oin us for two upcoming community classes in collaboration with Santa Barbara Beach Yoga. Sign up now for the free classes listed below and meet us in the sand!
TOMORROW
SUNSET BEACH YOGA
& MEDITATION
Wednesday, May 26, 2021
6:15 – 7:15 PM
East Beach
Sign up for free >>
The Chamber Choir and Jazz Ensemble will perform live concerts via YouTube for the first time since COVID lockdowns began.
On Friday, May 21, Women’s Economic Ventures (WEV) announced the 10 winners of the 2021 Spirit of Entrepreneurship (SOE) Awards at a virtual event celebrating outstanding women business owners from Santa Barbara and Ventura Counties. Learn more at Spirit of Entrepreneurship Awards.
“The SOE Awards are a wonderful opportunity to acknowledge and honor these amazing women for the hard work they have put in to keep their businesses thriving. This year’s winners are even more inspirational when you factor in the challenges presented throughout the past year,” said Kathy Odell, CEO of WEV.
Families with children interested in creating their own street art for the I Madonnari Italian Street Painting Festival are invited to pick up free boxes of chalk this Saturday at a “drive through” event sponsored by Village Properties Realtors.
Village Properties staff members and members of the Children’s Creative Project arts education organization will hand out 1,000 boxes of children’s chalk between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. on Saturday, May 29. The event will take place at Village Properties’ Santa Barbara office parking lot (1436 State Street, off Micheltorena Street).
Meet our newest homeowners, Mario and Alyssa! They’ve just closed on their home in Ventura thanks to $57,000 in down payment assistance. When we first spoke to Mario and Alyssa, they were under the impression that homebuying programs were too good to be true. Well, their doubts turned into hope fast after speaking to Alex and the lending team at VCCDC.
Compartiendo información en colaboración
Fillmore 05/26/2021 Veteran’s Memorial Building
Oxnard 05/24/2021 Colonia Gymnasium
Oxnard 05/25/21 Garden City Acres Park
COVID-19 vaccines are now available by walk-in! No appointment is required. There are locations offered throughout the County. Vaccine eligibility is now open to everyone 12 and older. You can also make an appointment at myturn.ca.gov or 833-422-4255.
There are various regular and mobile clinics offered throughout the County. The most updated information about vaccine sites and clinics can be found at: https://www.venturacountyrecovers.org/vaccine-information/.
For information about COVID-19 testing, visit: https://www.venturacountyrecovers.org/coronavirus-testing/
California (on May 21) announced the details of the state’s full reopening plan. When California fully reopens the economy, the state will move beyond the Blueprint for a Safer Economy.
Beginning June 15, 2021, businesses will be able to return to usual operations with limited exceptions for mega events. The updated framework clarifies that physical distancing and capacity limitations will no longer be required for most businesses.
Review California’s reopening plan and guidance effective June 15, 2021 for all sectors listed in the current Blueprint Activities and Business Tiers Chart:
CLICK HERE FOR GUIDANCE EFFECTIVE JUNE 15, 2021
Note: Employers are subject to the Cal/OSHA COVID-19 Prevention Emergency Temporary Standards (ETS), if applicable to them.
Ventura County Community College District (VCCCD) Trustee Bernardo M. Perez has been elected to the 2021 California Community College Trustee (CCCT) Board. The 22-member board (including a student trustee) plays a vital role within the Community College League of California, providing leadership and guidance to secure a strong voice for locally elected governing board members.
Perez will serve a three-year term on the CCCT board, where he will help formulate educational policy issues coming before the California Community Colleges Board of Governors, State Legislature and other state-level boards and commissions.
Clinicas del Camino Real, Inc. is excited to expand the reach of our healthcare services, deepen our community connections and honor one of our longest-serving board members with the completion of the Karen R. Burnham Health Center, scheduled to open to the public on May 24, 2021 at 1100 West Gonzales Road in Oxnard.
The Karen R. Burnham Health Center is a state-of-the-art facility that will enable Clinicas to keep pace with the growing needs of the Oxnard community. The clinic’s layout is designed to support cohesive, convenient, and streamlined health care delivery to its patients – including primary care, dental, optical, behavioral health, and X-ray services – in a central, easily accessible location. A full range of comprehensive services are brought together under one roof so patients can save time in addressing a variety of health care needs in one location. The new facility includes 30 primary care exam rooms; 4 behavioral health exam rooms; 10 dental exam rooms; 3 optical exam rooms; 4 chiropractic exam rooms; as well as space to provide telehealth treatment.
The Ventura Community College District (VCCCD) is pleased to announce that Dr. Cynthia Herrera has been appointed to the position of Vice Chancellor of Institutional Effectiveness. Herrera joined the District in 2009 and most recently served as the Associate Vice Chancellor of Strategic Partnerships, Enrollment and Advancement.
With a strong background in business and educational leadership, Herrera will be responsible for providing Districtwide coordination and leadership to support diversity, equity and inclusion; strategic planning and accreditation preparation; districtwide economic and workforce development; as well as expanding business and industry partnerships and enhancing student success and completion initiatives for VCCCD’s approximately 31,000 students.
In partnership with the Economic Vitality Corporation, SLO Partners and the Morgan Family Foundation, the Economic Development Collaborative is proud to support this 10-week digital marketing course that provides a unique hands-on learning experience to enhance your marketing skills in the new digital era. This course has been subsidized by the partners to help promote access and remove obstacles for those looking to improve their marketing skills in an affordable digital classroom setting.
The Ventura County Aviation Unit, a joint operation of the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office and the Ventura County Fire Department, announce the arrival of its two new “Firehawk” helicopters today, just in time for fire season.
The helicopters are former military Blackhawk helicopters that were converted for public safety use. They are equipped with a 1,000-gallon belly tank to drop water on fires, a rescue hoist, and night vision technology.
“These new Firehawks are an important addition to the Aviation Unit’s fleet,” Fire Chief Mark Lorenzen said. “They can carry almost three times as much water as our Vietnam-era ‘Huey’ helicopters, which significantly enhances our ability to fight wildfires and keep them small.”
We are excited to announce that beginning Thursday, June 3, 2021, the museum’s gardens and outdoor areas at both the Museum of Ventura (100 E. Main St., Ventura) and the Agriculture Museum (926 Railroad Ave., Santa Paula) will be open to the public! Both museums will operate Thursdays thru Sundays from 11am—5pm.
We invite you to come visit the refreshed and improved gardens, participate in family activities, and see the new art installations.
PLUS: Admission will be FREE to everyone, throughout 2021!
We are so grateful for the highly skilled teams working at County vaccination sites who are helping us get one step closer to normal. Staff from the Ventura County Emergency Medical Services Agency (EMS) are working alongside our nurses and administrative teams to deliver vaccines to our community. Thank you to Frank Gomez, Kaden Gibson, Victor Hernandez from EMS (as pictured left to right).
Beginning on June 19, The Collection at RiverPark will be hosting a Farmers Market every Saturday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. in partnership with Raw Inspiration. Presented by Community Memorial Health System, the Farmers Market will be located on Collection Boulevard across from The Annex Food Hall.
On opening day, June 19, The Collection will kick off the Farmers Market with fun festivities for all ages. There will be live music, arts and crafts, photo opportunities, and more for the whole family to enjoy. From opening day forward, the weekly Farmers Market will offer visitors a chance to stroll in the sunshine as they shop for fresh, local, farm-to-table food.
“We can’t wait to welcome the community to this new Farmers Market,” said the shopping center’s Marketing Manager, Jill Almonia. “Here in Oxnard, we are fortunate to have a strong agricultural community and beautiful farmland right in our own backyard. This is a great opportunity to get outside this summer, support local farmers and merchants, and find some of the most delicious produce.”
After a long year of hardships caused by COVID-19, Ventura County is finally starting to gain the upper hand in the pandemic. And during EMS Week, American Medical Response (AMR), America’s leading provider of ground medical transportation services, is thanking its team for all they did to help keep the community safe and healthy.
Since May 2020, AMR and its subsidiary, Gold Coast Ambulance, have contributed more than 36,300 hours to transporting COVID-19 patients, assisting with COVID-19 testing and helping provide vaccinations. During this time, AMR administered a total of 594,064 COVID-19 tests. In addition, as a whole, Ventura County has administered more than 766,480 vaccines — an accomplishment AMR’s support helped to make possible.
Join us on Thursday, May 20 at 4:30 p.m. for our first SBCFAN Membership Gathering – bring your favorite beverage, connect with other food system actors, learn more about the Network, and sharpen your food system knowledge.
This is a members only event; if you’re not yet a member, become one today or we’ll send you a link to join before the event. Membership is free through 2021!
A bill authored by Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin and sponsored by the California Beekeepers Association would provide the first updates to honey labeling in California since 1978.
Assembly Bill (AB) 519 would clarify country of origin labeling (COOL) for honey distributed in California. Honey country of origin labels would need to match the same font and size of the USDA Grade and be placed on the same panel as the grade statement.
“Californians deserve to know where their honey is coming from and what they may be ingesting,” said Assemblymember Irwin (D-Thousand Oaks). “Ignorance stings and not knowing where your honey is coming from could pose a real threat to one’s health.”
Ventura County Public Works Agency announced the acceptance of $10 million in federal funding to cater to four Highway Safety Improvement Program projects in various areas of the county. These important projects seek to improve roadways and crosswalks that will contribute to overall community safety on local roadways.
The program is a core federal-aid program managed by each state for the purpose of achieving a significant reduction in fatalities and serious injuries on all public roads through the implementation of infrastructure-related highway safety improvements. The current program is authorized under the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act signed into law December 4, 2015.
The Workforce Development Boards (WDBs) of Ventura, Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties are partnering with the California Building Trades Council to offer the region’s first construction pre-apprenticeship training program. The WDBs are encouraging those interested in a career in construction to apply to this free 12-week course.
During the 120 hours of Multi-Craft Core Curriculum pre-apprenticeship program, participants will receive a construction industry overview and take classes in blueprint reading, basic construction math, tools and materials, and construction health and safety. Students will learn about clean and green construction–considered an emerging in-demand skill. Instruction follows the training curriculum of North America’s Building Trades Unions (NABTU).
A Message from Betsy Swanson Hollinger about her experience as a County Disaster Service Worker. Betsy is pictured (bottom right) with the team at our vaccine site in Thousand Oaks at the Goebel Adult Center.
Message from Betsy:
I wanted to share a brief summary of being a Ventura County Disaster Service Worker (DSW), as you may not have had the opportunity to hear from the details on the front lines of our vaccination clinics. I will speak on behalf of the clinic I was asked to manage with Suzy Watkins. It is the Thousand Oaks Goebel Center clinic.
My summary of the experience is that most of our DSW’s (me included) had been teleworking for almost year prior to deployment. The isolation and all the uncertainty COVID created in our lives was strange and hard for everyone. Coming to work at the clinic, although rough at the beginning since we had not interacted that socially with others, was a weird transition and somewhat overwhelming. We all had so little in-person all day interaction for the 10 months prior. None of us knew anything about working in a clinic either, so we all had some mild anxiety starting out. Needing to interact with hundreds of members of our community each day and also with each other demanded a different store of energy and skill from each of us. Since the get go, we were incredibly aligned with the mission of getting our community vaccinated, our purpose was very clear and has been powerful. For the team, we needed to learn who each of us is, what makes us tick, and how can we become a team with such an interdisciplinary group of county DSW’s and travel nurses from all over our country.
Our exciting partnership with the Templeton Unified School District, now sees students with access to free, afterschool support at Templeton Middle School. Our continued thanks to must! Charities for bringing this much-need program and Camino Scholars on campus!
The Economic Development Collaborative encourages you to sign up for our no-cost webinars. Space is limited. Register today!
COVID-19 RESTAURANT REVITALIZATION FUND / FONDO DE REVITALIZACIÓN DE RESTAURANTES
This event will be held simultaneously in English and Spanish
El evento se presentará simultáneamente en inglés y español
May 20 @ 11:00 am
Special thanks to the wonderful people serving at vaccine sites throughout our County! We appreciate their dedication. View the vaccine site schedule by clicking here. Walk up options available throughout the County for all community members 12 years old or older!
Family Service Agency (FSA) of Santa Barbara County, also known as Santa Maria Valley Youth and Family Center and Guadalupe’s Little House By The Park, is pleased to announce the appointment of Montecito Bank & Trust Vice President/MClub Director, Maria McCall, to its Board of Directors.
“We’re excited to add Maria McCall to our Board of Trustees,” said Lisa Brabo, FSA Executive Director. ‘She brings extensive community engagement and leadership experience to our board.”
Perseverance. Resilience. These are just two of the qualities demonstrated by the Class of 2021 during a year of unprecedented challenges. Watch the video applauding their accomplishments.
Nearly 1600 students participated in the virtual commencement ceremony held on May 7. Over 4,300 degrees and certificates were awarded, 608 students graduated with honors and 20 graduates are veterans.
Click here to watch the recorded ceremony.
1. Economy: There is strong business case for racial equity that is independent of the human to human considerations that we all have felt. Would you believe that ensuring that people of color across the country have equitable wages will lead to an additional $1 trillion in earnings (a 15% gain), an additional $800 billion in spending, and an increase of $450 billion in federal taxes collected? Equity is great for business!
Las entidades elegibles que han experimentado pérdidas de ingresos relacionadas con la pandemia incluyen:
Urban Tech Connect is a platform for under-represented communities to plug-in to the greater technology ecosystem and network with other founders, investors, tech influencers, and industry leaders. The conference also gives access to businesses that are raising significant funding or trying to be successfully acquired. Urban Tech Connect is bridging the gap of diverse ideation in technology while empowering the next generation of founders and entrepreneurs.
Does up to $100,000 in down payment assistance sound too good to be true? You could be the next family to benefit from our incredible programs and resources. Find out more at our Homeownership Conference where we have a magnificent line up of breakout sessions for you to chose from! Topics range from boosting your credit score, down payment assistance programs, rental relief help and more! Attend our sessions and join the Session Q& A after.
Win a Painting from Anette Power’s Silver Linings: Journey of Light
Exhibit closes May 30, 2021. Raffle tickets on sale now.
As Anette Power’s solo exhibition Silver Linings heads into its final two weeks, the artist wants everyone to have a chance at finding their own silver lining. The artist will raffle off her painting Island Fika (pictured above) to one lucky winner on May 30! All proceeds from the raffle will benefit the Santa Paula Art Museum’s education program. Purchase one raffle ticket for $35; three tickets for $60; or six tickets for $175 (you do not have to be present to win). More importantly, come and see Anette’s light-filled exhibit before it closes Sunday, May 30!
There are 32 new COVID-19 cases. There have been 4,423 new tests performed. There have been 3 additional deaths of a 45 year old male, 75 year old female, and an 87 year old female. Our thoughts and sincere condolences to the family and friends of those that have passed away.
The current R-effective (average number of people each infected person will pass the virus onto and represents the rate at which COVID-19 is spreading) is .91 which means that spread of COVID-19 is likely decreasing; R-effective for CA is .86 right now.
COVID-19 vaccines are now available by walk-in! No appointment is required. There are locations offered throughout the County. Vaccine eligibility is now open to everyone 16 and older. You can also make an appointment at myturn.ca.gov or 833-422-4255. The full schedule of county clinics and mobile events can be found at: https://www.venturacountyrecovers.org/vaccine-information-sp/
Women’s Economic Ventures’ Spirit of Entrepreneurship (SOE) foundation will present Lupe Anguiano of Oxnard with the 2021 Rock Star Award, to be held from noon to 1:30 p.m. Friday, May 21.
Register here for the virtual event.
Anguiano, 92, is the daughter of Oxnard fieldworkers, who has worked as an entrepreneur and an activist for more than seven decades to improve the social, educational, economic, and environmental conditions of women and the poor. Her many achievements include organizing grape boycotts for Cesar Chavez, developing a program for gang members in East LA, founding a powerful women’s political group with Gloria Steinem, and helping welfare mothers find a better life.
We met Julio from Fillmore and Trini from Oxnard at the Children’s Center for Cancer and Blood Diseases at the Ventura County Medical Center where Julio was receiving cancer treatment. They encouraged our community to get vaccinated to “bring the world back to normalcy and make sure we’re all protected.” It was important to them especially because many kids and teens like Julio who have low immune systems are more protected when we are all vaccinated for COVID-19. Thank you, Julio and Trini for sharing your story.
With a value of over 3.5 billion dollars in Ventura and Santa Barbara counties alone, Agriculture is a key part of the vibrant economy of the central coast of Southern California.*
Agriculture’s vibrancy in the U.S. owes it in large to the dedicated and tirelessly workforce, mostly of Mexican origin both documented and undocumented.
While the greatest majority of agricultural employers in the U.S. provide decent, fair and adequate working conditions, there is always room for improvement in terms of oversight from the government.
Tuesday, May 18 | 1:00 PM (PT)
Dr. Chien will interview Shine Lei, Ph.D., CFA, CFP®, and discuss the following questions: Why are women important in financial planning? What are some characteristics of women as clients? What are some characteristics of women as planners? How do we market to women clients? How to work with women clients efficiently? Learn more
his National Hospital Week, we celebrate the healthcare heroes who do so much to keep our community safe and healthy every day. They continue to work hard to move us beyond the pandemic and we appreciate them every day. You are appreciated!
Get rent relief at VCCDC! If you’re struggling with paying rent due to a COVID-19 financial hardship, and you’re an income eligible household, you may be eligible for the State of California’s COVID-19 Rent Relief Program! You can receive help with past due or future rent and utilities, especially if you’re at risk of eviction. VCCDC is a Local Network Partner approved to assist you with applying for this program!
Contact VCCDC to schedule an appointment today:
805-273-7800 or vgalicia@vccdc.org
This past year brought many challenges to our community as many families and seniors faced hardships brought on by the national pandemic — including loss or reductions in income, job loss, as well food and health insecurity. During this time, the nonprofit 2nd Story Associates, responded by continuing its efforts to support low-income families and individuals with critical needs in the Santa Barbara area.
2nd Story Associates is the nonprofit arm of the Housing Authority of the City of Santa Barbara (HACSB), created to support the development of affordable housing and promote social services for the benefit of low-income members of the Santa Barbara community. 2nd Story creates opportunities for low-income residents, many of whom are residents of HACSB housing and/or Section 8 Voucher recipients, to receive the support needed to preserve their home as well as improve their education, well-being and quality of life. They strive to ensure there is always hope for someone’s “2nd story.”
“People getting vaccinated could make us feel a little more safe and comfortable because we’re not getting a virus that could potentially be fatal to us. It could really help us continue to have a normal life while still receiving treatment.” – Jacob Gibson, 16
We met Jacob and his mom Heather Gibson today before he received his treatment at the Children’s Center for Cancer and Blood Disease at the Ventura County Medical Center. Jacob receives chemotherapy once a month to fight his Leukemia and is feeling healthy these days. Jacob and his mom both had COVID-19 last year and thankfully recovered.
Now they’re asking our community to get vaccinated to protect kids and teenagers like Jacob. Many who are treated for blood disease do not respond to the vaccines because their immune systems are low.
Professors Denise Montell, Linda Petzold and Glenn Fredrickson have been elected to the National Academy of Sciences.
Gill’s Onions will match all donations up to $10,000 for every dollar donated to Students for Eco-Education and Agriculture (SEEAG) during the month of May as part of SEEAG’s second annual Double Your Impact Challenge.
Gill’s Onions, based in Oxnard, is one of the nation’s largest family-owned onion growers and processors. Products sold nationally include whole, sliced, diced and slivered onions. It is a long-time supporter of SEEAG’s agricultural education programming that has reached over 60,000 elementary school students in central and southern California since its founding in 2008. All SEEAG programs are 100 percent cost-free to schools and students.
The Economic Development Collaborative encourages you to sign up for our no-cost webinars. Space is limited. Register today!
COVID-19 BUSINESS RESOURCES: THE RESTAURANT REVITALIZATION FUND
This event will be held simultaneously in English and Spanish
El evento se presentará simultáneamente en inglés y español
The County of Ventura has partnered with the Ventura County Community Foundation and Complete Reach Committee to launch a public outreach campaign to build community immunity. “The pandemic has shown the strength of our partnerships here in Ventura County. Those partnerships have been critical in moving us forward. Now, more than ever, working together we can build community immunity through outreach and education,” said County Executive Officer Mike Powers.
Grant funding is now available to Community Based Organizations (CBOs) to support outreach activities. Organizations are invited to submit a grant application at https://vaccinatevc.org/. Applications are due by Friday, May 7, 2021. The Ventura County Community Foundation (VCCF) in partnership with the County of Ventura, CBOs, businesses, local cities and individual grantees will expand vaccine education, awareness and outreach activities.
As students transition back into school after the many challenges the county has faced over the past year, Ventura County Public Works Agency (VCPWA) is celebrating the strength and resilience of the community by gearing up for its largest annual educational event for National Public Works Week (NPWW) for the second year in a row. While VCPWA is unable to accommodate an in-person event, on Monday, May 17, the agency will launch a dedicated webpage featuring a virtual tour of the multi-faceted agency and its five departments.
Growing upon the success of last year’s event, VCPWA took another innovative approach to its digital curriculum by incorporating feedback from the participating teachers, allowing a more customized experience for not only students but members of the public as well. During the week, students, faculty, and the general public can access a virtual tour with a robust curriculum featuring video demonstrations, educational materials and interactive projects.
Maria Hernández, a community member in Santa Paula, shares why she rolled up her sleeves and got vaccinated.
Watch for the special appearance from her mother, Elvia Hernández, from Proyecto Esperanza and Our Lady of Guadalupe Church in Santa Paula!
Thank you Maria for protecting yourself, your daughter, and your community.
House Farm Workers! announced this week that Phase II of the Farmworker Household Assistance Program (FHAP) is beginning to provide further emergency assistance to more farmworkers and their families in need from among the 45,000 who live and work in Ventura County. There is an immediate effort to raise $100,000 in order to maximize a 1:2 challenge match up to $50,000 from Ventura County Community Foundation’s (VCCF) COVID-19 Rapid Response Fund. The goal is to raise a total of $500,000 in Phase II. All donations will be provided directly to local farmworkers in need with eligibility and distribution overseen by the Farmworker Resource Program within the Human Services Agency of Ventura County.
To help reach the 1:2 challenge match, tax-deductible donations are being requested immediately at www.vccf.org/fhap/
Kids and their families participating in SEEAG’s “Let’s Grow A Garden” home garden program picked up donated potting soil from Agromin and vegetable seedling from Plantel Nurseries last week. More than 1,000 4-quart bags of potting soil and over 3,000 seedlings were distributed at Agromin’s Oxnard headquarters and at Ventura County elementary schools.
“Our busiest day was Earth Day,” says Caitlin Case, program director at Students for Eco-Education and Agriculture (SEEAG). “Thank you to Agromin and Plantel Nurseries for making the giveaway possible. Now, the students can get to work planting, caring for and harvesting their vegetables including kale, lettuce, tomatoes, bell peppers, Brussels sprouts, broccoli and cauliflower.
