The Port of Hueneme’s 13th Annual Banana Festival set a second consecutive attendance record as nearly 19,000 guests came to the Port for a celebratory day of live music, banana treats, tours, a classic car show, and family-friendly fun. This year’s theme, “Gateway to the World,” highlighted the Port’s role in connecting local consumers to global goods and markets.
SANTA MARIA — When Allan Hancock College Community Education introduced its new Image Transfers from Photographs course, instructor and U.S. Navy veteran Helen Boursier expected to bring together students interested in art and creativity.?
What she did not expect was that the class would become a gathering place for seven veterans representing more than six decades of combined military service.?
“I wasn’t surprised to see so many veterans in the class because I already knew several of them through the local veteran community, but I was incredibly pleased that they decided to sign up,” Boursier said. “It was especially rewarding to hear that they enjoyed the experience and wanted to know when I would be teaching the class again.”
Celebrate Día de los Muertos with a Free Family Day
Sunday, October 25
11 am – 4 pm
Explore a vibrant display of community-created altars, engage in hands-on art activities for all ages, and enjoy a festive Calenda procession featuring traditional music and dance from Oaxaca and Guerrero.
Now in its third year, the procession, produced by the Museum of Contemporary Art Santa Barbara, celebrates Mexican traditions while bringing the community together in a joyful expression of remembrance, culture, and connection.
CENTRAL COAST — With the closing of the final public comment period last week, more than 1.6 million people—including more than one thousand Central Coast residents—voiced their support for keeping the Roadless Rule in place. The rule — which the Trump administration is proposing to repeal—protects some of the country’s last intact backcountry forests, including 635,106 acres across 37 inventoried roadless areas in Los Padres National Forest.
The latest comment period on the Trump administration’s proposal to rescind the 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule closed October 6.
SANTA PAULA — The City of Santa Paula is temporarily pausing enforcement of certain recreational vehicle (RV) parking regulations following a unanimous (5-0) City Council decision on October 7, 2026. The temporary pause allows the City to review its existing ordinance and explore potential updates with input from the community. The decision follows ongoing public comments and concerns from residents regarding RV parking restrictions and their impact on the community.
Scholar Heidi Amin-Hong explores how systems of colonialism, militarism and global capitalism create displacement and treat people and environments as disposable.
Read more about the issue
Thank you for standing with us during these increasingly difficult times. At 805UndocuFund, our mission has always been rooted in protecting the dignity and safety of undocumented and mixed-status families across Ventura, Santa Barbara, and San Luis Obispo counties. Today, that work is more urgent than ever.
CENTRAL COAST — For nearly two years, immigrant communities across the Central Coast have faced kidnapping, family separation, and escalating violence at the hands of ICE. And now, as Californians begin to vote, ICE activity is surging – in an attempt to bring more fear and intimidation into our communities.
As of Tuesday afternoon, at least 32 of our neighbors in the region have been taken by ICE this week. Parents. Neighbors. Workers. Families torn apart.
But we are not powerless. We know how to respond. We know how to protect each other. We know how to organize. And we know that information is power.
At times I scan newsworthy social media notifications that appear on my phone. One thing has become abundantly clear to me: the posts I see are a window into the linguistic decay that has been settling into our American culture.
I am struck by the paucity of commentary that is written well. The overwhelming majority of the posts offer a glimpse into the atrocious grammar and spelling that are a regular feature of our national discourse. This widespread deterioration of the English language, by which we communicate with each other, raises a seriously unsettling question about our society: why have we allowed ourselves to embrace and normalize this consistently sloppy writing?
Sat. October 10th 2026, 7:00 pm
Have you heard the buzz about Teatro De Las Americas’s spectacular production of Diego Rivera: His Story – A One?Night Theatrical Event performed by Herbert Siguenza? It’s an event you absolutely can’t miss! Secure your seat today by grabbing your tickets online. Join us for an unforgettable experience!
GOLETA — LEAP celebrates Juan Pimentel’s 20 years of service and his new title as Chief Operating Officer (COO) of LEAP: Learn. Engage. Advocate. Partner., recognizing his longstanding leadership and commitment to children, families and community.
Pimentel joined LEAP, then Isla Vista Youth Projects, in 2006 at age 19 as a Work-Study student attending the University of California, Santa Barbara, serving as a group leader in its after-school program.
23 seats left for scones, sandwiches, and lively brass at the historic Pierpont Inn – get yours now, because these won’t last the weekend!
Some traditions are worth dressing up for. Picture it: a sunny Sunday afternoon at the historic Pierpont Inn. A pot of tea at your table. Warm scones, delicate finger sandwiches, and a tempting tower of pastries. And then, the trumpets. Tea & Trumpets is one of those VMF experiences that, once you’ve been, you make sure you don’t miss. It’s civilized and joyful in equal measure, and this Sunday, it opens our 2026 Fall Series. There are just 33 tickets left. Once they’re gone, they’re gone, so grab your seat before someone else gets your scone!
THOUSAND OAKS — TOArts is bringing National Geographic Live back to the Bank of America Performing Arts Center for the 2026–27 season, with four acclaimed explorers whose work spans wildlife filmmaking, ecology, photography and the science of sound. This year, with support from Bank of America, TOArts is adding on to the on the onstage experience with creative programming and expanded student access designed to bring audiences even closer to the ideas, stories and people behind each presentation.
SANTA BARBARA — In response to Medi-Cal eligibility, enrollment and renewal changes affecting an estimated 44,000 local residents, CenCal Health and a coalition of community partners have launched Central Coast Coverage, a regional member navigation hub that helps eligible individuals keep their health coverage and avoid disruptions in care.
Supported by a $2 million investment from CenCal Health – the region’s Medi-Cal health plan serving more than 220,000 members in Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties – the new resource connects residents with navigation assistance, resource guides, and information about Medi-Cal.
Thursday is DAF Day—a national day encouraging donors to put their Donor Advised Funds to work for the organizations and causes they care about most.
If preserving Ventura County’s stories, celebrating its art and culture, and creating opportunities for our community to learn from the people and places that shaped our region are important to you, we invite you to consider making a gift to the Museum of Ventura County through your Donor Advised Fund (DAF).
VENTURA — On Tuesday, October 6, the Board of Supervisors heard a report on the County’s inter-agency efforts to prepare for a potentially strong El Niño storm season. Staff from the Sheriff’s Office of Emergency Services, Fire Department, Public Works Agency, and the County’s Public Information Office shared updates on work already underway to help ensure the community is storm ready ahead of a potentially wetter winter.
Pre-season efforts are focused on reducing risk and ensuring the County is ready to respond quickly if significant storms impact local communities. Preparations include inspecting and maintaining flood-control infrastructure, clearing drainage systems and debris basins, preparing swift water rescue resources, and coordinating emergency response plans for areas at higher risk of flooding and debris flows. The County’s Public Works Agency has already removed more than 235,000 cubic yards of material from detention basins and waterways in preparation for the winter storm season.
We did it!
After months (well, years) of planning, our 50th Anniversary Weekend has officially come and gone, and we are all still buzzing.
There are a few things in my life that I am really, really proud of. Most of them have something to do with Friendship Center. One involves successfully teaching my pug to use a doggy door independently. But hosting our inaugural Dementia Care Conference alongside my teammate Shyra Jain, surrounded by some of the most remarkable people I’ve had the privilege of learning from and working alongside, followed the very next day by a Family Reunion filled with people who have been part of Friendship Center’s fifty-year story…that one is going to be hard to top.
VENTURA — Halloween gets a coastal twist this October as Ventura Harbor Village welcomes families, witches, zombies, four-legged companions and Halloween enthusiasts to celebrate Fall with a festive lineup of Seaside Halloween happenings.
Set against the scenic backdrop of Ventura Harbor, this year’s Halloween festivities feature a dog costume contest, family-friendly trick-or-treating, Halloween entertainment and activities, and the colorful spectacle of costumed witches and warlocks paddling across the harbor. Visitors can also enjoy waterfront dining, shopping, harbor views and attractions throughout Ventura Harbor Village.
Leander Anderegg, Kelly Caylor and David Valentine are honored by the American Geophysical Union for their work.
Read more about the research
Join us for our Annual Dinner, support our Christmas Toy Giveaway, and discover ways to volunteer
Jungleland, USA celebrates the 100th anniversary of the founding of the legendary tourist attraction that put Thousand Oaks on the map. Jungleland was home to animal stars of the silver screen like Tamba the Chimp and Leo the MGM Lion, and featured animal trainer Mabel Stark.
VENTURA — A new live webcam overlooking the historic Ventura Pier and City beach is giving residents, visitors, and viewers around the world a real-time look at one of Ventura’s most treasured landmarks. The launch comes just in time to celebrate the 154th anniversary of the original Ventura Wharf, completed on October 5, 1872. Today, the Ventura Pier is the oldest pier in California.
Now open for research, the collection provides scholars, students and community members with a rich resource for studying Chicano literature, grassroots activism and social movements.
Read more about the Luis J. Rodriguez Papers
There’s still time to share your perspective with CEC — but our community survey is closing soon!
We’re asking Central Coast residents to share how they want to hear from CEC and what would make it easier to connect with the climate action work happening in our communities. Your feedback will help us better understand how to reach more people and create accessible pathways to get involved.
SANTA MARIA — Allan Hancock College invited 1,300 local high school and college students to its Santa Maria campus Oct. 2 for the college’s annual?Career?Exploration?Day.
The in-person event provided participating students with the opportunity to explore potential career paths and learn more about the college’s academic and career technical education programs.
“Career Exploration Day helps students see what’s possible beyond the classroom,” said Hancock Career Counselor David Hernandez. “By talking directly with employers and industry professionals, students can discover careers, companies and opportunities they may not have known were out there.”
“Over forty-five years ago, a group of farmworker families worked together to protect their homes, and everything we have built since carries that same spirit forward,” said Victoria Brady, Chief Executive Officer of Cabrillo EDC. “This milestone belongs to the residents who have trusted us, the staff who have dedicated their careers to this mission, and the partners and supporters who have stood beside us through decades of growth. We are proud of how far we have come, and just as excited about what the next 45 years will bring.”
Let me start by saying that I am not receiving any compensation from Tesla Corp. for this article. Nor am I trying to promote the make or model of any car.
I am simply writing as someone who has driven cars for over 60 years. Over just the past year, I have had the opportunity to drive an electric vehicle (EV)—specifically, a Tesla.
Manriquez Loza is one of 22 students across the CSU selected for the annual award, which recognizes superior academic performance, personal accomplishments, community service and financial need. She was honored as the CSU Foundation Board Member Ron and Mitzi Barhorst Scholar during the CSU Board of Trustees meeting on Sept. 22.
A first-generation college student, Manriquez Loza is pursuing a Doctorate in Educational Leadership for Equity and Justice at CSUCI, where she maintains a 3.9 GPA. Her academic and professional work reflects a longstanding commitment to empowering Indigenous communities and improving educational opportunities for historically underserved students and families.
“Homecoming is a celebration of the people and partnerships that make Cal State Channel Islands such a welcoming and vibrant community,” said CSUCI Interim President Susan Andrzejewski. “We look forward to bringing alumni, students, families, friends and neighbors together to share in our Dolphin pride and strengthen the connections that extend well beyond our campus.”
VENTURA — The County of Ventura is taking proactive steps to coordinate efforts across agencies to strengthen readiness, identify potential resource and informational needs, and ensure infrastructure resiliency ahead of what could potentially be a very active winter season. The National Weather Service is forecasting that significant El Niño conditions will continue to intensify through the end of 2026, with the possibility of these conditions creating the strongest event on record. The presence of strong El Niño conditions raises the likelihood of Ventura County experiencing a stormier, wetter than usual winter.
SANTA MARIA — Educators, counselors, students and community advocates from across the Central Coast gathered at Allan Hancock College Sept. 30 for a conversation focused on expanding college access and helping students navigate financial aid.
Allan Hancock College and the Central Coast Cal-SOAP Consortium hosted Daisy Gonzales, Ph.D., executive director of the California Student Aid Commission (CSAC), for the event at Boyd Hall on Hancock’s Santa Maria campus.
CAMARILLO —The Ventura County Community College District (VCCCD) is inviting the community to hear directly from its leadership at its State of the District event, bringing together elected officials, regional industry and nonprofit partners, educational leaders and friends of the district to celebrate the work of VCCCD’s students, faculty and employees, reflect on the District’s progress and look ahead to what’s next. The free, public event takes place Monday, Oct. 19, 2026, at 3:30 p.m. at the Camarillo Public Library.
Chancellor Rick MacLennan, joined by Moorpark College President Julius Sokenu, Oxnard College Interim President Steve Hall and Ventura College President Luca Lewis, will offer a firsthand look at how VCCCD is responding to a changing Ventura County and creating more ways for students to access education, build careers and find opportunity close to home.
Fans of the spooky season will love our October events and classes! Don’t miss our Halloween-themed Free Family Day, creative classes inspired by ghosts, skulls, and haunted houses, and more frightfully fun ways to celebrate fall.
CENTRAL COAST — Gov. Gavin Newsom has signed SB 1268, the Outdoors for All Initiative, into law, establishing the initiative in state law and creating a lasting framework for expanding equitable access to parks, open spaces, trails, beaches, forests, and other outdoor public recreation spaces across California.
Los Padres ForestWatch proudly co-sponsored SB 1268, authored by Senator Lena Gonzalez, because the organization sees a direct connection between protecting public lands and ensuring more people can experience, enjoy, and build relationships with them.
For innovations with lasting impacts on society and for his influence on generations of inventors and entrepreneurs, he received the Distinguished Lifetime Achievement Award at the inaugural UC Regents Innovation Awards.
Read more about Bowers’ work
VENTURA — The City of Ventura invites community members to learn about its proposed permanent Tree Protection Ordinance before it returns to the City Council for consideration on October 27, 2026. The proposed ordinance is intended to protect and enhance Ventura’s urban forest while establishing clear standards for tree preservation, removal, and replacement.
At two upcoming community meetings, City staff will explain which trees would be protected, when a permit would be required, what to expect from the permit process, and other proposed impacts. Attendees will have an opportunity to ask questions and share input.
SANTA PAULA — The City of Santa Paula is pleased to announce a major investment in the community’s recreational future with the allocation of $1.5 million in state funding for Phase II of the Santa Paula Sports Park Complex.
The allocation, championed by Senate President pro Tempore Monique Limón, will help move the City closer to completing the next phase of improvements and expand recreational opportunities for Santa Paula’s residents. The new funding builds upon previous state support also graciously secured with Limón’s assistance for sports field lighting at the complex.
CAMARILLO — Students can soon get started at Moorpark, Oxnard and Ventura colleges in about 15 minutes, as the Ventura County Community College District (VCCCD) launches its new, simplified enrollment experience through CCCStart on October 8.
The district is among the first in California to adopt CCCStart, an enrollment platform that will replace the long-standing CCCApply system statewide by June 2027. This change is part of a statewide effort led by the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office to modernize how students begin college. The new platform was designed to expand access, improve the student experience and protect against fraud.
SANTA PAULA — A full freeway closure will impact travelers using Highway 126 in Santa Paula beginning Friday, October 2nd due to a freeway construction project. The closure will be in both directions from 10th St. to Hallock Dr. The closure begins on Friday at 8:00 p.m. and continues into Saturday, October 3rd, until 9:00 a.m. Motorists will be detoured on to surface streets in the City of Santa Paula during the freeway closure. Travelers are urged to avoid all unnecessary travel on Highway 126 and traffic delays are expected during the full freeway closure.
“With Medi-Cal changes rolling out over the next year, we want to ensure our providers and community organizations have the resources they need to help members navigate the upcoming changes,” said Dr. Felix Nuñez, GCHP’s chief executive officer. “With these grants, our goal is to minimize coverage disruptions for eligible members so they have continuous access to high-quality care and services.”
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This month, we opened a new Learning Center at Buellton Garden Apartments! Enrollment forms and more information can be found at pshhc.org/education.
The Buellton Garden Apartments Learning Center is made possible through generous grants from Wells Fargo and the Santa Ynez Valley Foundation.
Get ready to see Mary Cassatt in a new light. Come see Cassatt & Friends, a new exhibition that offers an intimate look at the creative connections between drawing and printmaking among Mary Cassatt and her contemporaries. While Cassatt is best known for her luminous paintings, she was also an accomplished printmaker—and SBMA’s permanent collection includes a number of her printed works. At the heart of the exhibition is Simone in a White Bonnet Seated with Clasped Hands (No.1), a unique counterproof created by dampening a pastel drawing and pressing it onto another sheet of paper to transfer the pigment and create a mirror image.
We are still still beaming with the warmth and beautiful show of support from so many of you last Thursday at Raising Justice!
Whether you joined us in person, invited a friend, or donated from near or from afar, THANK YOU!
Dear Ventura County Community Foundation family,
Today I invite you to watch one of my favorite TED Talks of all time: Drew Dudley’s “Everyday Leadership.”
In just six minutes, Dudley reminds us that we are all leaders. We tend to associate leadership only with enormous achievements, defining moments or extraordinary individuals. When we do that, leadership starts to feel inaccessible, something reserved only for other people. But our capacity to change another person’s life, and our community’s future, is far greater than we realize.
CAMARILLO — Cal State Channel Islands (CSUCI) is inviting the community to support students experiencing food and basic-needs insecurity during the CSUCI Dolphin Pantry Donation Drive on Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2026, from 10 a.m. to noon at Studio Channel Islands Art Center, 2222 Ventura Blvd., Camarillo.
The event is presented through a collaboration among CSUCI Basic Needs, the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at CSUCI, and Studio Channel Islands Art Center. The eventconnects a passion for lifelong learning with the shared purpose of supporting CSUCI students.
MOORPARK — Moorpark College and the Moorpark College Foundation will kick off a year of celebrations marking the college’s 60th anniversary with Moorpark College Serenades: The Premiere, a free outdoor concert on Saturday, Oct. 10, from 4–6 p.m
OXNARD — Sunrise Set LLC, a family-owned trucking and logistics company rooted in Ventura County agriculture, is celebrating its 25th anniversary this month, marking a journey that began not behind the wheel of a truck, but in the fields of Oxnard.
Founded in 2001 by Francisco E. Ochoa and his son, Benjamin Ochoa, Sunrise Set grew from two bobtail trucks moving small shipments from local farms to shipping docks into a refrigerated freight company transporting fresh produce and agricultural products throughout California.
The family’s connection to Ventura County agriculture began decades earlier.
In mid-September, I had the opportunity to enjoy watching some of the finest flamenco dancing I had ever seen. The event, dubbed “Danzas y Canciones” (“Dances and Songs”) was held on the campus of Oxnard College in its Performing Arts Building.
Anyone with curiosity who hears the passionate cries of a flamenco dancer and observes the intricacies of the step patterns and rhythms of the dancer’s feet will instinctively want to know something about the origins of this highly expressive art form.
Panteón Fest – 4th Annual
Saturday, October 17, 2026 • 1:00–9:00 PM
Join us in Historic Heritage Square in Downtown Oxnard for the 4th Annual Panteón Fest, a celebration of Día de los Muertos through art, music, and culture. Enjoy eight hours of live performances, community altars, an art gallery, the Catrín & Catrina Contest, local vendors, delicious food, and drinks.
This year’s theme celebrates the world of Chespirito. Come dressed as your favorite Chespirito character and join us for a day of culture, nostalgia, and community as we honor Día de los Muertos together.
… The festival will run from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and is expected to attract thousands of visitors for a full day of live entertainment, food, family activities, local vendors, and opportunities to experience the working Port up close through bus and boat tours. Admission and event parking are free. Guests are encouraged to park at Hueneme Beach.
The Banana Festival was created as a way to celebrate the Port’s role as a major gateway for imported bananas and other refrigerated agricultural products. The banana trade came to Hueneme in 1993 as the Port developed the largest cold storage capacity on the West Coast. Today, the Port of Hueneme ranks 5th in the nation for both automobiles and refrigerated cargo.While it imports 5 billion bananas per year, it also brings in Peruvian blueberries, avocados, mangos, and much more.
There’s a common thread running through October: from the violin at the heart of Birth of Impressionism, putting you inside a revolution in musical history, to the genre-defying strings of TAKE3, where Bach sounds like a stadium show, to two fiddle legends performing in the open air at golden hour. The series then expands outward into a 19-piece big band paying tribute to one of the most restlessly creative minds in American music, and finally, at the very end of the year, twelve voices filling a sanctuary with five centuries of choral music. And it all begins with the return of a cherished VMF tradition: Tea & Trumpets on October 11th, the perfect opening note.
SANTA BARBARA — The U.S. Department of State recently announced that Santa Barbara City College (SBCC) ranked among the top 25 U.S. community colleges producing Gilman Scholars for the U.S. Department of State’s Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship. This year the Gilman Scholarship Program is celebrating its 25th anniversary of supporting American students to study abroad by providing scholarships up to $5,000 to students with high financial need to study or intern abroad.
Current students, including those from SBCC, have until Thursday, October 1, to apply for the current scholarship program, which would support Study Abroad programs in Spring, Summer and Fall of 2027. Students may learn more about the scholarship, Study Abroad in general, and upcoming trips, here: https://www.sbcc.edu/studyabroad/programs/.
Our community is at the heart of CEC’s climate work. As we look ahead, we want our work to reflect what matters most to Central Coast residents and create more accessible ways for everyone to get involved in climate action.
This short survey will help us better understand what our community cares about, needs, and wants to see more of from CEC. Your feedback helps us:
The work by UC Santa Barbara’s Danyi Zhang and Tamas Vami demonstrates a novel method for searching for particles. The results will inform theories and future searches.
Read more about their findings
SANTA BARBARA — The Santa Barbara Museum of Art (SBMA) has something for everyone over the next twelve months — from prints and pastel by American artist Mary Cassatt and her European contemporaries, and dramatic Pictorialist photography, to the joyful art installation and mid-career survey of FriendsWithYou and the cool and surreal paintings and drawings of the American dream by artist and actor Martin Mull.
