Author: Amigos805.com

Frank X. Moraga is publisher / editor of Amigos805, providing information for and about the vibrant Latino community in Ventura, Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties — "Bringing cultures together by sharing information."

Commentary — YES, Every Vote Counts — VOTE!

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Given the news reports out there that the many have not turned in their mail-in ballots, it’s time to remind them about the election of 2016.

YES, EVERY VOTE COUNTS!!!, whether you live in Miami or Oxnard, Detroit or Santa Barbara, Scranton or San Luis Obispo.

Nov. 3 is creeping up fast. If you have a ballot, fill them out ASAP and drop them off at OFFICIAL BALLOT BOXES. It’s too late to use the U.S. Post Office.

Otherwise, plan to take advantage of in-person early voting on Saturday, Oct. 31.

We are so close. VOTE!!!

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Bilingual commentary — A September to Remember that Democracy is in Your Hands

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Never has a September been more important to American democracy than this year with the deadline approaching to fill out U.S. Census forms and to do everything possible to make sure your vote counts in during the Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2020 general election

During the next few weeks we will highlight the need for our reading audience to take action as these deadlines rapidly approach.

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Commentary: A quiet resistance to light our way

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Resistance. Quiet, persistent resistance.

Every once in a while, that resistance comes to everyone and everything.

As we note Earth Day this week, we are reminded of that resistance. In our stay-safe-at-home times, we are now seeing a world where the air is cleaner, the sound of nature is clearer and the Earth is actually healing itself a little at a time. There is a chilling, yet quiet beauty seeing the streets of Paris, London, Rome and New York virtually empty and nature going on quite well without us.

It’s as if Earth finally said, “ENOUGH.”

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SoCalGas Donates $1 Million to Help Those in Need During Coronavirus Pandemic

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Funding to assist laid-off workers, provide food and bill payment assistance to those in need LOS ANGELES — Southern California Gas Co. (SoCalGas) announced on March 20 it will donate $1 million to nonprofit organizations throughout its service area to support the…

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Bilingual report: CenCal Health Presents 2019 Annual Report in Digital Format

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Health Plan Report Accessible Via Phones, Tablets, Lap and Desktops, in both English and Spanish SANTA BARBARA — CenCal Health, the publicly-sponsored health plan for Medi-Cal in Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties, announced today the release of its 2019 Community Report. The…

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Commentary: A time to remember our community leaders

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By Frank X. Moraga • Amigos805 Sometimes when you hear sad news about the passing of someone you knew, your mind can race back to some odd or funny memories about them. For me, the memories include a Dallas Cowboys jersey and…

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Santa Paula Art Museum March Events

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  Event Name: Class: Plein Air Outing (Ages 16+) Date/Time: Saturday, March 7, 2020, from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Location: Santa Paula Art Museum’s Cole Creativity Center, 123 N 10th Street, Santa Paula, CA 93060 Cost: $55.00 per person…

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Santa Barbara City College — The Bridge – October 2019

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Santa Barbara City College’s Community Newsletter OCTOBER, 2019 Superintendent/President finalists selected The SBCC community is invited to attend public forums on Oct. 24 for the two finalists for the position of Superintendent/President: Utpal K. Goswami, current President of Metropolitan Community College in…

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CSUCI’s MVS School of Business & Economics receives grant to launch peer mentor program

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CAMARILLO — The Martin V. & Martha K. Smith Foundation has awarded CSU Channel Islands’ (CSUCI) Martin V. Smith (MVS) School of Business & Economics a $34,000 grant to launch a pilot peer mentorship program for business students. The new MVS…

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Nov. 15 — Ritmo Y Sonido Latino: Los Pinguos at UCSB

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SANTA BARBARA — Ritmo Y Sonido Latino: Los Pinguos to perform at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 15 at the UCSB MultiCultural Center Theater. Los Pinguos came to the United States from Buenos Aires, Argentina, with a mixture of Latin rhythms, reggae,…

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SMHS Family and Consumer Science students victorious at recent competition

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SANTA MARIA — Four SMHS Family and Consumer Science students were victorious at a recent regional Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) competition in Vacaville. The FCCLA is a national career, technical and personal growth organization with 160,000 members…

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Bilingual report: Ventura County Medical Center Receives National Recognition for Meritorious Outcomes for Surgical Care

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VENTURA COUNTY — The American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS NSQIP®) has recognized Ventura County Medical Center as one of 83 ACS NSQIP participating hospitals that have achieved meritorious outcomes for surgical patient care in 2017. As…

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Marjorie Luke Theatre update for Feb. 27

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Click here for the entire e-newsletter   Upcoming Events Puppet Palooza Santa Barbara! The Muppets Take Santa Barbara Friday, March 2nd 6:30pm Puppetpaloozasb presents The Muppets—and the remarkable performers who bring them to life—will enthrall audiences with an evening of story-telling, interviews,…

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March 8 — 14: Dred Scott, Wong Kim Ark & Vanessa Lopez

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SANTA BARBARA — While the Fourteenth Amendment guarantees citizenship to those born or naturalized in the U.S., this Constitutional right has endured attacks since its passage in 1868, and it continues to be at risk today. 14: Dred Scott, Wong Kim Ark…

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Local Engineers Provide Career Advice at Cal State Northridge

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NORTHRIDGE — Two local engineers from Ventura County have made a presentation at California State University, Northridge for career guidance to students. It was arranged by the student chapter of The American Society of Civil Engineers at the University. Engineering students of…

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Latino News Notes: Pew Research Center Hispanic Trends

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By the Pew Research Center Click here for the entire newsletter Unauthorized immigrants covered by DACA face uncertain future 115th Congress sets new high for racial, ethnic diversity Blacks and Hispanics face extra challenges in getting home loans Less than…

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Latino News Notes: Trump Team’s Meeting With Latino Leaders Gets Mixed Reviews

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By Adrian Florido • NPR It was billed as a “listening session,” a chance for Latino leaders from across the country to sit down with members of President-elect Donald Trump’s transition team and talk about the issues important to them and to their…

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Latino News Notes: Getty Foundation Project Weaves U.S. Latino Art With Latin American Art

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By Mandalit del Barco • NPR The artistic ties between Los Angles and Latin America will be featured in more than 60 museums and arts centers throughout Southern California. It opens in September and spans history and geography. Click here for the…

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Perspectives: Election 2016

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Editor’s note: Every now and again, the fates conspire to create situations that are unexpected, shocking and challenging. The results of the 2016 presidential election are a perfect example. The protests each night in the nation’s cities since election day, never…

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Our Voice: Latino voting 2016 — From facts to action

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Editor’s note: Well, that was easy. Opened up my early ballot form, selected my candidates and propositions, sealed it and dropped it off at the local election office. Your turn! By Frank X. Moraga / Amigos805 One sentence stands out…

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Travel: Taking the low, slow ride

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Two exhibits bring the world of the lowrider alive at the New Mexico History Museum and the New Mexico Museum of Art in Santa Fe By Frank X. Moraga / Amigos805 So here I am, walking through a pair of…

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Hispanic Heritage Month: One month is not enough

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Too many issues and events to squeeze into one month of reflection and celebration By Frank X. Moraga / Amigos805 Many folks wonder why Hispanic Heritage Month is divided between September and October. Yes, at least we get a month,…

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California LULAC will focus on new voting rights cases in 2016

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Plan will impact scores of California cities and school districts CAMARILLO —The California League of United Latin American Citizens will partner with the Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund (MALDEF) and private attorneys in a significant expansion of cases brought…

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Gold Coast Health Plan’s Membership Hits a Milestone

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Ventura County’s Medi-Cal Plan Now Serves More than 200,000 Residents CAMARILLO — Gold Coast Health Plan (GCHP) reached a milestone in its membership this month, surpassing 200,000 members. With 202,360 members, GCHP is on track to quickly surpass its projected membership…

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Catherine Rodriguez named Ventura County chief financial officer

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VENTURA — The Ventura County Executive Office announced that Assistant County Executive Officer Catherine Rodriguez has been named the County Chief Financial Officer and Shawn Atin has been promoted to Assistant County Executive Officer, Human Resources. The moves follow the…

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Women’s Economic Ventures honors 16 WEV en Español Self-Employment Training graduates

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SANTA BARBARA — On Tuesday, Dec. 15, 2015, Women’s Economic Ventures (WEV) celebrated the accomplishments of 16 men and women who completed the WEV en Español Advanced Self-Employment Training (SET) program during a graduation ceremony held at National University in…

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CSU Channel Island students offer free in-home service for Latina/os with traumatic brain injury

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CAMARILLO — CSU Channel Islands (CI) Health Science students are seeking Ventura County Latina/os with a traumatic brain injury to take part in a free in-home service called “Trabajadora de Salud,” the university reported in a media release. Assistant Professor of Health…

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Bilingual commentary: Trump’s Parallel Universe

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By David Magallanes / Guest contributor I think I have it figured out. Donald Trump is actually working  for Hillary Clinton. He must be, given that many political pundits predict that he will hand over the White House to Hillary if indeed he…

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Local news briefs

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OXNARD — El Concilio Family Services is seeking nominations for 2016 Latino Leadership Awards. The deadline is 5 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 15 The 27th annual Latino Leadership Awards will recognize individuals and business partnerships that have made significant contributions to…

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Bilingual commentary: The Case Against Homework

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By David Magallanes / Guest contributor There has been a quiet controversy involving our children that has been brewing over the past several years. As in any controversy, there are exaggerated claims, false accusations and biased statements that serve to befuddle anyone trying…

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El Concilio Family Services seeks nominations for 2016 Latino Leadership Awards. Deadline is 5 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 15

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OXNARD — El Concilio Family Services is seeking nominations for 2016 Latino Leadership Awards. The deadline is 5 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 15 The 27th annual Latino Leadership Awards will recognize individuals and business partnerships that have made significant contributions to education…

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El Centrito Family Learning Centers selected as Americorps Vista sponsor, currently recruiting Vista members

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OXNARD — El Centrito Family Learning Centers has announced it has been selected to receive up to three full-time AmeriCorps VISTA (Volunteers In Service To America) members whose efforts will strengthen service delivery and sustainability within El Centrito’s pioneering After School & Summer STEAM (Science, Technology,Engineering, Art & Math) Academy.…

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Teatro de las Américas to present final two performances of ‘Your Friends Would Never Harm You’ on Dec. 4, 5

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OXNARD — Teatro de las Américas will present final two performances of “Your Friends Would Never Harm You” at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Dec. 4 and 5 at the Oxnard College Black Box Theatre, 4000 S. Rose Ave., Oxnard…

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Bilingual commentary: The Crashing Wave of Paper

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By David Magallanes / Guest contributor Being disorganized carries a hefty price tag. We burn up valuable time looking for things. We miss appointments, miss paying bills, miss opportunities and don’t fulfill our dreams because we don’t even know what those dreams are—we…

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Teatro de las Americas, MusicaLatitudes, and Oxnard College to present a Christmas concert on Dec. 6

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OXNARD — Teatro de las Américas y MusicaLatitudes invite the community to participate in a free Christmas choir program that will be featured in Songs and Odes of Christmas at 5 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 6 at Teatro de las Américas at Oxnard…

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El Concilio seeks support during ‘Giving Tuesday’ on Dec. 1

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Dear Friend,

We are coming to the end of the year and over the last year we have enjoyed support of many of you.

We have served over 17,000 client contacts in the areas of Citizenship, Immigration, Youth Leadership and Development and Direct Client Assistance.

This is a request to join our end of the year campaign by making a donation to El Concilio Family Services.

All donations are most gratefully received regardless of the amount.

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Oxnard College kicks off holiday season with Latino Thought Makers ‘Ha Ha Holidays Live Comedy,’ music show and benefit on Dec. 2

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Special Guests DJs Rico & Mambo, comedians Momo Rodriguez and Jill-Michele Meleán and singers Karina Nuvo and Vanessa Verduga join host Rick Najera at Oxnard College Performing Arts Center   OXNARD — The Oxnard College Institute for Latino Performing Arts will…

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Bilingual commentary: Gratitude

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By David Magallanes / Guest contributor Because of the expectations of our culture, we might feel that we never quite achieve “success,” or “contentment.” After all, whenever we do attain a degree of success or fulfillment, there’s always the next goal, the new…

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Guest commentary: Forgotten Memories — Wasted Years

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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 By…

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A new book co-authored by a UCSB researcher details how the Maya have farmed sustainably and survived for millennia

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By Jim Logan / UCSB History has not been kind to the Maya, an indigenous people of Mesoamerica. They’re usually portrayed as the hapless victims of European colonialism who collapsed and disappeared as a result of overpopulation and environmental degradation. A…

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UCSB’s Society for Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science is named an outstanding regional role model

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By Julie Cohen / UCSB The UC Santa Barbara chapter of the Society for Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS) has received the 2015 Outstanding Regional Network Role Model Award. This award marks the fourth in as many years bestowed…

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Bilingual commentary: Obesity…And We Wonder Why?

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By David Magallanes / Guest contributor There was an interesting juxtaposition of articles in this past week’s Ventura County Star. One of them* was entitled “Americans becoming more obese,” as in, what else is new? In the same section of the newspaper, there…

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CLU Professor Edlyn Peña joins national autism panel

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THOUSAND OAKS — A California Lutheran University faculty member has been appointed to a reconfigured federal autism panel that will convene next week after a long hiatus. Secretary of Health and Human Services Sylvia Burwell named Edlyn Peña, an assistant…

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Bilingual commentary: Avoiding What We Don’t Understand

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By David Magallanes / Guest contributor This past week, I decided to confront something that I had studiously avoided all my life because I just didn’t understand it. Abstract art. I had grown up surrounded by the classical art created by my Mexican…

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Emmy Award-winning journalists join Oxnard College’s Latino Thought Makers for ‘Politics in America’ talk on Nov. 12

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OXNARD — Oxnard College Institute for Latino Performing Arts will present a special evening of political discussion and debate on Thursday, Nov. 12 with award-winning journalists Myrka Dellanos, Ruben Navarrette Jr. and Julio Varela as part of its continuing Latino Thought Makers Live…

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Gold Coast Health Plan to recognize Diabetes Awareness Month with resource fair on Nov. 7 in Oxnard

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OXNARD — Gold Coast Health Plan will recognize Diabetes Awareness Month in November with a “Diabetes Awareness Resource Fair” from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 7 at the Oxnard Public Library, 1251 S. A St., Oxnard. The program will feature…

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November cover story: Area agencies prepare to wage war on hunger

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Holiday season is typical time for organizations to raise awareness of those in need in the region From Amigos805 staff reports Given the rebounding economy and the stereotypical image of a laid-back Golden State, the statistics seem stark. One in…

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Local news briefs

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SANTA BARBARA — Award-winning author Reyna Grande will be presented with UCSB’s 12th annual Luis Leal Literature Award during a ceremony at 4 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 4, in the McCune Conference Room, 6020 Humanities and Social Sciences Building at UCSB.…

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