Author: Community Contributor

Celebrate National Eating Healthy Day on Nov. 2 with the American Heart Association and Dignity Health Central Coast

CENTRAL COAST — The American Heart Association and American Stroke Association (AHA) will celebrate its annual National Eating Healthy Day on Wednesday, November 2nd.  On this day, many companies across the country will join the AHA’s efforts to raise awareness of eating healthy…

Registration Open for First-Ever Global Competence Summit for Educators, Hosted by SBCC Scheinfeld Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation on Nov. 4

SANTA BARABARA – With one in five jobs in California tied to global trade, and studies showing a lack of student preparation for careers in a global economy, the Nov. 4th Global Competence Summit aims to give high school and community…

Latino Thought Makers Series to present ‘Hollywood and Politics’ at Oxnard College 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 to…

One Love Experience on Oct. 8-9

OJAI — One Love Experience has been created to bring like-hearted people together to celebrate our rising human consciousness, get the transformational experiences we need, and provide a space of love to spread these positive vibrations around the world! All…

The Legendary Harry James Orchestra Directed by Fred Radke to Headline Rona Barrett Foundation Fundraiser on Oct. 8

SANTA YNEZ — The Rona Barrett Foundation is excited to announce the legendary Harry James Orchestra directed by Fred Radke will perform at the Foundation’s Big Band Celebration Ball fundraising gala on Saturday, October 8th. The event will support the…

‘El Proximo Paso’ Event Provides College Information to Spanish-speaking Parents and Teens

SANTA BARBARA — The young members of the Housing Authority of the City of Santa Barbara’s Teen Night program recently hosted an innovative event to address what they had identified as the most pressing challenge for Santa Barbara teens – information…

Mixteco/Indígena Community Organizing Project to present Día de los Muertos Celebration on Nov. 6

OXNARD — The Mixteco/Indígena Community Organizing Project will present “Día de los Muertos: An Annual Indigenous Celebration” from 12:30 to 4:30 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 6 at Heritage Square, 731 S. A St., Oxnard. The event includes an altar contest, food, music,…

Renowned Middle Eastern Musicians Perform In Concert For Flutes Across The World on Nov. 12

VENTURA — Flutes Across The World will sponsor some of the world’s best-known and renowned middle eastern musicians for a concert fundraiser in Ventura to support the non-profit efforts of its programs for children in American and overseas for music and…

Fox Canyon Groundwater Management Agency Issues Notice of Public Workshop for Groundwater Sustainability Plan Development, Nov. 15

VENTURA — The Fox Canyon Groundwater Management Agency (GMA) is holding a Public Workshop on Tuesday, Nov. 15, to discuss and receive comments on the development of Groundwater Sustainability Plans (GSPs) for the Las Posas Valley and Pleasant Valley Basins,…

America’s Civil War Navies: North and South is topic at Nov. 17 Channel Islands Maritime Museum Speaker Series

OXNARD — While the Union and Confederate armies fought each other on land, an extensive naval war was waged on America’s rivers and oceans, shaping the strategic and economic fortunes of the North and South. Historians Jim Kosinski and Jerry Leckie…

‘Take a Hungry Person to Lunch’ to be held at participating Ventura restaurant on Nov. 17

VENTURA — TAKE A HUNGRY PERSON TO LUNCH at a participating downtown Ventura restaurant Thursday, Nov 17 10:30 am – 2 pm in recognition of National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week: November 12-20 Meet Thursday., Nov. 17, at 10:30 a.m. at…

Bilingual commentary: Thoughts Mold Our Faces

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…

Two of SBCC Engineering’s Best Named Great Minds in STEM™

SANTA BARBARA — A current student and an alumnus of the Santa Barbara City College Engineering program were both awarded top recognitions by Great Minds in STEM™ for their achievements in engineering and technology. Ana Isabel Espinoza-Agundis, a mechanical engineering major, was awarded…

GranVida Educates Community on Memory Care Services

CARPINTERIA — Most seniors expect to live out their lives enjoying time with their families and making more memories to cherish, however more than 5 million Americans are affected by Alzheimer’s disease, leaving them dependent on others to help them…

Gov. Jerry Brown signs bill authored by Senator Hannah-Beth Jackson to streamline the environmental review process

SACRAMENTO – Gov. Jerry Brown has just signed a bill authored by State Sen. Hannah-Beth Jackson (D-Santa Barbara) to help expedite the environmental review process under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), California’s landmark law for evaluating and mitigating the environmental impacts…

Braille Institute Offers More Than 70 Fall Classes to Help People with Low Vision Pursue Passions and Stay Active in Our Communities

Free, innovative classes build confidence and skills to help people return to activities they love SANTA BARBARA —Free fall classes at Braille Institute Santa Barbara offer life-enhancing and life-changing experiences  to anyone in the tri-county area facing the challenges of vision loss. The fall…

EDC-VC’s Small Business Development Center Receives Funds for Doing What Matters for Jobs & the Economy Initiative

CENTRAL COAST — The Business & Entrepreneurship Center at Cuesta College (BEC) recently awarded $25,000 to the Economic Development Center-Ventura County’s Small Business Development Center (SBDC) as part of the Doing What Matters for Jobs & the Economy initiative. The funding,…

City National Bank in Partnership with United Way of Santa Barbara County Provide Free Back-To-School Backpacks and Supplies to Local School children

SANTA BARBARA — Recently, students at Franklin Elementary School received backpacks filled with school supplies. The backpacks were distributed to K-2nd grade students in need, compliments of City National Bank. Each backpack included a pink eraser, No. 2 pencils, a pencil sharpener,…

Graduation Ceremony Honors Students Forging New Lives Outside of Prison

SANTA BARBARA — Thirty formerly incarcerated individuals intent on turning their lives around, including students from Santa Barbara City College’s EOPS (Extended Opportunity Programs and Services) program, were honored at the Santa Barbara Day Reporting Center (DRC) commencement ceremony on…

Bilingual commentary: “That’s How It’s Done”

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…

PR Pros Launch Scholarships for Area Students – New PRSA Gold Coast Chapter Launches Program to Support Tri-County College Students

CENTRAL COAST — The newly formed Central Coast chapter of the Public Relations Society of America is offering two scholarships to recognize outstanding individual college students who are committed to studying communication or public relations in the Tri-Counties area. The…

VetNet Collaboration Helps Local Veterans Access Crucial Resources

SANTA BARBARA — Representatives from more than 40 local agencies and nonprofits that support veterans in the tri-counties come together every other month for VetNet meetings, which provide an opportunity to network, share resources, collaborate and coordinate services and maximize…

Sponsorships Available and Auction Items Needed for BGCOP’s 27th Annual Donald K. Facciano Kids Auction & Gala

OXNARD — The Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Oxnard and Port Hueneme is seeking the help of individuals and businesses to donate items for auction and sponsors for the upcoming 27th Annual Donald K. Facciano Kids Auction & Gala.…

New Non-Profit Provides Much-Needed Information on Ventura County Agriculture

VENTURA COUNTY — A new non-profit organization has been created to provide educational resources and highlight the important roles played by farmers, ranchers and agriculture in Ventura County. The 501(c)(3) organization, Treasure Our Farms, will showcase local growers and livestock…

CSU Channel Islands Reports Record Enrollment for Fall 2016

CAMARILLO — California State University Channel Islands (CI) is reporting its largest entering class of undergraduates in history at 2,152 students. The class includes 1,021 freshmen and was selected from a record number of freshman 10,312 applicants, an increase of nearly 9…

GranVida Educates Community on Memory Care Services. Walk to End Alzheimer’s to be held Oct. 1

CARPINTERIA — Most seniors expect to live out their lives enjoying time with their families and making more memories to cherish, however more than 5 million Americans are affected by Alzheimer’s disease, leaving them dependent on others to help them…

Bilingual commentary: The Borderline

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…

Nationally Recognized Afterschool Program Open for Registration through Santa Barbara Family YMCA

SANTA BARBARA – As the school year begins, the Santa Barbara Family YMCA is registering children in kindergarten through middle school for its afterschool programs available at Hope Elementary School and Hope Elementary School. YMCA Afterschool is recognized as the premier…

Santa Barbara Neighborhood Clinics Receives National Award for Innovation in Care

SANTA BARBARA — Santa Barbara Neighborhood Clinics was honored by BD, Direct Relief and the National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC) with an Innovations in Care Award at the 2016 Community Health Institute and EXPO in Chicago. Part of the…

Resolving the ‘Hispanic Paradox’ — Study co-authored by a UCSB researcher reveals Latinos age slower, neutralizing higher health risks of obesity and diabetes

By Jim Logan / UC Santa Barbara A new paper co-authored by a UC Santa Barbara researcher reveals that Latinos age at a slower rate than other ethnic groups. The findings, published in the current issue of Genome Biology, may one day…

Ventura County Public Works Agency announces Chris Cooper as new Director of Engineering Services Department

VENTURA COUNTY — The Ventura County Public Works Agency (VCPWA) has named as the Director of the Agency’s Engineering Services Department (ESD). Cooper succeeds Herbert Schwind who served VCPWA for over 4 years and retired earlier this year. Cooper is…

Bank of America Grants $10,000 toward Peoples’ Self-Help Housing Programs

CENTRAL COAST — Peoples’ Self-Help Housing (PSHH) announced it has been awarded a $10,000 grant from Bank of America in support of their critical affordable housing developments and support programs for their residents in the Tri-Counties. The Bank of America…

The CLL Celebrates Three Years of Lifelong Learning

More than 350 classes and workshops with 70 brand-new classes to “Fall” in love with SANTA BARBARA — Going back to school isn’t just for kids this fall. Grown-ups can discover their passion at every age at the SBCC Center for…

Youth and Family Services YMCA Welcomes Valerie Kissell as New Executive Director

CENTRAL COAST — Youth and Family Services YMCA is proud to announce Valerie Kissell as its new Executive Director. Kissell is an accomplished Executive Director with over 20 years of executive leadership and partnership building in the nonprofit and public…

It’s Back to School Time with Santa Barbara Humane Society!

SANTA BARBARA — Just in time for back to school, nonprofit Santa Barbara Humane Society is bringing valuable learning experiences to children in elementary schools throughout Santa Barbara County through its Humane Education program. “Our classroom presentations align with our…

Ventura County Education Leaders Endorse Carla Castilla For 3rd District Supervisor

CAMARILLO – Dr. Mark Lisagor, current President of the Ventura County Board of Education; Christina (Tina) Urias, Santa Paula Unified School District Board Member; Bob Rust, Pleasant Valley School District Board Member, announced their support of Carla Castilla to succeed retiring…

Ventura County Young Democrats, Ventura County Democratic Party have endorsed Jeannette Sanchez-Palacios for Ventura City Council

VENTURA —Ventura County Young Democrats and the Ventura County Democratic Party have endorsed Jeannette Sanchez-Palacios for Ventura City Council. “Jeannette’s dedication to working families is unsurpassed by none,” said Shawn Terris, Chair of the Ventura County Democratic Party.  “Her integrity…

Bilingual commentary: Bilingual Antipathy

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…

Girls Inc. of Carpinteria Alumna and National Scholar Andrea Delgado Takes ‘Strong, Smart, and Bold’ Experience Abroad

Harvard pre-med student gains first-hand healthcare experience in Latin America CARPINTERIA — Andrea Delgado of Carpinteria joined Girls Inc. of Carpinteria when she was just five years old, attending the nonprofit’s After-School Enrichment and Summer Camp programs. Now, the 21-year-old is entering…