CAMARILLO — An estimated 100 Ventura County girls ages 9 to 12 will collaborate with female mentors during the second annual CSU Channel Islands (CI) STEAM Hackathon on Saturday, April 2 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Through a partnership…
Category: Education
VCCDC Hosts Free ‘For Sale By Owner’ Workshop for Home Sellers on March 15
VENTURA – Most of us have seen those “For Sale By Owner” signs on the lawns of homes around our neighborhood but what does a “For Sale By Owner” really consist of and is it something that all home sellers should…
Santa Barbara Family YMCA Youth & Government Delegates Experience Democratic Process First Hand in Sacramento
SANTA BARBARA — The Channel Islands YMCA Youth & Government delegation joined more than 3,500 youth from throughout California for the 68th Model Legislature & Court held Feb. 11-15 at the Sacramento Convention Center and State Capitol. Part of the…
49 Oxnard High School students participate in National Groundhog Job Shadow Day Event
Congresswoman Julia Brownley phones in from Washington, D.C. OXNARD — A total of 18 businesses in the Esplanade financial area of Oxnard hosted 49 Oxnard High School sophomore academy students for a Job Shadow day from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The…
Girls Inc. of Greater Santa Barbara Names New Board President, Welcomes New Members
SANTA BARBARA — Girls Inc. of Greater Santa Barbara is pleased to announce the election of a new president and four new members to its Board of Directors. Tracy Jenkins, the incoming board president, and new members James Aviani, Victoria…
California State Summer School for the Arts taking applications through Feb. 29
VENTURA — The California State Summer School for the Arts is taking applications through Feb. 29 for a four-week summer arts program to be hosted by the Ventura County Arts Council at The Collective at the Pacific View Mall, Ventura. The…
Bilingual commentary: The Spring 2016 Oxnard College Literature, Arts & Lecture Series
By David Magallanes / Guest contributor David Magallanes In an unexpected corner of Ventura County, we have access to an impressive array of educational, musical, literary, artistic, historical, poetic and theatrical presentations for our community—free of charge. That former “diamond in the rough”…
Property Tax Workshop Hosted by VCCDC with Guest Speaker Steven Hintz set for Feb.18
VENTURA COUNTY — For many homeowners, their property tax bill is the second largest expense of owning a home after mortgage interest but not all homeowners understand their property taxes. Ventura County Community Development Corporation (VCCDC) hopes to bring clarity…
Inlakech Cultural Arts Center to celebrate 43 years of service on Feb. 27
OXNARD — The Inlakech Cultural Arts Center will celebrate 43 years of service with a “Red Charro Suits and Raffle Fundraiser” from 4 to 8 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 27 at The Kitchen Restaurant, 529 S. A St., Oxnard. Featuring a new…
Bilingual report: Clinicas del Camino Real Inc. hosting dental health fair on Feb. 27 in honor of National Children’s Dental Health Month
OXNARD — February is National Children’s Dental Health Month. If you have a baby or toddler, you may have questions about thumb sucking, your child’s first dental visit or how and when to clean your child’s teeth. If so, on…
UCSB to present ‘Sarah Koenig & Julie Snyder — Binge-Worthy Journalism: Backstage with the Creators of Serial’ on March 3
SANTA BARBARA – UCSB to present ‘Sarah Koenig & Julie Snyder — Binge-Worthy Journalism: Backstage with the Creators of Serial’ on March 3 Co-created by veteran radio journalists and producers Sarah Koenig and Julie Snyder, Serial launched in the fall of…
UCSB to present National Geographic Live wildlife photographer Steve Winter on March 6
SANTA BARBARA — UCSB to present National Geographic Live wildlife photographer Steve Winter at 3 p.m. Sunday, March 6 at Campbell Hall. Go around the world in search of big cats with award-winning photographer Steve Winter. A determined explorer, Winter will…
Ventura College to Host Open House Extravaganza Open to the Community on March 12
Event features department presentations, financial aid application workshops, free lunch, and more VENTURA —Ventura College will hold an open house available to all those interested in learning more about the college and its programs and services, as well as those who would like…
CSU Channel Islands professor helps create ‘Latinos and Baseball’ exhibit at the Smithsonian
CAMARILLO — CSU Channel Islands (CI) Professor of Chicana/o Studies Jose Alamillo, Ph.D., helped launch an exhibit for the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History called “Latinos and Baseball: In the Barrios and the Big Leagues.” Alamillo and other scholars from across…
UCSB to present ‘Juan Felipe Herrera — An Evening with the 2015-16 United States Poet Laureate’ on Feb. 1
SANTA BARBARA — UCSB Arts & Lectures will present ‘Juan Felipe Herrera An Evening with the 2015-16 United States Poet Laureate’ at 7:30 p.m. Monday, Feb. 1 at UCSB’s Campbell Hall. U.S. Poet Laureate Juan Felipe Herrera is the first Latino…
Money in the pockets of working Californians
By Hannah-Beth Jackson Last year, California created the state’s first-ever Earned Income Tax Credit. This tax credit, which I supported, will put money back into the pockets of California’s low income working families to help pay for groceries, catch up…
CSU Channel Islands’ Student Affairs division earns national award for excellent diversity, staffing practices and work environment
CAMARILLO — Excellent diversity, staffing practices and work environment are among the reasons CSU Channel Islands (CI)’s Division of Student Affairs has won a designation as one of the “Most Promising Places to Work in Student Affairs” for a second year in a…
Bilingual commentary: Equal Opportunity in Creation
By David Magallanes / Guest contributor David Magallanes Some of us in our Western culture turn to the Bible to teach us something about the nature of ourselves as human beings, about our origins and early history. Others of us who are less…
Pew Research Center: Millennials Make Up Almost Half of Latino Eligible Voters in 2016
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Hispanic Millennials will account for nearly half (44 percent) of the record 27.3 million Hispanic eligible voters projected for 2016 — a share greater than that of any other racial or ethnic group of voters, the Pew Research…
Bilingual commentary: The Stars and Planets at Christa McAuliffe Elementary School
By David Magallanes / Guest contributor David Magallanes With so many children admiring celebrities these days and questionably holding them up as role models, it was refreshing this past Friday to attend McAuliffe Elementary School’s (Oxnard School District) annual “Astronomy Night.” The school…
Girls Inc. Carpinteria Launches Literacy Initiative to Prepare Students for Academic Success
CARPINTERIA — Girls Inc. of Carpinteria is kicking off the New Year with the implementation of a new after-school reading and literacy program at Carpinteria Unified School District school sites and on the Girls Inc. Carpinteria campus. The Literacy Initiative is…
emPower Hosts Free Energy Efficient Furnace Workshop in Santa Maria on Jan. 19
Jan. 19 workshop to be held at Veterans Memorial Building SANTA MARIA — With Santa Barbara County now firmly in winter, emPower Central Coast will be offering advice and information on selecting a new high-efficiency furnace during a free, Jan. 19 workshop. …
Classes start Jan. 11 for English as a Second Language Basic English course at Oxnard College
OXNARD — Classes start for English as a Second Language Basic English course at Oxnard College. Free books available. Classes include: ESL R046 — English Conversation 4; ESL R065 — Prep for Academic Reading & Writing; ESL R056 — Reading Skills…
El Centrito Family Learning Centers thank you
Joseph Castañeda Carrera / El Centrito Family Learning Centers Season’s greetings to you and yours! El Centrito Family Learning Centers thank you for believing that every child and every family deserves the opportunity to reach their greatest potential. To donate in support…
Girls Inc. of Greater Santa Barbara Members Awaken the Force with Hour of Code
/ Girls Inc. Girls Inc. of Greater Santa Barbara’s Goleta and Santa Barbara Centers were buzzing on Friday afternoon, as the local affiliate hosted the “Hour of Code” to introduce girls to coding and computer science. Approximately two dozen girls…
Women’s Economic Ventures honors 16 WEV en Español Self-Employment Training graduates
SANTA BARBARA — On Tuesday, Dec. 15, 2015, Women’s Economic Ventures (WEV) celebrated the accomplishments of 16 men and women who completed the WEV en Español Advanced Self-Employment Training (SET) program during a graduation ceremony held at National University in…
CSU Channel Island students offer free in-home service for Latina/os with traumatic brain injury
CAMARILLO — CSU Channel Islands (CI) Health Science students are seeking Ventura County Latina/os with a traumatic brain injury to take part in a free in-home service called “Trabajadora de Salud,” the university reported in a media release. Assistant Professor of Health…
December cover story: Holiday events add to the magic of the season
Posadas (Dec. 11), La Pastorela (Dec. 19, 20) to be presented at El Presidio de Santa Barbara Historic Park From Amigos805 staff reports The public is invited to participate in Santa Barbara’s oldest Christmas traditions as the Santa Barbara Trust…
Local news briefs
OXNARD — El Concilio Family Services is seeking nominations for 2016 Latino Leadership Awards. The deadline is 5 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 15 The 27th annual Latino Leadership Awards will recognize individuals and business partnerships that have made significant contributions to…
Commentary: Hispanics awaiting Supreme Court decision on voting districts
By Frank X. Moraga / Amigos805 While the song goes “The Eyes of Texas are Upon You,” it’s more of a case that the eyes of Hispanics nationwide is upon Texas and a pending decision by the U.S. Supreme Court…
Bilingual commentary: The Case Against Homework
By David Magallanes / Guest contributor There has been a quiet controversy involving our children that has been brewing over the past several years. As in any controversy, there are exaggerated claims, false accusations and biased statements that serve to befuddle anyone trying…
El Concilio Family Services seeks nominations for 2016 Latino Leadership Awards. Deadline is 5 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 15
OXNARD — El Concilio Family Services is seeking nominations for 2016 Latino Leadership Awards. The deadline is 5 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 15 The 27th annual Latino Leadership Awards will recognize individuals and business partnerships that have made significant contributions to education…
Teatro de las Américas to present final two performances of ‘Your Friends Would Never Harm You’ on Dec. 4, 5
OXNARD — Teatro de las Américas will present final two performances of “Your Friends Would Never Harm You” at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Dec. 4 and 5 at the Oxnard College Black Box Theatre, 4000 S. Rose Ave., Oxnard…
Bilingual commentary: The Crashing Wave of Paper
By David Magallanes / Guest contributor Being disorganized carries a hefty price tag. We burn up valuable time looking for things. We miss appointments, miss paying bills, miss opportunities and don’t fulfill our dreams because we don’t even know what those dreams are—we…
Guest commentary: Forgotten Memories — Wasted Years
Editor’s note: Amigos805 welcomes guest columns, letters to the editor and other submissions from our readers. All opinions expressed in submitted material are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the viewpoint of Amigos805. By Rodolfo F. Acuña / Guest contributor By…
A new book co-authored by a UCSB researcher details how the Maya have farmed sustainably and survived for millennia
By Jim Logan / UCSB History has not been kind to the Maya, an indigenous people of Mesoamerica. They’re usually portrayed as the hapless victims of European colonialism who collapsed and disappeared as a result of overpopulation and environmental degradation. A…
UCSB’s Society for Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science is named an outstanding regional role model
By Julie Cohen / UCSB The UC Santa Barbara chapter of the Society for Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS) has received the 2015 Outstanding Regional Network Role Model Award. This award marks the fourth in as many years bestowed…
Bilingual commentary: Obesity…And We Wonder Why?
By David Magallanes / Guest contributor There was an interesting juxtaposition of articles in this past week’s Ventura County Star. One of them* was entitled “Americans becoming more obese,” as in, what else is new? In the same section of the newspaper, there…
Museum of Ventura County to present sneak preview of ‘Bordertown’ on Nov. 20
VENTURA — The Museum of Ventura County will present a sneak preview of “Bordertown,” a new Seth MacFarlane comedy to debut on Fox in January 2016, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 20 at 100 E. Main St., Ventura.…
Bilingual commentary: Avoiding What We Don’t Understand
By David Magallanes / Guest contributor This past week, I decided to confront something that I had studiously avoided all my life because I just didn’t understand it. Abstract art. I had grown up surrounded by the classical art created by my Mexican…