Author: Community Contributor

Teddy Bear Cancer Foundation’s “Project Turkey” in Need this Thanksgiving

Every year, Teddy Bear Cancer Foundation (TBCF) holds Project Turkey to help food-insecure families who have a child facing pediatric cancer in the Tri-County areas with grocery gift cards and food baskets. 

This year, due to the pandemic, the holidays have hit families dealing with a child with cancer even harder due to increased financial constraints. Many families have had to leave work in order to care for their sick child, and TBCF is working hard to collect items for these families so they can enjoy a Thanksgiving meal.

Pierre Claeyssens Veterans Foundation “Night at the Drive-In!” on Nov. 11 Honors Two Santa Barbara World War II Veterans

Although it has been difficult to have in person events this year, Pierre Claeyssens Veterans Foundation (PCVF) is still managing to keep the Veteran’s Day spirit alive with “Night at the Drive-In!,” an event where they will honor World War II Veterans Art Peterson and Ugo D. Arnoldi, deceased. 

Every year, PCVF has their in-person Military Ball to show their appreciation for all Veterans but this year, due to COVID-19, they have changed their usual in-person event to a drive-in event to fit social distancing guidelines. Their drive-in event will have a gourmet BBQ boxed dinner, a movie screening of Memphis Belle, a few surprises and will keep their tradition of honoring veterans from the Santa Barbara community. 

Friendship Center — Veteran’s Day Message of Thanks

Friendship Center staff are helping to distribute hygiene kits, put together by the Elk’s Lodge, to Santa Barbara area Veterans.

Please consider making a donation to Friendship Center so that we may continue to support Veterans in our community

Bilingual report — Racism Declared a Public Health Crisis by County of Ventura Board of Supervisors

The County of Ventura Board of Supervisors has approved a resolution declaring racism a public health crisis. “The resolution is a pledge from the Board and the County to promote equity, inclusion, and diversity in housing, employment, economic development, health care, and public safety,” said Mike Powers, County Executive Officer. “The resolution also pledges that the County will work to become a more racial equity and justice-oriented organization in service to the community. It is our goal for this to become part of our culture to best serve our community.”

Bilingual report — COVID-19 Update for Nov. 10

Good evening, There are 72 new cases today (17 (23.6%) of which have a lab collection from November 3rd or earlier), 1,577 additional people tested, and 0 additional deaths. Currently, there are 35 people hospitalized with COVID-19 and 5 of those patients are receiving care in the ICU.

Our current data published as of November 10th is 7.2 (purple tier) for the case rate, 3.0% (orange tier) for the positivity rate and 4.8% (orange tier) for the health equity positivity rate for the measurement period ending October 31st.

Ventura College Foundation’s Weekend Marketplace Temporarily Moves To New Location During Campus’ Solar Panel Installation

Ventura College Foundation’s Weekend Marketplace will temporarily move to a new location on the Ventura College campus while solar panels are installed at its current site (East Parking Lot). The Marketplace will open at the campus’ West Parking Lot on November 28. The Marketplace will be closed November 21 and 22 in preparation for the move. The solar panel installation is expected to take 12 weeks to complete.

SEEAG Launches $15,000 “Give The Gift of Agriculture Challenge”

An anonymous donor has stepped forward and will match all donations up to $15,000 for every dollar donated to Students for Eco-Education and Agriculture (SEEAG). The “Give the Gift of Agriculture – Double Your Impact Challenge” runs through December 31 with a total fundraising goal of $30,000.

School Reopening Plans May Change as Ventura County COVID-19 Cases Rise

Some Ventura County schools could have to delay their plans to resume in-person instruction if the County falls back to the most restrictive level – the purple tier – on the state’s coronavirus watch list, which is looking increasingly likely. Due to a growing number of COVID-19 cases, County health officials anticipate the move back to the purple tier could happen as early as next Tuesday, November 17, but is most likely to occur a week after that on Tuesday, November 24.

November/December Happenings at the Santa Paula Art Museum

There’s a lot happening at the Santa Paula Art Museum in November and December! For the first time in its ten-year history, the Museum’s annual Fine Art Auction Fundraiser is being hosted online. Bid on 20 beautiful works of art now through Sunday, November 22, 2020. The Museum’s annual art auction is its biggest fundraiser each year. All proceeds raised from the event benefit the Santa Paula Art Museum and the thousands of children, families, and adults that the Museum serves through its educational programs every year. Find a link to the online auction on the Museum’s website: www.santapaulaartmuseum.org/event/auction.

Bilingual report — COVID-19 Update for Nov. 9 — COMMUNITY ALERT: COVID-19 cases are increasing

COMMUNITY ALERT: COVID-19 cases are increasing. If the cases continue to increase we will be moved to the more restrictive purple tier by the State. We need your help. We need to increase testing numbers. The State gives credit for more testing and testing also helps slow the spread. We also need your help in slowing the spread by not gathering. Gatherings increase the virus’ spread. Let’s work together so we can all move forward and protect the most vulnerable in our community.

SBCC Music’s Big Band is world’s first to perform together remotely using exciting new technology

On Oct. 23, 2020 at 7p.m. Pacific Time, the Santa Barbara City College Lunch Break Big Band became the first school band in the world to present a live concert of a large ensemble with each member participating synchronously – and safely – from their homes.

EDC NEWS- Welcome New Advisors!

The Economic Development Collaborative is thrilled to announce the addition of five new advisors to our consulting team! As one of California’s largest direct business support networks, our Small Business Development Center (SBDC) is dedicated to providing quality consulting with a diversity of advisor skillsets to assist you with each of your business needs. Access to capital, top tier advising and personalized support is just a phone call away.

SMHS Advanced Floral Design Students take part in Ocean Breeze Farms during their first Halloween Festival

What better way to spend the day than playing with flowers!

This past Saturday, four Santa Maria High School Advanced Floral Design students, along with their teachers, Amanda Rodriguez, Sara Araujo and Kristie Van Horn, made free flower arrangements for anyone who purchased flowers from Ocean Breeze Farms during their first Halloween Festival.

PVHS Academic Excellence Celebration

Nearly 300 Pioneer Valley High School students were honored for “Academic Excellence” during a drive-through celebration Thursday. The Panthers earned the recognition with a 3.8 GPA or higher for the 2019-2020 school year. They received a special certificate and cheers from counselors, teachers and the administration in front of the campus.

COVID-19 Cases Increasing in County of Ventura

The County of Ventura Public Health Department is reporting concerning increases in COVID-19 cases. The community is urged to use caution. The best protection against COVID-19 continues to be to wash your hands frequently, avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands, self-isolate if you are sick, practice physical distancing, and wear a clean face covering when in contact with others from outside your household.

Guest commentary — What I Learned About America as a Poll Worker in the 2020 Elections

I volunteered to be a poll worker in the Santa Maria area of Santa Barbara County for the presidential election of 2020. I was assigned to work at Orcutt Junior High School, in the small agricultural city of Orcutt, here is what I learned. …At the end of the final night of poll work, I walked out to my car with a big smile on my face, with the satisfaction of knowing that I had just participated in a very important and sacred part of our American electoral process. And that our team had done a wonderfully honest, transparent, inclusive, and patriotic job.

Letter to the editor — Post Election Expectations

November 3rd is Election Day, but we may not know all the election results for days or even weeks afterward. This doesn’t mean anything is wrong. It just means our elections officials are doing everything possible to make sure every vote is counted and the election results are accurate.

Bilingual commentary — Terms of Endearment in Spanish

What if a man is overheard calling his sister “skinny”? Or, worse yet, suppose a wife is seen in public calling her husband “fatty.” Can you imagine the firestorm if a father were to be caught calling his daughter “my little dark girl,” or if a light-skinned woman were to refer to herself as a “little black girl”?

A Twitter flare-up, the likes of which hell hath never known, is exactly what happened when the song “Lonely,” in which Jennifer Lopez, describing herself as a “negrita from the Bronx,” was released a little over a month ago.

$1.3 Million in Rental Assistance Still Available for SB County Residents Through United Way of Santa Barbara County

In partnership with the County of Santa Barbara, United Way is offering rental assistance grants to eligible individuals and families living in unincorporated areas. Eligible applicants must meet specific requirements. The funds were made possible by the County of Santa Barbara through federal grants received from the CARES Act. 

The funding comes from the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act, which gave Santa Barbara County a total of about $46 million in funding. 

12 Acts of Kindness

In memory of those taken on November 7, 2018, and in honor of those that survived, this campaign is designed to encourage the community to perform 12 Acts of Kindness. An act of kindness can be simple and performed on behalf of those closest to you, a stranger, an organization, or for some, an act of kindness for themselves.

The campaign is mix of printable items and social media imagery for use across all platforms. The concept is to encourage everyone to participate in the way that is best for them. Participating in 12 Acts of Kindness does not require anyone to spend money, which is a critical aspect. Raising awareness around how many simple Acts of Kindness are possible and helping the healing process for the community is the goal of this campaign.

VCCCD Internship Opportunity to Provide Beautiful Music for All

The Ventura County Community College District has created a unique internship opportunity for two Moorpark College aspiring music professionals. Students Dan Damore and Alex Fortunato will create original music scores for the District’s marketing projects, including music to be played prior to Board of Trustees meetings and during breaks. Scores will also be written for Moorpark, Oxnard and Ventura colleges and Ventura College East Campus.

Santa Barbara business owner offers free 3-day workshop to support local entrepreneurs

Nicole Wald, a local entrepreneur who recently launched a new content strategy coaching business – Nicole Michelle – will host a live, Zoom workshop series for fellow entrepreneurs on Tuesday, November 10 to Thursday, November 12 from 2:30-4 p.m. PDT. 

The free workshop series, titled “Rock Your Content,” will teach business owners key principles of creating effective content. The workshop will include Wald’s tips for creating engaging content that boosts profit in less time, an intro to creating a strong brand voice, daily live Q&As, and real-time assignments to add instant value to attendees’ businesses.

CSUCI virtual performance captures the spirit of all eight Channel Islands 

Santa Barbara Island is teeming with land birds and cattle that once roamed the Santa Rosa Island during the 1800s. San Nicolas Island was home to a lone woman for decades and one man known as “The King of San Miguel Island” isolated himself and his family on the remote island for years. 

CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI) students will illustrate the dramatic human and natural history of each of the eight of the Channel Islands with a multi-media performance of music, theater, dance, poetry and even shadow puppets premiering on YouTube at 7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 13.   

Righetti High School’s Identity and Culture for Spanish Speakers 3 class hosts virtual workshop with the musical group Las Cafeteras

Righetti High School’s Identity and Culture for Spanish Speakers 3 class recently hosted a virtual workshop with the musical group Las Cafeteras, an east Los Angeles band that features Afro-Mexican beats, rhythms and rhymes that contain lyrics documenting stories of a community seeking love and justice in the concrete jungle of LA.

SMHS Freshmen and Junior Class Elections

A large turn-out of candidates will be considered during the freshman and junior class elections this week.

Nearly a dozen Santa Maria High School freshman are running for president during an online election for the first time ever.

Yarrow YMCA Opens 9,000 Square Foot Outdoor Fitness Facility

The Yarrow Family YMCA in Westlake Village has opened a nearly 9,000 square foot covered outdoor fitness facility in its back parking lot (31105 East Thousand Oaks Blvd.). The facility opened November 2.

The exercise area contains cardio equipment and weights to provide members an opportunity to workout in a COVID-compliant setting until Los Angeles County officially enters the red tier level and gyms can reopen indoors.

Santa Paula Art Museum — Who Will Win?!

We are eagerly awaiting the start of our online Fine Art Auction Fundraiser on Monday, November 9, and can’t wait to see who will take home each of our 20 gorgeous auction artworks and two raffle prize paintings. Be sure to preregister for our auction on Bidsquare.com, so that you can place your bid as soon as the items go live! Raffle tickets can be purchased on our website. All proceeds will benefit the Santa Paula Art Museum.

We will have to wait to see who wins when bidding closes on Sunday, November 22. Luckily, we’ve got plenty to keep ourselves busy with until then…

*Planning to visit? Please read our general visiting guidelines at the end of this email.

U.S. Department of Education awards $600K to CSUCI for degree completion program

CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI)’s Channel Your Success initiative received a $600,000 boost this fall from the U.S. Department of Education.

Channel Your Success is a multi-faceted program designed to remove barriers preventing Latinx students from graduating on time. Director of Student Academic Success & Equity Initiatives Michelle Hasendonckx, Ed.D., said this particular grant is a 2020 Title V grant for a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI), but the campaign is to benefit all CSUCI students.

Información sobre el COVID-19 el 03 de noviembre — ¡La Ventura County Health Care Agency ofrece vacunas contra la gripe gratis!

¡La Ventura County Health Care Agency ofrece vacunas contra la gripe gratis! Consulta el horario en: http://www.vchca.org/images/public_health/IZ/Community_Flu_Clinic_2020-10-29.pdf

Local Companies Support Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Conejo Valley’s (BGCGCV) STEM Program

To help prepare youth for the future workforce as the next generation of scientists, tech innovators, engineers and mathematicians, local companies are joining with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Conejo Valley (BGCGCV) to provide STEM education.

Youth Mental Health First Aid Training Goes Virtual

Already, over 850 county residents have become certified in Youth Mental Health First Aid. The popular course that teaches participants how to support youth struggling with a mental health or substance abuse problem is now available online. Parents, teachers, and others in Santa Barbara County who work with youth ages 12-18 are encouraged to “be the difference” for local youth by participating in a free, upcoming training.

CSUCI exceeds enrollment targets despite COVID-19 pandemic 

Despite economic and practical hardships caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI) exceeded Fall 2020 enrollment targets.

Total enrollment for fall 2020 was 6,194 full-time equivalent students, which is about 1% above the 6,135 full-time equivalent student projection the state uses to calculate funding for CSUCI.  

Friendship Center November Newsletter – Gratitude & Sign Language Addition!

Giving Thanks can make you Happier
by Sophia Davis, Advancement & Project Manager

November kicks of the holiday season with high expectations for a cozy and festive time of year. However, for many this time of year is tinged with sadness, anxiety, or depression. Research suggests that one aspect of the Thanksgiving season can actually lift the spirits, and it’s built right into the holiday — expressing gratitude.

Santa Maria High School ASB Leadership Student Tutors

Students teaching students is proving to be a successful educational tool during the pandemic.

Up to 25 Santa Maria High School ASB Leadership volunteers are logging in during the school’s scheduled tutoring time from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. nearly every day of the week to help teachers who provide tutoring via Zoom. They are assisting in core subjects including math, science, social science, history, English. 

Letter to the Editor — Election offices to remain active to process all ballots postmarked by Nov. 3

Once the Election Polls close, voters can be assured that the election offices will remain active to process all the ballots that were postmarked by November 3rd.  Ballots properly postmarked will be counted at the elections office through November 20. 

Get Out the Vote Nationwide #LULACvota

Missed the online registration deadline in your state? Same-day registration is available in-person in the states highlighted above: TURQUOISE – Same-Day Registration during Early Voting Dates ONLY PURPLE – Same-Day Registration on Election Day (November 3) ONLY BLUE – Same-Day Registration during Early Voting AND on Election Day ALASKA – Allows Same-Day registration but ONLY for President and Vice President.

PLEASE NOTE: Same-day registration must typically be done IN PERSON and only at limited locations. An elections official may request a state-issued photo ID and proofs of residency for each new registration. Contact your local / county elections office for specific requirements for same-day voter registration.

Bilingual report — Oxnard Election 2020 Updates — In-Person Voting Starts this Saturday, Oct. 31st

In-person voting will start on Saturday, Oct. 31 and run through Tuesday, Nov. 3. There are currently ten in-person voting locations in Oxnard, listed below.
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La votación en persona comenzará el sábado 31 de octubre y se extenderá hasta el martes 3 de noviembre. Actualmente hay diez lugares de votación en persona en Oxnard, que se encuentran a continuación.

Bilingual report — Celebrate Halloween, Día de los Muertos safely

This guidance outlines safer alternative ways to celebrate Halloween and Día de los Muertos during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. COVID-19 continues to pose a severe risk to communities and requires all Californians to follow necessary precautions in light of this ongoing risk.

Some of the traditional holiday activities promote congregating and mixing of households, which increase the risk of transmitting COVID-19. For this reason, CDPH recommends that you choose a safer alternative way to celebrate Halloween and Día de los Muertos, and strongly discourages trick-or-treating. It is important to plan early and identify safer options.

CSUCI President Erika D. Beck Appointed President of California State University, Northridge

The California State University (CSU) Board of Trustees has appointed Erika D. Beck, Ph.D., to serve as president of California State University, Northridge (CSUN). Beck currently serves as president of California State University Channel Islands (CSUCI).

“From the robust academic programs to inspirational athletic competition to the expansive opportunities for arts and culture, I am inspired by the impact that CSUN has in shaping the face of the San Fernando Valley and beyond,” said Beck. “While it is bittersweet to leave CSU Channel Islands where working together with faculty, staff, students and community we have made significant progress, I am thankful for this opportunity to join the talented CSUN faculty, staff and students to ensure that all Matadors rise.”

Bilingual commentary — The Ongoing Struggle for Dignity

In 1945, my father returned home from World War II after taking part in the Normandy Invasion, fighting the Nazis in France and Germany, and surviving the Battle of the Bulge against the German army.  Having entered the U.S. Army as a Mexican kid from the streets of Los Angeles, he came out on the other side of the war as an American citizen, battle-hardened and fully expecting to live the American Dream.

Guest commentary — A Votar Mi Gente: Winter in America — Our Vote can bring on a New Day and Save our Democracy

We are in our last days out from the 2020 Presidential elections and the very future of this Democracy is in peril.  We have Trumps’ criminal Republican Party that will stop at nothing to retain tyrannical power and a mealy mouth and pathetically weak Democratic Party that feints outrage cries foul, but is either strategically out maneuverer at every political turn or rolls over like a broken lap dog and refuses to fight Republican political fire with fire. Our national politics are a mess! On November 3, 2020 the people have the critical and solemn hands-on opportunity through our votes to weigh in on the future of this nation, and in the process quite possibly preserve our democracy against the tyrannical forces that threaten to destroy it!

Celebrating Halloween Safely During the COVID-19 Pandemic

For many children of all ages, Halloween is synonymous with the American tradition of dressing up in costume and heading out into the neighborhood with friends and family to trick-or-treat and collect candy in the crisp autumn air.

However, with the coronavirus still spreading throughout much of the country, including in California, families are advised to take extra precautions this year, which could mean finding new and innovative ways to safely celebrate this holiday, according to a health expert.

Santa Barbara First District Supervisor Das Williams — 101 Widening in Summerland, Debris Basin Update, and Reminder to Vote!

We are still in the Red Tier according to the California Blueprint for a Safer Economy metrics, but we are getting closer to moving into the Orange Tier. Currently we have 1 active case in the South County Unincorporated Areas (which include Montecito, Summerland and the City of Carpinteria), 6 active cases in the City of Santa Barbara, and 138 active cases County-wide. Additionally, the Board of Supervisors recently voted to pass an Ordinance to adopt remedies, including administrative fines, for violations of County Health Officer Orders Pertaining to COVID-19.