Building will be center to serve nonprofit leaders, provide meeting space to the community CAMARILLO — The Ventura County Community Foundation late last week bought a Camarillo office building to house the foundation’s headquarters, expand its Center for Nonprofit Leadership…
Category: Education
Bilingual commentary: State Assemblyman Das Williams draws fire for opposing CA Trust Act, supporting S-Comm
Community organizations call for July 28 protest at?Assemblyman’s offices in Oxnard and Santa Barbara OXNARD — Assemblyman Das Williams (D-35th District) is walking a tightrope among his constituents in this sensitive election year after provoking outrage among migrant justice advocates…
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…
Hernandez issues response to VCCCD accreditation issues and perceptions
By Arturo Hernandez / Board Trustee, VCCCD This statement is in response to the recent public accusations against me in the April 16th, 2012 Report from the Accreditation Commission for Community and Junior Colleges, released by the commission on July 2, 2012.…
Commentary: Homeless at 9, artist at 15
By Mona AlvaradoFrazier / Guest contributor 1 in 45 kids is homeless in the U.S. What can you do for 1? This is Inocente… “In San Diego, a young teenage girl’s eyes stare into a compact mirror. She paints a dramatic black…
VCCF awards $1.2 million at annual scholarship reception
CAMARILLO — The Ventura County Community Foundation awarded more than $1.2 million in scholarships to local students at the recent 2012 Scholarship Awards Reception, attended by more than 400 students, their families and donors who made the awards possible. The…
Bilingual commentary: Call for candidates!
By Denis O’Leary / Guest contributor We have all heard about the Presidential election of November 2012. We also survived the June primary elections to decide the candidates who will face off for county, state and federal positions. Yet, local…
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: Efforts in high gear to avoid outages this summer
Residents and businesses can help prevent unwanted power disruptions, says private utility By Cesar Arredondo / New America Media/Amigos805 With its only nuclear plant shut down for now, Southern California Edison is asking for help from its costumers to keep energy flowing…
News notes: Fisherman’s Wharf lease expiring, Youth Empowerment Program holds ceremony
Five-Year pre-development lease at Channel Islands Harbor expires OXNARD —The Ventura County Board of Supervisors has chosen to allow the current lease at Fisherman’s Wharf, the corner of Victoria and Channel Islands, to expire on July 31, which is the…
Bilingual report: Staying local remains an attractive vacation option
Trips to wine region, state and national parks, historical sites are some of the local options By Frank X. Moraga / Amigos805 While a trip to Spain or climbing a pyramid at Chichén Itzá may sound like an enticing summer vacation, a…
Bilingual commentary: Remembering a family’s history
By Frank X. Moraga / Amigos805 Sometimes a fleeting comment can lead to a whole world of discovery. Such was the case for Sylvia Munoz Schnopp, who was visiting her father one day in 2003. “It started out by just…
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.…
Foundation for Santa Barbara City College receives $10,000 for “Transitions” program
Program Allows Those Released From California Criminal Justice System Access to Higher Education SANTA BARBARA – The Foundation for Santa Barbara City College has received a $10,000 grant from the Fund for Santa Barbara to support the College’s Transitions program, a…
Health fair for men set for June 30 at Ventura College Market Place
A health fair for men is scheduled from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, June 30 at the Ventura College Market Place, at the corner of Telegraph and Day Roads. Testing services will be provided for diabetes, colesterol, body mass…
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…
Congress of California Seniors to hold open house on June 21
The Congress of California Seniors Region 5 will celebrate Elder Awareness Day with an open house from 3 to 6 p.m. Thursday, June 21 at the CCS Oxnard Field Office, 519 So. C St., Oxnard. The event includes the opportunity…
Bilingual report: $1,000 fines to be issued for illegal use of fireworks in Oxnard
OXNARD — In anticipation of the July 4, 2012 holiday, Oxnard police officers will enforce the ban on fireworks in Oxnard, City of Oxnard officials reported this week in a media release. Anyone possessing, storing, selling, using, transporting or handling…
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: 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…
Health report: Some facts you should know about thyroid problems
By Rob Billiton / Wire report Your thyroid is a gland in your neck that can affect many aspects of your health. If you have problems with your thyroid, it can cause everything from depression to weight gain, plus it can…
¡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…
Santa Barbara Teen News Network seeking sponsors
sbTNN presents moving season finale episode honoring spirit of late founder, activist Patricia Henley. Nonprofit seeks sponsors to continue providing opportunities for local youth. SANTA BARBARA — The local teenage cast and crew of Santa Barbara Teen News Network (sbTNN)…
Santa Barbara’s Just Communities seeking sponsors for youth summer program
A total of 24 Santa Barbara students to will attend Community Leadership Institute (CLI) in Ojai GOLETA – Just Communities in Santa Barbara is seeking business/corporate or individual sponsors in Santa Barbara County to provide scholarships for students from four…
Health report: Six steps to staying mentally sharp and preventing Alzheimer’s Disease
By Kyle Scott / Wire report Alzheimer’s Disease is a horrible illness that effects millions of people each year. Essentially, Alzheimer’s Disease slowly ruins your memory and takes away the function of your brain until you are left unable to…
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.??…
Bilingual report: Protest to cuts in state childcare budget set for June 9 in Oxnard
The Latin America Child Care Provider Association, a nonprofit group of bilingual childcare providers, will provide information on cuts to the state’s childcare budget at 10 a.m. Saturday, June 9 at Del Sol Park at the corner of Camino del…
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,…
Sidewalk CPR ‘Hands-Only’ program set for June 7 in Ventura County
The Ventura County Emergency Medical Services Agency is partnering with the American Heart Association to coordinate a county-wide CPR program from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday, June 7. This service is free to the public and will be held in various…
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…
Oxnard youth invited to attend summer camps
OXNARD — The Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Oxnard and Port Hueneme has revamped its Summer Day Camp program to be more engaging, exciting, and positive for youth in the area, the organization reported recently in a media release.…
Bilingual report: Sponsors needed by June 15 for Young Writers Camp
Writer and educator Amada Irma Perez reports that the South Coast Writing Project is seeking individuals and organizations willing to help sponsor young people to take part in the 2012 Young Writers Camp from Monday through Friday, July 9-20. The…
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 fighting an uphill battle to stay relevant
Tight budgets and limits on new taxes make it a challenge to meet certification, graduation and transfer goals Editor’s note: Part of an occasional series of stories on the state of affairs in the California community college system. This story…
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…
Bilingual Commentary: College and debt
By David Magallanes / Guest contributor It is becoming more and more difficult to sell to our young people the idea that going to college will allow them to better their lives, be a success, or, in general terms, to achieve something…
Oxnard Salsa Festival participants of ‘Dancing with Our Community Stars’ event
Pedro Chavez of Big Brothers, Big Sisters Ventura County, Yvonne Gutierrez of El Concilio Family Services in Oxnard and Martin Hernandez of Interface Children & Family Services are among of group of community members who will be participating in the…
El Concilio profile: Lorenzo “Lencho” Moraza
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 will be held on Friday, June 1, 2012 at the Oxnard Performing Arts Center. Click…
‘Connecting the Oaxacan Communities’ talk set for May 24 in Ventura
The Ventura County Community Foundation, the Fundación Comunitaria Oaxaca and the International Community Foundation will present the “Connecting the Oaxacan Communities” panel presentation from 5 to 6:30 p.m. Thursday, May 24 at the Museum of Ventura County, 100 E. Main…
Bilingual report: Public Safety Fair set for May 26 in Oxnard
A “Public Safety Fair” featuring the Oxnard Police Department, the California Highway Patrol and the Oxnard Fire Department, will be held from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, May 26 at Southwinds Park at Courtland and Clara streets in Oxnard.…
MICOP seeks volunteers for May 26 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 on Saturday, May 26 at Harrington Elementary School, 2501 Gisler St. in…
CLU Upward Bound receives $3 million
Grants will continue current services, allow expansion THOUSAND OAKS — The U.S. Department of Education has awarded California Lutheran University more than $3 million to continue and expand its TRIO Traditional Upward Bound services, the university reported this week in…
Businesses to benefit from SCORE, SBDC partnership
Memorandum of Understanding formalizes organizations’ working relationship CAMARILLO –Startups and growing businesses have long benefited from business assistance services from the EDC-VC’s Small Business Development Center of Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties and Ventura County SCORE. Now the two nonprofit organizations…
Bilingual commentary: The graduation ceremony
By David Magallanes / Guest contributor This past week, my beloved daughter received her master’s degree in education from Cal Lutheran, a prestigious and highly recognized university here in Ventura County. Her mother and I, together with her husband and two sons,…
El Concilio profile: Roxanne Reyna Miranda
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 will be held on Friday, June 1, 2012 at the Oxnard Performing Arts Center. Click…
Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Oxnard and Port Hueneme takes honors at national conference
OXNARD — The Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Oxnard and Port Hueneme (BGCOP) recently received two prestigious Merit Awards for Program Excellence from Judith J. Pickens, senior vice president, Boys & Girls Clubs of America, the organization reported in…
Local student awarded full-tuition scholarship from Boys & Girls Clubs, University of Phoenix
OXNARD – Boys & Girls Clubs alumni Kara Brown was one of 20 recipients nationwide to receive a full-tuition scholarship from Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA) and University of Phoenix to complete an undergraduate or master’s degree. More than 200 Boys…
Bilingual commentary: ‘Today, we are all Mixteco’
By Denis O’Leary / Guest contributor The Mixteco/Indígena Community Organizing Project (MICOP), has started a campaign against racism and bullying of the Mixteco community in Ventura County. MICOP estimates that there are more than 20,000 indigenous Mexicans in Ventura County, mostly Mixtecos…
El Concilio profile: Kristine Guzman
Editor’s note: Part of a continuing series of stories in May profiling the award-winners of El Concilio Family Service 2012 Latino Leadership awards — “Excellence in Education.” The awards gala will be held on Friday, June 1, 2012 at the Oxnard Performing…
Clinicas del Camino Real is celebrating Women’s Health Week
Clinicas del Camino Real Inc. is hosting events this week in honor of National Women’s Health Week (May 13-19), the health care provider reported Thursday in a media release. Clinicas invites the community to visit one of its 13 locations…
Deadline approaching for June print edition of Amigos805
Also check out our Amigos805 On Scene email newsletter on May 24 for discount coupons The deadline is rapidly approaching for the June print edition of Amigos805. Thank you dear readers and advertisers for supporting our efforts to make Amigos805…
CSU Channel Islands celebrates opening of new entrance
University officials, political leaders and the public gathered on May 11 for the official opening of a new four-lane University Drive main entrance road at California State University, Channel Island. The public dedication and ribbon-cutting ceremony included a presentation by…
Bilingual commentary: Filing … not piling
By David Magallanes / Guest contributor Some time ago I felt completely inundated by mail, receipts and documents that I would receive — and, as a result, accumulate — day after day after day. The very volume of that paper was overwhelming…
Indigenous community to launch anti-bullying campaign on May 17
Indigenous Mexican leaders of Ventura County will publicly launch the “No Me Llames Oaxaquita!” (Don’t call me little Oaxacan!) campaign at a press conference at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, May 17 at the Center for Employment Training, 761 So. C St., Oxnard,…
El Concilio profile: Margaret Cortese
Editor’s note: Part of a continuing series of stories in May profiling the award-winners of El Concilio Family Service 2012 Latino Leadership awards — “Excellence in Education.” The awards gala will be held on Friday, June 1, 2012 at the Oxnard Performing…
Five Wishes celebration held in Santa Barbara
More than 200 community members took part recently in the Second Annual Community-Wide Gathering and Celebration of the Five Wishes held at the Rockwood Woman’s Club in Santa Barbara. The Alliance for Living and Dying Well, a collaborative of Santa…