Author: Community Contributor

Law authored by State Sen. Hannah-Beth Jackson to encourage young people to vote takes effect

SACRAMENTO – A law authored by State Sen. Hannah-Beth Jackson (D-Santa Barbara) to encourage young people to vote by allowing voter pre-registration beginning at age 16 has just taken effect. In 2014, Jackson authored Senate Bill 113 and Governor Jerry Brown signed it…

Montecito Family YMCA: 7 Healthy Habits for Your Family to Help Solve Childhood Obesity

California now ranked No. 1 in percentage of children considered overweight or obese; Childhood obesity has more than tripled during the past 30 years MONTECITO – September is Childhood Obesity Awareness Month, and while the dangers of childhood obesity are…

Bilingual commentary: A Visit to Mom and Dad

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 David Magallanes / Guest contributor David Magallanes…

CenCal Health Launches Campaign to Educate Provider Community on Behavioral Health Services in SB, SLO Counties

CENTRAL COAST – CenCal Health, in partnership with the Central Coast Medical Association, The Holman Group, Santa Barbara County Behavioral Wellness and San Luis Obispo County Behavioral Health Department recently hosted three seminars in Santa Barbara, Santa Maria, and San…

Santa Barbara Neighborhood Clinics Awarded $11,000 to Support their Continued Leadership in Community Health Care

Foundation recognizes health center as vital member of California’s safety net SANTA BARBARA — Blue Shield of California Foundation has just awarded a grant of $11,000 in unrestricted funds to the Santa Barbara Neighborhood Clinics in recognition of their critical role in…

Santa Barbara Heart & Stroke Walk/Run Raises More Than $210,000 to Fight Heart Disease and Stroke

CENTRAL COAST — More than 1 in 3 Americans have some form of cardiovascular disease. Santa Barbara resident and owner of Tri-County Produce, John Dixon is all too familiar with this devastating disease. He was born with heart disease and had…

Governor signs Jackson’s bills on Title IX rights, teaching healthy relationships skills in school

SACRAMENTO – Gov. Jerry Brown has  signed a bill by State Sen. Hannah-Beth Jackson (D-Santa Barbara) to ensure that students and schools are aware of their rights and responsibilities under Title IX, the landmark federal law that prohibits gender discrimination in education. Senate…

Ventura County Public Works Agency gives lessons on Ventura County water use at CSUCI’s Osher Lifelong Learning Institute

VENTURA COUNTY — Ventura County Public Works Agency (VCPWA) can add college educators to its impressive body of work. The agency has been invited to lead an 8-week course for California State University, Channel Islands’ Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLL)…

Ventura County Heart & Stroke Walk/Run Raised Nearly $150,000 to Fight Heart Disease and Stroke

CENTRAL COAST — Cardiovascular diseases are the number one killer of both men and women in the U.S. – killing about 2,200 Americans each day – one every 40 seconds. To combat these statistics, the American Heart Association (AHA) hosted…

Bilingual commentary: The Rose Bush

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 David Magallanes / Guest contributor David Magallanes…

United Way of Ventura County provides update on ‘Building Healthy Smiles’ initiative

Dear Friends, We have so much to share with you in this newsletter. Thanks to your generosity, our programs are expanding and serving more local residents throughout Ventura County. Please scroll down and take a moment to read more about…

‘California’s water crisis must be attacked now to guarantee water will be flowing from taps’

LAS VEGAS —  “California’s water crisis must be attacked now to guarantee water will be flowing from taps,” veteran water expert Mohammed Hasan told the Tri-State seminar in Las Vegas this Tuesday. Addressing water professionals from California, Nevada and Arizona, Hasan discussed…

El Carrillo Affordable Housing Development Celebrates 10 Years of Housing the Homeless

SANTA BARBARA — The Housing Authority of the City of Santa Barbara (HACSB) celebrated the 10th Anniversary of El Carrillo, the first development of its kind in Santa Barbara to offer permanent, affordable housing with supportive services for homeless individuals.…

Community Philanthropy Teams Up to Fund New Vehicle for Youth and Family Services YMCA

SANTA BARBARA  – Noah’s Anchorage, a program of Youth and Family Services YMCA, was the grateful recipient of a new vehicle to aid in the necessary daily transportation of youth in the program. The vehicle purchase was funded by donations from the…

Bilingual commentary: The Specter of Demonization

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 David Magallanes / Guest contributor David Magallanes…

CSU Channel Islands now accepting applications for Fall 2017

OXNARD — CSU Channel Islands (CI) is currently accepting admissions for the fall of 2017. Enrollment staff members advise high school seniors and transfer students to apply early at www.csumentor.edu “The college application process can be stressful for students,” said CI Assistant Vice…

Foster VC Kids, Ventura County Office of Education Collaborate on Innovative Support Systems for Foster Youth

Parent Teacher Forum to be held Oct. 11 VENTURA COUNTY — School stability is extraordinarily difficult for youth that experience life in foster care. Less than 50% of foster youth graduate from high school and only 3% go on to…

Lloyd Properties donates 860 acres to local land trust

VENTURA — The Lloyd Ranch has been a part of the Ventura community for over a century, providing stewardship of a large section of the Ventura hillsides since the early 1900’s and contributing to Ventura’s economic vitality for decades. On Sept.…

You Can’t Buy Love – But You Can Adopt It!

Santa Barbara Humane Society Celebrates Adopt-a-Dog Month with “Name Your Price” Adoption Promotion SANTA BARBARA — October is national Adopt-a-Dog Month, a public awareness campaign to bring attention to the millions of homeless dogs living at animal shelters throughout the…

LULAC Celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month by Urging Latinos to Register to Vote

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Hispanic Heritage Month is a time when our nation reflects on the contributions Hispanics have made to our history and culture. For the third year, LULAC joins the Hispanic Heritage Month of Action campaign in an effort to encourage the…

Rebozo Festival announces 2017 grant application now open

CAMARILLO — Rebozo Festival, Inc. is pleased to announce that awards of up to $20,000 will be granted to qualified non-profit organizations that focus on the cultural, social and/or educational needs of the Ventura County community. The application process will close…

The Collection at RiverPark’s Pink Perks support Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October

October promotion gives guests power to shop for a cause by benefiting non-profits! OXNARD — There will be extra “perks” to shopping and dining at The Collection at RiverPark in October as the sprawling shopping center brings back its Pink…

Ventura College Puts Chicano Art on Display through Nov. 17

Featured artists from the private collection of VC professor SANTA PAULA — Ventura College presents a Chicano Art Exhibit, “The Imagery of Chicano: a Perspective of Chicanismo in Contemporary Art” through Nov. 17 at the Ventura College Santa Paula site, 957…

Snap a “Selfie” for Hunger Action Month

VENTURA COUNTY — September is Hunger Action Month, and FOOD Share is asking everyone to share the message that 1 in 6 Ventura County residents is still food insecure. That’s 136,000 of our children, families, and seniors who lack, at…

¡Viva el Arte de Santa Bárbara! presents Yolotecuani in Free Community Workshop in Music and Dance of Guerrero, Mexico on Oct. 20

Thursday / Jueves, OCT 20, 7:00 PM Casa de la Guerra, 15 E. De La Guerra Street, Santa Barbara, CA FREE workshop / Entrada gratuita Free community workshop in music and dance of Guerrero, Mexico with Yolotecuani. Students and observers…

Spanish-language presentation on farmworkers labor rights to be held Oct. 20 in Oxnard

VENTURA COUNTY — The California Rural Legal Assistance invites farmworker community members to join us for the following Spanish presentations on labor rights in Santa Paula and Oxnard. Santa Paula Date: October 11, 2016 Time: 6:00 p.m. Location: Police StoreFront, 431 N.…

A Day in the Life of a Social Media Manager – CSU Channel Islands Multimedia Coordinator shares knowledge at October PRSA Gold Coast Chapter Meeting on Oct. 26

CHANNEL ISLANDS — Social media is changing the way we all manage our lives – between what we share with others and when; but, it’s a whole new game when you’re coordinating information for a large company or institution. Tom…

Peoples’ Self-Help Housing to Break Ground on Affordable Goleta Apartments Oct. 12

GOLETA – Peoples’ Self-Help Housing invites the community to the Oct. 12 ground breaking ceremony for its all-new, 70-unit affordable housing development in Goleta, Village at Los Carneros. PSHH will host a ground breaking celebration at the construction site from 11:30…

Rick Najera’s Latino Thought Makers Series Returns to Oxnard College Performing Arts Center for Fourth Season on Oct. 12

2016-2017 Season Kicks Off October 12 with Hollywood & Politics featuring Award-winning Actor Emilio Rivera, Columnist Ruben Navarrette Jr. & Radio HostWendy Carrillo OXNARD —  In collaboration with the Ventura County Community College District and Oxnard College, Rick Najera’s Latino Thought Makers Live Series will return…

¡Viva el Arte de Santa Bárbara! presents Yolotecuani, Sones de Guerrero on Oct. 22

Yolotecuani, Sones de Guerrero Music and Dance of Guerrero, Mexico FREE concert / Entrada gratuita Saturday / Sábado, OCT 22, 7:00 PM Guadalupe City Hall 918 Obispo Street, Guadalupe Doors open one half hour before the show starts. Reception follows…

California Rural Legal Assistance to present information sessions on renters, workers rights on Oct. 28

OXNARD — The California Rural Legal Assistance will present: INFORMATION SESSIONS / PRESENTACIONES DE INFORMACION SECOND AND LAST FRIDAY OF EVERY MONTH / SEGUNDO Y ULTIMO VIERNES DE CADA MES   Friday-Viernes October 14 and October 28 14 de Octubre y 28 de…

¡Viva el Arte de Santa Bárbara! to present Yolotecuani through Oct. 23 in free concerts

SANTA BARBARA — ¡Viva el Arte de Santa Bárbara! presents the local premier of Yolotecuani, music and dance of Tixtla, from the state of Guerrero, Mexico. Yolotecuani offer free family concerts on Friday, October 21, 7 pm at Isla Vista School;…

FOOD Share launches 5th Annual CAN-tree Collection with kick-off breakfast on Oct. 13

Seeks 200,000 Pounds of Food to Restock Shelves VENTURA COUNTY — FOOD Share will launch its inaugural Share16 Holiday Campaign and 2016 CAN-tree Collection drive with a kick-off breakfast held at its warehouse on Thursday October 13th, 8:30am-9:30am. Community, business,…

The Blackboard Gallery – Studio Channel Islands to present ‘In the Dark-a pop-up exhibit’ on Oct. 29

CAMARILLO —  Something new and exciting is brewing at the Blackboard Gallery at Studio Channel Islands in Camarillo.  For one night only there will be an exhibit like never before, a pop-up spectacle for only the bravest artists and their victims.…

E.P. Foster Library presents ‘California’s Water Crisis and Solutions’ on Oct. 9

VENTURA — E.P. Foster Library presents “California’s Water Crisis and Solutions”  with engineer and local author Mohammed A. Hasan from 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 9 at the E.P. Foster Library, 651 E. Main St., Ventura, Topping Room. “There is a…

Oxnard native who helped animate Disney’s “Zootopia” to speak at CSU Channel Islands on Oct. 19

CAMARILLO — An Oxnard native who went on to become the first female Head of Story for Walt Disney Animation Studios on the film “Zootopia” will speak at CSU Channel Islands (CI) on Wednesday, Oct. 19. Josie Trinidad is currently Head of Story…

Central City Swing – Fall Concert on Nov. 1

ORCUTT — The Central City Swing Band will perform their annual Fall Concert on Tuesday evening, November 1st, 2016 at 7:30PM. The concert will feature music arranged in a traditional or vintage swing style as well as arrangements in a…

STEM-tastic! event on Oct. 21 open to all interested in STEM education for Ventura County students

CAMARILLO — High tech hijinks paired with old time carnival tricks will underscore how much fun a science, technology, engineering, math (STEM) career can be. The inaugural “STEM-tastic!” event aimed at helping the community promote STEM learning in Ventura County will…

Marjorie Luke Theater announces Yolotecuani to perform on Oct. 23

SANTA BARBARA — The Marjorie Luke Theater has announced the Oct. 23 performance of Yolotecuani at 7 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 23. From Tixtla, Guerrero, Mexico, an area rich in traditions, public celebrations and fiestas, comes Yolotecuani. With a 30-year career sharing the traditional…

October is Energy Awareness Month; County Leadership Promoting Responsible Energy Use. Workshop set for Oct. 24

CENTRAL COAST — The County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday proclaimed October as Energy Awareness Month, highlighting the county’s commitment to promoting responsible and efficient energy use, and encouraging citizens to do the same. “As residents of one of the…

Hearts Therapeutic Equestrian Center Hosts Halloween Spooktacular and Open House

SANTA BARBARA — Hearts Therapeutic Equestrian Center invites the community to its second annual Halloween Spooktacular and Open House on Wednesday, October 26 from 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. at Hearts’ riding facilities, located at 4420 Calle Real in Santa…

Day of the dead Guatemalan celebration Fundraiser for El Lustrador Foundation to be held in Los Angeles on Nov. 1

By Lea Spicker LOS ANGELES — Gran Venta de Fiambre, a beneficio de “El Lustrador Foundation,” 1 de noviembre, 5:30 a 7:30pm, 1 de noviembre, 2003W 8th St., Los Angeles. The centennial Guatemalan specialty dish, Fiambre blanco or rojo. It’s a…