District Export Councils (DECs) are esteemed organizations comprising local business leaders appointed by successive U.S. Secretaries of Commerce. They provide invaluable guidance and support to local firms seeking to expand into international markets. For over 30 years, DECs across the United States have played a crucial role in promoting economic growth and job creation through export initiatives.
SANTA BARBARA — Michael Yang, formerly a paraplanner with Registered Investment Advisory firm Arlington Financial Advisors, has stepped into a new role as financial planner for the company after completing the rigorous requirements to become a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™.
Yang, who joined Arlington Financial Advisors in February 2021, completed the demanding CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ (CFP®) Certification Professional Education Program after more than a year of study and passed the exam needed to earn the nationally recognized CFP® designation.
Mixteco/Indigena Community Organizing Project (MICOP) hosted Tequio Rising on March 22nd, 2024, at Ventura County Community Foundation’s headquarters at 4001 Mission Oaks Blvd in Camarillo. During Tequio Rising, MICOP raised $57,700, surpassing the original goal of $50,000! This year marks the highest amount raised in MICOP history for Tequio Rising!
La Posada is an 80-unit temporary supportive housing community serving people experiencing unsheltered homelessness in South Santa Barbara County. Permanent housing is the longer-term goal, and La Posada closes the gap between living outdoors and housing stability, where residents can be safe and receive the critical supportive services needed. La Posada is a public-private collaboration between DignityMoves, the County of Santa Barbara, and Good Samaritan Shelter, the service provider and operator.
3rd Annual Ventura County Wildflower & Weed Show
Saturday, April 20
11:00 am – 3:00 pm
@Agriculture Museum
926 Railroad Ave., Santa Paula
Don’t miss the 3rd Annual Wildflower and Weed Show, a celebration of California’s diverse flora! At noon, Antonio Sanchez will deliver an enlightening lecture titled “Inviting California to Dinner: Bringing California Native Plant Foods into Your Life and the Future of Native Plant Agriculture.” Enjoy a specimen show, an iNaturalist demonstration, plant sale, special kids’ activities, and guided tours led by UC Master Gardeners.
VENTURA — The Ventura County Continuum of Care Alliance has released the official results for the 2024 Ventura County Homeless Point in Time Count. The executive summary, which can be viewed here, comprises details and key findings of people experiencing homelessness who were surveyed and observed on January 24, 2024. This includes those who met the federal definition of homelessness which includes those living unsheltered or in places not meant for human habitation, as well as those staying in emergency shelters and transitional housing on the night of January 23.
We are now taking applications for Dorfman Incubator Grants. Startups can apply for $5,000 to $50,000 in grant funding. Ideal candidates have a connection to Cal Lutheran as a student, alum, employee or employer of Cal Lutheran students.
Latin American literature scholar Suzanne Jill Levine receives a PEN America award for translation.
OXNARD — The Port of Hueneme and City of Port Hueneme joined Reel Guppy founder, Kevin Brannon, to celebrate the two-year anniversary of the Reel Guppy Dockside Learning Center — an amazing addition to the local coastal community. Dedicated to connecting local youth with education and fishing experiences, Reel Guppy was thrilled to celebrate their success alongside community members, partners, and program participants.
SANTA BARBARA — The Housing Authority of the City of Santa Barbara honored City Net as their Outstanding Community Partner of the Year. The Housing Authority created its annual partner award as a way of recognizing and thanking organizations and businesses that help change lives for the better. The supportive services provided to clients through a collaboration with City Net are an essential part of the Housing Authority’s holistic service delivery approach. Founded in 2005 in Long Beach, California, their mission is based on a commitment to break the cycle of homelessness in the communities they serve by connecting neighbors experiencing homelessness to transformative care and innovative housing solutions.
CAMARILLO — Ventura County Community Foundation (VCCF) Chief Executive Officer Vanessa Bechtel and retired CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI) Counseling & Psychological Services (CAPS) counselor Angela Timmons will each receive an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters during CSUCI’s 2024 Commencement ceremonies on Saturday, May 18.
Timmons’ support for the University includes developing a community for CSUCI’s Black students, and supporting countless of CSUCI students during their most challenging moments when she was a counselor with CAPS.
IN-PERSON EVENT: SCORE VENTURA COUNTY: STARTUP BASICS: FUNDAMENTALS OF STARTING A NEW BUSINESS
April 17 @ 8:30 am
Have you ever dreamed of owning your own business but don’t know where to start? Do you have the passion and work ethic but need education and guidance? Being a small business owner is exciting but understanding the lifestyle will clarify if it is right for you. Join SCORE Ventura County in this informative workshop and learn what it takes to be a successful business owner. Address: Thousand Oaks City Hall, 2100 Thousand Oaks Blvd, Thousand Oaks.
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER
SAN LUIS OBISPO — Big Brothers Big Sisters of SLO County is thrilled to bring a special hike of Santa Rita Ranch to volunteer mentors and their mentees, in partnership with The Land Conservancy of SLO County.
A special benefit of being a volunteer mentor and mentored child with Big Brothers Big Sisters, the event will be held in May – a private hike around the beautiful rolling hills of the ranch. The attendees – volunteer mentors (“Bigs”) and their mentees (“Littles”) and the Littles’ families – will then enjoy a lunch with a beautiful view of the lake.
OXNARD — Oxnard College and the Oxnard College Foundation are partnering with researchers at California Lutheran University (CLU) and the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) to host an event on April 17, 2024, marking the publication of the annual U.S. Latino GDP Report. The report documents the economic contributions of the Latino community throughout the United States and identifies Latinos as major drivers of the pandemic recovery. The event will also feature never before released estimates of California’s Latino GDP.
The 18th-century French writer Nicolas Chamfort had an arguably perceptive view of the effects of time on our human lives. He wrote, “In order not to find life unbearable, you must accept two things: the ravages of time and the injustice of man.”
We who are older are only too aware of the first “thing” that we are expected to accept: the ravages of time. We’ll save the controversial “acceptance of the injustice of man” part of the statement for another article.
Artist Talk: The PAC6 Painters
Saturday, April 13, 2024 • 2 PM to 4 PM
Included with regular admission (free for members and students)
Take in the Museum’s current exhibition “From Field to Frame: The PAC6 Show How It’s Done” alongside all six of the PAC6 Painters! Mingle with artists Linda Brown, Marian Fortunati, Nita Harper, Debra Holladay, Laura Wambsgans, and Sharon Weaver as they describe their painting processes and adventures. Reservations are not required.
MORE INFO
Aiming to reduce ship strikes on the North Atlantic right whale, the Benioff Ocean Science Laboratory deploys its Whale Safe vessel-monitoring tool to track, in near real-time, cargo ships moving up and down the East Coast.
SANTA BARBARA — Teens and adults who have undiagnosed autism (autism spectrum disorder/ASD) and are unaware they have the disorder can struggle with symptoms that may lead to depression, anxiety and self-harm, according to the UCSB Koegel Autism Center at the Gevirtz Graduate School of Education.
SANTA BARBARA — Eleven instrumentalists and vocalists will compete for thousands of dollars in scholarships on April 28 after being selected as finalists for the annual Performing Arts Scholarship Foundation’s Competition Concert.
The foundation’s Audition Committee selected the finalists during auditions held April 5 and 6 at Music Academy of the West’s Weinmann Hall in Montecito. A total of 24 adults and youth competed to earn a place in the final competition.
Nearly 700 students participated in the 69th annual Ventura County Science Fair at the VCOE conference center last month — that’s the highest level of participation in recent memory. The energy in the building was electric as the students presented their work to more than 130 volunteers who served as judges.
I invite you to join me later this month the public will have the opportunity to learn more about Flood Control’s planning efforts that will guide the design, and construction of improvements to mitigate flooding impacts to the community.
SANTA BARBARA —The Community Environmental Council (CEC) recently welcomed new staff members as it expands its bold climate action across California’s Central Coast region.
The Community Environmental Council welcomed two new staff members and transitioned three staff members to new titles in recent months. These individuals bring a wealth of knowledge and local experience, building CEC’s capacity to go all in on halting the climate crisis — rapidly and equitably.
Tomorrow, on April 10, 2024 we celebrate Cal Lutheran Cares Day, our annual day of fundraising and friend-raising. This year, we are focusing on our “People(s) of Color Scholarship” that provides graduate students from underrepresented groups with an opportunity to launch their graduate education, and our “Student Events and Competition Fund”, which helps us to build stronger bridges between companies, organizations, leaders, and our students – by bringing guest speakers, organizing competitions, or arranging field trips for our students.
The Grand Jury is an independent panel of 19 Ventura County citizens who serve for one fiscal year, from July to June. Near the end of its term, the Civil Grand Jury files a report of its findings and recommendations with the superior court presiding judge. Afterward, the report is available to the public.
Trevor Auldridge-Reveles spent 13 months in Dixon to investigate the remarkable levels of upward social mobility among teenagers from the small agricultural town between San Francisco and Sacramento.
The exhibition will aim to showcase the vibrant creativity and talent of artists ages 60 and older within our community through an open call. While there is no specific theme, artwork is encouraged that explores the sharing of experiences, traditions, customs, and stories across generations.
SBA: HOW TO DO BUSINESS WITH US DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
April 9 @ 10:00 am
Driving Growth and Maximizing your potential. Learn from the Director of the Department of the Treasury / Office of Small & Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU) on how to access the Federal Contracting.
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER
SANTA BARBARA — Santa Barbara City College (SBCC) is pleased to announce a new alliance with Arizona State University (ASU) to provide students a seamless transfer experience with the MyPath2ASU® program. MyPath2ASU allows students to take the steps needed, at the start of their college experience, to successfully plan their transfer to ASU, ensuring a smooth transition process and student success.
MyPath2ASU is a set of customized tools available to transfer students from accredited, U.S. regional institutions. These tools ensure a seamless transfer experience to ASU after earning credits or an associate degree from a U.S. community college or university and shortening the time to degree completion.
“SBCC has a strong transfer rate to four-year universities that include Arizona State University, who has created MyPath2ASU, of which we are proud to partner to extend our students opportunities and success,” said Angela Warren, SBCC University Transfer Academy Coordinator.
LOS ANGELES — The LA Galaxy today announced that the organization’s MLS NEXT Pro club will now compete under the name “Ventura County FC” (VCFC) in partnership with Oak Sports Holding. Previously known as LA Galaxy II, Ventura County’s newest professional sports team will play their home matches at California Lutheran University. AEG, the LA Galaxy’s ownership group, will retain ownership of the MLS NEXT Pro club, with VCFC’s soccer operations led by the LA Galaxy under the direction of LA Galaxy General Manager Will Kuntz and certain commercial operations managed by Mark Noorzai of Oak Sports Holding.
SAN LUIS OBISPO, SANTA BARBARA, VENTURA — Heat pump water heaters are three to five times more energy efficient than their natural gas water heater counterparts, and 3C-REN (Tri-County Regional Energy Network) is helping to make these replacements more affordable—and sometimes free—for Central Coast residents. Through steep incentives and upcoming events in English and Spanish, 3C-REN aims to educate and empower residents this April.
This show is part of a special fundraiser event for the Oxnard Housing Authority Education Scholarship Program. The Education Scholarship Program is a program that provides scholarships to students in Public Housing or in the Section 8 Program. Our production Paul & Raquel will be part of the entertainment for the evening.
We are now taking applications for Dorfman Incubator Grants. Startups can apply for $5,000 to $50,00 in grant funding. Ideal candidates have a connection to Cal Lutheran as a student, alum, employee or employer of Cal Lutheran students.
… The report starkly reveals the wage disparity. In 2023, “the mean hourly wage for farmworkers in Santa Barbara County was just $17.42 or $36,244 annually.” This is compared to heavy truck drivers, who received a median hourly wage of $26.76, translating to an annual wage of $55,672. At the same time, construction laborers earned a median hourly wage of $25.04, resulting in an annual wage of $52,104, according to the California Employment Development Department.
“In recent years, the increase in rent has been an issue that has affected me and my family. A better salary would give me access to better housing conditions and would also help me pay my rent, which continues to increase. A raise would also give me access to healthier meals for my family, and help us reap the rewards of my work,” said Matilde, Farmworker Leader with Alianza Campesina.
The reason many Americans are not benefitting from our health system is because they do not take seriously the advice given to them by their doctors.
To understand this unfortunate situation, let’s consider for a moment the scenario in which a couple of mischievous teenagers are left “home alone” while their parents go out for a weekend vacation. The teenagers decide, naturally, to throw a party. After all, “When the cat’s away, the mice will play.” The teens are the proverbial “mice” while the parents are the storied “cats.”
VENTURA — Students for Eco-Education and Agriculture (SEEAG), the nonprofit that organizes Santa Barbara County Farm Day and Ventura County Farm Day, is looking for farmers, agricultural-related businesses, and others to become event sponsors and participants. The 2024 Santa Barbara County Farm Day will be on August 24, while Ventura County Farm Day will be on November 2.
“Farm Day has grown to become the largest community agricultural education and outreach program in California,” says Mary Maranville, SEEAG’s founder and CEO. “Over 15,000 people visit our agricultural venues during our two Farm Days.”
VENTURA — Results from the 2023 Protecting Blue Whales and Blue Skies vessel speed reduction (VSR) program show it reduced coastal California air pollution, risk to whales and ocean noise.
Participating companies reduced ship speeds off California, transiting at 10 knots or less in the San Francisco and Monterey Bay region and the Southern California region, including Ventura County. The voluntary incentive-based program ran from May 1 through December 15 with 33 global shipping companies participating.
“Together with our partners, CenCal Health is now one year into carrying out the transformative priorities of our Strategic Plan,” said Marina Owen, CenCal Health CEO. “As a tribute to the efforts of so many, we have dedicated this Community Report to highlighting the collaborative accomplishments essential to improving the well-being of our members. I am confident we will reach new heights through local innovation and build healthier communities.”
OXNARD — Over the past four years, Food Share, Ventura County’s largest hunger-relief organization, has indelibly impacted the community through its College Park drive-thru food distribution. What began as a 90-day disaster relief effort at the height of the pandemic has evolved into a monumental ongoing initiative, thanks to the volunteers’ and donors’ support and generosity.
Since its inception, the College Park drive-thru food distribution has seen an incredible outpouring of support to meet the need. An astounding 10,000 volunteers have dedicated over 40,000 hours of service and tirelessly worked to provide essential sustenance to those facing food insecurity in Ventura County.
“The importance of ensuring our law enforcement and public safety entities in Ventura County have access to high-quality, reliable communications equipment cannot be overstated,” said Congresswoman Julia Brownley. “Not only will this state-of-the-art communication system facilitate better communication and coordination between agencies, but all of our cities and residents will benefit from streamlined services that will lower costs and redundancies. …
THOUSAND OAKS — It’s been nearly seven months since the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas terrorist attack on Israel claimed more than 1,200 lives and led to the abduction of hundreds of people. Since the devastating attack, it’s been reported that the number of antisemitic incidents surged heavily in the months following. Amidst the tense climate, Temple Etz Chaim (TEC) has remained focused on creating a safe space to come together, connect, educate one another and heal as the Jewish community navigates the current global climate.
SIMI VALLEY — The Simi Valley Family YMCA and Soroptimist International of Simi Valley are hosting a Prom Closet at the Y. Donations of clean, gently used or new formal wear are being accepted for use by high schoolers attending prom. Items can be dropped off at the Y (3200 Cochran St.) until April 12. Teens will be able to select their free prom outfits on Sunday, April 14 from 1:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
SANTA BARBARA – Pam Tanase, co-founder of the coworking space Workzones in Santa Barbara, and John Nelson, chief administrative officer of Prolacta Bioscience, Inc., in Duarte, have been named co-chairs of the Santa Barbara Human Resources Association (SBHRA) for the 2024 to 2025 fiscal year.
The SBHRA is a membership association for human resources practitioners focused on advancing the human resources profession. Its mission is to elevate all human resources professionals in the community through learning, advocacy and connections, and to be a local connection for all things human resources. A local affiliate of the nationwide Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), it received the society’s Platinum Excel chapter award in 2022.
Vladimir Hamed-Troyansky’s first book captures ‘an important moment in global history’ in the little-known story of how roughly 1 million Muslims from Russia sought refuge in the Middle East.
CAMARILLO — Moorpark, Oxnard and Ventura colleges are proud to announce that all three institutions are launching applied baccalaureate degree programs on their campuses. As a part of the California Baccalaureate Degree Pilot Program, these first of their kind degrees offer the Ventura County community increased access to affordable career education that will prepare them for well-paying jobs in the region.
The upcoming Santa Paula Beautiful Day presents a chance for residents of all ages to make a meaningful impact. From 9:00 am to 12:00 pm, volunteers will have the opportunity to participate in various beautification projects throughout Santa Paula. Whether it’s cleaning up popular bike trails, sprucing up neighborhood parks, touching up city landmarks, or helping maintain downtown Santa Paula, every volunteer effort counts towards creating a cleaner, more vibrant community for all.
SANTA BARBARA – Cottage Health, a not-for-profit healthcare system serving the California Central Coast, is proud to be CertifiedTM by Great Place To Work® for a sixth time. The certification is based on what current employees shared in confidential surveys about their experience working at Cottage Health. This year, Cottage Health’s employee survey scores were 24 points higher than the average U.S. company.
SANTA MARIA — The Rotary Foundation and the Rotary Clubs of California are being honored by the Network of California Community College Foundations (NCCCF) with the organization’s prestigious Bernard Osher Philanthropist of the Year Award. According to the NCCCF, the organizations have provided $6.2 million in philanthropic support to benefit California community colleges across the state in recent years.
The honor includes the efforts of local Rotary clubs who support students at Allan Hancock College, thanks to hundreds of thousands of dollars of donations to the college’s nonprofit foundation as well as directly to students through scholarships.
“We’re fortunate to have such accomplished and experienced volunteers joining our board,” says Dr. Jon Hooten, executive director of the Foundation. “Each of these individuals care deeply about education and the future of the communities we serve. We’re honored that they are choosing to direct that passion toward serving Hancock’s students.”
