Author: Community Contributor

REI at The Collection at RiverPark invites little tykes to learn to ride bikes at its How to Ride a Bike event on March 6

OXNARD — REI, the specialty outdoor retailer, located at The Collection at RiverPark, will introduce its How to Ride a Bike class series to the Oxnard shopping center. Kicking off Sunday, March 6, from 9 – 11 a.m., the monthly…

UCSB to present National Geographic Live wildlife photographer Steve Winter on March 6

SANTA BARBARA — UCSB to present National Geographic Live wildlife photographer Steve Winter at 3 p.m. Sunday, March 6 at Campbell Hall. Go around the world in search of big cats with award-winning photographer Steve Winter. A determined explorer, Winter will…

UCSB to present ‘Taylor Mac — A 24-Decade History of Popular Music: 1916-1936’ on March 8

SANTA BARBARA — UCSB to present ‘Taylor Mac  — A 24-Decade History of Popular Music: 1916-1936″ at 8 p.m. Tuesday,  March 8 at Campbell Hall. Get ready for an evening of glittering musical time travel. Equal parts bedazzled shaman, searing…

Bilingual report: Teatro de las Américas to present ‘Locuras en Wichita’ on March 11 and 12 at Oxnard College

OXNARD — The 2016 season begins when Teatro de las Américas and Oxnard College present Lina Gallegos’s comedy, WILD IN WICHITA, directed by Denise Blasor. Don’t miss this charming play. An elegant Puerto Rican woman and an irreverent Mexican man fall in love when they meet at…

Ventura College to Host Open House Extravaganza Open to the Community on March 12

Event features department presentations, financial aid application workshops, free lunch, and more VENTURA —Ventura College will hold an open house available to all those interested in learning more about the college and its programs and services, as well as those who would like…

Jazz Ambassadors of the U.S. Army Field Band will present a free community concert at the Oceanview Pavilion’s Performing Arts Theatre by the Beach on March 12

PORT HUENEME — The Jazz Ambassadors of the U.S. Army Field Band will present a free concert in Oceanview Pavilion’s Performing Arts Theatre by the Beach located at 575 E. Surfside Drive Port Hueneme, CA Saturday March 12. The concert…

CSU Channel Islands professor helps create ‘Latinos and Baseball’ exhibit at the Smithsonian

CAMARILLO — CSU Channel Islands (CI) Professor of Chicana/o Studies Jose Alamillo, Ph.D., helped launch an exhibit for the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History called “Latinos and Baseball: In the Barrios and the Big Leagues.” Alamillo and other scholars from across…

UCSB to present ‘Juan Felipe Herrera — An Evening with the 2015-16 United States Poet Laureate’ on Feb. 1

SANTA BARBARA — UCSB Arts & Lectures will present ‘Juan Felipe Herrera  An Evening with the 2015-16 United States Poet Laureate’ at 7:30 p.m. Monday, Feb. 1 at UCSB’s Campbell Hall. U.S. Poet Laureate Juan Felipe Herrera is the first Latino…

Local NAMI Chapter Offering ‘Family-to-Family’ Educational Course for Family Members of Adults Living with Mental Illness

SANTA BARBARA — The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Southern Santa Barbara County is inviting family members of adults living with serious mental health conditions to register for its upcoming “Family-to-Family” education program. The free, 12-session course is designed…

Ventura College named one of top 150 in the nation

VENTURA — Ventura County Community College District Board of Trustees, along with Chancellor Bernard Luskin congratulate Ventura College President Greg Gillespie. The Aspen Institute College Excellence Program this week named Ventura College one of the nation’s top 150 community colleges eligible to…

Boys & Girls Club members proudly display National Fine Arts pieces at Carnegie Art Museum Feb. 5-7

OXNARD — The Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Oxnard and Port Hueneme invites the community to its annual National Fine Arts Exhibit Feb. 5-7 at the Carnegie Art Museum, 424 South C Street, Oxnard. The private Club reception and…

Las Contemporaneas of the Museum of Ventura County to present ‘Luminarias’ film screening fundraiser on Feb. 6

VENTURA —  Las Contemporaneas of the Museum of Ventura County will present the film screening of “Luminarias,” a fundraiser to support the second annual Latina Film Festival, at 6 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 6 at the Bell Arts Factory, 432 N. Ventura Ave.,…

Reserve tickets for ‘El Bracero — A Mariachi Opera’ return performance at Oxnard College on Feb. 6

OXNARD — Back by popular demand!! “El Bracero — A Mariachi Opera,” will return at 7 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 6 at the Oxnard College Performing Arts Center, 4000 S. Rose Ave., Oxnard. El Bracero is a dynamic one-act “Mariachi Opera”…

Money in the pockets of working Californians

By Hannah-Beth Jackson Last year, California created the state’s first-ever Earned Income Tax Credit. This tax credit, which I supported, will put money back into the pockets of California’s low income working families to help pay for groceries, catch up…

CSU Channel Islands’ Student Affairs division earns national award for excellent diversity, staffing practices and work environment

CAMARILLO — Excellent diversity, staffing practices and work environment are among the reasons CSU Channel Islands (CI)’s Division of Student Affairs has won a designation as one of the “Most Promising Places to Work in Student  Affairs” for a second year in a…

Bilingual commentary: Equal Opportunity in Creation

By David Magallanes / Guest contributor David Magallanes Some of us in our Western culture turn to the Bible to teach us something about the nature of ourselves as human beings, about our origins and early history. Others of us who are less…

Oxnard College Presents CBS Diversity Sketch Comedy Showcase PLUS  Lalo Alcaraz from Fox’s New Animated Comedy, Bordertown LIVE, Feb. 3

Writer-Director-Comedian Rick Najera Blends Hollywood Comedy Sketch Show with Local Performers at Oxnard College Performing Arts Center as Part of Growing Latino Thought Makers Series OXNARD —  Oxnard College Institute for Latino Performing Arts presents the much-anticipated CBS Diversity Sketch…

The Collection at RiverPark expands fashion empire adding Victoria’s Secret to its growing retail roster

OXNARD — The Collection at RiverPark, Oxnard’s premier retail, dining and entertainment destination, announced this week that Victoria’s Secret will join its budding line-up of fashion retailers this summer. Victoria’s Secret is the largest retailer of women’s lingerie and other…

‘An Evening with 2015 Women’s World Cup Champion Carli Lloyd’ to be held at Arlington Theatre on Jan. 26

SANTA BARBARA — “An Evening with 2015 Women’s World Cup Champion Carli Lloyd’ to be held at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 26 at the Arlington Theatre, Santa Barbara. “Carli Lloyd isn’t just on a roll. She has morphed into a…

UCSB to present ‘Culture Clash Muse & Morros: True Stories – Real People’ on Jan. 27

SANTA BARBARA — UCSB Arts & Lectures will present ‘Culture Clash  Muse & Morros: True Stories – Real People’ at 8 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 27 at UCSB’s Campbell Hall. For 30 years, Culture Clash has scoured the nation searching for the…

Bilingual commentary: The Stars and Planets at Christa McAuliffe Elementary School

By David Magallanes / Guest contributor David Magallanes With so many children admiring celebrities these days and questionably holding them up as role models, it was refreshing this past Friday to attend McAuliffe Elementary School’s (Oxnard School District) annual “Astronomy Night.” The school…

Visiting Nurse & Hospice Care Announces Rosanna Dellegrotti MSN, RN as Quality, Compliance & Education Director

SANTA BARBARA – Visiting Nurse & Hospice Care (VNHC) welcomes Rosanna Dellegrotti MSN, RN, as new Director of Quality, Compliance & Education. Ms. Dellegrotti has more than 35 years of nursing experience; 22 years being in critical care and has held…

Visiting Nurse and Hospice Care Welcomes Kyrie Belme as Marketing and Public Relations Coordinator

SANTA BARBARA — Visiting Nurse & Hospice Care(VNHC) is pleased to announce Kyrie Belme as Marketing & Public Relations Coordinator. Belme brings experience working with local nonprofits and a flair for creativity. As Marketing & Public Relations Coordinator, Belme will assist…

Girls Inc. Carpinteria Launches Literacy Initiative to Prepare Students for Academic Success

CARPINTERIA — Girls Inc. of Carpinteria is kicking off the New Year with the implementation of a new after-school reading and literacy program at Carpinteria Unified School District school sites and on the Girls Inc. Carpinteria campus. The Literacy Initiative is…

Bilingual commentary: The Power of Parents

By David Magallanes / Guest contributor We parents may not be aware of the power we possess to literally make or break the lives of our children. Teachers likewise exert enormous power over the lives of their students. As parents and teachers, we…

“Remembering Our Fallen” Traveling Portrait Exhibition on Display throughout Santa Barbara County

Deeply moving memorial exhibition features 721 photo portraits of California’s fallen SANTA BARBARA — The community is invited to the “Remembering Our Fallen” memorial exhibition that is on display in Santa Barbara County during the month of January. The deeply moving…

Guest commentary: Adelante… into the New Year with Café on A

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 Armando Vazquez / Guest contributor It is…

The Collection at RiverPark announces Stefanie Muegel, Jill Almonia as new marketing team

OXNARD — The Collection at RiverPark, Oxnard’s premier fashion retail, dining and entertainment destination, recently announced Stefanie Muegel as the center’s Marketing Manager, and Jill Almonia as the Marketing and Business Development Coordinator. At The Collection, a CenterCal Properties, LLC…

Visiting Nurse & Hospice Care Welcomes Scott Gordon as Annual Giving Coordinator

SANTA BARBARA — Visiting Nurse & Hospice Care (VNHC) is pleased to announce the addition of Scott Gordon as Annual Giving Coordinator. Gordon brings years of experience working in various professions including development, software and management, along with a background…

Bilingual commentary: What Is A Secular Catholic?

By David Magallanes / Guest contributor In the Jewish American community, many within the group quite proudly and nonchalantly refer to themselves as “secular Jews.” Within the U.S. Latino community, on the other hand, many are secular Catholics, but they don’t go around…

emPower Hosts Free Energy Efficient Furnace Workshop in Santa Maria on Jan. 19

Jan. 19 workshop to be held at Veterans Memorial Building SANTA MARIA — With Santa Barbara County now firmly in winter, emPower Central Coast will be offering advice and information on selecting a new high-efficiency furnace during a free, Jan. 19 workshop.  …

Guest commentary: Justice in the New Year

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 Rodolfo F. Acuña / Guest contributor At…

¡Viva el Arte de Santa Bárbara! to present Mariachi Los Camperos de Nati Cano in free family concerts in Goleta, Gudalupe, Santa Barbara and Isla Vista from Jan. 8 through 10

¡Viva el Arte de Santa Bárbara! will present Mariachi Los Camperos de Nati Cano in free family concerts in Goleta, Gudalupe, Santa Barbara and Isla Vista. The Grammy-winning ensemble performs music from latest recording, Tradición, Arte y Pasión, as well…

Classes start Jan. 11 for English as a Second Language Basic English course at Oxnard College

OXNARD — Classes start for English as a Second Language Basic English course at Oxnard College. Free books available. Classes include: ESL R046 — English Conversation 4; ESL R065 — Prep for Academic Reading & Writing; ESL R056 — Reading Skills…