ATASCADERO — Twelve families who worked together to build the majority of their brand new homes under the supervision of Peoples’ Self-Help Housing (PSHH) received the keys to their homes during a ceremony held on Dec. 4, the organization reported this…
Category: Business
Guest commentary: Women’s Economic Ventures encourages shoppers to buy gifts from local businesses this holiday season
SANTA BARBARA — As the holidays are approaching, many are thinking of the right gift to give friends and family members. Many people plan to head to the mall or department stores to purchase this season’s hottest items, but Women’s…
December cover story: Holiday charity event ready to hit the streets
Santa to the Sea Half-Marathon on Dec. 14 to benefit numerous charities in the region By Frank X. Moraga / Amigos805 It’s beginning to look a lot like — breathing hard, wheezing, thirst and aching muscles. Yes, ’tis the season…
Finance: 7 tips for keeping holiday budgets (and your holiday spirit) intact
By Metro Editorial Services (MS) “No one is so poor that he can’t give a smile, nor so rich that he doesn’t need it.” — Anonymous Holidays are exciting — family visits and special once-a-year meals, celebrating traditions together…
Local business information
> Mark Sylvester, ambassador for 805connect and CEO of introNetworks, will present the talk “Do connections really matter?” at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 3 at the Cal Lutheran Westlake Center, 31416 Agoura Road, Westlake Village. Sylvester has been building online…
November cover story: Groups in region busy helping those in need
Food banks, private businesses, others lending aid this holiday season By Frank X. Moraga / Amigos805 While hunger and finding a safe and warm place to sleep remain year-round challenges for many people in the 805 region, the need is…
Local news briefs
SAN LUIS OBISPO — SLO RISE (Respect, Inspire, Support, Empower) has announced a change in office hours to meet funding cuts and increasing demand, the organization reported in a media release. “This decision was made after much deliberation,” Jennifer Adams,…
Business: Career opportunities abound in the nonprofit sector
By Metro Editorial Services (MS) Nonprofit organizations require the talents of many different types of workers and not just those looking to volunteer. According to the National Center for Charitable Statistics, more than 1.4 million nonprofit organizations operate within the…
Local business information
> The Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE) will present its next “Hispano Mixer” from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 7 at the Heritage Cultural Center, 141 W. Fifth St., Suite E, downtown Oxnard. Patty Centurion of Surepath Financial…
Local news briefs
SANTA BARBARA — Foodbank of Santa Barbara County is seeking produce donors and volunteers for the Foodbank Backyard Bounty Day on Saturday, Oct. 25. Foodbank is calling out to community members with harvest sites (orchards or gardens) in south Santa…
Guest commentary: From Selena to Cristela: Our moment is now
By Miguel Orzoco / Guest contributor Nearly 20 years ago the Latino community lost one of its greatest performers. Selena Quintanilla Perez, the embodiment of our aspirations and dreams, was tragically taken away. She was only 23 years old. We…
Bilingual commentary: Trust, permission and sales
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 As…
Business: The benefits of business podcasting
By Metro Editorial Services (MS) mall businesses, understand the importance of establishing an online presence. Identifying new content strategies can help keep a company’s name and business motto fresh in the minds of consumers. Search engine optimization, or SEO, and…
Local business information
> The California Employment Development Department will present an “Employee or Independent Contractor Seminar” from 9 a.m. to noon Tuesday, Oct. 7 at the EDD Tax Office, 4820 McGrath St., Suite 200, the organization reported. The seminar will include information…
Bilingual report: SCORE to present Hispano Mixer on Sept. 26 in Oxnard
OXNARD — SCORE will present a Hispano Mixer from 5:30 to 9 p.m. Friday, Sept. 26 at the Heritage Cultural Center, 141 W. 5th St., Suite E, Oxnard. Learn networking techniques in order to better your business and personal life,…
Ventura County Housing Trust Fund issues $900,000 notice of funding availability for farm worker housing
VENTURA COUNTY — The Ventura County Housing Trust Fund (VCHTF) has announce the issuance of its third Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) for the development of affordable housing in Ventura County, the organization reported in a media release. Linda Braunschweiger,…
California EDD to present ‘Farmworker Fair — Faria Campesino’ on Sept. 7
OXNARD — The California Employment Development Department will present a “Farmworker Fair — Faria Campesino” from noon to 4 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 7 at the EDD’s West Oxnard Job & Career Center, 636 S. Ventura Road, Oxnard, the organization reported.…
Business: Start a recession-resistant business
By Metro Editorial Services (MS) The latest statistics from the Small Business Administration indicate that two-thirds of new businesses survive two years, while about 45 percent survive four years. Such odds inspire curiosity as to how entrepreneurs have the gumption…
Local business news
> The Economic Development Collaborative-Ventura County has announced a free listing in 805CONNECT. 805connect is a comprehensive database created to provide an official directory and networking platform to connect all businesses in the 805 area code. More than a simple…
Ventura Harley-Davidson will match every dollar donated until Friday to El Centrito STEAM Fundraising Challenge
By El Centrito Family Learning Centers OXNARD — Ventura Harley-Davidson gave El Centrito and our families a second chance to meet the $5,000 goal for our 5 Days to Raise campaign. When Ventura Harley-Davidson heard that our final fundraising total fell…
Local news briefs
CAMARILLO — CSU Channel Islands (CI) hosted its second Migrant Summer Leadership Institute (MSLI) for migrant high school students and their parents from July 11-26, university officials reported in a media release. The institute, funded through a grant from the…
Business: Switch jobs with grace, decorum
By Metro Editorial Services (MS) Women leave jobs for various reasons. Some women cite disparities in pay, an inability to advance through the company or incompatibility with a particular place of business as their reasons for seeking new employment, while…
Local business information
> The Economic Development Collaborative-Ventura County has launched an enhanced website to ensure that business leaders can easily and efficiently access the latest information to help their companies grow, the organization reported in a media release. The site, www.edc-vc.com, has…
Commentary: Santa Barbara at-risk students get help from $7,500 Bank of America grant
By Frank X. Moraga / Amigos805 With a success rate of 79 to 84 percent for students completing college courses with a C grade or better, compared to the college-wide rate of 67 to 70 percent, the Santa Barbara City…
Local news briefs
CAMARILLO — A grant from Edison International, parent company of Southern California Edison (SCE), will fund student scholarships in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) and an energy conservation innovation lab at CSU Channel Islands (CI), university officials reported June…
CSU Channel Islands’ Henry L. Lacayo Institute receives Edison International grant
CAMARILLO — A grant from Edison International, parent company of Southern California Edison (SCE), will fund student scholarships in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) and an energy conservation innovation lab at CSU Channel Islands (CI), university officials reported Wednesday in a…
Business: How to impress when hosting a business dinner
By Metro Editorial Services (MS) Hosting a business dinner is both an honor and a responsibility. Employers typically entrust only their most valued employees with the responsibility of hosting a business dinner, and such opportunities are not to be taken…
Local business information
> Women’s Economic Ventures will present a series of free one-hour orientation sessions” from noon to 1 p.m. Wednesday, July 9 in Buellton; Thursday, July 10 in Santa Barbara; Tuesday, July 15 in Santa Barbara; and from noon to 1…
Bilingual report: VCCDC to present ‘Homeownership Fair & Grand Opening Celebration’ on June 28 in Oxnard
OXNARD — The Ventura County Community Development Corporation will present a “Homeownership Fair & Grand Opening Celebration” from 11 a.m.to 3 p.m. Saturday, June 28 at 2231 Sturgis Road, Suite A in Oxnard. “You have a dream of owning your…
Realtor Michael Delgado joins real estate team of Coldwell Banker Oxnard Beach
OXNARD — After entering his second successful decade in Real Estate, Michael Delgado is joining the Real Estate team of Coldwell Banker Oxnard Beach, according to a media release. Every year from 2003 to 2013, Delgado was awarded “Top Listing…
2nd annual Job Fair to be held June 12 in Santa Maria
SANTA MARIA — The California Employment Development Departement, in partnership with Santa Barbara County Workforce Investment Board, will present the “Second Annual Job Fair” from 1 to 4 p.m. Thursday, June 12 at the Veterans Memorial Building, 313 W. Tunnel,…
Local
CAMARILLO — The Ventura County Community Foundation and the Ventura County Housing Trust Fund have teamed up to create the first permanent revolving fund in Ventura County dedicated to building farmworker housing, the organizations reported in a media release. The…
Business: How to avoid distractions when working from home
By Metro Editorial Services (MS) Telecommuting has made great strides over the last decade. U.S. Census Bureau statistics have identified key telecommuting trends, noting that 45 percent of the American workforce holds a job that is compatible with at least…
Local business information
> The Institute for Global Economic Research (IGER) at CSU Channel Islands (CI) and the Port of Los Angeles will present “Meet Consul Generals and Export,” a free workshop on the opportunities and nuances of conducting trade in some of…
May cover story: The search is on for summer jobs for youth
Variety of training, placement programs are available for youth if they know where to look By Frank X. Moraga / Amigos805 Monique Marquez recalls when she was 16, in high school and went looking for her first summer job. “I…
Business: Online reviews can benefit shoppers, retailers alike
By Metro Editorial Services (MS) Word-of-mouth has long been an ally of small business. Customers who have positive experiences with a small business often share those experiences with friends, family members and coworkers, and that word-of-mouth can help hardworking small…
Local business information
> CSU Channel Islands’ Martin V. Smith School of Business and Economics will hold its final Spring 2014 Speakers Series program with a presentation by Joe Schroeder, president/CEO of Ventura County Credit Union, from noon to 2 p.m. Friday, May…
Bilingual commentary: Internet marketing — The new frontier
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 We…
April cover story: Empowering youth, adults through education
Ventura-based GOCARE Inc. seeks to expand its efforts to business education in Nicaragua By Frank X. Moraga / Amigos805 Nicaragua is the poorest country in Central America and the second poorest in the Western Hemisphere. Much of the nation’s infrastructure was…
Local
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Rep. Lois Capps (D-Santa Barbara), along with many of her colleagues, demanded that the House of Representatives vote on a comprehensive immigration reform bill by signing a discharge petition on H.R. 15, the bipartisan Border Security, Economic…
Business: Regaining your work-life balance
By Metro Editorial Services (MS) Balancing work and family life is a major challenge for many professionals. Many established professionals find it stressful to juggle the demands of successful careers with the obligations they have to their families and regaining…
Local business information
> Allan Hancock College to present its second annual “54-hour Startup Weekend Santa Maria” on April 4-6. “Bring your business idea, and we’ll help make it happen,” said Anne Cremarosa, director, Small Business Entrepreneurship Center, and one of the organizers…
Chicana and Chicano Studies scholar to receive II Galardón Don Luis Leal
UCSB’s María Herrera-Sobek is the first woman to be so honored By Kateri Wozny / UCSB María Herrera-Sobek, professor of Chicano and Chicana Studies at UC Santa Barbara, has been named to receive the II Galardón Don Luis Leal…
Bilingual commentary: Leaping over the wage 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 David Magallanes / Guest contributor Much…
Rigoberto Vargas, Marvelle Berry appointed to board of Boys & Girls Club of Greater Oxnard and Port Hueneme
OXNARD — Rigoberto Vargas and Marvelle Berry have appointed to board of Boys & Girls Club of Greater Oxnard and Port Hueneme, the organization reported this week in a media release. Vargas is public health director at the Ventura County Health…
March cover story: Health care issues take centerstage
Affordable Care Act March 31 deadline, new health agency chief and health plan’s improvement of services top the list By Frank X. Moraga / Amigos805 With the deadline looming for open enrollment in the Health Insurance Marketplace, the announcement of…
Business: Improving office productivity
By Metro Editorial Services (MS) Productivity is paramount to a company’s success. A productive staff tends to meet or even exceed its goals, strengthening a company along the way. As a result, business owners often find themselves looking for ways…
More local business information
> California Lutheran University will present “The Equipped Mind,” a free public workshop to help entrepreneurs deal with the psychological issues that come with launching new businesses, from 1 to 3:30 p.m. Sunday, March 9, in Lundring Events Center on…
Leah Lacayo elected president of Ventura County Fair board
VENTURA — The board of directors of the Ventura County Fairgrounds has elected Leah Lacayo president, the organization reported in a media release. The board also elected Bonnie Weigel vice president. Lacayo is serving her second appointment to the board of…
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…