Category: Cultural

Das Williams responds to controversy over California Trust Act: AB 1081

SACRAMENTO — When the Assemblymember last had the first version of AB1081 bill before him for a vote, which was May 2011, there were a number of questions concerning the legislation that could not be answered. Due to that fact, Assemblymember Williams abstained, the…

Tickets still available for MICOP’S Aug. 3 ‘Night in Oaxaca’ fundraiser

Tickets are still available for “Night in Oaxaca,” said Donna Foster, operations manager for the Mixteco/Indigena Community Organizing Project in Oxnard.  “If you haven’t bought tickets and you’d still like to, we still have some tickets left so please contact us if you’d…

July 24 is the deadline for information, advertisement submissions for August print edition

The deadline for submission news and calendar event media releases and advertisements for the August print edition of Amigos805 is 5 p.m. Tuesday, July 25. Amigos805 is also offering a summer business card-size advertisement special for the month of August…

CEDC celebrates opening of Oxnard apartment communities on July 14, 18

Communities will serve new families of farmworkers and individuals with chronic mental illness. OXNARD – The Cabrillo Economic Development Corporation (CEDC) will host a grand opening event at 11 a.m. Saturday, July 14, and Wednesday, July 18 for its two adjoining affordable…

Summer business card-size advertisement special

Amigos805 will be offering a summer business card-size advertisement special for the month of August for all our social media users. For a discount price of $50, your business card will appear in August on our website, e-newsletter and in…

Bilingual commentary: Why so quiet?

By David Magallanes / Guest contributor Last week, I introduced the topic of my recent trip to London, England. The following is not necessarily fact, but rather what I managed to make out during that recent visit. These are my perceptions…

El Concilio holding benefit night July 9 in Oxnard

El Concilio Family Services will hold a benefit night from 5 to 9 p.m. Monday, July 9 at T.G.I. Friday’s, 2181 No. Rose Ave., Oxnard. Click on the above image, print it out and present it at the restaurant and…

Bilingual report: Local activists respond to ruling on Arizona’s law

Groups announce plans to challenge remaining portion of law on other constitutional grounds By Cesar Arredondo / Amigos805 The recent Supreme Court ruling on Arizona’s controversial immigration law has been received with mixed feelings by some Latino leaders in Ventura County.…

Bilingual report: Oxnard Salsa Festival prepares a hot event

50,000 people expected to attend 19th annual event featuring music, dancing, cooking demonstrations From Amigos805 staff reports A 5k run, a variety of bands, a dance competition benefiting local nonprofit organizations and, of course, plenty of spicy food and drink…

Bilingual update: News briefs

A variety of 4th of July activities are scheduled for the 805 region. The 37th annual 4th of July Street Fair will be held from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday, July 4 in downtown Ventura. Free. The 4th of…

Downtown Sol announces upcoming events starting June 29

A “Writing Funshop” presented by local children’s book author Amada Irma Perez will be held from 2 to 3 p.m. Friday, June 29 at Downtown Sol, 328 W. Third St., Oxnard, reports owner Marisa Lopez. Suggested ages 7 to 12. Free.…

MICOP seeks volunteers for June 30 community meeting

  Volunteers are needed to set up and staff the children’s crafts area and provide clean up assistance when the Mixteco/Indigena Community Organizing Project present its next monthly community meeting from 3 to 7 p.m. Saturday, June 30 at Harrington Elementary…

Vazquez joins board of Housing Opportunities Made Easier

Brianna Vazquez has joined the board of Housing Opportunities Made Easier (HOME), the Ventura-based organization reported Thursday in a media release.  Vazquez is a recent transplant from Seattle, Washington to the Ventura County area and joined Hamner, Jewell & Associates…

Deadline is 5 p.m. Friday, June 22 to submit events, reserve advertising space for July Amigos805 print edition

  The deadline is 5 p.m. Friday, June 22 to submit July calendar events, information and reserve advertising space for the July newspaper print edition of Amigos805. A total of 10,000 copies are distributed throughout Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties.…

Bilingual report: Gold Coast Health Plan launches redesigned website

Managed care plan launches new site  OXNARD — Gold Coast Health Plan (GCHP) has launched  its redesigned website featuring a dynamic new look and feel, the organization reported Tuesday in a media release. The new GCHP website provides online visitors…

Cancer Support Community to reach out to children, Latinos from June 21-23

WESTLAKE VILLAGE — The Cancer Support Community-Valley/Ventura/Santa Barbara, formerly The Wellness Community  will host a first-ever Cancer Support Summit, June 21-22 at the Cancer Support Community-Valley/Ventura/Santa Barbara’s Westlake Village offices, the organization reported in a media release. Licensed therapists and professional staff will…

Bilingual commentary: A Trip To London

By David Magallanes / Guest contributor  I just returned from a trip to London, England. My biggest dilemma in this moment is … where do I begin to relate my experiences? For purposes of resolving this dilemma, I’ve decided to share…

Bilingual commentary: Amnesty from taking a parent’s hand

By Denis O’Leary / Guest contributor Nov. 6, 1986, the icon of conservative thinking, President Ronald Reagan enacted the Immigration Reform and Control Act (IRCA). Amnesty! Twenty-six years later, President Reagan’s name has been bantered in the Republican presidential campaign as a standard to compare all other…

Naturally Wild Artisan Soap & Bath to honor ‘Phil the Barber’ Marquez at June 15, 16 grand opening

Naturally Wild Artisan Soap & Bath will hold a grand opening celebration at June 15 and 16 at 12 W. Main St. in Ventura in the historically registered Feraud Building where Phil the Barber” cut the hair of generations of Venturans…

Bilingual report: Teatro/MúsicaLatitudes to present Lara’s ‘Now and Forever’

  Teatro de las Américas and MusicaLatitudes will present “Agustín Lara y nada más/ Agustin Lara, Now and Forever” by Miguel Heredia June 16 at the Oxnard College Performing Arts Building, 4000 So. Rose Ave., Oxnard. The play tells of an insecure, depressed,…

¡Aventuras con Verduras! play to be held June 16 in Oxnard

¡Aventuras con Verduras!, a play on healthy eating choices, will be presented by Taller Arte del Nuevo Amanecer and Ventura County Public Health at 7 p.m. Saturday, June 16 at Colonia Park, Memorial Veteran’s Gymnasium, 197 No. Marquita St., Oxnard.…

Commentary: A father’s blessings

By Armando Vazquez / Guest contributor It began at the turn of 1900s. That’s when my parents were born in the foreboding village of Ahualulco, Jalisco. My jefitos were children of miserable poverty, suffocating Catholic resignation, a caste system that…

Orozco, North, Rondeau guide KCLU to four awards

NPR station honored for newswriting, bullying special THOUSAND OAKS — National Public Radio station KCLU is the winner of three awards from the Associated Press Television and Radio Association and one from the California Teachers Association for its news coverage.??…

Linda Garcia joins VCCF as programs and grants vice president

Brings 20 years of community-engagement experience to the foundation CAMARILLO — Linda Garcia has joined the staff of the Ventura County Community Foundation as vice president for Programs and Grants, the organization reported on Thursday. With more than 20 years of experience…

El Concilio profile: Gilbert A. Romero

Editor’s note: Part of a continuing series of stories profiling the award-winners of El Concilio Family Service 2012 Latino Leadership awards  — “Excellence in Education.” The awards gala was held on June 1, 2012 at the Oxnard Performing Arts Center. Click here or call…

Commentary: The Cristero War and an Oxnard family connection

By Mona AlvaradoFrazier / Guest contributor As a Latina and an American of Mexican descent, I often anticipate the release of films that highlight the history of Mexico or the Latino experience in the United States. That was the case with…

Bilingual report: Promotores, community health worker free disaster training in Spanish on June 7

A free disaster prepared­ness training workshop provided in Spanish for promotores and community health workers will be held on Wednesday, June 6, with a repeat session on Thursday, June 7 at Clini­cas del Camino Real Inc., 200 So. Wells Road,…

Bilingual report: CEDC’s Neighborworks Week 2012 set for June 9 at Ventura College

The Cabrillo Economic Development Corp.’s NeighborWorks Week 2012, “Family Learning Institute: Building Family Power from Home to Community,” will be from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, June 9 at Ventura Col­lege, 4667 Telegraph Road, Ventura. The event will focus…

Bilingual commentary: Catholics and Hatred

By David Magallanes / Guest contributor A news item published several days ago tells about two threatening letters sent to a Catholic church in Santa Cruz, California. A few weeks ago, someone had scribbled anti-Catholic graffiti on the walls of…

June edition of Amigos805 has hit the streets

The June print edition of Amigos805 is now available. Click on image above for a pdf of the edition. Click here for a list of locations where you can pick up a copy of the 10,000-copy edition. Thank you readers…

Bilingual report: Fighting police checkpoints while pressing for a dream

Activists use the latest technologies to help undocumented immigrant motorists and hope 2013 could bring ‘license for all’ By Cesar Arredondo / Amigos805 Francisco Romero doesn’t like police checkpoints. He believes that towing companies and municipalities unfairly profit from undocumented…

Bilingual report: Colleges seek to change focus of their mission

National community college group urges equal emphasis on success as well as access, promoting funding that supports achievement, not just enrollment growth. Amigos805 staff report Lack of funding for community colleges is not just a problem affecting California. This challenge…

Veronica Valadez exhibit continues through June 8 in Ventura

The exhibit “Yo Soy Maíz, Solo Art Exhibition by Verónica Xochitl Valadez” will continue through June 8 at the Bell Arts Fac­tory, 432 No. Ventura Ave., downtown Ventura. The exhibit is based on the artwork that comple­ments her written master’s…