As a boomer who started working toward the end of the Industrial Revolution and then well into the digital age, I find myself fumbling my way into the AI Era that is suddenly at our doorstep. Now it occurs to me that although it behooves young people to get on board with AI for the sake of their futures, Latinos, specifically, should seriously consider the benefits that are possible for them.
For important reasons, Latinos stand to benefit enormously by upgrading their skills.
In 1970, when People’s Self-Help Housing was founded, our work began with a simple but powerful idea: as our name indicates, help people build their own homes. Through this mutual self-help model, we have worked alongside 1,200 amazing families who built their own homes. But as the needs of our communities evolved, so did we. In the mid-80s we moved into developing multifamily housing for rent and since then have constructed 63 vibrant neighborhoods throughout the Central Coast.
OXNARD — City Impact, Inc., a Ventura County–based nonprofit dedicated to serving at-promise youth and families since 1995, is proud to announce that nominations are now open for the Thrive Together Awards 2026 — the organization’s signature annual celebration of entrepreneurship, innovation and community impact, targeting small businesses and start-up organizations in Ventura County.
The Thrive Together awards ceremony will take place on Thursday, September 24, 2026 from 5:00–9:00 PM at the Museum of Ventura County in Ventura, California — fittingly timed during National Hispanic Heritage Month. Small business nominations are open now through Tuesday, July 14, 2026.
For most Ventura County deputy sheriffs, every day is a risk, where they may experience the possibility of a serious work-related injury or illness, known in workers’ compensation terms as a “presumptive” injury or illness.
In interviews with the Ventura County Civil Grand Jury, deputy sheriffs with presumptive claims described their frustration with minimal communication, confusing delays, denials of claims that were later reversed, and long waiting periods.
We’ve had so many kittens come into our care that our VCAS Foster Families are already running out of kitten food. To help keep our foster families stocked with critical food, we’re doing a quick Kitten Food Drive.
Food donated through our Kitten Food Drive – Amazon Wish List will be delivered directly to the Camarillo Shelter where our foster families will pick up from.
What does active hope look like? It looks like learning new skills, meeting inspiring people, celebrating community, coming together around shared solutions, and discovering practical ways to create change.
This summer, the Community Environmental Council (CEC) invites you to join us for A Year of Active Hope — a series of free events offering a welcoming space for people to unite, find courage, and take meaningful steps for our planet.
There are several hundred thousand amateur astronomers in the U.S. I was one of them during my teenage years (my daughter, a mother of three boys, has made it a point to tell me that I was not a “normal” teenager). I had one big disadvantage: I lived in Los Angeles during those years and had never seen the Milky Way due to the massive amount of illumination from one of the largest cities in the world just north of the suburb where I lived.
One summer, my father took all of us to the mountains north of Los Angeles for a few days. I took my telescope with me.
“For 35 years, the Juneteenth Freedom Day Celebration has brought together our Ventura County community to honor history, celebrate culture, and embrace the values of freedom and unity,” said Bruce Stewart, President of the Ventura County Juneteenth Celebration. “We are proud to continue this tradition and remain committed to ensuring that future generations understand the importance of Juneteenth and the contributions of African Americans to our nation and our community.”
On view now through July 12, 2026
Santa Paula artist Cornelis Botke (1887-1954) is best known as a master etcher and as a supporting figure in the career of his wife, artist Jessie Arms Botke (1883-1971). His etchings earned international acclaim and entered the collections of the California State Library, the Library of Congress, and the Smithsonian Institution. Yet from childhood, Cornelis’ true ambition was to be a painter.
Botke was born in Leeuwarden, Holland, in 1887. Orphaned at a young age, he was raised and educated in a Mennonite orphanage in Haarlem. Although he longed to pursue painting, his guardians worried about his livelihood and enrolled him instead at the Haarlem School of Applied Art, where students trained for professional trades such as architectural drawing, engraving, and metalwork.
Last month, I wrote about my experience at the Council of Foundations conference and the idea of connection being its own philanthropic cause, worthy of support, and how the work in front of us is not simply to gather with those who already affirm us. The deeper work is to break bread across difference and discover that we still belong to one another.
My email inbox was flooded with replies and messages expressing a shared concern for how polarizing and divided these times are. Your replies have stayed with me, and they fill me with hope. I really want to thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts with me, and please know how grateful I am for each and every one of you.
Dear Friends & Supporters,
June marks one year since Border Patrol carried out a series of immigration enforcement operations across Ventura County, reaching the Central Coast for the first time since the early 1990s.
Between June 10 and June 14, 2025, at least 95 community members were taken from their workplaces, homes, and families. Fear spread quickly throughout the region as workers stayed home, parents worried about their children, and entire communities braced for what might come next.
What many did not know at the time was that these raids were a warning of something far more devastating.
Together, we remember…
The Ventura County Board of Education meeting on Tuesday, May 26, 2026, unfolded in a highly charged atmosphere. Faced with a packed room of over 100 disgruntled citizens and a profound break in institutional trust by Superintendent Dr. César Morales, the Board of Trustees responded to a political crisis with a unanimous 5-0 vote to launch an ad hoc committee. Chaired by Trustees Michael Teasdale and Richard Lucas III, this committee is tasked with hiring experts to conduct an independent investigation and full forensic audit into the Ventura County Office of Education (VCOE).
“You like me, you really like me!”
-Sally Field, 1985
-and Friendship Center, 2026
I know Friendship Center is beloved by so many in our community; it would be impossible for us to have existed for 50 years otherwise. But May was one of those months where we really felt the love.
We were honored to receive our first-ever grant from the Women’s Fund of Santa Barbara, supporting the operation of our dementia-friendly transportation service. If you’re unfamiliar with the incredible research, diligence, and care that the Women’s Fund invests in every grant decision, let me assure you, this recognition is no small thing. Their team spent months getting to know Friendship Center, understanding our work, evaluating our impact, and determining whether we could deliver on the promises we make to our community.
VENTURA — The nomination period for the Ventura County Area Agency on Aging’s LEGACY Awards is now open. These awards recognize the contributions of Ventura County residents and businesses dedicated to helping older adults, people with disabilities and their caregivers to live optimally.
The deadline for submitting nominations is Tuesday, September 1, 2026. The winners will be announced in November. The nomination packet is attached.
To all who joined us for last week’s Cleaver & Clark Commons Grand Opening, thank you! Located in central Grover Beach, this new property is providing 53 affordable apartments to low-income households, farmworker families, and those experiencing or at risk of homelessness.
VENTURA COUNTY — Ventura County Public Health (VCPH) on May 29 announced it has successfully completed a rigorous process to maintain national accreditation status through the Public Health Accreditation Board (PHAB). This announcement follows PHAB’s national release, recognizing 14 health departments across the country for achieving accreditation or reaccreditation. As the first local health department in California to earn PHAB accreditation in 2014, VCPH continues to lead ahead among the other local health departments by meeting national standards and demonstrating excellence in protecting community wellness and delivering high?quality public health services. In California, 29 out of 61 local health departments are accredited by PHAB. By maintaining its accreditation for another five years, VCPH has demonstrated that it meets or exceeds PHAB’s quality standards and continues to improve in its efforts to protect the health of all Ventura County residents.
VENTURA — Habitat for Humanity of Ventura County (Habitat Ventura) marked a milestone on Saturday, May 16 at its annual Hearts & Hammers Dinner and Auction, held at the Museum of Ventura County in Ventura. The evening brought together more than 140 supporters, sponsors, and community members to celebrate the organization’s 40th anniversary and raise funds for its homeownership and home repair programs throughout Ventura County.
This year’s event carried a here’s No Place Like Home theme, inviting guests to follow the yellow brick road through an evening of dinner, drinks, live music, and an auction. The heart of the evening was a short film tracing 40 years of Habitat Ventura’s history through the people who built it.
SANTA PAULA — In advance of the Fourth of July Holiday and Fireworks event, the City of Santa Paula and the Santa Paula Police Department are announcing schedule and guidelines for those making plans to attend the fireworks show at Santa Paula Creek Sports Park at Harvest.
Please be aware, as with any community fireworks show, there will be extended traffic delays upon exiting the event for those who choose to drive a vehicle and park it in spaces available at Santa Paula Creek Sports Park.
“From Field to Fork” brings together farmers who produce Ventura County’s agricultural bounty, chefs who celebrate that bounty on their menus, and the farm workers whose labor makes it all possible.
Enjoy a multi-course gourmet dinner while helping promote affordable, safe, and stable housing for Ventura County farm workers and their familie
VENTURA — Ventura Housing, in partnership with the City of Ventura and the County of Ventura, is pleased to announce the grand opening and 100% occupancy of Valentine Road Apartments. The development transformed a former La Quinta Inn into 134 units of permanent supportive housing through a $32 million Homekey grant from the State of California. The Valentine Road Apartments represent the largest Homekey Project completed in both the City and County of Ventura and is a cornerstone of the regional and statewide effort to address homelessness through permanent supportive housing.
According to the Ventura County Continuum of Care’s 2026 Point-in-Time Count, homelessness in Ventura County declined 11.8% from 2025 and 28% since 2023. The report attributes part of that decline to the expansion of permanent supportive housing countywide, including the 134 units at Valentine Road Apartments.
From farmworker fields in California to war in Vietnam to a doctoral degree in history, Fabros is UCSB’s oldest Ph.D. recipient.
Read more about his story
VENTURA — As the Fourth of July approaches, people in sensitive groups should be cautious about elevated levels of air pollution caused by fireworks.
Fireworks emit fine particles including soot and ash that can cause serious health effects. Children, older adults and people who are pregnant or have respiratory or heart conditions are the most at risk.
SANTA PAULA — More than 3,000 attendees packed Historic Main Street for the June edition of Cruise Night 2026 on Friday, June 5 — one of the strongest turnouts in the event’s 25-year history.
Hundreds of classic cars filled the street as families, car enthusiasts, and visitors from across Ventura, Santa Barbara, and Los Angeles counties came together for a free evening of community, culture, and live music by Ventura County-based bandRed Rock Road. Downtown shops and restaurants stayed open late, bringing the city’s historic core to life well into the evening.
“We are absolutely thrilled by the incredible community response to the Cruise Night on June 5. More than 3,000 attendees came out to celebrate on Main Street, and the energy was electric from start to finish. Seeing so many families, car enthusiasts and visitors from across the region come together in historic downtown Santa Paula reminds us exactly why this 25-year tradition matters. We can’t wait to see everyone again on August 7.”
SANTA MARIA — This summer, PCPA invites audiences to enjoy a season of inspiring true stories, family-friendly adventures, and memorable music. Performances run from June 11 through August 23 at the Marian Theatre in Santa Maria and the Solvang Festival Theater. Experience the true-life triumph of Come From Away, the magic of Frozen, the excitement of Luchadora!, and the energy of Beehive. This season promises theatrical experiences that will move, delight, and inspire, both under the stars and on stage.
VENTURA — United Way of Ventura County (UWVC) has been awarded two grants totaling $2.1 million from the Ventura County Continuum of Care Alliance. Both grants are from the State of California’s Homeless Housing Assistance and Prevention Program (HHAP) Round 6 for Homeless Prevention and Rapid Re-Housing. This funding will bolster key programs, including Home Safe which aims to place homeless and keep them housed as well as the county-wide Landlord Engagement Program (LEP), which aims to increase housing stock and utilize existing housing vouchers and subsidies provided by local jurisdictions and community partners.
LOMPOC — If your ideal summer getaway includes scenic beaches, local wine, outdoor adventure, and a slower pace, Lompoc deserves a spot on your Central
Coast itinerary. Located along California’s scenic Highway 1 corridor, Lompoc offers a refreshing mix of laid-back charm and unforgettable experiences.
One day you can hike through California history, the next you can sip Pinot Noir, watch a rocket launch, or relax at the beach with a famous burger in hand.
Whether you’re planning a long weekend or a full summer road trip, here are seven great ways to experience Lompoc this season.
Friday Nights Under the Stars at the Santa Barbara County Courthouse Sunken Garden
July 10 – August 28 | 8:30 PM
(No screening on Friday, August 7 due to Fiesta)
UCSB Arts & Lectures and the Santa Barbara County Office of Arts & Culture present the 2026 FREE Summer Cinema lineup: “Mixtapes & Misfits,” seven films powered by iconic music, big emotions and unforgettable characters who refuse to fit the mold. Screenings take place Friday evenings at 8:30 p.m. from July 10 through August 28, under the stars at the Santa Barbara County Courthouse Sunken Garden (no film on Friday, August 7 due to Fiesta).
This year’s lineup includes: Pretty in Pink, Say Anything…, La Bamba, Rushmore, Love & Basketball, Napoleon Dynamite and Hairspray. Begun in 2010, this collaboration between Arts & Lectures and the County Office of Arts & Culture has become a cherished Santa Barbara summertime tradition.
It’s the most wonderful time of the year. For graduates, especially. Commencement season has arrived.
Read more about commencement
This May 5, the Port of Hueneme celebrated its 89th birthday with cake and a special preview of the Richard Bard Founders Plaza Memorial. Thank you to everyone who joined us in celebrating the Port and its rich history!
VENTURA — Ventura County Business Women (VCBW), the county’s fastest-growing professional women’s network with over 6,600 members, announces its June 2026 event lineup designed to support women entrepreneurs through authentic connection, strategic collaboration, and personal empowerment.
With a diverse range of in-person and virtual opportunities, June’s calendar offers businesswomen across Ventura County multiple touchpoints for networking, skill development and community building—from signature morning networking events and a brand-new pop-up gathering in Ojai to an expert panel experience.
Throughout my teaching career at a local community college, my colleagues and I correctly assumed that we could teach foundational knowledge and send our students into a stable job market. However, after I retired, two things happened that ruthlessly upset the apple cart: COVID wreaked its havoc, and the explosive launch of the generative chatbot ChatGPT shocked the world by offering practical artificial intelligence to the masses.
Wildfire, drought and insect infestations are causing forests to emit more greenhouse gasses than carbon-credit systems currently account for.
Read more about the risks
?The Ventura County Farmworker Housing Study and Action Plan is a collaborative, countywide effort launched by the County of Ventura in partnership with House Farm Workers!, designed to understand and address the urgent housing needs of the county’s farmworker community – needs shaped by long-standing shortages, rising housing costs, and the essential role farm workers play in sustaining the region’s agricultural economy.
Last week I wrote about reasons to celebrate the month of May. But I’ve since learned another significant aspect of this glorious month.
Have we ever wondered about the origin of the name of this month? Many of us might surmise that it has something to do with the maypole, that wooden artifact that was part of European folk festivals. It might have been associated with paganism in Germany during the Iron Age, but we’re just not sure about this in our attempt to reach back to the obscure past.
In Spanish, the month of “May” is “mayo” (not capitalized). Like much of Spanish, this is derived from Latin, in which the word “Maius” means “Maia’s month.” But then of course we find ourselves asking, “Who is Maia?”
Cerca de ti
(Close to you)
Play in Spanish
?Written by Conchi León?
Directed by Juliana Acosta
VENTURA — For the fourth consecutive year, the Ventura College Foundation distributed a record amount of scholarship funding to students. A total of $1,037,741 in scholarships was awarded to students during the foundation’s 37th Annual Scholarship Awards ceremony, May 16, at the Ventura College Sportsplex Field.
The foundation presented 537 scholarships for the 2026-27 academic year.
Of the amount awarded, $932,860 went toward general scholarships, $42,313 supported career education and $10,068 went for paramedic training. Other scholarships included $42,500 from the Port of Hueneme Workforce Development and $10,000 for Courage to Dream students. The scholarship funds benefited 393 student recipients, many of whom received multiple awards.
SANTA MARIA — On May 20, Allan Hancock College honored the dedication and service of 16 retiring faculty and staff members during a heartfelt ceremony that celebrated decades of contributions to student success.??
?This year’s retirees, who contributed a combined 323 years of service to the college, include full and part-time faculty members, classified staff and other employees from the college’s many programs and departments.
“Our retiring employees have devoted years of talent, care, and hard work to supporting our students and strengthening this college community,” said Hancock Superintendent/President Kevin G. Walthers, Ph.D. “Their influence can be seen not only in the programs they helped build, but in the countless lives they impacted along the way.”
OXNARD — California Governor Gavin Newsom recently announced the award of just over $11.7 million from the State’s Homekey+ program to the County of Santa Barbara, in partnership with DignityMoves, to support the development of a new housing community dedicated to families experiencing homelessness. $9,000,000 will fund construction of the village, with $2,000,000 funding wraparound services. DignityMoves has also raised $5,000,000 for construction and will raise an additional $2,000,000 for services.
The new “Family Village” will include 30 units designed specifically to serve families with children, providing a safe, stable environment alongside supportive services aimed at helping residents transition into permanent housing. The Family Village is proposed for development on County-owned land currently used as an overflow parking lot within the County’s Calle Real campus in the eastern Goleta Valley. This project comes at a critical time, as Santa Barbara County has the highest rate of child poverty in California.
SANTA BARBARA — Age Well Care, the boutique senior home care agency serving California’s Central Coast and Conejo Valley, has announced its partnership with Nolia Health to deliver dementia care at home and in-home respite care for families living with Alzheimer’s and dementia. The partnership — now active across Santa Barbara County and Ventura County — operates under the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Guiding an Improved Dementia Experience (GUIDE) Model, giving eligible Medicare beneficiaries access to Age Well Care’s specialized in-home caregivers.
LOMPOC — n the “Valley of Arts and Flowers,” visitors can now see spectacular patches of colors from spring through fall in the farm fields of Lompoc Valley – Stock, Larkspur, Delphinium, Sweet Pea and Bells of Ireland along with other varieties are grown in abundance by local commercial flower growers.
Where to See Them: The flower fields rotate every year, and are scattered throughout Lompoc Valley. Some can be spotted west of Old Town Lompoc, along Central Avenue, from Floradale Ave. to Union Sugar Ave.
My favorite libraries lately are those that constitute the network of the Little Free Library movement. This is a global phenomenon with the motto: “Take a book; share a book.” Anyone is free to open the little protective door that protects the books in these micro-sized libraries. They dot some neighborhoods in front of participants’ homes and invite the passerby to peruse the collection and borrow or replace a book. Collections typically vary from around five to twenty-five books.
I’ve always enjoyed sharing and circulating books, so this program suits me perfectly. I often choose novels, introducing me to new authors and styles of writing.
At 3 am, Wednesday, May13, 2026, in Ventura County communities, U.S. Department of Homeland Security Investigations agents raided the homes, Gestapo style, of one former and three current VC Defensa volunteers, as well as the organization’s meeting place in downtown Oxnard.
At least twenty-armed HSI agents arrived at each place in military personnel vehicles masked with their firearms and panoplied in full body armor. The agents pounded doors, smashed windows, and battered down entrances.
With warrants, HSI agents ransacked each place and seized computers, mobile phones, and other property while the residents stood outside in the cold handcuffed. No one was arrested.
SANTA BARBARA — The regional Mexican music community is coming together for a powerful evening of music, solidarity, and support for immigrant families through the inaugural Freedom Music Fest, featuring performances by Larry Hernández, Régulo Caro, and Roberto Tapia.
A portion of the event proceeds will benefit 805UndocuFund, a nonprofit organization providing direct financial assistance to immigrant families impacted by recent ICE raids and climate-induced disasters while also advocating for long-term systems change at the policy level.
All donated proceeds received by 805UndocuFund will directly support the organization’s Emergency Assistance Fund, which provides immediate relief to families affected by immigration enforcement throughout California’s Central Coast. Since launching the Emergency Assistance Fund in April 2025, 805UndocuFund has distributed more than $1 million in direct assistance to impacted families across the region.
The Ventura County Office of Education is thrilled to announce that John Beck, an English teacher from Pacifica High School in the Oxnard Union High School District, is the 2026 Ventura County Teacher of the Year! Mr. Beck received the news this week when his family members joined representatives from VCOE and OUHSD in a surprise visit to his classroom.
Mr. Beck has been teaching for 21 years and has been at Pacifica for 13. His classroom is known for a positive atmosphere where students feel comfortable and confident in themselves as they engage in academic discussions.
“In a diverse community like ours, where students bring a wide range of experiences, languages, and aspirations into the classroom, my goal is to create an environment where every student sees themselves as a capable reader, writer, and thinker,” Mr. Beck said. His program is built to ensure equitable access to engaging, rigorous learning experiences that prepare students for success inside and outside the classroom.
Learn More about Mr. Beck
CENTRAL COAST — People’s Self-Help Housing (PSHH) will host the launch of the ASCEND Fund on May 13, 2026 at the nonprofit’s San Luis Obispo headquarters, introducing a new initiative designed to support residents pursuing entrepreneurship, education, and professional advancement.
The ASCEND Fund – standing for Agency, Skills, Capacity, Entrepreneurship, Network, and Direction – will provide micro-grants to individuals living in PSHH properties who are working to build businesses, grow professionally, or further their entrepreneurial education.
“We see ASCEND as a bridge between our residents and the broader business community,” said Ken Trigueiro, CEO of People’s Self-Help Housing. “We’re here for our residents who are entrepreneurs and future leaders; and when we invest in their growth, we’re investing in a stronger, more resilient Central Coast economy for everyone.”
SANTA BARBARA — The Presidio Neighborhood, the historic district surrounding El Presidio de Santa Bárbara, has launched a new brand identity and website aimed at strengthening its visibility as a cultural and commercial destination in downtown Santa Barbara.
The refresh is part of a multi-year planning effort led by the Santa Barbara Trust for Historic Preservation (SBTHP), which acquired stewardship of the Presidio Neighborhood initiative in 2022. The updated branding includes a new logo, visual identity, and an expanded website highlighting the district’s history, businesses, cultural organizations, and public events.
“The Presidio Neighborhood is a place where historic charm and vibrant creativity intertwine—where live performances fill intimate spaces, galleries radiate bold expression, and cafés, boutiques, and restaurants blend seamlessly into a living canvas—inviting visitors to step in, linger, and be inspired. We look forward to seeing you,” said Cecilia Martini-Muth, Director of Marketing at the Lobero Theatre and a Presidio Neighborhood Advisory Council member.
THOUSAND OAKS — A beloved spiritual community is stepping into a new chapter of inspiration.
New Thought Now!, formerly The Global Truth Center, will mark its official launch with a ribbon cutting ceremony May 14th at 4:30pm (880 Hampshire Road, Suite W, Westlake Village), bringing together local dignitaries and community members for a memorable afternoon of celebration, entertainment and refreshments.
“It’s all about honoring where we’ve been, celebrating where we are, and opening the door to what comes next,” says Spiritual Director Dr. James Mellon, adding that “The new name reflects an evolving vision—one that honors the roots and relationships that have shaped this community while continuing to grow alongside the people it serves.”
