Dear Friends,
These are challenging times for our community and country. But the challenges we’re facing also provide us with a tremendous opportunity for growth and progress. At United Way of Ventura County, embracing diversity, equity, and inclusion is not only the right thing to do, it is necessary to our success. To learn more about our diversity, equity, and inclusion values and commitments, please read our statement, linked here and available on our website.
The nation’s two top credit ratings firms – Moody’s and Standard & Poor’s – have awarded the County with their highest short-term rating and reaffirmed its triple A long-term credit rating – the highest possible rating. These ratings will enable the County to refinance and borrow funds at lower interest rates to fund critical needs, saving substantial taxpayer resources over time.
The high credit rating allowed for the County to refinance the Ventura County Medical Center Hospital Replacement Wing Bond on June 3 at a lower rate. This will save approximately $2 million annually in debt service payments resulting in $34 million net present value savings.
EDC on June 10 to present Zoom webinar ‘A Beginner’s Guide to Building Your Business Through Instagram’
By a unanimous vote on June 8, the Board of Supervisors concurred with the recommendation of County Executive Officer Mike Powers to appoint Melissa Livingston as the Director of the Human Services Agency.
“Melissa has been an influential County leader during her 40 years of service,” said County Executive Officer Mike Powers. “She has been a great partner and an integral member of our County leadership team in supporting the mission to provide comprehensive and compassionate services for our diverse communities. Dedicated, bright and compassionate, she has dedicated her life to helping the most vulnerable. She is exceptionally well qualified, and this is critical, especially as our community recovers from the impacts of COVID-19.”
Kathleen M. Fellows, an attorney with the Camarillo-based employment law firm LightGabler, has been named to the 2020 Super Lawyers’ Rising Star list of southern California attorneys. Each year, no more than 2.5 percent of lawyers are selected by the research team at Super Lawyers to receive this honor. This is the second year that Fellows has been selected. She was previously named in 2019.
The Ventura Botanical Gardens (VBG) recently announced the COVID reopening date of Saturday, June 6. The Gardens have been closed due to both the pandemic and subsequent new construction including sponsorship sites and entrance development.
With the re-opening, new COVID protocols are in play. The Merewether Welcome Center entrance is now set up for non-contact social distancing. The exit has been moved to the back of the education structure—signs will point the way. There will be a limited entry of 50 visitors in the entirety of the Gardens. These protocols are based on National Public Gardens guidelines and are subject to change.
In an effort to assist businesses and residents, the County of Ventura’s CEO’s Office is finalizing a $20 million Economic Stabilization and Recovery Program aimed at providing relief to businesses and families by utilizing funding from the Federal Coronavirus Relief Fund. These programs will launch on June 17. Residents and business owners can subscribe for updates at www.vcreopens.com to be informed when applications become available.
Good Evening, Here’s your COVID-19 update from the County of Ventura.
26 new cases
1,216 total cases
884 new tests
30,025 total tests
952 recovered cases
21 hospitalized
8 in the ICU
35 deaths
The PACC’s meeting and banquet rooms are now available to rent for events meeting the County’s health officer order. With five meeting rooms, outdoor areas, and two banquet rooms with a total combined square footage of over 14,611, the PACC has plenty of space to host county-approved gatherings. For more information, or to find out if your event meets these restrictions, feel free to call/ text us at (805) 385-8147 or email us at info@oxnardperformingarts.com. Please note, our office is also reopening by appointment only.
In an effort to make unincorporated streets safer, Ventura County Public Works Agency (VCPWA) and Southern California Edison (SCE) are working together to begin work on May 26 to replace existing high pressure sodium vapor fixtures with energy efficient Light Emitting Diode (LED) lights.
Marine biologists forecast the effects of oil platform decommissioning on fish communities.
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Good Evening, Here’s Your COVID-19 update from the County of Ventura.
26 new cases
774 new tests
1,190 total cases
924 recovered cases
19 currently hospitalized
11 in the ICU
29, 141 total people tested
Students for Eco-Education and Agriculture (SEEAG) organized produce donations from 13 different growers to fill over 4,000 bags of fresh produce for farm workers in need. The produce was distributed weekly in April and May.
Participating growers were Gill’s Onions, Houweling’s Group, San Miguel Produce, Earthtrine Farm, Saticoy Lemon Association, Duda Farm Fresh Foods, Petty Ranch, Calavo, Mission Produce, Tamai Family Farms, Fig Tree Farms, Chivas Skin Care and Bennett’s Honey Farm.
Yesterday, the Santa Barbara County Public Health Department provided an update to the Board of Supervisors on COVID-19. Despite the reopening of more businesses and people out and about at the beach and downtown, our indicators have remained well within the guidelines set by the State. In fact, we have seen a 27% reduction of active cases. However, we need more people to take advantage of our increased testing capability. Many of you emailed me about procuring a greater amount of testing and now we ask that you please use it! I know many of you were not utilizing our local testing sites because you wanted to make sure they were available for healthcare workers, and other essential workers, but now there seems to be testing capacity for everyone who is interested. Please see more information on testing below:
Online appointment registration: https://lhi.care/covidtesting
COVID-19…. Nearly every aspect of our daily lives is impacted. None of us is immune. We are living through unprecedented, historic times.
How will we remember the details of this life-altering experience? What will future residents learn about how Ventura County reacted to the crisis? Who will tell our grandkids the stories of our experience? The answer to those questions and the key to the historical records will be in the archives and the collection of the Museum of Ventura County. Such is the case with all of our county’s history.
Good Morning, Here’s your COVID-19 update from the County of Ventura.
12 new cases
401 new tests
886 recovered
1,164 total cases
28,367 total tests
19 hospitalized
11 current ICU
244 active quarantine
34 deaths
Here at Friendship Center, we foster and encourage strong partnerships with our family caregivers to assist our members in getting connected online, so that they can continue participating with their friends in virtual social settings – we call this our virtual community. We are ready to help make this possible, so please contact us and let’s embrace something new together!
An Economic Forecast Project webinar dives into the ramifications of reopening Santa Barbara.
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United Way of Santa Barbara County announced on June 1 that thanks to their generous supporters, the COVID-19 Joint Response Effort for Santa Barbara County, has secured more than $1.2 million to provide ongoing support for individuals and families in need through Individual Assistance Grants. To date, more than 800 households (representing 2,600 individuals) have received much-needed relief funds. Hundreds more households will receive support in the coming weeks. Paying rent and covering basic needs remain the top concerns for the thousands of residents who have lost employment. In addition, 94 local nonprofit organizations have received grants totaling more than $1.3 million to also help them meet immediate and near-term community needs.
Planning a wedding is a big deal, no matter the size of the event, the location or budget. After all, it’s one of the most important days in the lives of couples everywhere. A great deal of time, care and thought goes into creating a memorable event months ahead of tying the knot. Right now, millions of couples are reeling from the impact the COVID-19 pandemic is having on their “Big Day.” Imagine the frustration of realizing that your celebration is frozen in suspended animation due to travel and social distancing restrictions, hotel, event venue and honeymoon destination closures, lost deposits, and worst of all, not knowing if the date you set will actually be the official day you’ll share your marriage ceremony with loved ones. Catherine Forester, an officiant and owner of Weddings by the Sea in Santa Barbara, understands the emotional turmoil couples are suffering. She has developed a practical solution to stop coronavirus from defeating happiness.
EDC has been proud to walk alongside nearly 5,000 businesses in Ventura and Santa Barbara County who have been navigating every possible resource to move forward and thrive. Your courage and perseverance has been inspiring and we know that many of you have faced tremendous obstacles.
In response to questions around SBA loan denials, unknown loan status, unemployment benefit concerns and much more, we offer the following guidance.
The Ventura County Public Health Officer has issued visitation guidance for Long-Term Care Facilities (LTCF). For more than two months residents of the facilities have not been able to have visits from friends and family members to protect these seniors from COVID-19 infection. These residents have missed special visits with their loved ones and the following guidance will allow for facilities to maintain and enhance the quality of life for these residents.
Join State Sen. Hannah-Beth Jackson’s (D-Santa Barbara), Assemblymember Monique Limón, and Congressman Salud Carbajal as well as a representative from California’s Employment Development Department (EDD) for a teleconference town hall this Wednesday, June 3 at 5:30 p.m.
Please note that the EDD presenter will not have access to benefit claim information and cannot respond to specific claim inquiries.
In an effort to make unincorporated streets safer, Ventura County Public Works Agency (VCPWA) and Southern California Edison (SCE) are working together to begin work on May 26 to replace existing high pressure sodium vapor fixtures with energy efficient Light Emitting Diode (LED) lights.
This Order issued by the Ventura County Health Officer shall become effective at 11:59 p.m. on May 29, 2020. At that time, all current Orders of the Ventura County Health Officer shall expire and no longer be of any force or effect, except any and all prior violations of the previous orders remain prosecutable, criminally or civilly. Pursuant to Health and Safety Code section 120295 et seq., violation of or failure to comply with this Order is a misdemeanor punishable by fine, imprisonment, or both.
Good Evening, Here’s your update on COVID-19 in the County of Ventura:
16 new cases
33 deaths – 1 additional death (a male in his 90s with a comorbidity)
1,078 total positive cases
21 in the hospital
11 in the icu
817 recovered
23,389 tested
Restaurants, retail stores and businesses now reopening to serve customers OXNARD — With the stay-at-home orders beginning to lift in Ventura County, The Collection at RiverPark is now welcoming visitors back to enjoy the outdoor shopping center. Throughout The Collection, retail…
Programs Aim to Provide Relief to Ventura County Businesses and Families VENTURA — The County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously for County staff to finalize a $20 million Economic Stabilization and Recovery Program aimed at providing relief to Ventura County…
Spanish Webinar for Business Owners! El viernes, 29 de mayo a las 10 am WEV Works en español continua con el tema de marketing y ventas por internet y en redes sociales. ¿Sera este el momento para abandonar las ventas…
The Ventura College Foundation’s Weekend Marketplace will reopen May 30 and 31 and will continue to be open every weekend. The Marketplace has been closed since March 14 when social distancing restrictions took effect because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Marketplace will initially have 39 vendor booths and will safely limit customer attendance. Prior to the shutdown, the Marketplace drew about 2,000 shoppers each weekend with 300 to 400 vendors.
MAY | 2020 California Lutheran University’s School of Management is happy to share a selection of exciting news, updates and upcoming events to our communities in Southern California and beyond. Please reach out to us if you are interested in…
Yesterday, in response to Governor Newsom’s announcement, the Santa Barbara County Public Health Department issued a revised Health Officer Order which provides updated guidance for places of worship and providers of religious services and cultural ceremonies, graduation ceremonies, hair salons, and barbershops.The Order states that:
Residents who visit Ventura County Harbor Department-managed beaches and parks will have improved recreational opportunities and be able sit and lounge while practicing social distancing guidelines.
Harbor Department Director Mark Sandoval said the County is pleased to ease some of the soft closure restrictions –limiting beach and park access to physical activity – put in place in April 2020. The soft closure restrictions will be removed at Kiddie, Silver Strand, and Hollywood beaches and at the Harbor parks, including Peninsula and Harbor View.
Resources
COVID-19 Testing: Information is attached and included at www.vcemergency.com.
Food: http://foodshare.com/covid19/
Senior Services: https://www.vcaaa.org/covid-19/
Unemployment assistance: https://www.vcemergency.com/resources
Business resources: https://edcollaborative.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/EDC-COVID19-BUSINESS-RESOURCE-GUIDE.pdf
Wellness: https://www.wellnesseveryday.org/coping-during-coronavirus
Coping with stress: https://habits.vcbh.org/
Support resources: https://www.ventura.org/departments/hsa/community-events/coronavirus-remote-resources/remote-resources-during-coronavirus/
Frequently asked questions about the Stay Well VC Order:https://www.vcemergency.com/staywellvc/faqs-general
As America battles COVID-19, low-income individuals, families, seniors and those with special needs – people considered our most vulnerable citizens – are bearing the brunt of the ensuing economic fallout. The trickle-down effect of unemployment, standing at more than 14.7 % or 36.5 million workers applying for unemployment benefits over the last two months, directly impacts tenants who can’t pay full rent and landlords, many of which have mortgages on their rental properties. This negative trend is hitting home right now in Santa Barbara and elsewhere.
The Governor announced today that hair salons and barbershops in most California counties can reopen as the state moves forward on the path to reopening. The County of Ventura was approved for a state variance last week allowing the County to move faster through California’s reopening phases. This allows for local hair salons and barbershops to reopen.
May 26, 2020 Top News Fish Feed Foresight A new paper describes how fishmeal and oil alternatives can support aquaculture growth. Read More ? Wired for Marriage For the first time, researchers have explored the neural and genetic connections to…
The Ventura County Office of Emergency Services, and the California Departments of Food and Agriculture, and Pesticide Regulations together have provided over 700,000 facemasks to help provide protection to farmworkers and other agricultural operations. The Agricultural Commissioner’s Office has been reaching out to growers, farm labor contractors, packer/shippers and pest control businesses to make arrangement to distribute masks from the Commissioner’s offices in Camarillo and Santa Paula.
As California lawmakers consider difficult cuts to address the $54 billion budget deficit resulting from the coronavirus, Senator Hannah-Beth Jackson (D-Santa Barbara)’s Senate Bill 956 to bring oversight and accountability to billions of dollars in certain corporate and other tax breaks passed the Senate Governance and Finance Committee today on a 4 to 2 vote.
A California law requires that companies with five or more employees provide two hours of supervisory training and one hour of staff training every two years on harassment, discrimination, bullying and retaliation. With employees now working remotely, arranging in-person training in the workplace is not feasible. Employment law firm LightGabler offers an online training video course as an alternative solution that meets California harassment and bullying training requirements.
I am very pleased to announce the State Department of Public Health approved Santa Barbara County’s attestation to move further into Stage 2, which allows in-dining restaurants and retail stores to open as long as they follow safety guidance provided by the state and complete a self-certification of safe practices. The Santa Barbara County Public Health Department issued this Health Officer Order, which provides local guidance.
VENTURA COUNTY — Good Evening, Here’s your COVID-19 Update from the County of Ventura. 25 new cases 883 total cases 680 recovered cases 21 hospitalized 12 ICU 174 under quarantine 29 deaths 18,673 people tested www.vcemergency.com Business Information: www.vcreopens.com…
Pablo García and his son Javier are working on the renovation of the building at 321 W. 6thStreet and it is coming along great. It will certainly be ready for plays and workshops by the time the Corona Virus restrictions are lifted.
Largest County in the State to be approved VENTURA — The County of Ventura is the first and largest Southern California County to receive approval from the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) to move forward on an accelerated Stage…
The Cal State Student Association (CSSA) has awarded CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI) Associate Professor of Communication Jacob Jenkins, Ph.D., the 2020 California State University Faculty Innovation & Leadership Award.
VENTURA COUNTY — For too many, housing is not guaranteed. At a time when acts of kindness matter, Housing Trust Fund Ventura County invites you to join its Everyone Deserves a Home Compassion Campaign. This weeklong celebration takes place June 1st through June 5th…
The partners in an initiative to cut air pollution and protect endangered whales announced results from the 2019 program and recognized the 15 shipping companies that participated, reducing speeds to 10 knots or less in the San Francisco Bay Area and the Santa Barbara Channel region. The voluntary incentive program ran May 15, 2019 through November 15, 2019. Partners hope to further recognize the companies at a ceremony at the Port of Hueneme later this year, depending on public health guidelines regarding the COVID-19 pandemic.
In partnership with America’s Jobs Center, the Human Services Agency is offering supportive services funds for individuals up to $800 if your hours have been reduced or eliminated due to the economic impact of covid-19. Additional eligibility requirements apply. Priority will be given to English language learners, low income individuals and those with barriers to employment.
Please see flyer below for more detail or call 805.204.5186 for more information. Due to a high volume of calls, please allow up to 48 hours for staff to contact you.
The PACC has been home to graduations of all kinds – Middle and High schools, Fire and Police Departments, and more – since we opened in 1968. We understand how difficult this year is for all the hardworking graduates who are missing out on their formal ceremonies. We’re here for you!
Come capture your special moment in the spotlight at The PACC and get a chance to win the ultimate GRADUATION PARTY for you and 100 of your friends. We’re able to host this contest thanks to our new partnership with Party Starz who will provide all the decor, food, and DJ, while we provide the venue!
May 21, 2020 Top News Sewage Surveillance Researchers are developing methods to monitor the COVID-19 virus through the community’s wastewater. Read More ? A Boon to Research Four graduate students have been awarded Fulbright Fellowships to pursue projects abroad. Read…
