MOORPARK — Moorpark College and the Moorpark College Foundation will kick off a year of celebrations marking the college’s 60th anniversary with Moorpark College Serenades: The Premiere, a free outdoor concert on Saturday, Oct. 10, from 4–6 p.m
SANTA BARBARA — Cottage Health brought together physicians, nurses, pharmacists, respiratory care practitioners and other clinicians from across the region on Friday, Sept. 18, for the 2026 Sepsis Conference, a multidisciplinary educational event focused on the recognition, treatment and management of sepsis.
The conference offered a day of education highlighting evidence-based practices, emerging research and new approaches to caring for patients with sepsis.
Presentations addressed key areas in sepsis care, including maternal sepsis, antibiotic stewardship, the use of artificial intelligence in sepsis management and recent clinical research.
OXNARD — Sunrise Set LLC, a family-owned trucking and logistics company rooted in Ventura County agriculture, is celebrating its 25th anniversary this month, marking a journey that began not behind the wheel of a truck, but in the fields of Oxnard.
Founded in 2001 by Francisco E. Ochoa and his son, Benjamin Ochoa, Sunrise Set grew from two bobtail trucks moving small shipments from local farms to shipping docks into a refrigerated freight company transporting fresh produce and agricultural products throughout California.
The family’s connection to Ventura County agriculture began decades earlier.
In mid-September, I had the opportunity to enjoy watching some of the finest flamenco dancing I had ever seen. The event, dubbed “Danzas y Canciones” (“Dances and Songs”) was held on the campus of Oxnard College in its Performing Arts Building.
Anyone with curiosity who hears the passionate cries of a flamenco dancer and observes the intricacies of the step patterns and rhythms of the dancer’s feet will instinctively want to know something about the origins of this highly expressive art form.
VENTURA COUNTY — October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, an opportunity to increase awareness about abuse, recognize the barriers survivors often face and remind our community that help is available. The Coalition for Family Harmony operates the only rape crisis center in Ventura County and provides services to survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault throughout the county.
The Coalition’s services include a 24-hour crisis hotline, emergency shelter, counseling, legal advocacy, housing assistance and prevention services. In addition to operating the county’s only rape crisis center, the Coalition currently operates three domestic violence emergency shelters, including specialized shelter services designed to address the needs of Indigenous-language-speaking survivors and a newer emergency shelter located at the Ventura County Family Justice Center.
Panteón Fest – 4th Annual
Saturday, October 17, 2026 • 1:00–9:00 PM
Join us in Historic Heritage Square in Downtown Oxnard for the 4th Annual Panteón Fest, a celebration of Día de los Muertos through art, music, and culture. Enjoy eight hours of live performances, community altars, an art gallery, the Catrín & Catrina Contest, local vendors, delicious food, and drinks.
This year’s theme celebrates the world of Chespirito. Come dressed as your favorite Chespirito character and join us for a day of culture, nostalgia, and community as we honor Día de los Muertos together.
… The festival will run from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and is expected to attract thousands of visitors for a full day of live entertainment, food, family activities, local vendors, and opportunities to experience the working Port up close through bus and boat tours. Admission and event parking are free. Guests are encouraged to park at Hueneme Beach.
The Banana Festival was created as a way to celebrate the Port’s role as a major gateway for imported bananas and other refrigerated agricultural products. The banana trade came to Hueneme in 1993 as the Port developed the largest cold storage capacity on the West Coast. Today, the Port of Hueneme ranks 5th in the nation for both automobiles and refrigerated cargo.While it imports 5 billion bananas per year, it also brings in Peruvian blueberries, avocados, mangos, and much more.
There’s a common thread running through October: from the violin at the heart of Birth of Impressionism, putting you inside a revolution in musical history, to the genre-defying strings of TAKE3, where Bach sounds like a stadium show, to two fiddle legends performing in the open air at golden hour. The series then expands outward into a 19-piece big band paying tribute to one of the most restlessly creative minds in American music, and finally, at the very end of the year, twelve voices filling a sanctuary with five centuries of choral music. And it all begins with the return of a cherished VMF tradition: Tea & Trumpets on October 11th, the perfect opening note.
OJAI — The Humane Society of Ventura County (HSVC) is thrilled to welcome Dr. Kusay to its veterinary team. A shelter medicine and high-quality, high-volume spay and neuter veterinarian with more than five years of clinical experience and 15 plus years in animal rescue, Dr. Kusay brings both deep expertise and a lifelong dedication to animal welfare to HSVC.
“I became a veterinarian because I lost my first dog to a cancer that could have been caught and treated earlier,” Dr. Kusay said. “That experience is why I’ve dedicated my career to shelter medicine, and I’m excited to continue that work at HSVC — helping give animals and their families the care and the second chances they deserve.”
SANTA BARBARA — The U.S. Department of State recently announced that Santa Barbara City College (SBCC) ranked among the top 25 U.S. community colleges producing Gilman Scholars for the U.S. Department of State’s Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship. This year the Gilman Scholarship Program is celebrating its 25th anniversary of supporting American students to study abroad by providing scholarships up to $5,000 to students with high financial need to study or intern abroad.
Current students, including those from SBCC, have until Thursday, October 1, to apply for the current scholarship program, which would support Study Abroad programs in Spring, Summer and Fall of 2027. Students may learn more about the scholarship, Study Abroad in general, and upcoming trips, here: https://www.sbcc.edu/studyabroad/programs/.
SANTA BARBARA — Cottage Rehabilitation Hospital (CRH) celebrated National Rehabilitation Awareness Week with a special event on September 15 recognizing patients, caregivers, clinicians, volunteers and community supporters who help make rehabilitation possible.
This year’s theme, “Building Futures Through Rehabilitation,” highlighted CRH’s commitment to helping patients regain independence and return to the activities that are most meaningful to them.
Our community is at the heart of CEC’s climate work. As we look ahead, we want our work to reflect what matters most to Central Coast residents and create more accessible ways for everyone to get involved in climate action.
This short survey will help us better understand what our community cares about, needs, and wants to see more of from CEC. Your feedback helps us:
“The need in our community is growing at a pace we haven’t seen before,” said Andrea Gallagher, president and CEO of Senior Concerns. “We used to receive one or two inquiries a week about Meals On Wheels. Now we’re receiving 10 to 12. At the same time, more older adults and family caregivers are reaching out to our case workers for guidance, resources and support. The funds raised through events like Par and Away help us respond when our neighbors need us most.”
‘An Evening of Magical Memories — 23rd Annual Fundraiser’ will be presented on Oct. 10 at Las Posas County Club. The event is a fundraiser for the Brain Injury Center of Ventura County.
SANTA BARBARA — Cottage Medical Group (CMG) has expanded access to comprehensive urologic care with the addition of Cottage Urology Clinic, located at 5333 Hollister Avenue, Suite 275, in Goleta.
Cottage Urology Clinic provides evaluation and treatment for conditions affecting the urinary tract, male reproductive system, and female urologic and pelvic health, including kidney stones, urinary incontinence, enlarged prostate, erectile dysfunction and pelvic organ prolapse. The clinic also provides screening and treatment for prostate, bladder, kidney and other urologic cancers.
VENTURA — The Ventura County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a measure from Supervisors Jeff Gorell and Matt LaVere to pursue state legislation establishing a conditional safe harbor for public agencies following the lawful transfer of potentially dangerous or vicious dogs to qualified nonprofit rescue organizations.
The action allows Ventura County to pursue sponsorship of legislation during the 2027 state legislative session or actively support a substantially equivalent measure introduced by another sponsor.
The work by UC Santa Barbara’s Danyi Zhang and Tamas Vami demonstrates a novel method for searching for particles. The results will inform theories and future searches.
Read more about their findings
SANTA BARBARA — The Santa Barbara Museum of Art (SBMA) has something for everyone over the next twelve months — from prints and pastel by American artist Mary Cassatt and her European contemporaries, and dramatic Pictorialist photography, to the joyful art installation and mid-career survey of FriendsWithYou and the cool and surreal paintings and drawings of the American dream by artist and actor Martin Mull.
The U.S. Small Business Administration announced low-interest federal disaster loans are now available to small businesses and private nonprofit organizations in California to offset economic losses caused by the 2026 Plains Oil Spill occurring May 22 – 28. The SBA issued a disaster declaration in response to a request received from California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services Director Caroline Thomas Jacobs on behalf of Governor Gavin Newsom on Sept. 17.
The disaster declaration covers the California counties of Kern, Los Angeles, Orange, San Bernardino, and Ventura.
SANTA BARBARA — Goleta Valley Cottage Hospital (GVCH) has received a five-star rating from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) for hospital environment cleanliness, the highest rating available for this patient experience measure.
GVCH was among 381 hospitals nationwide receiving the five-star cleanliness rating and one of 19 hospitals in California included on the list.
The rating is based on patient responses to the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) survey, which measures patients’ experiences with different aspects of their hospital care. The results included in the latest CMS data reflect surveys completed between October 1, 2024, and September 30, 2025.
The scholarship application deadline for the Paramedic and Career Education programs is November 23. Students will be notified of their scholarship status by mid-December. The application deadline for all other scholarships is January 22, 2027. Students will be notified of their scholarship submission results by mid-April 2027. Scholarship award distributions will begin August 1.
Students currently enrolled at Ventura College in the 2026-2027 academic year and who have completed or are on track to complete at least six units in the semester are eligible to apply. Units earned in previous semesters at Ventura College count towards the unit requirement.
EN ESPAÑOL: PRODUCTIVIDAD, ADMINISTRACIÓN Y HERRAMIENTAS DE GOOGLE CON INTELIGENCIA ARTIFICIAL
21 de septiembre a las 6:00 pm
Las tareas administrativas suelen consumir tiempo valioso que podría dedicarse al crecimiento del negocio. Este taller explora cómo la Inteligencia Artificial y las herramientas de Google pueden mejorar la productividad mediante la gestión de correos electrónicos, creación de documentos, resúmenes de reuniones, organización de tareas y administración de información. Los participantes aprenderán formas prácticas de reducir trabajo repetitivo y mejorar la eficiencia. Precio: GRATIS.
HAGA CLIC PARA REGISTRARSE
Three local artists have been selected to receive funding from the California Arts Council’s Individual Artists Fellowship in recognition of their artistic practice, professional accomplishments, and community contributions. VCAC collaborated with five regional partners, led by Arts Council Santa Cruz County, to connect Central Coast artists with this opportunity as part of California’s ongoing investment in its creative workforce. Read more
Two school general-obligation bonds will appear on local November 3rd ballots. Rio Elementary Measure B and Santa Paula Unified Measure C asks K–12 taxpayers to take on decades of new property-tax debt for projects that look a lot like the last ask.
Santa Paula Measure C — $48.6 million. Voters already said NO.
Measure C would issue $48.6 million at about $27.98 per $100,000 of assessed value to rebuild a gymnasium, build community swimming-pool facilities, and modernize vocational and performing-arts space. It needs 55 percent.
SANTA PAULA — Residents from neighborhoods throughout Santa Paula are invited to join in the National Night Out Event Thursday, September 24, 2026, 5:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., at Veterans Memorial Park located at 114 S. 10th St. in Santa Paula. The event is sponsored by the Santa Paula Police K9 Foundation and the Santa Paula Police Officers Association. The event is free and residents from the City of Santa Paula are welcome to attend.
There will be information booths from our community partners & social services, jolly jump & wagon train for the kids, along with food and refreshments. There will be vehicle displays from area public safety partners as well as several raffle prizes from local sponsors.
The County of Ventura’s Planning Division is presenting the following item to the Ventura County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday, September 22, 2026, at 8:30 am (Item #51, on the Regular Agenda).
CARPINTERIA — Girls Inc. of Carpinteria is thrilled to unveil plans to bring their proven model for intentional, girl-centered programming back to Ventura County. We are pleased to welcome a new Director of Partnerships and Expansion to our administrative team to aid with the growth initiative and building partnerships throughout the region.
The expansion back into Ventura County marks a momentous leap towards Girls Inc. of Carpinteria’s three-year goal to significantly expand its reach and double its impact along the central coast. Their holistic, researched-informed programming will bring mentorship, leadership development, college and career readiness, and STEM-based curriculum to Ventura County, with programs serving girls and young women ages 4-24.
Get ready for the November 3, 2026 General Election. Register now for the first time, pre-register if you are 16 or 17, check that your registration is up to date. Go to vote.venturacounty.gov today!
When I came up with the title for this article, I was immediately concerned that adult minds might very well go where I did not want them to go. But I’m going to talk here about entirely different kinds of “swing.”
I’ve had different kinds of “swing” in my life. Each cycle of “swing” taught me something about balance, momentum, and joy.
In the more vibrant phase of my life as a young man, “swinging” meant high-energy balance and precision on the dance floor.
I want to personally thank you for your incredible support of our third annual Taste of History Gala. It was truly a magical evening, and its success would not have been possible without all of you.
Whether you supported Taste of History as an event sponsor, through an in-kind or live auction donation, by purchasing tickets, raising a paddle, or simply joining us for the evening—thank you. Your generosity brought us incredibly close to our fundraising goal and, most importantly, directly supports the Museum of Ventura County and the work we do to preserve and share the history, art, and culture of our community.
To our wonderful sponsors, an additional thank you for your partnership and generosity. And stay tuned—a little treat is in store!
Sept. 18 & 19 7:00 P.M.
Sept. 20 2:00 P.M.
Last Weekend for Our One Acts, Featuring Brand New Directors!
Teatro de las Américas celebrates the final weekend of our One Acts Festival, showcasing three original pieces directed by emerging artists from our community. Each work offers a fresh, bold, and deeply human perspective, highlighting the talent growing within our Teatro.
Every day, people enjoy the lands that Ventura Land Trust has worked so hard to protect—hiking the trails, exploring with their families, watching wildlife, or simply taking a few quiet moments outside.
When you give monthly to Ventura Land Trust, you become part of the community that makes this work possible, all year long. Your steady support helps us care for the places we’ve already protected, restore native habitat, maintain trails, and seize new opportunities to protect Ventura County’s wild and beautiful places.
SANTA BARBARA — The Music Academy of the West and Downtown Santa Barbara Improvement Association (DSBIA) invite the community for a ceremonial groundbreaking marking an exciting new chapter for arts education and performance in downtown Santa Barbara. The event will take place on Thursday, October 15, at 5:00 PM at 901 State Street, the future home of the Music Academy’s Music Education Center, The Muse.
At the Community Environmental Council (CEC), we believe effective climate action is best informed by the people and communities we serve and protect. Your perspective can help us better understand what matters most to our community and ensure CEC’s work continues to meet the needs of Central Coast residents.
Ventura County Public Health and Ventura County Animal Services (VCAS) are reminding residents to avoid contact with bats and other wildlife amid an increase in rabies-positive bats in Ventura County.
As of September 16, 2026, 27 bats in Ventura County have tested positive for rabies, with a little less than 4 months still remaining in the year.
We cannot wait to see so many of you so soon at our 20th Raising Justice Community Celebration & Fundraiser! (4 to 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 17)
If you’re on your way or chipped in from afar, if you’re one of the many generous Sponsors, or volunteered your time to put this event together, we’re so grateful for each and all of you!
If you’re planning on joining us in person — wonderful! — please know there’s no need to bring a ticket, just bring yourself!
Food and drinks are ready — and we’ve got an inspiring line up of speakers on a historic moment in our environmental justice campaign:
On September 15, the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors voted 3-2 to approve amendments to the Land Use and Development Code (LUDC) and Coastal Zoning Ordinance (CZO) that prohibit new onshore oil and gas wells countywide. This marks a major milestone for public health, environmental protection, and climate action in Santa Barbara and affirms that local governments can lead when federal protections fall short.
WESTLAKE VILLAGE — Registration closes Oct. 18 for families wanting to participate in the Southeast Ventura County YMCA’s Adventure Guides/Y-Trailblazers programs in the Simi and Conejo valleys for the 2026-27 school year.
Organized through the Simi Valley Family YMCA and the Yarrow Family YMCA branches, YMCA Adventure Guides/Y-Trailblazers programs are for parents and their children, ages 5–11. The program runs through June 2027.
LOMPOC — Fall looks good on Lompoc.
Cooler days, vineyard views, pumpkins, seasonal treats, and just the right amount of spooky make this an especially fun time to visit.
Whether you’re planning a weekend in wine country, a family getaway, or simply looking for a reason to hit the road, Lompoc has plenty of ways to make the most of the season.
“Even before Alex became Oxnard’s Fire Chief, he was bringing innovation to the department, especially for increased awareness around cancer-causing conditions and prevention, and mental health and suicide prevention care for public safety personnel,” said Nguyen. “As Oxnard’s Chief, one of his highlights is advocating for the creation of Oxnard’s EMS Corps program, which will serve our community for generations to come.”
Albin brings over three decades of fire service experience to the role, including 28 years with the Oxnard Fire Department. He joined the department as a firefighter in 1998 and rose through the ranks, promoting from Firefighter to Fire Engineer in 2002, Fire Captain in 2011 and Battalion Chief in 2025, when he was selected to establish and lead the department’s newly created Support Services Division, which manages fleet, facilities, technology, logistics, purchasing, and peer support.
VENTURA — The Ventura County Area Agency on Aging’s (VCAAA) Advisory Council has an opening for a veterans’ representative. The Advisory Council is a volunteer-based body of advocates who share a mission to create and sustain programs that positively impact the lives of older adults, people with disabilities and caregivers in Ventura County.
Applications for the veterans’ representative must be received by November 1.
Let’s Go Back to School!
After a career in the medical field, Ventura watercolorist Gail Faulkner (1947-2023) enrolled in art school in her 30s, proving it’s never too late to go back to school—or try something new.
Scroll down to learn about our new exhibition honoring Gail, get to know Museum Educator Janice Allen, check out our fall-themed art classes, and more.
“We are beyond thrilled about the generous donation from Cheryl Goldberg and I also wanted to honor the work of Kathy O’Connor, who is the impetus for the new building,” shared Superintendent/President Dr. Erika Endrijonas. “Scheduled for completion in late spring of 2028, the new building provides state-of-the-art classrooms, event spaces, a new home for the SBCC Life Fitness Center, offices, and more in half the footprint of the existing building.”
The Economic Development Collaborative encourages you to sign up for our no-cost events and webinars. Space is limited. Register today!
Plan ahead! Our full EDC and partner event schedule is updated at the start of each month.
The Kenneth Robert Lincoln Indigenous Environmental Projects Fund will make grants of up to $1,000 available to students enrolled in the Environmental Leadership Incubator.
Bhushan joined Trusted Legal in 2025 as a senior attorney, bringing more than a decade of experience advising businesses, entrepreneurs, nonprofits, and private clients. Since then, she has quickly become an integral part of the firm and its work with clients navigating business formation and governance, transitions, real estate transactions, and other complex legal matters.
SANTA ROSA VALLEY — Private jet travelers vacationing for the holidays may face a more expensive season as elevated oil prices add additional cost pressure to an already high-demand period.
According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), global oil inventories have declined this year by approximately 400 million barrels, with this trend continuing through the end of 2026.
LOMPOC — Everyone knows California is wine country. But have you heard about Lompoc?
This laid-back Central Coast wine destination is the perfect place to sip small-production wines, meet the makers, and explore a wine scene that feels refreshingly unhurried.Add beautiful vineyard views, cool coastal temps, and plenty of chances to discover a new favorite, and you’ve got the makings of a seriously good wine weekend.
Get ready to see Mary Cassatt in a new light. Cassatt & Friends opens this Sunday at the Santa Barbara Museum of Art, bringing together the work of the pioneering American Impressionist and the artists who shaped her world. Celebrated for her intimate, luminous depictions of women and children, Cassatt was also a daring innovator in pastel, drawing, and printmaking. Featuring a remarkable counterproof from SBMA’s collection alongside works by Berthe Morisot, Édouard Manet, Paul Cézanne, and Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, the exhibition captures the energy, experimentation, and creative exchange of a transformative moment in art history.
VENTURA — We hope we’ll see you in just one week at our big community celebration and fundraiser, Raising Justice! And this year, we have a historic victory to celebrate — This year’s celebration feels especially meaningful — not only because we’re marking 25 years of organizing for justice across Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties, but — because we’re celebrating a historic victory that you helped make possible:
Coast Veterans Memorial Museum invites our community to remember, reflect and help preserve the stories of a day that changed America.
Our new special exhibit, “On 9/11, I remember…”, is now open, presenting the events of September 11 and the lasting impact they had on our nation, our military and generations of veterans and their families.
THOUSAND OAKS — This year marks the 25th anniversary of the September 11th attacks on New York City and Washington, D.C. To honor the lives lost and the courage of those who responded, the Ventura County Fire Department invites the community to join firefighters in remembrance ceremonies across the county.
Commemorations will take place at every VCFD fire station in the county, along with VCFD Headquarters in Thousand Oaks, and our Fire Communications Center in Camarillo.
Last Sunday I had the pleasure of attending a concert of the Ojai Pops Orchestra at the outdoor Libbey Bowl in downtown Ojai. Admission to these concerts is free, but donations are requested. Money that is contributed is used to offer music scholarships, lessons, instruments, and education to children in our community.
CAMARILLO — Cal State Channel Islands’ (CSUCI) Department of Art and Art History will open the new academic year with “Double Landing,” a solo exhibition featuring the work of acclaimed artist Rafael Perea de la Cabada.
Opened on Sept. 14, at the campus’ Napa Hall Art Gallery, “Double Landing” brings together dozens of original works that showcase Perea’s distinctive creative approach and the wide range of media he employs in his practice. The exhibition presents a diverse collection shaped by experimentation, keen observation and the interplay of construction and continual revision.
Over 1,000 people from across the country traveled to Oxnard to attend the La Defensa Del Pueblo summit at the Performing Arts Center (OPAC). Cars, trucks, charter buses, and food trucks crowded the site’s parking lot. Latecomers parked in the surrounding streets.
CENTRAL COAST – As students make their way back to school, People’s Self-Help Housing (PSHH) has opened a new Learning Center at Buellton Garden Apartments to support academic success. Located at 10 McMurray Road in Buellton, the Learning Center is ready to welcome twenty K-8 students this month.
With this addition of its ninth onsite Learning Center, PSHH’s education program serves nearly 300 students per year at its properties throughout the Central Coast.
VENTURA — Ocean water quality results for samples collected this week indicate ocean water quality at the following Ventura County beach sampling location failed to meet State standards for bacteria:
Promenade Park Beach – Figueroa St.
Warning signs are currently posted and contact with ocean water should be avoided for a minimum of 50 yards on either side of each posted sign. Warning signs will remain posted until ocean water quality meets State standards. Any items that may have come in contact with ocean water should be avoided. If contact occurs, wash thoroughly with soap and water.
Join us Tuesday, Sept. 15, to urge the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors to approve proposed amendments to the Land Use and Development Code (LUDC) and Coastal Zoning Ordinance (CZO) that would prohibit new onshore oil and gas wells. These long-awaited protections would safeguard community health, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and prevent future expansion of oil extraction while creating a responsible pathway for winding down existing operations in Santa Barbara County.
