Author: Community Contributor

Bilingual commentary: The Day Kennedy Died

Editor’s note: Amigos805 welcomes local guest columns, letters to the editor and other submissions from our readers. All opinions expressed in submitted material are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the viewpoint of Amigos805. David Magallanes By David…

Guest commentary: Spoiler Alert: There is no Fountain of Youth*

Editor’s note: Amigos805 welcomes guest columns, letters to the editor and other submissions from our readers. All opinions expressed in submitted material are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the viewpoint of Amigos805. By Armando Vazquez / Guest contributor The…

Museum of Contemporary Art Santa Barbara — Don’t Miss It: N. Dash Opening Reception (Nov. 22)

Click here for the entire e-newsletter   DON’T MISS IT: N. DASH OPENING RECEPTION JOIN US! Opening Reception | N. Dash Friday, November 22, 2019, 6 – 8 pm Members Only Preview 5 – 6 pm (Not a member yet? Join Here!)…

Community Invited to Take Action on Local Food System Reform

Click here for the entire e-newsletter   Launch of County-Wide Food Action Network encourages residents and organizations to collaborate for a sustainable food future Wednesday, December 4, 2019 6 PM – 8 PM Santa Barbara Public Library Faulkner Gallery Using…

Museum of Ventura County — RSVP for Member Appreciation Day, Free First Sunday at MVC and more!

Member Appreciation Day! Sunday, December 8, 2019 12pm—1:30pm Calling all members! Join us at the Museum of Ventura County at 100 E. Main St. in Ventura for Member Appreciation Day on December 8, 2019 from 12—1:30pm! Members will receive exclusive…

December Art Classes at the Santa Paula Art Museum

SANTA PAULA —The Santa Paula Art Museum will offer three new art classes in December, each of which will bring a bit of peace and joy to your holiday season! To reserve a spot in class, please visit www.santapaulaartmuseum.org/creativity. On…

106 PVHS students earn industry certifications

SANTA MARIA — One hundred and six Pioneer Valley High School students recently earned industry certifications on four strokes through Briggs & Stratton, the world’s largest producer of gasoline engines for outdoor power equipment. The Briggs & Stratton Basic Small Engine…

Registration is Now Underway for Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Conejo Valley (BGCGCV) 2020 Winter Co-ed Basketball League

THOUSAND OAKS — Registration is now underway for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Conejo Valley’s (BGCGCV) 2020 Winter Co-ed Basketball League. The Basketball League is open to ages 5-12 from January 19-March 15, 2020.  The league takes place…

National Weather Service recognizes CSUCI as ‘StormReady’

CAMARILLO — CSU Channel Islands’ (CSUCI) efforts to prepare the campus for fire, flood or windstorms have earned the University a “StormReady” designation from the National Weather Service (NWS). CSUCI is one of just three campuses in the CSU system to…

SMHS Special Ed Instructional Assistant Emma Zubia-Perales Marks 40 years of service to the day

SANTA MARIA — On the day Emma Zubia-Perales marked 40 years of service to SMHS, she was right where she wanted to be, in the classroom. Zubia-Perales was hired as a SMJUHSD Special Ed Instructional Assistant on November 19, 1979. On…

SBCC’s programming teams win top honors at ICPC regional competition

SANTA BARBARA — Santa Barbara City College’s computer programming teams turned in successful performances in the 2019 Southern California Regionals for the International Collegiate Programming Competition (ICPC) on Saturday November 9th in Riverside, CA, including First Runner Up amongst two year…

Bilingual report: Ojai Independent Study students get to the bottom of improving recycling methods with VCPWA for America Recycles Day

Ventura County Public Works Agency to encourage community on waste management solutions at collection event, Nov. 18-19 VENTURA COUNTY — Small changes make a big difference in the environment, especially with regards to waste management and the way the community recycles.…

Longtime environmental leader joins MERITO Foundation Board

VENTURA — Mohammed A. Hasan, a veteran environmental leader in Ventura county with 45 years of experience dealing with various environmental issues and projects, has joined the MERITO Foundation board. MERITO Foundation is a 501c (3) organization dedicated to protecting the…

Bilingual report: Ventura County receives $20 million settlement from Southern California Edison for wildfire claims

VENTURA COUNTY — The County of Ventura has agreed to a $20.8 million settlement with Southern California Edison to resolve claims resulting from the 2017 Thomas Fire and the 2018 Woolsey Fire. After costs and attorney’s fees, the County will…

Bilingual commentary: “Fast Food” and Our Health

Editor’s note: Amigos805 welcomes local guest columns, letters to the editor and other submissions from our readers. All opinions expressed in submitted material are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the viewpoint of Amigos805. David Magallanes By David…

Bilingual report: Ventura County Human Services Agency Launches Community Events and Resources Hub

VENTURA — As a service to the community, the County Human Services Agency launched an online Community Events and Resources page which highlights workshops and resources offered by public and nonprofit agencies that may be of benefit to agency clients, staff,…

Guest commentary: Life’s Wonderful, Poignant, and Seminal Passages; my two sons and their loving and wonderful friends attend a wedding

Editor’s note: Amigos805 welcomes guest columns, letters to the editor and other submissions from our readers. All opinions expressed in submitted material are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the viewpoint of Amigos805. By Armando Vazquez / Guest contributor My…

Ventura County Civic Alliance — Welcome to Our Fall 2019 Livable Communities Newsletter!

Livable Communities Newsletter Vol. 13, No. 52 November 2019 Quick Links – See the Current State of the Region Report – Last Quarter’s Newsletter   Join us at the Ventura County Civic Alliance! Welcome to Our Fall 2019 Livable Communities Newsletter!  The…

Santa Maria High School Race Team wins big

SANTA MARIA — The Santa Maria High School Race Team recently won the 35-car D/Gas Class elimination during the American Nostalgia Racing Association’s event at the Famoso Raceway near Bakersfield, marking the first victory since the program started in 2007. The Saint’s Racing 1968 Chevrolet Camaro proved…

Chancellor Oakley visits SBCC campus

SANTA BARBARA — California Community Colleges Chancellor Eloy Ortiz Oakley visited Santa Barbara City College on Nov. 4, touring the campus and meeting with faculty and members of the Board of Trustees. He concluded the day with a town hall meeting…

CAL FIRE Engineer Cory Iverson honored at annual Fallen Firefighter Memorial Service on Nov. 15

CAMARILLO — CAL FIRE Engineer Cory David Iverson will be honored at the annual Fallen Firefighter Memorial Ceremony on Friday, November 15, 2019, at 10 a.m. The event will take place on the lawn surrounding the memorial at the Ventura County…

New SMJUHSD Superintendent Named

SANTA MARIA — A new superintendent, Antonio Garcia, has been chosen to lead the Santa Maria Joint Union High School District after an eight-month search. The SMJUHSD Board of Education Tuesday night voted to hire Mr. Garcia during the regular meeting.…

Amgen Foundation Provides $100,000 Challenge Grant to United Way of Ventura County’s Homelessness Efforts

VENTURA — The Amgen Foundation has presented a $100,000 challenge grant to United Way of Ventura County to launch a landlord engagement pilot program. The goal of the program is to increase housing stock and utilize existing housing vouchers and housing…

Marian Regional Medical Center, French Hospital Receive $11.8 Million in Enhanced Health Care Payments

CenCal Health and Dignity Health Partner to Strengthen Public Safety Net SAN LUIS OBISPO — On October 24, the CEO of CenCal Health hand-delivered a check for $10.5 million dollars to Marian Regional Medical Center in Santa Maria for payment…

Housing Project Serving Homeless Veterans Set to Open in Santa Barbara End of February, 2020

Housing Authority of the City of Santa Barbara to House Veterans in our Community SANTA BARBARA — The Housing Authority of the City of Santa Barbara broke ground on Veterans Housing “Johnson Court” apartments at 813 E. Carrillo Street in…

For the second consecutive year, a student from the Oxnard Union High School District has been named Ventura County’s youth poet laureate

VENTURA COUNTY — Genesis Perez, who graduated from Channel Islands High School in June and now attends Cal State Northridge, is the county’s 2019/2020 youth poet laureate as named by the Ventura County Arts Council. Genesis will serve for one…

Ventura County Medical Center receives national recognition for meritorious outcomes from the American College of Surgeons

VENTURA — The American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program has recognized Ventura County Medical Center, as one of 88 participating hospitals that have achieved meritorious outcomes for surgical patient care in 2018.  As a participant in the program,…

Bilingual commentary: Reflections on Math Education—Part IV

Editor’s note: Amigos805 welcomes local guest columns, letters to the editor and other submissions from our readers. All opinions expressed in submitted material are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the viewpoint of Amigos805. David Magallanes By David…

Delta High School Robotics Team recently captured the ‘Judges Award’

SANTA MARIA — The Delta High School Robotics Team recently captured the “Judges Award” during their first Vex EDR tournament. The honor recognized the Delta Dragon’s design, engineering notebook and team interview. The competition involved 32 teams from comprehensive high schools…

SMHS Alpine Club and Las Flores Ranch

SANTA MARIA — Seventeen SMHS students who enjoy the outdoors recently added to its access for others during a community service project at Los Flores Ranch, a recreational space in the Solomon Hills, south of Santa Maria and Orcutt. The Saint…

Bilingual report: Declaration of Intention period Extended for Two Judicial Offices to 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 12

VENTURA — Declaration of Intention period Extended for Two Judicial Offices to 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, November 12, 2019. *** Período de Declaración de Intención para la Elección Primaria Presidencial del 3 de marzo de 2020 se Extiende para Dos Cargos Judiciales…

Museum of Ventura County — Woven Earth Opens Nov. 12th, Announcing Member Appreciation Day and more

Woven Earth Opens Tuesday, November 12th at the Museum of Ventura County! Displaying a wide range of hand-woven baskets from the Museum’s extensive collection, Woven Earth focuses on California’s native communities and the traditions involved in making these baskets. Basket…

Nominations for El Concilio’s Latino Leadership Award are due by Nov. 15

OXNARD — El Concilio Family Services is asking for nominations for the 31th Annual Latino Leadership Awards. Nominations must be received at El Concilio Family Services no later than 5:00 p.m. on November 15, 2019. Click here to submit a nomination. El Concilio…

Easterseals Child Development Center in Ventura Expands Services and Adds New Leadership

VENTURA — Easterseals Southern California’s (ESSC) Child Development Center in Ventura has completed its first phase of renovations. In addition, thanks to additional Early Head Start grant from The Department of Health and Human Services, the nonprofit disability services organization is…

Maria/Easy Fire Animal Rescue Response

VENTURA COUNTY — On October 30, 2019 at 6:30am, Animal Control Officers at Ventura County Animal Services were activated in response to the “Easy” Fire. They were dispatched alongside the Sheriff’s Posse and our Emergency Volunteer Rescue Team (EVRT) to rescue…

SMHS FFA Milk Quality and Dairy Products Team placed 3rd in the Nation, while the Poultry Evaluation Team placed 8th

SANTA MARIA — Two Santa Maria High School FFA Judging Teams earned gold rankings at the National FFA Career Development Event Finals. The Milk Quality and Dairy Products Team placed 3rd in the Nation, while the Poultry Evaluation Team placed 8th.…

FSA’s Dorothy Jackson Family Resource Center Relocates

Enhanced Facilities Will Support Expanded Services for Lompoc Families LOMPOC — Family Service Agency (FSA) has relocated its Dorothy Jackson Family Resource Center (DJFRC) to 646 North H Street in Lompoc. The new location has larger facilities for its parent and…

United Way of Ventura County — Discover Your Superpowers on GivingTuesday

If you’ve never participated in GivingTuesday, this is your year to discover your superpowers and earn your cape. GivingTuesday is an international movement that harnesses the generosity of millions of people around the world to support the causes they believe…

Gold Coast Health Plan Announces Resignation of CEO

Interim CEO Appointed While Search for Permanent Replacement Begins CAMARILLO — Gold Coast Health Plan (GCHP) on Nov. 1 announced that it has accepted the resignation of Chief Executive Officer Dale Villani. The Ventura County Medi-Cal Managed Care Commission, which…

Michelle Martinez Mercado Joins Girls Inc. of Carpinteria as Program Facilitator in Santa Paula

CARPINTERIA — Girls Inc. of Carpinteria is pleased to welcome Michelle Martinez Mercado as a new program facilitator in Santa Paula. In her new role, Michelle will lead groups of elementary-aged girls in a balanced program of hands-on learning opportunities…