We need your help to raise our Giving Tuesday goal of $25,000.
We need to raise $25,000 by the end of the day on November 29
to keep the admission free for the Museum of Ventura County
and the Agriculture Museum in Santa Paula.
SBA: WOSB CERTIFICATION – (WOMEN OWNED SMALL BUSINESS)
November 23 @ 10:00 am
Join the Small Business Administration (SBA) Los Angeles District Office for a virtual workshop to increase your potential for federal contract opportunities through the WOSB program certifications. This virtual workshop is targeted to small businesses located in the SBA Los Angeles District Office service area — Los Angeles, Ventura and Santa Barbara counties. SBA programs and services are extended to the public on a nondiscriminatory basis. For reasonable accommodation request please send an email to lado@sba.gov at least 7 days in advance.
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER
The EDC Board of Directors is a select group of leaders invited to the table for their vision, passion and ability for setting priorities and positively impacting our region’s economic vitality. Board members participate peer-to-peer with visionary leaders, providing guidance and input into our organizational strategy and capacity for delivering outcome-driven economic development services.
We are thrilled to introduce three new Board of Director Members!
Member: Central Coast Labor Council
Representative: Jeremy Goldberg, Executive Director
Covered California launched its new television advertising campaign on Monday, to promote enrollment and encourage the uninsured throughout the state to sign up for quality health insurance. The multi-language campaign builds on the successful theme of “This Way to Health Insurance,” which has helped Covered California enroll a record-high 1.7 million people.
“Covered California is reaching out to our state’s diverse population to make sure all Californians know about the increased and expanded financial help that is available to help bring the cost of quality coverage within reach,” said Jessica Altman, executive director of Covered California. “We want to make sure people know that Covered California is here to help them get and pay for quality, brand-name health insurance.”
Immerse yourself in the holiday spirit seaside at Ventura Harbor Village, located off California Highway 101, where friends and family from near and far, are invited to add sun and sparkle this season. Trade in snow for sand and snow boots for flip flops – it’s time to enjoy another iconic event lineup at this stunning destination situated along the waterfront in Ventura. The Harbor is truly a “must SEA” spot this time of year.
Ventura Harbor is mustering up more holiday magic than ever with ocean-inspired decorations in a color palette of twinkling blue, aqua, and green beachy hues. On display for all to see are spiraling sea pearls, a scenic “SEAsons Greetings” photo op, whimsical holiday trees, vibrant wreaths, and other festive décor that reflects off the glistening marina waters. Seasonal décor can be enjoyed from now through the New Year!
Visitors are encouraged to take a seaside stroll to enjoy the lights and stop in for quality food on a cozy covered patio – a perfect way to entertain and spend quality time with loved ones. Following a relaxing meal, explore the Harbor Village for one-of-a-kind gifts. Ventura’s locally-owned shops and art galleries have everything from handmade treasures to fun stocking stuffers.
The Economic Development Collaborative would like to recognize Native American Heritage Month. The EDC is dedicated to providing equitable access to resources, advising and capital. Since 2010, the EDC has helped generate $2 million in revenue to Native American businesses.
The EDC is proud to support the community by providing professional technical assistance in English and Spanish through our Small Business Development Center. Our NO-COST advising areas include:
Start-up Guidance
Marketing & Branding
International Trade
E-commerce & Social Media
Manufacturing Assistance
Legal Compliance
Strategic Planning
QuickBooks & Accounting
And MORE
If you need assistance with your business, please give us a call:
EDC Business Assistance Line (805) 409-9159
With gratitude I am counting the many blessings 2022 has brought to our organization.
Along with the continued production of affordable housing, which your encouragement, inspiration, guidance and financial resources have made possible, this year we are celebrating ‘20 Years of Supportive Services’.
Since its humble beginnings around a picnic table, and growing to ten sited-based learning centers, our education program ‘Camino Scholars’ has bolstered the efforts of thousands of our youth. Resulting in academic graduations, previously unattainable career paths, and scores of personal success stories. Families have been strengthened, neighborhoods benefitted, and entire communities economically enriched. And because of two decades of having licensed social workers on staff, seniors, veterans, the formerly homeless, and those living with disabilities, have found security, dignity, and independence.
Our supportive services come in many guises; compassionate property management, dedicated maintenance teams, career counselors, fundraisers, financial specialists, information technicians, designers and construction crews, all working together to ensure that our residents have assistance when they need it, and have a place to call home.
Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital and Goleta Valley Cottage Hospital both received an “A” Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade for fall 2022 from the Leapfrog Group. The national distinction recognizes the two hospitals for achievements in protecting patients from preventable harm and errors.
“This Leapfrog award marks the third consecutive time that Cottage hospitals in Santa Barbara and Goleta Valley have earned the ‘A’ Safety Grade. We received the honors in fall 2021, spring 2022 and now fall 2022. This is a tremendous accomplishment made possible by the commitment of everyone in our organization to keep our patients safe,” said Dr. Babji Mesipam, Chief Medical Quality Officer for Cottage Health.
Housing Trust Fund Ventura County is committed to funding the development of safe and equitable homes that make a positive impact in the trajectory of people’s lives. In support of that effort, the nonprofit recently received $18,000 from a combined two operating grants from Citizens Business Bank and the Bank of Sierra and a $500,000 investment from US Bank into its Everyone Deserves a Home Community Impact Note. Funding such as this is pooled with other supportive funding sources to ensure developments like the Rancho Sierra Senior Apartments (Rancho Sierra) are built to foster positive change for individuals and families who face housing insecurity.
CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI) President Richard Yao, Ph.D., has named Richard LeRoy as the next Vice President for University Advancement (VPUA), effective immediately.
LeRoy has served as Interim VPUA since January of 2022, having joined the campus in August of 2017 as Senior Director of Development. In November of 2021, he accepted the role of Associate Vice President for University Development.
“I am humbled to serve as the next Vice President for University Advancement and to continue to build upon our success in philanthropic support for CSUCI,” LeRoy said. “I love this University and our mission, and I am excited about the opportunities ahead of us where we will connect with donors and our 25,000 alumni in more profound ways.”
Ventura County Credit Union has welcomed John Cooke to the team as its new vice president of consumer and mortgage lending. In this role, Cooke, who has more than two decades of experience in credit union leadership, will collaborate with VCCU’s chief lending officer to oversee the credit union’s consumer and mortgage loan products and lending team.
“We couldn’t be more excited to have John on board,” said VCCU’s president and CEO, Linda Rossi. “His unique blend of experience, commitment to lifelong learning and strong leadership skills are already proving to be tremendous assets. He is a fantastic addition to our team, and we look forward to continuing to work with him to benefit our members.”
Both of the last two Livable Communities Newsletters (May and August of 2022) used the Alliance’s State of the Region (SOTR) data to focus on what it will take to obtain the transportation structure required if Ventura County is to be a true livable community. We learned that, not only is there much more that needs to be done for transportation, but we also affirmed that housing is an integral part of the transportation puzzle that cannot be ignored.
Therefore, this edition of the Livable Communities Newsletter will discuss three different types of housing approaches currently being used right now in the County:
Traditional Developer
Publicly Developed and Funded
Public / Private Partnership
IN-PERSON EVENT: CUSTOMER DISCOVERY AND RESEARCH TOOLS FOR TECH BUSINESSES
November 17 @ 6:00 pm
The Economic Development Collaborative’s Inclusive Innovation Hub (iHub²) is a technology service and resource program that helps facilitates growth for entrepreneurs and companies in technology. The program provides one-on-one tech-focused advising, mentor matching, funding options, pitch deck development, general business marketing, growth strategies and other technology-focused services to a diverse client base. Reaching out to underserved and underrepresented companies, iHub² collaborates with diverse groups throughout the region to offer a wide variety of networking, mentoring, and industry-focused events, work-shops and networking events.
Year round the EDC offers support to our local veterans who wish to start a business or have an existing business. The EDC offers programs designed to assist businesses in key areas with one-on-one technical advising through the EDC Small Business Development Program (EDC SBDC). In partnership with the Small Business Administration, the EDC SBDC provides entrepreneurs with high level business consulting at NO-COST. For more information on the programs and services the EDC provides CLICK HERE.
For guidance with starting a business or getting guidance with an existing business please call
Oxnard College has received a $3 million federal Title V grant to boost enrollment and provide support for equitable student outcomes among Latino and low-income students as they pursue their college and transfer goals.
Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSI) throughout the country applied for the competitive grant, which will be distributed over a five-year period. The grant is directed by the U.S. Department of Education’s Developing Hispanic-Serving Institutions Program (DHSI).
“Over the last decade, the U.S. Department of Education has placed its faith in Oxnard College by awarding our institution seven competitive grants totaling nearly $30 million to better serve our community’s Latino and underrepresented students,” shared Oxnard College’s Acting President Oscar Cobian. “This most recent grant will transform our students’ lives by helping them thrive academically and transfer to four-year institutions.”
CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI) is one of 17 CSU campuses tapped to receive California State University HSI Community Grants, part of a CSU-wide initiative of the Global HSI (Hispanic-Serving Institution) Equity Innovation Hub (EIH).
CSUCI’s “Channel Your Potential” initiative received $136,989 and a new program called “Serving Black Students” was awarded $64,460.
The CSUCI grants were a portion of the more than $2 million awarded to the 17 CSU campuses. The grants will support CSU programs that inspire the next generation of creators and innovators to pursue high-demand careers in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) and the creative and tech industries.
An informational listening session will be held on December 7 to seek public input on how bus systems, dial-a-ride, and paratransit services can better serve residents in Santa Barbara County. All residents are encouraged to stop by anytime during the two-hour virtual listening session to share comments or concerns about bus systems, dial-a-ride, and paratransit services in Santa Barbara County, or express needs for new or expanded services in the county. Spanish language interpretation services will be available during the listening session.
Ventura County Elections Division announces the opening of the Nomination Period for the Special Municipal Vacancy Election for City Council Member District 6. Nomination papers for the above office are available beginning November 14, 2022 at the office of the Oxnard City Clerk, 300 West Third Street, 4th Floor, Oxnard, California. The completed nomination papers must be filed with the Oxnard City Clerk’s office no later than 6:00 p.m. on Thursday, December 8, 2022. The nomination will not be extended.
Housing Trust Fund Ventura County announces a 3.87 acre land donation by the City of Thousand Oaks to its supporting non-profit, the Housing Land Trust Ventura County. Approved at the City’s November 1, 2022 City Council meeting, the donated land located at 384 N. Erbes Road will be developed by People’s Self-Help Housing into nearly 80 affordable for-sale townhomes. People’s Self-Help Housing, as the lead agency, is working with collaborative partners Housing Trust Fund Ventura County/Housing Land Trust Ventura County, Ventura County Community Development Corp, McCarthy Companies, and DiCecco Architecture to bring this development to fruition.
Results of a clinical feasibility study suggest ketogenic diet and periodic fasting may have benefits against polycystic kidney disease.
Ventura County Credit Union is now officially a Low Income Credit Union (LICU). This Low Income Designation, granted by the California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation, demonstrates VCCU’s commitment to supporting the underserved.
To receive Low Income Designation, a credit union must show that at least half of its membership is at or below the 80th percentile of area’s median income. Other factors that helped VCCU earn this designation include the financial support provided by both the credit union and its foundation, as well as VCCU’s financial education efforts, partnerships with organizations like MICOP and the Mexican Consulate, and designation as a Juntos Avanzamos credit union.
The Workforce Development Board of Ventura County (WDBVC) and America’s Job Center of California are celebrating National Apprenticeship Week on November 14th, 2022.
“This open house is a fantastic opportunity for anyone considering an apprenticeship career. They can meet representatives from Laborers Local 585 LiUNA, Tri-Counties Sheet Metal Workers JATC, Iron Workers, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), and ask questions,” said Rebecca Evans, Executive Director WDBVC. “Apprenticeships combine hands-on paid work experience with help and instruction to prepare workers for highly-skilled and well-paid careers”
On November 8, Cottage Health opened its newest Cottage Urgent Care Center at 1298 Coast Village Road in Montecito, with the goal of providing complete care within 45 minutes. Access to care is an important priority in preventing a minor issue from becoming a more serious health concern, and the new Urgent Care Center provides the community with convenient access from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., 365 days a year.
Cottage Urgent Care in Montecito joins 14 other Cottage Urgent Care locations in Santa Barbara, Goleta, Buellton, Orcutt, Santa Maria, and San Luis Obispo, as well as Ventura, Oxnard, Camarillo, and Point Hueneme.
Just in time for the holidays, Island Packers, the official boat concessionaire to the Channel Islands National Park, with daily departures to the Channel Islands from Ventura Harbor Village, will be offering seasonal cruises for family and friends, as well as group functions. Ventura Harbor Holiday Cruises and Whale Watching trips are splendid ways to celebrate the winter season. (Masks are optional). An array of holiday options include the following:
Click here to read in web browser. Moorpark student financial stability profile featured on NCII website MOORPARK — To address barriers impacting students’ success, Moorpark College partnered with the National Center for Inquiry and Improvement (NCII) to conduct an exhaustive,…
Dozens of farmworkers and their allies were scheduled to hold a news conference and rally prior to Monday’s California Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR) “workshop” on plans for a statewide pesticide notification system. The news conference, sponsored by the Coalition Advocating for Pesticide Safety 805 (CAPS 805), was held outside the site of the DPR workshop, the Oxnard Performing Arts Center (800 Hobson Way, Oxnard). CAPS 805 and allies are concerned that the County’s pilot notification system and DPR’s current draft plans will not serve the community without the address or farm location of the pesticide application, among other issues.
Westminster Free Clinic and Care Center received funding of $1.5M from the State of California to support their programs and services. Budget request was made by Assemblymember. Steve Bennett.
The Port of Hueneme, known as the fourth largest container Port in California, welcomed another electric-hybrid crane–an investment made by Ports America stevedoring. The crane’s arrival marked another important step in the Port’s partners continued investment in zero-emissions technology and focus on operational reliability, as the new crane is also going to be replacing another one that’s going to be decommissioned.
“We congratulate our Port partner, Ports America, for its newest $7,000,000 investment in Ventura County’s Port and in helping us continue on with our legacy as the greenest Port in the country,” said Oxnard Harbor Commission President, Mary Anne Rooney. “This brand-new, electric-hybrid crane will make us even more competitive for future grants and will help us achieve our path towards Port decarbonization much faster.”
SBA: ACCOUNTING AND BOOKKEEPING TIPS TO WRAP UP YEAR-END
November 8 @ 10:30 am
November and December are some of the busiest months for small business owners. With the holiday shopping season in full swing, it can be easy to get caught up in managing the day-to-day sales and operations. But taking the time to wrap up the year thoughtfully can significantly impact next year. Get a jump start on your year-end checklist and avoid stress by learning how to wrap up your business from Accounting Expert Juliana Ramirez of JR Bookkeeping. Through an interactive webinar, she will share a checklist of tasks you can follow and discuss accounting and bookkeeping tips that can be applied to your small business. Come prepared with your specific questions.
Thousand Oaks City Council ratifies the two new board members. They bring a shared vision of the transformative benefits of arts for children and youth to TOArts. THOUSAND OAKS — Elibet Valencia Muñoz and Sean Rendineo have officially joined the TOArts…
CSU Channel Islands has chosen a site for construction of an early childhood center designed to address the dire need for quality, affordable and accessible care for children of CSUCI students, 40% of whom earn less than $24,000 a year, farm workers’ children in the region, and other community members, as well as for the children of University employees.
Just a few short years ago, David Medina was looking at a future much different from where he is now. He and a friend had a plan to open a new restaurant in Santa Barbara. The funding was confirmed, and the restaurant was about to get off the ground when the pandemic hit, shutting down in-person eating and effectively derailing Medina’s plans.
Fortunately, Medina wasn’t one to sit at home waiting for another opportunity to present itself. He still had a skill set, and people still needed to eat; he just needed to figure out how to get his food to them.
Ivor Davis: Up Close and Personal with Joe Sohm, Thur., November 3rd from 6:30-8pm
Joe Sohm (“America’s Photo-Historian”) has been published more than 500,000 times in publications that include the National Geographic, Time, Newsweek, New York and L.A. Times, Washington Post and featured on CNN, ABC, PBS, and the History Channel. He served as President Clinton’s photographer for the D.N.C and his work is featured in Ronald Reagan’s book The Great Communicator. Join host Ivor Davis for a riveting discussion with Sohm about his work as one of the nation’s greatest political photographers of our time.
The Ventura County Fire Department will provide $125,000 in matching funds to the Ojai Valley Fire Safe Council to support a localized fire hazard mapping project.
The county Board of Supervisors approved the funding Tuesday, Nov. 1, on a unanimous vote.
“The Ojai area is among the highest wildfire risk areas in the entire state,” said Board Chair Matt LaVere, who represents the Ojai area. “The 2017 Thomas fire and the many even larger wildfires throughout the state that have occurred since that time has shown us the significant role burning embers play in the astonishing speed at which these fires spread and threaten our communities.”
SBA: VETERAN ENTREPRENEUR TRAINING
October 31 @ 11:00 am
Like all successful missions, small business ownership and growth starts with training. This workshop will empower service members, veterans, National Guard and Reserve members and military spouses with entrepreneurial trainings and resources right in their local community. Specialized training programs for women veterans, service-disabled veterans and veterans interested in federal procurement will also be discussed.
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER
A heartfelt thank you to everyone who came to our Annual Fundraiser in Saticoy on October 16th. We are grateful for our speakers, who all brought an invaluable perspective and offered attendees a thorough look at the challenges and community efforts in Saticoy.
Our success is only made possible by YOU. Because of your support, whether you donated, volunteered, attended, or spread the word about our 2022 Gala, we were able to host our most successful event ever. Together we raised $684,000 for our community’s youth! As you know, putting this event together is no small feat, and we’ve already begun planning next year’s… and we have a date! The 21st Annual Stand Up For Kids Gala will be held on
Saturday, September 9th 2023.
SANTA BARBARA — The Teacher’s Fund celebrated its 20th year by hitting a significant milestone thanks to strong community support during its annual Back-to-School Drive: the non-profit serving Santa Barbara-area educators surpassed the $2 million mark. The Teacher’s Fund set an…
The library launches the Community Archives Project for Santa Barbara’s Latinx neighborhoods.
Join me for Halloween!
Our team will be at the following locations on October 31st:
Harvest Fair & Trunk o Treat at Franklin Elementary:
Located at 1111 E Mason St, Santa Barbara, CA 93103. The event will go from 4 pm-7 pm
Trunk or Treat at Girls Inc Carpinteria:
Located at 5315 Foothill Rd, Carpinteria, CA 93013. This event will go from 3:30p pm- 5 pm
Ghost Village Road in Montecito:
On Coast Village Road in Montecito. This event will go from 3 pm to 6 pm
Be sure to do your part to help make this a safe Halloween for everyone. Here are a few easy things parents and kids can do to stay safe on the spookiest of holidays.
Top Tips for Halloween Safety?
Carry glow sticks or flashlights, use reflective tape or stickers on costumes and bags, and wear light colors to help kids see and be seen by drivers.
Join kids under age 12 for trick-or-treating.
Slow down and be alert! Kids are excited about Halloween and may dart into the street. Turn on headlights early in the day to spot kids from further away.
Remind kids to cross the street at corners or crosswalks.
When selecting a costume, make sure it is the right size to prevent trips and falls. Choose face paint over masks when possible. Masks can limit children’s vision.
For more information on Halloween Safety, visit https://www.safekids.org/halloween
— The Triunfo Water & Sanitation District (TWSD) recently moved its administrative and customer service offices to Westlake Village. The move coincides with TWSD’s official transition into an independent water agency. Its new location is at 370 North Westlake Blvd., Suite…
Fall is in the air across Santa Barbara County. Winter squash’s orange and yellow hues abound at farmers’ markets, farm stands, and local food retailers. Farmers are milling locally-grown grains harvested in the summer, and local ranchers are raising turkeys for the holidays. Fishermen recently showcased the abundance of sustainably harvested, high-quality seafood at the 19th Annual Harbor and Seafood Festival.
From the mobile farmers’ market to shared agricultural equipment, food system changemakers across the Lompoc Valley are addressing critical needs by fostering community and developing food system infrastructure. As you’ll read in our latest regional highlight on the Lompoc Valley, farmers, ranchers, farmers’ market managers, food business owners, and educators alike are accelerating community-led solutions to build a more equitable, closed-loop food system.
As the seasons change, there are a number of opportunities to get involved in the Santa Barbara County food system. See below for more updates on how our region is building resilience, upcoming events to make new connections, and funding for your next project.
As a testament to Oxnard’s strong financial footing, Standard and Poor’s Global Ratings (S&P) upgraded the City’s Issuer Credit Rating from “A” to “A+” on October 26, 2022. The report also revised its long-term rating on the City’s lease revenue bonds from “A-” to “A”, the City’s Gas Tax Bond from “A+” to “AA-” and assigned a “stable” outlook to all three.
The City has made steady progress improving its ratings in recent years. The new S&P ratings mark Oxnard’s 5th upgrade by S&P in just the last 12 months. As shown in the table below, ratings were also increased by one notch on the wastewater fund earlier this year, and the outlook on the water bonds was moved to “positive” from “stable.”
The Economic Development Collaborative would like to recognize National Women’s Small Business Month. The EDC has supported over 300 Women owned small businesses this year alone and has helped generate over 100 jobs. The EDC is dedicated in supporting women with achieving their business goals.
The EDC is proud to support the community by providing professional technical assistance in English and Spanish through our Small Business Development Center. Our NO-COST advising areas include:
Start-up Guidance
Marketing & Branding
International Trade
The Housing Authority of the City of Santa Barbara (HACSB) will host a visit and tour with HUD Region IX Administrator, Jason Pu on October 26th from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Former San Gabriel City Councilmember Jason Pu was appointed by President Joe Biden to serve as Regional Administrator for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Region IX, covering the areas of Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada, Guam, American Samoa and the Mariana Islands. He plays a key role in leading a distribution of housing assistance funds and will oversee field offices to ensure that local communities benefit directly from HUD programs and funding.
Labor Market Report for September 2022
The California Labor Market Information Division (LMID) released its September 2022 report on Friday, the overall data showing some positive change, including a net gain of 2,100 industry jobs and an improvement in the unemployment rate, from 3.5% in August to 3.3% in September.
Most encouragingly, the improvement in the unemployment rate came as a result of a gain by 3,100 more workers reporting employment and, happily, by a decline of 900 workers reported as unemployed.
Or put another way, our unemployment rate improved not because workers were dropping entirely out of the labor market (as has been the case for several recent months), rather, as we so strongly prefer, because more workers were taking jobs. This is good both for workers and their earnings as well as for employers who have been struggling to find workers to take their jobs. That noted, the gains varied widely across the key industry sectors. We’ll share more on how that played out by industry in our comments below. For the official September data, click here.
Housing Trust Fund Ventura County has been notified by the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) that it has been awarded $5,000,000 from the Local Housing Trust Fund (LHTF) program. This is a result of the nonprofit’s ability to raise $5M in local funding to receive this 100% match from the California State Prop 1 matching grant program. This brings the total funding for Housing Trust Fund VC in this program round to $10M, which through the development of safe and affordable housing will positively impact the lives of farmworkers, veterans, low-income seniors, cognitively impaired individuals, houseless persons, transitional age foster youth, and extremely-low and low-income individuals and families.
Seven cities and one county within Clean Power Alliance’s (CPA) service territory have chosen 100% Green Power as their default energy option this fall, making their communities and Southern California cleaner, healthier, and more resilient. CPA leads the nation in serving the most customers with 100% renewable energy.
Beginning this October, Beverly Hills, Camarillo, Claremont, Hawthorne, Redondo Beach, unincorporated Los Angeles County, and businesses in Rolling Hills Estates and South Pasadena are joining other CPA communities that have already established themselves as environmental champions by selecting 100% Green Power. CPA residential customers in Rolling Hills Estates and South Pasadena have been on the default option since 2019.
As a not-for-profit clean energy provider, CPA offers three default energy options to the many communities it serves: 100% Green (100% renewable energy), Clean (50% clean energy) and Lean (40% clean energy). With the addition of this year’s communities, 21 of the 32 communities CPA serves are now on 100% Green Power.
Santa Ynez Valley Cottage Hospital Foundation (SYVCHF) has elected a new member, Jonathan Grunzweig, to join the Board of Directors for 2022 and serve on its Finance & Investment Committee.
A resident of the Santa Ynez Valley since 2005, Mr. Grunzweig previously served as the Chief Investment Officer of DigitalBridge. He received a Bachelor of Arts from Cornell University and a Juris Doctor from Harvard Law School. Prior to his time at DigitalBridge, he was a partner at the Skadden Arps law firm in Los Angeles. A native of Cleveland, Ohio, he resides in Ballard with his family.
SBA: HOW TO START A BUSINESS
October 25 @ 10:00 am
Are you interested in starting a business? If you are please join the Small Business Administration (SBA) Los Angeles District Office for a virtual workshop to learn about SBA’s 10 Step Guide on How to Start a Business. This virtual workshop targeted to new entrepreneurs. Topics covered from creating a business plan, finding capital, registering your business, getting necessary permits and/or licenses and getting a business bank account. This is a great opportunity to get any questions you may have answered and find out about the multiple resources available to help you.
The Uplift Central Coast Coalition is excited to announce that we have been awarded the $5 million grant through California’s Community Economic Resilience Fund (CERF). We are excited for the opportunity to drive a 2-year planning process to create an inclusive economic development plan for the six Central Coast counties of Santa Cruz, San Benito, Monterey, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara and Ventura, with a focus on equity, sustainability, job quality, economic competitiveness and resilience.
VENTURA — Ventura County Parks has launched the Rincon Seawall Beautification project located south of Solimar Beach. This pilot project is being funded by County Parks in an effort to introduce art into parks and inspire community beautification. The 285’ stretch of seawall will take approximately 5 weeks to complete and will depict an ocean scene with the sea life found off the Ventura County Coast. Successful completion of this project will provide an upgraded look to the day-use parking area.
For more information on County parks and trails, please visit www.ventura.org/parks-department or call (805) 654-3951.
The Museum deeply appreciates these thoughtful gifts of tribute
that sustain the legacy of the Museum’s mission.
The following names in bold are those being honored or memorialized,
while the names underneath them are the generous donors giving to
the Museum of Ventura County in their name.
Santa Barbara City College celebrated the grand opening celebration of the SBCC Dream Center in the Campus Center on its main campus (721 Cliff Dr.), Wednesday, Oct. 19. The Dream Center is a space where undocumented students can receive legal assistance, academic assistance, financial assistance, access to community resources and more.
As part of SBCC’s Office of Equity, Diversity and Cultural Competency, the Dream Center hosted a number of activities and events in recognition of the California Community Colleges system-wide Undocumented Student Week of Action, Oct. 17-20. On Tuesday, Oct. 18, Rafael Agustín was on hand for an in-person keynote speech and book signing. An award-winning television writer (“Jane the Virgin”), Agustín is also the author of “Illegally Yours: A Memoir,” a funny and poignant book about how as a teenager, he accidentally discovered he was undocumented and how that revelation turned everything he thought he knew about himself and his family upside down.
SANTA BARBARA — Community Environmental Council (CEC) CEO/Executive Director Sigrid Wright on Oct. 20 announced the public launch of Protect Our Climate: CEC’s 50th Anniversary Reverse, Repair, Protect Campaign – a $15 million fundraising campaign that will bolster CEC’s work to confront the climate crises.
Until Thursday, the $15 million campaign had been in a quiet phase, during which CEC leadership ensured a strong foundation and resources for a successful campaign. The campaign comes at a pivotal time when state and federal climate policy is dramatically accelerating; the success of those laws depends on local and regional implementation. The action by the California Legislature and the federal government’s recent passage of the Inflation Reduction Act provide the strongest tailwinds for climate progress that the United States has ever experienced.
The Golden State Education and Training Grant Program (GSETGP) supports Californians who lost their jobs due to the COVID-19 pandemic with a one-time grant of $2,500 to reskill, up-skill and access educational or training programs to get back into the workforce.
Eligible Applicants:
Were displaced from employment due to the COVID-19 pandemic. To be a displaced worker, individuals would have to had lost their jobs completely, and not just experience a decrease in wages or business
Were not enrolled in a training program or institution of higher education at the time they were displaced from employment
Have been unable to obtain employment that provides an average monthly wage that is equal to or greater than the average monthly wage received from their employment prior to the COVID-19 pandemic
Following a national search, Cottage Health has promoted Kristin Tufvesson to the role of Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer.
Ms. Tufvesson began her career at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital in 1991 and has held several key positions at Cottage Health over the past three decades.
Since early 2022, she has been serving as interim Senior VP and CFO, and was previously Vice President, Finance & Controller. Her prior roles included Director of Financial Services and Director of Financial Planning & Decision Support.
Greg Kovacs joins the Boys & Girls Club with a lifelong passion for helping children and teens achieve their true personal and academic potential. Throughout his career, Greg has had the great fortune and opportunity to design, develop, and lead educational nonprofit organizations, schools, and camp programs towards great success.
He has dedicated more than two decades of his life, helping our nation’s youth find safe and engaging environments, to provide the opportunities needed to grow and achieve personal success. He has gained experience in both traditional school settings and in less formal outdoor experiential education learning environments.
The Ventura College Foundation is now accepting scholarship applications for the 2022-23 school year. The deadline for application submissions is January 20, 2023.
Students currently enrolled at Ventura College in the 2022-2023 academic year, who have completed at least six credits by the end of Fall 2022 semester, are eligible to apply. Units earned in previous semesters at Ventura College count towards the unit requirement.
“We recently lowered the minimum number of credits from 12 to 6 so many part-time students now qualify to apply,” says Anne Paul King, Ventura College Foundation executive director. “Many of our students work full time and have family commitments that prevent them from taking a full class load. Our new credit policy opens eligibility to these students.”
