
The 2021 Rupe Conference will focus on communicating about COVID-19.

Ventura Land Trust (VLT) launched a major reforestation project at its 2,100-acre Harmon Canyon Preserve with the planting of a new oak grove on Saturday, April 24th. The 4-acre grove, funded by a grant from SoCalGas, is planted in a terrace area of the preserve near the preserve’s trailhead.
With 10 miles of trails for hiking and biking, Harmon Canyon Preserve is Ventura’s first large-scale nature preserve.
SoCalGas’s grant award funded the planting of 50 coast live oak trees, as well as 150 native plants like California sagebrush, purple sage, coyote brush, bush sunflower, and Yerba Buena. A trail winds through the grove, so that the public can see and enjoy the reforested area.

The Scheinfeld New Venture Challenge business plan and pitch competition returned for its 11th season on Friday, April 23, showcasing some of our region’s most exciting, innovative, and cutting-edge college and high school student entrepreneurs. The event was live streamed on YouTube and the video can be viewed on the Scheinfeld Center’s YouTube channel.
Students from Santa Barbara City College and University of California, Santa Barbara, kicked off the collegiate tier of the event, followed by the high school tier, which featured students from San Marcos High School. The aspiring entrepreneurs competed for over $15,000 in cash awards and startup support.

United Way of Ventura County is excited to share with you that we’ve created a website to exclusively cover our United to End Homelessness Initiative efforts. This website will be a central hub that features resources, upcoming events, volunteer opportunities, tenant and landlord testimonials, resources and beyond.
The website will continue to evolve and expand as we develop more efforts related to this initiative.

There are 20 new COVID-19 cases. There have been 5,727 new tests performed. There has been 1 additional death of a 40 year old female.
The current R-effective (average number of people each infected person will pass the virus onto and represents the rate at which COVID-19 is spreading) is .88 which means that spread of COVID-19 is likely decreasing; R-effective for CA is .87 right now.
60% of people 16 years and older have received one dose in Ventura County. 19.8% of the population 16 years and older have received one dose in CA.
Click here for information about COVID-19 testing.
Vaccine eligibility is now open to everyone 16 and older. Make your appointment today at myturn.ca.gov or 833-422-4255.

Now On View: Erin Hanson: Colors of California
Exhibit runs May 1, 2021 to July 25, 2021
West Coast artist Erin Hanson has earned a huge following thanks to her unique painting style, which has been dubbed “Open Impressionism” and is now taught to art students worldwide. (She also started selling paintings at the age of 10!) Open Impressionism is a blend of classical impressionism and modern expressionism, with a dash of plein air style. In other words, prepare yourself to be completely impressed. Erin Hanson: Colors of California is on view now through July 25, 2021.
The exhibit can also be enjoyed online, although we encourage you to visit all four of our current exhibitions in person!

Support Women, Art, and Small Businesses
Tomorrow May 1st from 11 am-4 pm join the Fundraiser Mixer at Open Door Studio to celebrate local women, small businesses, and the creative arts.
Live Music, Free Art Classes, Food, Vendors, Prizes, and an all-female exhibit. At 329 W 5th St.
For more info: ARTGIRLS#!T

Open Doors 2020 Study Abroad report has ranked CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI) Study Abroad as 9th in the nation for the 2019-2020 academic year. The 2020 Open Doors report is released by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and the Institute of International Education (IIE).
The pandemic cut the programs short at the end of the 2019-2020 academic year, but the Study Abroad staff is ready to go when it’s safe for students to travel again.

Rotary Club of Montecito officially announces the chairs of its “Back 2 School” fundraiser as Tony Morris, Club Director of Vocational Service, and Cathy Cash, past Club President.
Since its founding in 1953, Rotary Club of Montecito has been developing projects and delivering service to their community and the wider world for over 67 years. Continuing that philanthropic mission, the Club is hosting a “Back 2 School” fundraiser on May 19, 2021 for Santa Barbara City College student scholarships.
As productive members of the California Central Coast philanthropy community, Tony Morris and Cathy Cash are charged with planning and oversight of the fundraising event for the SBCC Foundation.

Two Ventura County high schools are being honored as 2021 California Distinguished Schools by the California Department of Education. Oak Park High School in the Oak Park Unified School District and Rancho Campana High School in the Oxnard Union High School Districts are recipients of this coveted award.
“I want to congratulate everyone at Oak Park High School and Rancho Campana High School for being named 2021 California Distinguished Schools,” said Dr. César Morales, Ventura County Superintendent of Schools. “It’s an especially impressive achievement in this school year that’s been filled with unprecedented challenges due to the pandemic,” he said.

COVID-19 Update
There are 21 new COVID-19 cases. There have been 4,817 new tests performed. There have been 0 additional deaths.
The current R-effective (average number of people each infected person will pass the virus onto and represents the rate at which COVID-19 is spreading) is .79 which means that spread of COVID-19 is likely decreasing; R-effective for CA is .88 right now.
41.3% of the county population of 16 years and older are completely vaccinated.
Click here for information about COVID-19 testing.
Vaccine eligibility is now open to everyone 16 and older. Make your appointment today at myturn.ca.gov or 833-422-4255.
www.venturacountyrecovers.org

The Port of Hueneme is a World Trade Center licensee, and in concert with our strong team of stakeholders, is hosting this event as part of our overall initiative to advance the businesses of Ventura County and expand their reach into the global marketplace. The focus this year will be on the challenges and opportunities offered by our post-pandemic world.

There are 11 new COVID-19 cases. There have been 4,183 new tests performed. There has been 1 additional death, 90 year old woman.
The current R-effective (average number of people each infected person will pass the virus onto and represents the rate at which COVID-19 is spreading) is .80 which means that spread of COVID-19 is likely decreasing; R-effective for CA is .85 right now.
Click here for information about COVID-19 testing.
Vaccine eligibility is now open to everyone 16 and older. Make your appointment today at myturn.ca.gov or 833-422-4255.
www.venturacountyrecovers.org

Our highly rated Digital Marketing Science course combines online learning with weekly live, group sessions.
Marketing in the Digital Age
This module will ground you in the core concepts you will need to be a successful digital marketer.
Mapping Strategy to Tactics
Research competitors, investigate concepts like brand, persona, and journey, then define the messaging and content that best connects with your target audience.
Mastering Digital Marketing Channels
You will learn marketing analytics, search engine optimization, paid search, paid social, multichannel campaigns and more.
Using Marketing Technology
Understand the martech stack, gain in-demand technical certifications, and learn how to manage complex multichannel campaigns that influence the customer experience.
The Results
You’ll walk away with industry-recognized certifications and a Strategic Digital Marketing Playbook that showcases your robust digital marketing skills to current and future employers.

For the sixth year, people from around the globe can get up-close-and-personal with an endangered California condor chick in real-time through live streaming video of a cliff-side nest in a canyon near the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Hopper Mountain National Wildlife Refuge in Ventura County, California.
California condor chick #1075 hatched on April 10, 2021. Its parents are ten-year-old female condor #594 and 15-year-old male condor #374. This is the pair’s first nesting attempt together and they are using a nest cavity used in 2018 by #374 and his former mate. Female condor #594 previously paired with male condor #462 in 2018 and 2020, successfully fledging one chick each year. This year marks male condor #374’s sixth nesting attempt at raising a chick; he has successfully fledged four chicks in previous years.

We are coming down to the wire, just a few more days/hours to vote in both competitions! We have surpassed our goal of 800 participants voting by 400% but we want more. If you haven’t seen the work of our students, check it out today and select your favorites. The PRiME Competition closes on Tuesday followed by the New Venture Fair on Wednesday.

Women’s Economic Ventures (WEV) is proud to announce the 30 finalists for the 11th annual Spirit of Entrepreneurship Awards (SOE) to be held virtually on May 21, from 12noon -1:30pm. The SOE Awards celebrate outstanding women business owners from Santa Barbara and Ventura Counties in ten industry categories. Community members are invited to attend the free, online event; register at Spirit of Entrepreneurship Awards.
A panel of independent judges, who all live outside the tri-county area, selected the finalists from an impressive group of applicants throughout Santa Barbara and Ventura Counties. This year, the judges also took into consideration the impact the businesses make in their community and the entrepreneurs’ resiliency to the challenges presented by the global pandemic. Stacy Harris, a judge from Phoenix, Arizona, said the finalists are “an impressive class of driven female entrepreneurs adapting to an unpredictable environment during the pandemic in support of community and creative services and products.”

The nationally recognized Moorpark College Forensics team has once again won the team championship in its division at the Phi Rho Pi National Championships, held April 6-11. This is the college’s 11th national championship in forensics, or speech and debate. The team also competed at the California Community College Forensics Association State Championships in March.
“Of the 12 students who represented Moorpark College at the national championships, eight are new to the team this year, and to speech competitions of any kind,” said Rolland Petrello, chair of the Communications and Media Arts Department and head forensics coach. “Six of those students are new to the team this semester. We have not met most of the team members in person, as everything we are doing–from recruiting and coaching to competitions–has taken place virtually. However, I think these students are a testament to how excellence can be achieved even under the most trying of conditions.”

There are 52 new COVID-19 cases. There have been 2,582 new tests performed. There have been 0 additional deaths.
The current R-effective (average number of people each infected person will pass the virus onto and represents the rate at which COVID-19 is spreading) is .77 which means that spread of COVID-19 is likely decreasing; R-effective for CA is .87 right now.
Click here for information about COVID-19 testing.
Vaccine eligibility is now open to everyone 16 and older. Make your appointment today at myturn.ca.gov or 833-422-4255.

CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI) was already in the process of saving money on textbooks for students with its openCI initiative when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, sending the program into hyperdrive.
Recent calculations showed that the John Spoor Broome Library staff’s work to provide faculty and students with online learning materials and e-books saved CSUCI students $237,759 over the last academic year—and counting.
“The number is a moving target as the semester moves along, but we’re estimating that the final savings for the 2020-21 school year is about $245,513,” said Library Services Specialist Elizabeth “Bitten” Skartvedt.

An Oxnard non-profit organization designed to support and encourage aspiring young artists has endowed CSU Channel Islands with a $50,000 scholarship fund for students majoring in Studio Art or Art History.
Carnegie Art Cornerstones evolved out of the Carnegie Art Museum, which closed in summer of 2019 owing to Oxnard city budget cuts. As a non-profit, Cornerstones will continue to promote art and art appreciation but will now do so through college scholarships.
“I think this is really going to help students, especially coming out of a pandemic,” said CSUCI Art Professor and Chair of the Art Program, Liz King. “We’ve always had such an amazing relationship with the Carnegie Art Museum. Some of our faculty have had shows there, our students have been interns—it’s a treasured, vital relationship and I’m so happy to hear about Carnegie’s transition to Cornerstones.”

The Ventura County Board of Supervisors will honor five recipients of its prestigious Earth Day Awards at the April 27th Board of Supervisors meeting in recognition and celebration of Earth Day. The award presentation can be viewed online at 11:30 am through the County’s Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/CountyOfVentura/ or streamed through the County website at: https://www.ventura.org/bosmeetings.

Homes with Heart VC, a program of Ventura County Children and Family Services, is recruiting loving families in Ventura County to open their homes to older youth in care. Transitional aged youth (TAY) are between the ages of 16-25 and are at a point in their lives where love, guidance, and mentorship are critical for their future independence.
Currently, the county has over 200 TAY youth and homes are in higher demand than ever before. A safe place to call home can provide older youth with stability and teach them valuable skillsets in preparation for a successful future. By taking the first steps to become a resource family, you can make a large difference as they step forward into the rest of their life.

The Goleta Union School District Board of Trustees is pleased to announce that Dr. Diana Roybal has been selected as the new Superintendent. The Board will formally vote on her appointment at the April 28, 2021 Board Meeting. Dr. Roybal is scheduled to begin her position on July 1, 2021.
The selection culminates a Superintendent search process that included a districtwide survey and input sessions with administrators, staff, and community members. Using this information, Leadership Associates, a top search firm, conducted an extensive search.

From the moment Anna Kumor started her career, she knew she wanted to help people. “It’s part of my DNA,” said Kumor. “[Helping people] was a part of how I was raised.” It’s no wonder she is the Ventura County Employee Assistance Program (EAP) Director, which provides counseling and mental health services to County employees and their family members. She and a team of licensed mental health professionals use their expertise to help County employees navigate work and personal relationships, as well as teach mindfulness techniques to help employees succeed. Kumor has brought nearly 10 years of clinical experience to her role at the County of Ventura, and after hoping to find an opportunity to work with public servants in particular, she landed in her leadership role as agency director of the Ventura County EAP.

When it comes to empowering the next generation of public servants, Sabrina Anderson does so on a person- by- person basis by helping County of Ventura constituents realize their own success and talent through her work. “I am really interested in seeing the generations understand how important public service is,” said Sabrina Anderson. “I’ve gotten to see that public service can be my dream, and I just want to give that opportunity to other people as well.”

There are 32 new COVID-19 cases. There have been 5,532 new tests performed. There have been 4 additional deaths.
Doubling time is 1,994.3 days.
The current R-effective (average number of people each infected person will pass the virus onto and represents the rate at which COVID-19 is spreading) is .88 which means that spread of COVID-19 is likely decreasing; R-effective for CA is .95 right now.
617,876 COVID-19 vaccine doses have been administered. 55.9% of the population age 16 and older have received the 1st dose of the vaccine.
Click here for information about COVID-19 testing.

The Santa Barbara South Coast Chamber of Commerce and Santa Maria Chamber of Commerce recognize the importance that Hispanic and minority-owned businesses have in the community. As they have shared COVID-19 information and resources with community business owners, they have identified a gap. While many Hispanic-owned businesses have already taken steps to apply for financial assistance through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), there are still a number of smaller, local businesses that have not yet done so. While there is still time to apply, funding is quickly being distributed and may run out prior to the May 21 deadline.

More destructive than earthquakes, thunderstorms and floods, termites are a potent force of nature. Termites are insidious. They are one of the biggest threats to our homes, though they are minuscule, nearly invisible, and silent.
In 2018, the National Pest Management Association produced a video that would strike fear into the heart of any homeowner: Tiny Termite House. A team of researchers built the “Tiny Termite House,” a miniature, doll-house version of a typical “dream home.” It even had hardwood floors, electricity, and plumbing. Upon completion, the researchers introduced a mass of termites onto the idyllic “property,” much like a swarm might arrive to colonize their chosen real estate. The researchers then filmed and watched the results over time with a combination of horror, awe, and fascination. The video shows the massive, horren

Twelve-year-old Phoebe Hopp’s wide eyes stared hauntingly out at her grandmother from the self-portrait she’d drawn in art class.
Lydia Hopps couldn’t see her granddaughter’s expression. Most of her face was covered by a mask, which she and other students had worn to prevent spread of COVID-19 during the class at Vita Art Center in Ventura.
“It made me think, what is this child thinking? What is she feeling?” Lydia Hopps said. “What have these children been through this past year? It just called me to take action.”

When you enter the festival at SBEarthDay.org, you’ll see the Main Stage content at the top of your screen. Scroll down to visit our virtual booth. Once inside our booth, you can opt to join the live chat room where SBCFAN and our members will host a variety of talks, demos, and opportunities to connect with other food system actors. See our full schedule below – and scroll down to see other FAN recommended festival highlights. Hope to see you there!