (5-0) to adopt Resolution No. 7635, formally opposing Proposition 43, a statewide ballot measure appearing before California voters on November 3, 2026.
The action follows a request from the League of California Cities (Cal Cities) encouraging cities to consider opposing the measure. Proposition 43 would increase the voter-approval requirement for voter-initiated local special taxes from a simple majority to two-thirds, potentially making it more difficult for communities to approve dedicated funding for local services and priorities.
CENTRAL COAST — With the closing of the final public comment period last week, more than 1.6 million people—including more than one thousand Central Coast residents—voiced their support for keeping the Roadless Rule in place. The rule — which the Trump administration is proposing to repeal—protects some of the country’s last intact backcountry forests, including 635,106 acres across 37 inventoried roadless areas in Los Padres National Forest.
The latest comment period on the Trump administration’s proposal to rescind the 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule closed October 6.
OJAI — Not everyone can take a shelter dog home, but almost anyone can give one a few hours away from the kennel. The Humane Society of Ventura County (HSVC) is officially rolling out its Dog Day Out program to the public. Community members can take a dog out for a hike, a ride or a quiet afternoon at home, with no foster or adoption commitment.
HSVC is giving more dogs homes, and faster. Through August, dog adoptions are up 42% over the same period last year (223 compared with 157), and half of adopted dogs now go home within 14 days, compared with 24 days last year. HSVC hopes Dog Day Out — a program used by shelters nationwide and linked in research to higher adoption rates — will keep this momentum going and help its longest-staying dogs find homes.
SANTA PAULA — The City of Santa Paula is temporarily pausing enforcement of certain recreational vehicle (RV) parking regulations following a unanimous (5-0) City Council decision on October 7, 2026. The temporary pause allows the City to review its existing ordinance and explore potential updates with input from the community. The decision follows ongoing public comments and concerns from residents regarding RV parking restrictions and their impact on the community.
Scholar Heidi Amin-Hong explores how systems of colonialism, militarism and global capitalism create displacement and treat people and environments as disposable.
Read more about the issue
We’ll be holding two shows over the next month at the Rubicon Theatre. Let’s keep the streak alive! Come out and support and share these events with your “peeps”.
• Thursday, Oct 27: Good Company. Hosted by Lachlan Patterson with Aida Rodriguez, Francisco Ramos, Chris Estrada and Chad Goes Deep. Benefitting Westside Community Development Corporation. Get tickets
• Monday, Nov 2 — The Line-Up of Extraordinary Women with Laurie Kilmartin, Aparna Nancherla, Beth Stelling and Emily Catalano. Benefitting Women’s Economic Ventures. LOW TICKET WARNING: Get tickets
Thank you for standing with us during these increasingly difficult times. At 805UndocuFund, our mission has always been rooted in protecting the dignity and safety of undocumented and mixed-status families across Ventura, Santa Barbara, and San Luis Obispo counties. Today, that work is more urgent than ever.
SANTA BARBARA — Santa Barbara Neighborhood Clinics (SBNC) announced today that its Medical Mobile Unit will be visiting the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB) on October 14th to provide on-campus sports physicals for students preparing to participate in club sports.
For many college students, completing a sports physical is a routine step toward joined campus athletics. However, out-of-pocket costs can present an unexpected financial barrier for students without adequate insurance coverage, potentially preventing them from joining teams, staying active, and fully engaging in campus life.
CENTRAL COAST — For nearly two years, immigrant communities across the Central Coast have faced kidnapping, family separation, and escalating violence at the hands of ICE. And now, as Californians begin to vote, ICE activity is surging – in an attempt to bring more fear and intimidation into our communities.
As of Tuesday afternoon, at least 32 of our neighbors in the region have been taken by ICE this week. Parents. Neighbors. Workers. Families torn apart.
But we are not powerless. We know how to respond. We know how to protect each other. We know how to organize. And we know that information is power.
At times I scan newsworthy social media notifications that appear on my phone. One thing has become abundantly clear to me: the posts I see are a window into the linguistic decay that has been settling into our American culture.
I am struck by the paucity of commentary that is written well. The overwhelming majority of the posts offer a glimpse into the atrocious grammar and spelling that are a regular feature of our national discourse. This widespread deterioration of the English language, by which we communicate with each other, raises a seriously unsettling question about our society: why have we allowed ourselves to embrace and normalize this consistently sloppy writing?
Sat. October 10th 2026, 7:00 pm
Have you heard the buzz about Teatro De Las Americas’s spectacular production of Diego Rivera: His Story – A One?Night Theatrical Event performed by Herbert Siguenza? It’s an event you absolutely can’t miss! Secure your seat today by grabbing your tickets online. Join us for an unforgettable experience!
GOLETA — LEAP celebrates Juan Pimentel’s 20 years of service and his new title as Chief Operating Officer (COO) of LEAP: Learn. Engage. Advocate. Partner., recognizing his longstanding leadership and commitment to children, families and community.
Pimentel joined LEAP, then Isla Vista Youth Projects, in 2006 at age 19 as a Work-Study student attending the University of California, Santa Barbara, serving as a group leader in its after-school program.
GOLETA — This September, businesses, organizations, and community members across Santa Barbara County came together to collect more than 15,000 diapers for local families through LEAP’s annual Diaper Need Awareness campaign.
One in two U.S. families with young children struggle to afford enough diapers to keep their babies clean, according to The NDBN Diaper Check 2026: Diaper Insecurity among U.S. Children and Families. This lack of a sufficient supply of diapers is known as diaper need. Families experiencing diaper need report making difficult tradeoffs, including skipping meals, delaying rent or mortgage payments, or falling behind on other bills to afford diapers.
23 seats left for scones, sandwiches, and lively brass at the historic Pierpont Inn – get yours now, because these won’t last the weekend!
Some traditions are worth dressing up for. Picture it: a sunny Sunday afternoon at the historic Pierpont Inn. A pot of tea at your table. Warm scones, delicate finger sandwiches, and a tempting tower of pastries. And then, the trumpets. Tea & Trumpets is one of those VMF experiences that, once you’ve been, you make sure you don’t miss. It’s civilized and joyful in equal measure, and this Sunday, it opens our 2026 Fall Series. There are just 33 tickets left. Once they’re gone, they’re gone, so grab your seat before someone else gets your scone!
THOUSAND OAKS — TOArts is bringing National Geographic Live back to the Bank of America Performing Arts Center for the 2026–27 season, with four acclaimed explorers whose work spans wildlife filmmaking, ecology, photography and the science of sound. This year, with support from Bank of America, TOArts is adding on to the on the onstage experience with creative programming and expanded student access designed to bring audiences even closer to the ideas, stories and people behind each presentation.
SANTA BARBARA — In response to Medi-Cal eligibility, enrollment and renewal changes affecting an estimated 44,000 local residents, CenCal Health and a coalition of community partners have launched Central Coast Coverage, a regional member navigation hub that helps eligible individuals keep their health coverage and avoid disruptions in care.
Supported by a $2 million investment from CenCal Health – the region’s Medi-Cal health plan serving more than 220,000 members in Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties – the new resource connects residents with navigation assistance, resource guides, and information about Medi-Cal.
Thursday is DAF Day—a national day encouraging donors to put their Donor Advised Funds to work for the organizations and causes they care about most.
If preserving Ventura County’s stories, celebrating its art and culture, and creating opportunities for our community to learn from the people and places that shaped our region are important to you, we invite you to consider making a gift to the Museum of Ventura County through your Donor Advised Fund (DAF).
VENTURA — On Tuesday, October 6, the Board of Supervisors heard a report on the County’s inter-agency efforts to prepare for a potentially strong El Niño storm season. Staff from the Sheriff’s Office of Emergency Services, Fire Department, Public Works Agency, and the County’s Public Information Office shared updates on work already underway to help ensure the community is storm ready ahead of a potentially wetter winter.
Pre-season efforts are focused on reducing risk and ensuring the County is ready to respond quickly if significant storms impact local communities. Preparations include inspecting and maintaining flood-control infrastructure, clearing drainage systems and debris basins, preparing swift water rescue resources, and coordinating emergency response plans for areas at higher risk of flooding and debris flows. The County’s Public Works Agency has already removed more than 235,000 cubic yards of material from detention basins and waterways in preparation for the winter storm season.
We did it!
After months (well, years) of planning, our 50th Anniversary Weekend has officially come and gone, and we are all still buzzing.
There are a few things in my life that I am really, really proud of. Most of them have something to do with Friendship Center. One involves successfully teaching my pug to use a doggy door independently. But hosting our inaugural Dementia Care Conference alongside my teammate Shyra Jain, surrounded by some of the most remarkable people I’ve had the privilege of learning from and working alongside, followed the very next day by a Family Reunion filled with people who have been part of Friendship Center’s fifty-year story…that one is going to be hard to top.
SANTA BARBARA — Santa Barbara City College (SBCC) is excited to announce that the JSB Café is now open and ready to serve students, faculty, staff, and members of the community. The cafe will once again serve as both a restaurant and a training ground for students in SBCC’s School of Culinary Arts with direction from Chef Roberto Lopez Carrillo.
“It is with great joy that we announce the reopening of the JSB Café for our campuses and the community-at-large,” shared SBCC Superintendent/President Dr. Erika Endrijonas. “The reopening marks another milestone for SBCC in the recovery from COVID-19 and adding another community resource at our Cliff Campus. Thank you to the amazing Chef Carrillo and culinary students.”
“People are usually pretty good at planning for the life they expect to have,” Tull said. “It’s the things we haven’t thought through that can leave families scrambling. I want to help people think about those situations before they happen, rather than trying to sort everything out in the middle of a crisis.”
VENTURA — Halloween gets a coastal twist this October as Ventura Harbor Village welcomes families, witches, zombies, four-legged companions and Halloween enthusiasts to celebrate Fall with a festive lineup of Seaside Halloween happenings.
Set against the scenic backdrop of Ventura Harbor, this year’s Halloween festivities feature a dog costume contest, family-friendly trick-or-treating, Halloween entertainment and activities, and the colorful spectacle of costumed witches and warlocks paddling across the harbor. Visitors can also enjoy waterfront dining, shopping, harbor views and attractions throughout Ventura Harbor Village.
