OXNARD — Channel Islands Harbor celebrates the migration of the Pacific Gray Whale with its Annual Celebration of the Whales. Each winter, these enchanting whales migrate through the Santa Barbara Channel on their way to the lagoons of Mexico, where…
Author: Community Contributor
First Responders Honored at Fire Hose Flag Ceremony on Anniversary of Debris Flow
SANTA BARBARA — A flag dedication ceremony was held at the Santa Barbara Courthouse the morning of January 9th, 2019, the one-year anniversary of the Montecito Debris Flow. Elected officials and first responders joined the Pierre Claeyssens Veterans Foundation (PCVF)…
Marjorie Luke Theatre update for Jan. 11 — Mariachi Los Camperos
Click here for the entire e-newsletter Please click here to visit the newly designed LukeTheatre.org! Michael Andrews shares why Boxtales Theatre Company calls The Luke home for their summer youth theater camps. Upcoming Events Mariachi Los Camperos Sunday, January…
Guest commentary: Oxnard’s Civil Gang Injunctions: A Personal Inquisition
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. Frank P. Barajas. Courtesy photo.…
Bilingual commentary: One’s Own Internet Business
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. By David Magallanes •…
CenCal Health Recognizes Top Physicians, Health Centers for Quality Care, Cost Management
SANTA BARBARA — CenCal Health, the regional health plan for Medi-Cal, recognized the work of local network physicians and healthcare centers through their Primary Care Providers (PCP) Incentive Top Performer awards. The awards acknowledge PCPs across San Luis Obispo and…
Local PODS® Moving and Storage Offers Declutter Tips for the New Year
VENTURA COUNTY — As we enter 2019, New Year’s resolutions are at the forefront of everyone’s mind. While gyms start to reach capacity and homes receive fresh face lifts, local PODS moving and storage is stepping in to help local…
State Sen. Jackson Applauds Governor’s Bold First Budget Proposal
Budget commits to robust emergency preparedness and paid family leave SACRAMENTO – State Sen. Hannah-Beth Jackson (D-Santa Barbara) released the following statement on Governor Gavin Newsom’s January budget proposal released today. “I applaud Governor Newsom’s visionary yet prudent approach to addressing some…
State Leaders Representing Woolsey Fire Impacted Communities: We Need Partnership, Not Politics, on Emergency Response
SACRAMENTO — Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin (D-Thousand Oaks), Assemblymember Christy Smith, Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel, Assemblymember Richard Bloom and Senator Henry Stern today issued the following statement in response to President Donald Trump’s comments regarding FEMA emergency aid: “It is unacceptable to use…
CSUCI awarded $1.1 million grant for Early Childhood Dual Language Learning
CAMARILLO — For children whose families don’t speak English at home, research has shown there are numerous advantages to educating young children in English and their native language simultaneously. These young students are called Dual Language Learners or DLLs. Developing strategies…
Bilingual report: Ventura County Health Care Agency Vaccine and Medication Ineffectiveness Update
VENTURA COUNTY — Ventura County Health Care Agency provides Vaccine and Medication Ineffectiveness Update. Click here for information in English Click here for information in español
Cottage Health Employees, United Way Spread Joy to Elementary Students
SANTA BARBARA — United Way of Santa Barbara County (UWSBC) and Cottage Health employees teamed up to ensure 30 elementary age students all had gifts to unwrap for the holidays. Cottage Health employees contacted UWSBC in the fall to arrange…
Feb. 23 — Righetti High School Marimba Band, Ballet Folklorico to perform at SLO Library
SAN LUIS OBISPO — The Righetti High School Marimba Band and Ballet Folklorico will be heading north to perform at the SLO Library on Saturday, Feb. 23. The band will play popular rancheras and cumbias melodies and perform dances from Sinaloa,…
Bilingual report: Feb. 23-24 — The PACC proudly presents RESCUECON
OXNARD — The Oxnard Performing Arts Center (The PACC) presents RESCUECON, a convention like no other, where the human-animal bond takes center stage. Through visual and performing arts, hands-on workshops, talks by inspiring individuals, an artisan marketplace, and so much more,…
Feb. 25 — One-stop-shop event connecting underrepresented groups to difficult-to-obtain benefits, services to be held in Morro Bay
SAN LUIS OBISPO — A one-stop-shop event connecting underrepresented groups to difficult-to-obtain benefits and services is being held in Morro Bay this month. The County of San Luis Obispo Veterans Services Office and the County Department of Social Services are…
Bilingual report: Las Cafeteras Bring it Home. Oxnard/Ventura Natives Headline their First 805 Concert, Work to Move the Arts Forward in VC with concert on Feb. 1
OXNARD — As part of its 50th anniversary season, the PACC is excited to present Las Cafeteras in concert with special guests The Villalobos Brothers on Feb. 1, 2019 starting at 7 p.m. Las Cafeteras remix roots music and tell…
Teen shows resilience through her life-long foster experience; shares how finally having a home and family impacted her life
The teen and Foster VC Kids are sharing her story to encourage Ventura County families to help by fostering, mentoring or providing permanency. VENTURA COUNTY — Keanna, age 18, is sharing the story of her life-long foster experience with the hope…
Pew Research Center’s Hispanic Trends update for Dec. 21 — U.S. unauthorized immigrant total dips to lowest level in a decade
Click here for the entire e-newsletter Hispanic Trends December 21, 2018 U.S. unauthorized immigrant total dips to lowest level in a decade The number of unauthorized immigrants in the U.S. fell to its lowest level in more than a…
Bilingual report: FEMA Eligibility Letter May Not Be Last Word on Disaster Assistance
SACRAMENTO — If you applied for disaster assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and received a letter or text message saying you were not eligible for disaster aid, you should know that the first communication may not be the…
Santa Barbara City College update for Dec. 21 — SBCC to offer Evening College
Santa Barbara City College’s Community Newsletter December 2018 SBCC to offer Evening College Juggling work, school and family prevents many college students from enrolling full time, making it difficult to persist and succeed. In 2017, SBCC was awarded a Federal…
Bilingual commentary: On Christmas Day…
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. By David Magallanes •…
MONEY magazine ranks CSUCI 4th best college in the nation for transfer students
CAMARILLO — The journey to a university diploma doesn’t always mean a straight four-year shot through a single college. Finances, family obligations or a number of other reasons compel millions of students to choose two years at a community college first…
Santa Maria High School ASB students ring bells for Salvation Army’s ‘Kettle Drive’
SANTA MARIA — Santa Maria High School ASB students rang bells for the Salvation Army’s “Kettle Drive” and raised more than $1,000 for the needy this holiday season. The bell ringers participated during lunch at the Saint campus from Nov. 26…
Carnegie Art Museum update for Dec. 20 — Photographic Gifts-The Museum Project
Click here for the entire e-newsletter Photographic Gifts-The Museum Project During this Season of Giving, Carnegie’s collection is happily being enlarged by gifts from California-based photographers facilitated by The Museum Project, a group of preeminent American artists who express…
Ventura College Foundation Receives $2 Million Donation From Helen Yunker Estate
VENTURA — The Ventura College Foundation has received a $2 million donation from the Helen Yunker estate. Honoring Yunker’s request, the donation will establish endowments for the Ventura College Music Department and the Opera and Musical Theatre program. The gift…
Bilingual report: After Applying for FEMA Assistance, it’s Important to Keep in Touch
SACRAMENTO — Immediately after a disaster, keeping in touch with family is important. It’s also important to keep in touch with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) after you have registered for disaster assistance. Many survivors of the November wildfires…
Assemblymember Irwin and State Treasurer Chiang host press conference to announce the launch of CalABLE Accounts
SACRAMENTO — Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin (D-Thousand Oaks) and California State Treasurer John Chiang announced the roll out of CalABLE (Achieving a Better Life Experience) Accounts. These special accounts, which were created by Assemblymember Irwin’s 2015 bill AB 449, are designed…
Registration is Now Underway for Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Conejo Valley 2019 Winter Sports Leagues….Free Basketball Clinic is Offered
AGOURA HILLS — Registration is now underway for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Conejo Valley’s Winter 2019 coed Jr. NBA Basketball League. The season kicks off with a free Basketball Clinic offered from January 6-27, on Sundays, at the…
SBCC Announces Executive Vice President of Educational Programs
Dr. Pamela Ralston. Courtesy photo. After an extensive and competitive search process, SBCC is pleased to announce that Dr. Pamela Ralston has been selected as the College’s permanent Executive Vice President of Educational Programs. Dr. Ralston has extensive experience in…
Marjorie Luke Theatre update for Dec. 18 — Where Dreams Take Stage!
Click here for the entire e-newsletter Click Here to Donate now! Brad Hall shares the importance of The Luke to the entire Santa Barbara community.
Santa Maria’s Delta High School students getting help meeting their post-secondary educational goals during ‘College Thursdays’
SANTA MARIA — Delta High School students are getting help meeting their post-secondary educational goals during “College Thursdays”. The workshops, held afterschool and in the evening, feature instruction on how to complete college financial aid forms, scholarships and applications, according to…
SBCC Board of Trustees elects new officers for 2019
Robert Miller Board President Dr. Peter Haslund Board Vice-President At its organizational meeting on December 13, the District Board of Trustees elected Robert Miller as president of the board for the 2019 calendar year. Dr. Peter Haslund was elected board…
Miller YMCA Youth & Government Delegation Makes Lunches for the Homeless
NEWBURY PARK — Thirty members from the Miller YMCA Youth & Government delegation made over 300 lunches that were then delivered to East Rancho Dominguez Community Center in Compton to help feed the homeless. This is the fifth year that…
CSUCI Biology faculty receives grant to help increase STEM degrees among minorities
CAMARILLO — CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI) Biology Lecturer Caryl Ann Becerra, Ph.D., has received $35,000 for a project called “California State University Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (CSU-LSAMP).” LSAMP stands for the Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation program, which…
Ventura County Community College District Welcomes New Board Members and Elects Board Officers
CAMARILLO — The Board of Trustees of the Ventura County Community College District held its annual organization meeting Tuesday, Dec. 11, 2018, and welcomed new members Gabriela Torres, Area 5 and Josh Chancer, Area 1. Chancellor Gillespie administered the oath…
Bilingual report: County of Ventura announces launch of Clean Power Alliance
Residents and businesses will soon enjoy the advantages of clean, renewable power at competitive rates VENTURA COUNTY — The County of Ventura is proud to announce that the unincorporated areas of the County will soon enjoy the advantages of clean,…
More than 40 Santa Maria Joint Union High School District students receive scholarships generated by the ‘Patch’
SANTA MARIA — Scholarships generated by the “Patch” were recently awarded to more than 40 SMJUHSD students who worked on the agritourism project at Los Flores Ranch. The “Patch” made $13,000 in scholarships to students a reality. They collectively contributed 2,814…
CSUCI-led VC STEM network receives $75,000 grant from Amgen Foundation
CAMARILLO — A recently-released White House five-year strategic plan to promote science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) learning indicates that Ventura County is already ahead of the curve, thanks to the CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI)-led Ventura County STEM (VC STEM) network.…
Thousand Oaks Disaster Recovery Center to Close on Dec. 17
SACRAMENTO — The Thousand Oaks Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) in Ventura County will close permanently at 7 p.m., Monday, Dec. 17. The DRC, located at 173 Moorpark Rd., Suite A, Thousand Oaks, is open today, Saturday, Dec. 15 from 9 a.m.…
United for Literacy Forum Emphasizes Power of Bilingual Education
SANTA BARBARA — Local education experts discussed how effective bilingual instruction plans help raise GPAs and reduce drop out rates during a recent forum presented by United Way of Santa Barbara County. The United for Literacy Education Forum, held Nov.…
Clinicas del Camino Real Inc. Distributes Toys Throughout Ventura County
VENTURA COUNTY — It has been a time honored tradition during the holiday season for Clinicas del Camino Real, Inc. to distribute toys to its pediatric patients. The tradition continues this year as Clinicas’ Toy Giveaway will again take place at…
Carnegie Art Museum update for Dec. 14
Click here to see the entire e-newsletter Give the Gift Art Help CAM Cornerstones fund art exhibitions, education, and programs by giving the GIFT of ART. Membership never looked so BRIGHT! Now through the New Year CAM members receive a…
Santa Barbara Museum of Art update for Dec. 14
SANTA BARBARA — The Santa Barbara Museum of Art, 1130 State St., Santa Barbara, announces the following exhibits. Exhibition Openings A Brilliant Spectrum: Recent Gifts of Color Photography to the Collection January 27 – May 5, 2019 Representing a broad…
‘Esteban’s Caravan: From Hope to an American Cage’ by local author Denis O’Leary now available
VENTURA COUNTY — Local author and educator Denis O’Leary has announced the publication of his new book — “Esteban’s Caravan: From Hope to an American Cage,” now available on Amazon.com. Published by Floricanto Press, “Esteban’s Caravan is the compelling story…
Coming to America — Understanding the migrant caravan requires an awareness of Central America’s recent history, social scientists say
By Andrea Estrada • UCSB . The migrant caravan that traveled from Central America to the United States last month generated headlines — and angry rhetoric — long before it arrived. The situation reached fever pitch the Sunday after Thanksgiving when…
Bilingual report: Federal resources available for under-insured Hill and Woolsey fire victims
VENTURA — Some homeowners affected by the Hill and Woolsey fires are discovering that they may be under-insured for their losses. Help is available. The Federal Emergency Management Agency provides housing assistance for people who have lost their homes as…
Bilingual commentary: The Invasion of Automation
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. By David Magallanes •…
Bilingual report: The PACC Welcomes Nonprofits to Apply for Rental Credit
OXNARD — The PACC has announced its annual rental credit program and welcomes 501c3 nonprofits in good standing within the City of Oxnard to apply. Details on eligibility, the current application, sample grant, and scoring rubrics are all available on The…
Community Environmental Council and Santa Barbara Channelkeeper join effort to keep film plastic out of waste stream, serving as additional public drop-off locations
Click here for the entire e-newsletter SANTA BARBARA, CA – The Community Environmental Council (CEC) and Santa Barbara Channelkeeper (SBCK) are pleased to work together with Ablitt’s Fine Cleaners to collect and repurpose hard-to-recycle plastics. Sasha Ablitt, owner of Ablitt’s Fine…
Ventura County general fund ends fiscal year in a strong position
VENTURA — Through a combination of strong management efforts and thoughtful, conservative fiscal projections, the County ended last fiscal year with savings of $43 million. The savings were bolstered by an unexpected one-time receipt from the state of $10 million…