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Category: Education
Continuing — Livingston Memorial Visiting Nurse Association & Hospice provides a variety of grief & bereavement services
Bilingual report — 2025: A Year in Review from People’s Self-Help Housing
As we reflect on the past year, we’ve compiled some of the top stories that highlight what we were able to accomplish together. These stories were made possible by strong partnerships and visionary investments from people like you. Thank you for your advocacy, goodwill, and generous support every step of the way!
Congresswoman Julia Brownley (D-CA 26th District) — 2025 by the Numbers
This year has been especially difficult for working families across the country, and my focus has been on delivering real support here at home. From reckless and aggressive immigration operations in our communities, to massive disruptions to the federal workforce caused by a record-breaking government shutdown, to the erosion of judicial independence, to the dismantling of the U.S. Department of Education, to an all-out assault on healthcare affordability and food assistance, our community has endured challenge after challenge.
Economic Development Collaborative (EDC) free event and webinar schedule including ‘SCORE: INCREASE SALES AND PROFITS WITH PRICING AND DISTRIBUTION STRATEGIES’ at 1 p.m., Dec. 30
You’ve developed a wonderful new product or service and understand the costs, but how should you price it? This workshop is part of SCORE’s Small Business Essentials series. SCORE will start by reviewing different distribution and channel strategies and help you choose the method that best gets your product or service in front of your satisfied customers. The rest of the workshop focuses on pricing and will begin by covering some basic pricing concepts. Then SCORE will review a detailed process to help you determine the price of your product. Since pricing a service differs from pricing a product, there will be a special section that covers the separate process for pricing your services. Price: $10.00.
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER
District 216 — WEEK OFF: Happy New Year from District216! (A perfect time to setup your Circle Account for Online Membership
As 2025 comes to a close, we’ve been taking a moment to zoom out, not just to look at the numbers, but to reflect on what those numbers actually represent. Because behind every event, every ticket, every late-night teardown and lingering conversation… there are people, this community.
This year wasn’t built by algorithms or hype. It was built by humans choosing to show up with curiosity, vulnerability, courage, and care.
And for that, we want to say thank you.
United Way of Ventura County — United we are changing lives
United we are changing Ventura County ?
?one step at a time to a community where everyone can thrive! Your gift today means services, shelter, and hope for a homeless senior, a child needing dental care, a low-income family needing tax preparation in 2026. Make a difference today.
Your generosity will change lives!
Happy New Year!
VCCF Power of Purpose – December 2025 Newsletter
Dear Ventura County Community Foundation Family,
I spent yesterday morning enjoying a delightful coffee and croissant with one of your community foundation board members, Catherine Sepulveda. As always, time with Catherine is just so good for the soul!
For those who have not yet met her, Catherine is a bright light, kind, generous, deeply thoughtful, endlessly curious, creative, optimistic, and rooted in her values. It was only a few moments into our conversation when we found ourselves marveling at the kindness and generosity we have witnessed across Ventura County this past year and sharing our hopes and dreams for our community’s future.
Port of Hueneme Dock Talk — Thank you to all of our customers who help make our cargo move!
As I reflect on this past year serving as your President of the Oxnard Harbor District, I am filled with deep pride and sincere gratitude. The progress we have made together is a direct result of the dedication, collaboration, and shared commitment of so many individuals who believe in the strength of this port and the community it serves. Truly, none of this work happens alone.
This year, our connection with the community continued to grow stronger. Our team was proud to support, sponsor, and volunteer at numerous community events, conferences, and initiatives throughout the year- creating meaningful opportunities to engage with residents, partners, and stakeholders across Ventura County. These moments of connection help guide our work and reinforce the importance of listening, learning, and leading with purpose.
Economic Development Collaborative (EDC) — Free event and webinar schedule including Dec. 30 event
SCORE: INCREASE SALES AND PROFITS WITH PRICING AND DISTRIBUTION STRATEGIES
December 30 @ 1:00 pm
You’ve developed a wonderful new product or service and understand the costs, but how should you price it? This workshop is part of SCORE’s Small Business Essentials series. SCORE will start by reviewing different distribution and channel strategies and help you choose the method that best gets your product or service in front of your satisfied customers. The rest of the workshop focuses on pricing and will begin by covering some basic pricing concepts. Then SCORE will review a detailed process to help you determine the price of your product. Since pricing a service differs from pricing a product, there will be a special section that covers the separate process for pricing your services. Price: $10.00.
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER
Community Environmental Council (CEC) — Season’s greetings: Together, we power hope
Thanks to your support, we’ve continued making a real difference for our communities and the environment. Even amid federal rollbacks and new proposals to expand offshore drilling along our beloved coastline, your generosity helps us fill the gap and protect what makes the Central Coast home.
Happy Holidays from Das and Spencer
After many years of collective public service, you may be wondering what we are up to. You guessed it—we could not stop serving the public! We are fighting for clean and affordable energy in a new way.
We are working for the local, five-county Community Choice Aggregator, Central Coast Community Energy (3CE), and we are loving it. In a darkening age, living our values through our energy, fuel, and travel choices is crucial to avoid the worst effects of climate change. Ya’Ash has also gotten in on the act, creating hand-drawn posters and chalk paintings of steps you can take to save the environment.
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Ventura County launches “100 Big Brothers” volunteer recruitment campaign with the California Men’s Service Challenge
“This campaign is about uplifting young men in Ventura County by connecting them with a Big who represents a healthy, connected village of support,” said Danica Selvaggio, CEO at BBSVC. “Through mentorship, we create safe spaces for Little Brothers to build confidence, develop healthy relationships, and receive the consistent encouragement that helps them discover their potential. Our 100 new volunteers will help shape a brighter future for the next generation.”
Museum of Ventura County — Last-minute gifts, inspiring events and upcoming exhibitions
As 2025 comes to a close, I want to sincerely thank everyone who supports the Museum of Ventura County.
Throughout the year, I was continually reminded that connection is at the heart of everything we do. We supported local students through meaningful educational experiences that inspired curiosity, welcomed our community through public events that celebrated shared stories, presented exhibitions that explored Ventura County’s diverse cultural history, and continued vital work behind the scenes to preserve our collections for future generations.
None of this would be possible without the dedication of our members, donors, sponsors, board members, committee advisors, community partners, volunteers, and visitors. This work is truly a shared effort, and on behalf of our entire staff, thank you for believing in the Museum.
Happy Holidays from the Santa Barbara Museum of Art!
As we reach the end of the year, we are filled with gratitude for the community that surrounds and sustains the Museum. Your curiosity, your presence at our exhibitions and programs, and your belief in the power of art to deepen our lives have made 2025 a year of connection, discovery, and joy.
Ventura County Emergency Information website update
Winter Storm Information
Ventura County Sheriff Emergency Services and the National Weather Service are monitoring a significant storm forecast to bring up rainfall totals up to 4.00 inches in coasts and valleys and 8.00 in mountain areas of Ventura County Tuesday evening through Thursday.
Bilingual report — EVACUATION WARNING Issued for Identified Properties in Santa Barbara County Associated with the Lake Fire
EVACUATION WARNING Issued for Identified Properties in Santa Barbara County Associated with the Lake Fire
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ADVERTENCIA DE EVACUACIÓN emitida para propiedades identificadas en el Condado de Santa Barbara asociadas con el Incendio Lake
Read More | Lea Más
City of San Luis Obispo — Five Ways to Prepare for the Upcoming Storm
The National Weather Service is forecasting a moderate to strong storm that will impact San Luis Obispo County from Tuesday, December 23 through Saturday, December 27. Heavy rainfall is expected with high rainfall rates and high winds.
A Flood Watch is in effect from Tuesday, December 23 at 4 PM until Thursday, December 25 at 10 PM and a High Wind Watch in effect from Tuesday, December 23 at 12 PM until Thursday, December 25 at 3 PM.
Bilingual report — Major Storm Forecasted for Santa Barbara County (Dec. 23-25)
The National Weather Service is forecasting a major storm for Santa Barbara County that is expected to occur Tuesday, December 23, 2025, through Thursday, December 25, 2025. Light rain is possible on Sunday, December 21, 2025, and Monday, December 22, 2025. Flooding in low-lying areas, flash flooding, and strong winds are possible.
There are no evacuations in place at this time. If you are concerned that this storm may cause unsafe conditions at your home, leave the area before the rain starts. Do not wait for an official evacuation notification to leave.
Public safety officials are monitoring the incoming storm and will continue to assess if protective actions, such as an evacuation warning, evacuation order, or shelter in place, are necessary.
Escalating enforcement violence across the Central Coast underscores the critical role of community-based alert systems and rapid response networks
CENTRAL COAST — As immigration enforcement activity intensifies across the Central Coast, 805UndocuFund is raising urgent concerns about the growing normalization of aggressive enforcement tactics, the visible presence of ICE in public and private spaces, and the extraordinary courage demonstrated by community members, staff, and volunteers who continue to show up—often at personal risk—to protect immigrant families. Across the region, these individuals have stepped forward with clarity, discipline, and resolve to ensure families are not left isolated or uninformed.
SBCC’s Statement on recent (ICE) law enforcement activities on campus
SANTA BARBARA — Santa Barbara City College would like to take a moment to acknowledge the fear, stress, and anxiety experienced by the Santa Barbara and SBCC communities including students and employees (faculty and staff) regarding recent events with law enforcement/ICE on Cliff campus. We want to ensure that our SBCC campuses remain safe places that prioritize learning, with dignity and respect.
The series of events that occurred last week at SBCC are very concerning. SBCC was not informed in advance of law enforcement activities on our campuses, including the Department of Homeland Security’s visit to Antioch University (who rents facilities at SBCC), ICE staging in the SBCC West Cliff Campus parking lot, or the dignitary training by the County of Santa Barbara Sheriff’s Office.
Ventura County Community College District (VCCCD) Board Elects Leadership for New Year
“I’m honored to continue serving as Board Chair and to uphold our district’s commitment to student equity, inclusion, and access,” said Torres. “Every student deserves to feel a sense of belonging and to have the opportunity to thrive, and I look forward to working alongside my fellow trustees and our community to support that vision. Our strength as a district comes from listening to and learning from the diverse voices we serve.”
Bilingual report — The latest news from the County of Ventura
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.
Museum of Contemporary Art Santa Barbara — ’25 Wrapped!
Bilingual report — Unmet transit need survey being conducted in Ventura County
VENTURA COUNTY — We want to know if bus, paratransit, dial-a-ride, on-demand, or rail services are meeting your needs.
Your local transit operators are looking for comments and suggestions that will help to plan and improve transit services in Ventura County. You can share your comments in a few ways.
Community Environmental Council (CEC) — From the Birthplace of Earth Day: A Warning and a Way Forward
Last month, CEC convened environmental leaders from across the Central Coast with Congressman Salud Carbajal to discuss how federal climate rollbacks are affecting our region.
The resulting op-ed, “From the Birthplace of Earth Day: A Warning and a Way Forward,” co-authored by Congressman Carbajal and Sigrid Wright, CEC’s CEO, outlines what we heard and offers a blueprint for resilient, community-centered climate action.
Key takeaways from the op-ed:
• Abrupt federal funding losses are disrupting local climate projects
• Policy instability creates barriers to progress and planning
• Local partnerships are stepping up to fill gaps and protect communities
• The Central Coast offers a model for innovative, durable climate leadership
Bilingual commentary — Is It Worth Studying the Humanities?
We are in the midst of an era of rapid technological advancement. As high school students and their parents sweat over the correct choice for a major, they may feel that they are engaged in a sort of life-or-death economic decision rather than the opportunity to pursue a passion. There are currently a whole slew of podcasters, influencers and politicians who disparage the humanities as “impractical” or outmoded, as if they were a musty remnant of the Renaissance.
Ventura College Foundation distributes record $1.16 million in direct student support during 2024-25 academic year
VENTURA — The Ventura College Foundation distributed a record $1,163,994 in direct student assistance during the 2024-25 academic year and another $1.54 million to 56 college programs across 14 departments and divisions. The Ventura College Foundation is a nonprofit organization that provides resources and financial assistance to Ventura College students and programs.
As part of the distribution, the foundation provided $158,000 in gap funding for tuition costs for the Ventura College Promise program after state budget cuts. The program covers tuition and fees for eligible students for up to two years, serving 4,460 first-time, full-time Ventura College students in their first and second years during the 2024-25 school year.
CSUCI announces Channel Islands Tuition Promise for eligible California Students beginning Fall 2026
“At Cal State Channel Islands, opportunity is within reach for every student. The Channel Islands Tuition Promise ensures that tuition and mandatory fees are fully covered for eligible students, reducing financial barriers to earning a CSUCI degree,” said Interim President Susan Andrzejewski. This program allows students to focus on the transformative learning experiences that define Cal State Channel Islands, strengthening our role as a powerful engine of social mobility for Ventura County and the state.”
New welding education and testing facility opens in Camarillo
“Our new facility will prepare aspiring welders for high-paying careers that allow them to put down roots in Ventura County and contribute to the local economy,” said Dr. César Morales, Ventura County Superintendent of Schools. “This facility is a perfect example of education and industry partners coming together to provide tangible solutions for job seekers in our community.”
Community commitment advances student opportunity at Moorpark College
MOORPARK — Moorpark College is deepening its commitment to student success with the support of a $75,000 donation from Ventura County Credit Union (VCCU), which will help expand scholarships, basic needs programs and student-centered initiatives across campus. This gift was presented to the college as a part of VCCU’s “Year of Giving.”
“We are deeply grateful for VCCU’s extraordinary investment in our students,” said Dr. Julius Sokenu, president of Moorpark College. “This generous gift strengthens the programs that open doors, empower learners and uplift families across Ventura County. VCCU’s commitment to education reflects the very best of community partnership, and together we are helping our students build futures filled with purpose and possibility.”
Community Environmental Council (CEC) — A personal note from Nadra: Help fill the gap
This holiday season, I’m proud to support the Community Environmental Council in protecting the Central Coast. But federal rollbacks have created a $1.5 million funding gap, threatening programs that keep our air clean, food systems resilient, and communities prepared. And with new proposals to expand offshore drilling along our coastline, it’s clear we must do more than simply fight back — we must strengthen the community-led solutions generations have worked to build.
Santa Barbara Museum of Art announces 2026 Winter/Spring exhibition schedule
In the new year, the Santa Barbara Museum of Art offers a sweeping look at how artists engage with time. Works grounded in personal histories, inherited traditions, and collective memory speak to the past while giving us new ways to access it in the present. Contemporary materials and lived experience illuminate the world as it is now, yet they also open space for reflection and reinterpretation. Digital experimentation and visionary forms gesture toward the future, and at the same time expand how we record, memorialize, and remember. Seen together, these exhibitions reveal art as a continuum—one in which past, present, and future coexist, overlap, and remain vividly alive today.
Bilingual report — Ventura offers fifth Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) class
VENTURA — The City of Ventura, in partnership with the City of Santa Paula and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), is excited to announce its fifth Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training class, now offering its second Spanish-language session.
The CERT program is a free, 24-hour training opportunity open to 40 residents from Ventura and Santa Paula. Participants learn how to safely and effectively respond to local emergencies, including reducing fire hazards, providing basic medical care, assisting professional responders, conducting light search and rescue, and more. Graduates receive a certificate of completion, a training manual, and a disaster start-up kit with a helmet, gloves, vest, and safety goggles.
CSUCI announces new Dean for the School of Arts & Sciences
CAMARILLO — Cal State Channel Islands (CSUCI) has announced the successful conclusion of a nationwide search. Dr. Philip Hampton has been appointed as the next Dean for the School of Arts & Sciences, effective Jan. 1, 2026.
Hampton has served as the Interim/Acting Dean for the School of Arts & Sciences since February 2024. He previously served as Interim Associate Dean (2020–2022) and Associate Dean (2022–2024). Hampton joined CSUCI in 2001 as one of the original faculty members as Associate Professor of Chemistry and was promoted to Professor of Chemistry in 2002. He began his academic career at the University of New Mexico after earning his Ph.D. from Stanford University in 1989 and completing postdoctoral work at the California Institute of Technology (1989–1991).
Museum of Ventura County — Season of Gratitude
As we approach the end of the year, we are deeply grateful for a community that believes in the power of history, art, and shared stories.
Each day, the Museum of Ventura County preserves the history of our region by collecting and caring for its stories through oral histories, objects, photographs, and archival materials. We serve as the steward of Ventura County’s collective memory, ensuring that the people, places, and moments that shaped our community are protected for generations to come.
UCSB — The Current — ‘NIH backs UCSB virtual reality project to help older adults build real social connections’ and more news, events
The $3.8 million grant supports professors Tamara Afifi and Nancy Collins in their research goals: extending lifespan and improving quality of life.
UCSB Arts & Lectures Justice for All programming initiative adds four timely speakers to its 2026 Winter and Spring calendars
Illuminating a wide spectrum of systemic injustice, UCSB Arts & Lectures (A&L) Justice for All programming initiative looks to today’s great minds and creators and to the courageous leaders across the globe who are forging a new path forward. Join us as we learn from those confronting uncomfortable questions, solving difficult problems, and guiding us all toward a more equitable world.
Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital named 2025 Top Teaching Hospital by the Leapfrog Group
“We are proud to be recognized as a Top Teaching Hospital by The Leapfrog Group,” said Barbara Conviser, Vice President, Quality Support Services. “Our residency programs have long been a point of pride for Cottage, and this recognition affirms the daily contributions of our faculty, staff, and resident physicians in delivering high-quality care.”
Holiday message from Dr. César Morales, Ventura County Superintendent of Schools
As we bring this calendar year to a close, I want to extend my warmest wishes for a joyful and restorative holiday season. This year has moved quickly, and I’m proud of all we’ve accomplished together. Ventura County schools are making gains in student achievement while offering outstanding programs before, during, and after school.
I’m especially grateful for everyone who strengthens our education community—teachers and staff at our districts and charter schools, families, community partners, and all who support our students inside and outside the classroom. In a year with its share of challenges, Ventura County schools have stepped up to support families facing immigration concerns and disruptions to CalFresh benefits. In difficult moments, I’m so proud that VCOE has remained a source of stability, compassion, and hope.