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."

Bilingual commentary: Desiderata — Part VI — Comparing ourselves

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 In…

¡Viva el Arte de Santa Bárbara! to present Perla Batalla in free concerts Feb. 7-9

SANTA BARBARA — ¡Viva el Arte de Santa Bárbara! presents Grammy-nominated vocalist Perla Batalla and her combo in free family concerts at 7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 7 at Isla Vista School, 6875 El Colegio Road, Goleta (805-893-5037); 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 8 at…

Guest commentary: Obamacare — Greed and Health Care gap

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 In…

February cover story / Portada: A romantic time of year

February is a perfect time to think about romance, finalizing wedding plans Editor’s note: Time is running short to finalize both your plans for a romantic Valentine’s Day and be more creative as you finalize plans for your wedding. Here is…

Local briefs

VENTURA COUNTY — Low- to moderate-income workers who had a household income of $52,000 or less in 2013 can receive free tax preparation and income tax filing at a Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) site located throughout Ventura County, the…

Home: Make your home safer for children

By Metro Editorial Services (MS)  According to the Home Safety Council, a nonprofit organization dedicated to preventing home injuries, half of the children who die before their first birthday die from choking or suffocation. Many times such tragedies can be…

Business: What are consignment shops?

By Metro Editorial Services (MS) Consignment stores have grown in popularity in recent years, particularly among bargain hunters. In addition to offering great deals, such shops also buy clothing, giving shoppers a chance to make a little money when retiring…

More local business information

> Dave Power, founder of J.D. Power and Associates, will be the first speaker in the Martin V. Smith School of Business & Economics at CSU Channel Islands’  Spring 2014 Speaker Series, “Lessons from Successful Entrepreneurs and Executives,” from noon…

Health: Amazing facts about the human heart

By Metro Editorial Services (MS) Every Valentine’s Day homes and businesses dress up the decor with cupids and hearts to celebrate a day all about love and affection. The heart shape has been used to symbolically represent the human heart…

More local health information

> Clinicas del Camino Real Inc. will present information on Covered California on Feb. 6 in Oak View, Fillmore and Simi Valley; Feb. 7 in Santa Paula and Fillmore; Feb. 11, 12, 13 and 14 in Oxnard; Feb. 13 in…

Technology: How to usher your office into the eco-friendly era

By Metro Editorial Services (MS) Technology continues to advance at a rapid pace, with once groundbreaking ideas and devices becoming obsolete in what seems like the blink of an eye. Despite such advancements, many professional environments are still consuming far…

Finance: Tips for newlyweds about to merge finances

By Metro Editorial Services (MS) Newlyweds often have a lot on their plates upon returning from their honeymoons. One of the more critical issues newly married couples must address is their finances and how those finances will be combined going…

More local financial news

> California Lutheran University this summer will open a Westlake Village center to house a new business incubator and provide expanded facilities for its Community Counseling Center and School of Management, the university reported in a media release. At the…

Food: Improve your home and diet with a vegetable garden

By Metro Editorial Services (MS) Planting a garden can add aesthetic appeal and functionality to a property. Vegetable gardens can transform landscapes while putting healthy and homegrown food on the table. By growing their own fruits and vegetables, homeowners have…

Food: Clean produce properly to avoid contaminants

By Metro Editorial Services (MS) The demand for fresh produce has increased in recent years as more people are turning to fresh fruits and vegetables for their nutritional value. That increase in demand has forced many suppliers to import more…

UCSB to honor ‘City of Night’ author John Rechy with Luis Leal Award for Distinction in Chicano/Latino Literature

SANTA BARBARA — Novelist John Rechy is this year’s recipient of the UC Santa Barbara’s Luis Leal Award for Distinction in Chicano/Latino Literature, university 0fficials reported in a media release. The award will be presented during a ceremony at 4 p.m.…

Guest commentary: Agrarian Year Up program would benefit area youth, restore Ormond Beach

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 We at…

Bilingual commentary: Young Latinos and the New Economy

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 The…

CSU Channel Islands’ Antonio Jiménez Jiménez named administrator of the American Translators Association’s Educators Division

CAMARILLO — Antonio Jiménez Jiménez, Associate Professor of Spanish at CSU Channel Islands (CI), has been named administrator of the American Translators Association’s (ATA) Educators Division. Based in Alexandria, Va., the ATA is the nation’s largest professional organization for translators and interpreters, with…

Jan. 31 nomination deadline approaching for El Concilio’s Latino Leadership Awards

OXNARD — The deadline is 5 p.m. Friday, Jan. 31 to submit nominations for the 25th annual El Concilio Family Services’ Latino Leadership Awards, to be presented at 6 p.m. Saturday, May 31 in Oxnard. “Since 1990, El Concilio Family Services has recognized…

Guest commentary: Chrysler’s follow up to “To the Farmer in All of Us’ Superbowl commercial needs to be more inclusive

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 Frank P. Barajas /Guest contributor…

Hospice of Santa Barbara to present bilingual support groups for parents, children starting in Feburary

SANTA BARBARA — Hospice of Santa Barbara will present free support groups, in both English and Spanish, for adults and caregivers of bereaved children and teens every Wednesday from Feb. 19 through April 9, the organization reported Tuesday in a media release. The…

Bilingual commentary: The Demise of the Mall?

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 When…

Consulate of Mexico and the Coalition to Abolish Slavery and Trafficking to hold forum on Jan. 23 in Oxnard

OXNARD — Consulate of Mexico and the Coalition to Abolish Slavery and Trafficking will hold forum “Abolish Salvery & Trafficking of People and the Signing Ceremony of MOU” from 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 23  at El Alfarero Assembly of…

Guest commentary: Ivan Illich’s toe

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 Other…

CSU Channel Islands took part this week in ‘Operation Ready Ventura County 2014’ earthquake drill

CAMARILLO — CSU Channel Islands took part in ‘Operation Ready Ventura County 2014,’ a multi-agency earthquake drill held Jan. 14-16. The event comes during the same week as the 20th anniversary of the Northridge Earthquake on Jan. 17, 1994. The Ventura…

Bilingual report: Rep. Brownley reports on $1.5 million in overdue federal benefits delivered to Ventura County

THOUSAND OAKS – In the year since Rep. Julia Brownley (D-Westlake Village) took office, Brownley and her staff have successfully delivered $1.5 million in overdue federal benefits to her Ventura County constituents, Rep. Brownley reported Friday in a media release.…

Bilingual report: State Sen. Jackson, Assemblymember Williams to co-sponsor Jan. 18 health care forum in Santa Barbara

SANTA BARBARA — State Sen. Hannah-Beth Jackson (D-Santa Barbara) and Assemblymember Das Williams (D-Santa Barbara) will host a Town Hall forum Saturday, Jan. 18 to help explain how federal health care reform will affect Californians. The meeting will take place from 10:30…

Bilingual commentary: Desiderata — Part V — Loud and aggressive persons

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 This…

El Concilio wins award from Bank of America

OXNARD — El Concilio Family Services in Oxnard was selected by Bank of America for a $3,000 award to support its effort to enhance the community, El Concilio reported in a media release. “El Concilio relies on the contributions of committed…

Guest commentary: El Baruyo. Context in understanding history’s unforgettable characters

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 Context…

Consulado de México en Oxnard abre 2014 con anuncios

Descarga “MICONSULMEX”, aplicación sobre servicios consulares, en tu teléfono o dispositivo móvil Para acercar la labor consular cada vez más a los mexicanos en Estados Unidos, está disponible MiConsulmex, una aplicación para teléfonos inteligentes y dispositivos móviles. Puede descargarse sin costo…

Bilingual commentary: The Wisdom of Desiderata — Part IV — Speaking Our Truth

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 Once…

Guest commentary: Back to Bachimba — Why history makes us important

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 History…