Immigrant Rights in California Child Care Settings – for families with children in child care and child care providers working in various California child care programs:
This training will provide:
This morning I confidently strolled out to catch a bus not far from my home. Yes, I own a car, but I often take a bus to my destination, regardless. It’s free for people my age, and it gives me an excuse to get in some walking for the day.
I’ve been riding the bus in my area for several years, so I know the system well. To my credit, and to that of the bus system, I never missed a medical or other important appointment whenever I took the bus. Part of that is sheer good fortune, but I also build in “time cushions” to my more crucial itineraries by allowing extra time.
SANTA PAULA — The City of Santa Paula will launch its Fall 2025 Pavement Improvement Project on Friday, October 31, 2025, continuing the City’s commitment to maintaining safe, accessible, and well-maintained streets. The project will enhance roadway safety, extend pavement life, and improve accessibility throughout the community. Work is expected to continue through Wednesday, November 26, 2025, lasting approximately four weeks.
The Fall 2025 Pavement Improvement Project will include resurfacing, striping, and accessibility upgrades along several key corridors — Main Street, McKevett Road, Teague Drive, Teracina Drive, Loma Vista Drive, Vuelta Place, and Mill Street. These coordinated efforts will provide smoother, safer travel for motorists, pedestrians, and cyclists throughout Santa Paula, with Main Street serving as the project’s primary focus area.
OAK PARK — Artwork by 13-year-old Micah Aliling, currently an 8th grader at Medea Creek Middle School in Oak Park, was selected by the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (MWD) to appear in its printed 2026 calendar and digital library.
MWD delivers 1.5 billion gallons of water daily to 19 million people in Southern California. Earlier this year, it invited students across its six-county service area, including those in the Triunfo Water & Sanitation District (TWSD), to submit water conservation-themed artwork for its “Being Water Wise Is…” Student Art Calendar Contest. This marks the fourth consecutive year that a student from Oak Park has had their artwork featured in the calendar.
We’re thrilled to unveil our 55th Anniversary Digital Community Quilt, a vibrant mosaic of creativity and connection featuring 55 unique panels created in a variety of mediums by PSHH team members, residents, and community members. Visit pshhc.org/quilt to see the full piece!
VENTURA — Saturday, Oct. 25, 2025 is opening day for nine vote centers located throughout Ventura County for the Nov. 4 Statewide Special Election. Nine additional vote centers will open the following Saturday, Nov. 1. Vote center hours are 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM every day until Nov. 3, and 7:00 AM to 8:00 PM on Election Day, Nov. 4.
“With this being a special election, the vote center locations may be different from those used in past elections,” County Clerk-Recorder and Registrar of Voters, Michelle Ascencion, said. “Please check your County Voter Information Guide, the insert in your vote by mail ballot, or the County Elections website at Vote.VenturaCounty.gov, to find the list of vote center sites that are opening this week.”
Ventura County students are making gains in both math and English language arts, according to the latest scores from the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP). The percentage of students countywide who met or exceeded state standards in the 2024-2025 school year is up by 1.3% in math and 1.9% in English. This is the fourth consecutive year of improvement since scores dipped during the pandemic. You can find CAASPP scores for individual schools and school districts at this link.
OXNARD — The Workforce Development Board of Ventura County (WDBVC) is proud to announce the launch of Professional Empowerment and Employment Resources (PEER) Up, a groundbreaking new program designed to close the employment and wage gaps for individuals with disabilities in Ventura County. PEER Up is a workforce development initiative that provides paid work experience, mentorship, and inclusive job connections to help participants build confidence and thrive in today’s workforce.
“We are excited to receive this grant, which will allow us to significantly expand our bicycle and pedestrian safety program,” said Principal Civil Engineer Jeff Hereford. “By focusing on education, awareness, and promoting safe practices, we aim to reduce crashes and prevent injuries. Ultimately, we’re working toward building more walkable and bike-friendly neighborhoods where everyone can travel safely and confidently.”
By Kaiser Permanente
If you’re thinking about skipping the flu shot this year, you may want to reconsider!
Scientists and public health officials are preparing for a potentially active flu season in the United States in the coming months, based on recent trends and updated vaccine formulations. Here’s what they say the public should expect:
VENTURA COUNTY — The Ventura County Clerk-Recorder & Registrar of Voters is committed to “Preserving history and protecting democracy for the people of Ventura County, past, present, and future.” More information about the agency’s services is available 24/7 at ClerkRecorder.venturacounty.gov…
SANTA BARBARA — The Latino Community Foundation’s Santa Barbara Latino Giving Circle (SBLGC) awarded Immigrant Legal Defense Center and 805undocufund a total of $32,000 during their annual Grants Night this month.
“Grants Night is the culmination and celebration of our circle’s annual grant cycle,” said Teresa Alvarez, co-founder of the SBLGC. “Our group’s collective funds are gifted to non-profits that our circle members nominated, elected based on our funding priorities which were Immigr ant Rights & Legal Services Power Building. In today’s climate, we are confident that ILDC and 805 Undocufund will maximize these funds immediately.”
We hope this newsletter finds you well and safe. We are pleased to share with you our latest updates on the 805UndocuFund’s efforts in taking charge of the newly operated Rapid Response Network. Previously owned by CAUSE, we have trained over 1,000 volunteers throughout the tri-county since the beginning of 2025. To date, we have almost reached our fund goal & immediately having been dispersed $478,000 to 388 families! All our successes could not have been achieved without the support from the community.
SANTA MARIA — Allan Hancock College invited more than 1,300 local high school and college students to its Santa Maria campus on Oct. 3 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 gives students a chance to connect with industry professionals,” said Hancock Career Counselor David Hernandez. “It opens their eyes to companies and career paths they might not have considered.”
Clases de danza en dos estilos/?
Dance classes in 2 styles:
Folclórico
Con/with Ms. Xochitl
Movement
Con/with Mr. Javier
Niñas y niños de 7 a 14 años / Ages 7-14
(Dependiendo de la cantidad de inscripciones, las clases podrán ser separadas por edad / Depending on enrollment, ages can be divided)
Thank you for staying up-to-date on news at the County of Ventura! Want to sign up for our newsletter?
Community members who are not already subscribed may sign up to receive our newsletter in English here and in Spanish here.
In the ancient past, up to around the end of 2022, I used to grapple with complex technical issues (for me, anyway) as I pursued some of my projects. When I first started building websites, for example, I often found myself stumped by some of the technical barriers that kept emerging in front of me.
When confronted with an intractable problem that appeared insurmountable, I found myself hunting for web pages that would illuminate me and provide the answers I was looking for. Sometimes I succeeded in ferreting out a solution to a dilemma that would sometimes take days to resolve because I often didn’t even know quite what to search for.
“Every child deserves to travel safely,” Sergeant Mark Knackstedt said. “We urge all parents and caregivers to know for sure that their children are in the right seats and that those seats are installed correctly. Keeping a child in the right seat for their age and size can make all the difference in a crash.”
The board oversees the Santa Maria Fairpark, which serves as the premier event center in the Santa Maria Valley. As a subdivision of the California Department of Food and Agriculture, the board is tasked with supporting the community by providing venues for education, recreation, entertainment, and by promoting agriculture, industry, commerce, and tourism.
Join the City of Oxnard and EDC for this workshop series, which has been developed to help advance business formalization, financial resilience and strategic visibility among small businesses in Ventura County. It addresses core areas where entrepreneurs often face barriers—legal compliance, financial planning, and marketing execution—offering hands-on, actionable training that leads to real outcomes: formal registration, funding readiness and customer growth.
VENTURA — Mosquito activity is expected to increase following the rainfall from the remnants of Tropical Storm Mario. It is important now to prevent mosquito breeding and reduce the chances of being bitten by mosquitoes by emptying objects that collected water during the rain event.
Lea en español | Received this from a friend? Subscribe! eNewsletter September 2025 It’s back-to-school season for our Camino Scholars! With a gift of $55/month, students will have the tools and support to build their confidence, stay engaged with their studies, and succeed all year long.…
VENTURA COUNTY — Each year, Americans observe National Hispanic Heritage Month from September 15 to October 15. It’s a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the histories, cultures, and contributions of our Hispanic and Latino communities.
In this video message, Dr. César Morales, Ventura County Superintendent of Schools, reflects on the importance of Hispanic Heritage Month and shares some of his favorite family traditions. Keep an eye on VCOE’s social media throughout the month for special messages about Hispanic Heritage Month from our students and staff.
The canonization of a saint is the culmination of a process that, in the eyes of the Catholic Church, creates a bridge between human and divine realms. The formal process of canonization has evolved over the centuries from a local affair to an intricate, institutionalized undertaking that is overseen by the pope himself.
Reuniones de la Junta de Supervisores en español
(Board of Supervisors’ Meetings in Spanish)
El Condado de Santa Bárbara está ofreciendo interpretación en español de las reuniones de la Junta de Supervisores. Véalo en vivo en nuestro canal de YouTube en español, o las personas suscritas a la televisión por cable pueden acceder a la programación secundaria de audio (SAP) en los ajustes de idioma.
Aún se requiere pedir con anticipación l
VENTURA — The City of Ventura is now accepting applications for the Ventura Council for Seniors (VCS). This volunteer advisory group advocates for and improves the lives of the city’s older adult residents.
Applicants must:
Be a City of Ventura resident, age 60 or older
Be available to attend monthly meetings, held on the third Tuesday of each month from 4:00 – 5:00 p.m. at the Ventura Avenue Adult Center (550 N. Ventura Avenue)
VENTURA — The Ventura Police Department invites residents, business owners, and community stakeholders to participate in its Strategic Plan Community Questionnaire. This short, accessible feedback form, available in English and Spanish, gives the community a direct voice in shaping the department’s priorities and goals.
VENTURA — With the Medicare Open Enrollment period soon to begin, the Health Insurance Counseling and Advocacy Program (HICAP) – part of the Ventura County Area Agency on Aging, a division of the Human Services Agency – will again be providing countywide resources and help.
Medicare Open Enrollment begins on Oct. 15 and runs through December. 7. HICAP counselors, who are registered by the California Department of Aging, provide free, unbiased Medicare counseling to the public.
Let’s try to imagine an exploratory mission deep in the heart of the local library.
That is exactly what I conducted last week among the ghosts of the paper card catalogs that now haunt the modern library visitor. I felt like a hunter, seeking out a book that would mysteriously reach out to me and demand that I read it—or at least consider it.
Reuniones de la Junta de Supervisores en español
(Board of Supervisors’ Meetings in Spanish)
El Condado de Santa Bárbara está ofreciendo interpretación en español de las reuniones de la Junta de Supervisores. Véalo en vivo en nuestro canal de YouTube en español, o las personas suscritas a la televisión por cable pueden acceder a la programación secundaria de audio (SAP) en los ajustes de idioma.
VENTURA — September is Pedestrian Safety Month in California, and the City of Ventura reminds drivers and walkers alike to take extra care when sharing streets. Whether you’re heading to school, work, or enjoying Ventura’s neighborhoods, walking should always be a safe and easy option.
According to the Governors Highway Safety Association, 7,148 pedestrians were killed in traffic collisions across the United States in 2024. In California alone, pedestrian deaths account for over 24% of all traffic-related fatalities.
In the 1970s, in a more prosperous country, company “headhunters” were pursuing us even before we graduated from college. Sometimes we ended up with several job offers. Our “dilemma” was having to choose from among them.
I sympathize with today’s college graduates. Today, untold numbers of graduates are experiencing a superabundance of frustration as they submit, sometimes literally, hundreds of their résumés online to a wide range of companies.
Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors’ meetings are available in Spanish. Watch live on our Spanish YouTube Channel, or Cable TV subscribers can access Secondary Audio Programming (SAP) in language settings.
SANTA BARBARA — National Drive Electric Month is September 12 to October 12, 2025, and the Community Environmental Council(CEC) is raising awareness about the benefits of driving electric and the thousands of dollars individuals can save on a new or used…
SANTA PAULA — The City of Santa Paula proudly recognizes the accomplishments of 13 outstanding participants who have successfully completed the third cohort of the Youth Apprentice Readiness Accelerator (YARA) Program, marking the second time the program has achieved a 100% graduation rate.
This four-week, intensive pre-apprenticeship program prepares local youth, ages 16-24, for high-demand careers in the building trades. Using the nationally recognized Multi-Craft Core Curriculum (MC3) developed by North America’s Building Trades Unions (NABTU), the program provides foundational knowledge and hands-on training that connects graduates directly to registered apprenticeship opportunities.
LOS OLIVOS — This Labor Day weekend, community members, in solidarity with farmworkers, will flood the streets of Los Olivos in a unified and powerful march to demand justice, dignity, and most of all, a living wage for farmworkers. Farmworkers are the backbone of Santa Barbara County’s wine industry, fueling Santa Barbara County’s economy once again not only through agricultural production but through lucrative wine tasting and tourism. Yet, they continue to face low wages, unsafe working conditions, and the constant threat of detention and deportation. Earlier this year, Santa Barbara County Supervisors voted to raise their own salaries, boldly maintaining that hard work deserves higher pay. We agree. The time is now. A living wage for farmworkers today.
OXNARD — The Oxnard Performing Arts Center Corporation (OPAC) is proud to announce the opening of Anonymous Heroes / Héroes Anónimos, a special exhibition presented in partnership with the Santa Paula Art Museum and the Consulate of Mexico in Oxnard and curated by Rafael Perea de la Cabada. The exhibition will be on view at the Mexican Consulate, at 3151 W. 5th Street in Oxnard, from September 12 thru January 16, 2026.
Anonymous Heroes / Héroes Anónimos highlights 29 selections from the Santa Paula Art Museum’s permanent collection, paying tribute to the resilience, creativity, and essential contributions of our farmworkers. These “everyday heroes,” often unrecognized in history books, have shaped the cultural and economic fabric of Ventura County and beyond.
OXNARD — Ventura County Behavioral Health (VCBH), a department of the Ventura County Health Care Agency (HCA), will join communities nationwide in recognizing the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA) second annual “988 Day” on Monday, September 8, 2025. This year’s theme is Compassionate Help. Anytime.
988 Day raises awareness about the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, emphasizing that suicide is preventable and that compassionate support is available anytime, anywhere. The Lifeline provides free, 24/7 access to skilled, caring, and trained counselors by text, chat, or phone call.
We know it’s hard right now. The federal government is harming our communities in so many ways. Housing costs are out of control, immigrant families are still under attack, and it can feel like no one in power is listening.
But this is exactly why we organize.
Organized immigrant tenants and workers are more important than ever. Unethical landlords and bosses can exploit the fear caused by ICE raids to pad their profits, hoping no one will speak out. But when we unite, we build trust, leadership, and courage – we win transformational change.
Especially in times like these, we have to celebrate our wins. This year across the Central Coast, tenants organizing with CAUSE have won historic victories!
VENTURA — The Ventura Police Department Traffic Unit will conduct a DUI checkpoint at an undisclosed location within the city limits on Friday, August 29, 2025, from 7:00 p.m. to 2:00 a.m.
DUI checkpoint locations are chosen based on data showing incidents of impaired driving-related crashes. The primary purpose of checkpoints is not to make arrests, but to promote public safety by deterring residents from driving impaired.
During the checkpoint, officers will look for signs that drivers are under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs.
SCORE: FIVE COMMUNICATION MISTAKES TO AVOID WHEN LEADING HIGH-PERFORMANCE GLOBAL TEAMS
August 27 @ 10:00 am
In this engaging, practical 75-minute workshop, you’ll learn the most critical communication mistakes that undermine trust and efficiency in your global teams — and how to avoid them, how to adapt to different communication styles to ensure every team member feels understood and empowered and proven techniques for ensuring you are an effective communicator—both as a speaker and as a listener. In today’s fast-paced, interconnected workplace, successful leaders must communicate clearly and inspire teams to work together toward common goals. Yet even experienced leaders can unintentionally create misunderstandings that slow progress, erode trust and impact performance.
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER
Proposition 1 aims to expand access to behavioral health care (mental health and substance use) and housing support, especially for individuals facing complex challenges such as housing instability and serious behavioral health conditions. As the State of California updates how behavioral health funding is prioritized, community voices will play a vital role in shaping local programs and services.
We recently learned of the passing of Jeanette Duncan, who, for nearly four decades, was the very heartbeat of our organization.
Joining not too long after our founding in 1970 by a few volunteer community members and on the heels of the Fair Housing Act, Jeanette began her time as our first Executive Director with People’s Self-Help Housing, supporting individuals and families to build their own houses and achieve their dream of home ownership. Coming alongside those spirited volunteers as their shovels broke ground on those first houses, she subsequently recruited a core of professionals whose dedication would see the work of People’s expanding to serve thousands spread across the tri-counties of the Central Coast.
SANTA MARIA — Allan Hancock College’s Community Education is currently inviting Northern Santa Barbara County residents from all walks of life to register for noncredit classes.
This fall, AHC Community Education is offering noncredit, tuition-free courses in a wide range of subjects, as well as affordable fee-based courses that offer everything from educational enrichment to job skill development and training. The classes are open to everyone, no matter their age, background, or educational level.
Several years ago, I thought I would try my hand at freelancing. I took an online course on proofreading, passed the exam at the end of the course, and plunged into the gig economy.
Sounds of Absences
What drives you to leave everything behind and emigrate?
Lives that cross paths without seeking each other.
Solitudes that brush against each other.
How far does your dream take you? And how much are you willing to lose?
PREMIERE AUGUST 29
You’re going to laugh, you’re going to be moved, and maybe… you’ll be silent for a long time.
Santa Paula Creek is a tributary to the Santa Clara River located along the east side of the City of Santa Paula. The project aims to reduce flood risk and enhance community safety. Following two early public scoping meetings held in July, the public is encouraged to provide feedback to help guide the study’s scope, shape possible measures and alternatives, and assess potential environmental impacts.
As the 2025–2026 school year gets underway, I want to extend a heartfelt welcome to every student and family in Ventura County. This is an exciting time for students to reunite with friends, meet new teachers, and pursue fresh opportunities for growth and learning. But for many families, this year begins not only with hope, but with anxiety and fear.
Our message to all families is simple: We are ready for you. We welcome you. We stand with you. Our staff are trained to protect your children and connect your family to critical resources.
SANTA MARIA — Allan Hancock College invited more than 1,800 new students to attend a “Hancock Hello” orientation event on Aug. 12 at the Santa Maria campus.
During the event, the new Bulldog students and their parents were able to learn more about Hancock and the programs and support services the college offers. Attendees met faculty and staff, learned more about college departments and student clubs, and took campus tours.
“I really like Hancock Hello because you get to see all these new faces and help them feel welcome,” said Jaci Rayas, a Hancock student ambassador who worked the event. “It’s great for students and their parents to see everything that’s here for them and see that they have a support system here.”
VENTURA — On Tuesday, August 12, Ventura County Behavioral Health briefed the Board of Supervisors on an emerging public health threat: kratom, an unregulated substance increasingly linked to overdoses and deaths in the county. The update was led by Dr. Tipu Khan of the Ventura County Medical Center’s Addiction Medicine program, Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Christopher Young, Ventura County Behavioral Health’s Substance Use Services Medical Director Dr. Joseph Vlaskovits, and Public Health Officer Dr. Uldine Castel.
