With cooler temperatures on the way, fall is the ideal season for a road trip to Lompoc! Sip award-winning wines from Sta. Rita Valley wineries, warm up with a pumpkin latte in one of our cozy coffee shops, take a lazy drive on our scenic country roads or relax at Jalama beach, catch a rocket launch from Vandenberg SFB, and stay at one of our comfy hotels!
Whether you visit for a week or a weekend, the comfortable weather conditions clear the way for outdoor activities like these:
At their meeting on Sept. 15, the Santa Barbara Community College District Board of Trustees announced that Carola Smith has been selected to serve as Vice President, School of Extended Learning, for Santa Barbara City College (SBCC). She will begin serving in the role immediately.
Smith has served as the Interim Vice President, School of Extended Learning, for nearly one year and has been with SBCC for more than 25 years. During that time she worked extensively with a variety of academic and student support programs, including Study Abroad, International programs, Business, and Media Arts. Prior to becoming an administrator, she served as faculty in several departments, including the School of Modern Languages, English as a Second Language (ESL), Work Experience and Personal Development.
Major construction companies waste billions of dollars every year due to process inefficiencies. As the final product typically takes priority, other areas, like the storage of equipment and materials, often fall by the wayside. Large pieces of equipment are left unsecured, leaving them susceptible to theft. Project managers and team members are burdened with shuttling tools and materials back and forth to off-site facilities, further expending valuable time. According to construction software company PlanGrid, these sorts of process inefficiencies cost the construction industry $177 billion every year. PODS’ simple solution of on-site storage containers can help increase efficiencies by keeping tools, materials, and equipment at the job site.
Here are four of the biggest reasons to use storage containers on your construction site:
Classes are underway, but anybody 50+ is welcome to join one of the classes offered by CSU Channel Islands Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI).
This Fall the OLLI roster includes 10 different six-week lecture topics from popular local instructors, as well as national experts who can speak on everything from astronomy to national politics to Ventura County’s ladies of the evening.
A Maryland academic with three doctorates in world religion, B.N. Hebbar, Ph.D., is teaching a comprehensive course on the history, doctrines, practices, sects, and the major historical figures in Buddhism, which is the majority religion in 13 countries in Asia.
“Some of the metaphysical and ethical teachings of Buddhism are most certainly applicable to the everyday lives of people,” Hebbar said. “If that were not the case, Buddhism would not have remained relevant despite its 2,600-year history.”
The campus again lands in U.S. News & World Report’s Top 10, ranking No. 7 among the country’s top public universities.
California Lutheran University has jumped two spots to its highest position ever in the U.S. News Best Colleges rankings — sixth among 130 ranked regional universities throughout 15 Western states.
The overall U.S. News rankings consider student outcomes, faculty resources, academic reputation, per-student spending, admissions selectivity and alumni giving. The 2022-2023 list, released Sept. 12, includes universities in the West that provide a full range of undergraduate majors and master’s degrees, and a few doctoral programs.
The university jumped seven spots from 14th to seventh on the Best Value Schools list, which factors in academic quality and cost after accounting for total expenses and financial aid. At Cal Lutheran, 97% of full-time undergraduate students receive need-based financial aid.
The Ventura County Grand Jury seeks opportunities to speak to community organizations, non-profit organizations, and similar groups as part of its education outreach program.
The Grand Jury investigates matters affecting aspects of government in Ventura County. Jurors serve as a “voice and conscience” of Ventura County residents concerning their local governments. The Jury comprises 19 citizens who are impaneled by the Presiding Judge of the Superior Court.
Ventura Land Trust purchased a 2019 Toyota Tacoma to replace a field truck lost last year in a traffic collision, bringing the number in the organization’s fleet of field trucks to two. The truck was purchased with support from community donations, corporate support, and a lead gift from Southern California Gas Co. (SoCalGas).
The four-wheel drive field truck is used daily to transport Ventura Land Trust staff, tools, water tanks, and other gear necessary for conservation work and preserve management. The truck is also used to haul thousands of pounds of trash from the Ventura River.
“This truck replaces a field truck that was 20 years old,” says Ventura Land Trust Executive Director Melissa Baffa. “It feels good to have a vehicle that can safely carry our staff and partners, and that is capable of meeting the demands of land stewardship.”
“We know that people will see this truck driving around town with the water tank we use to care for young plants, or piled high with trash bags from a clean-up. It’s really a moving symbol of the work we do every day to protect and preserve local open spaces. We’re pleased to have the support of the community and partners like SoCalGas, who understood the urgent need to add to our field truck fleet and came through with the support we needed to do so.”
Today, the life and legacy of Supervisor Carmen Ramirez was honored at the first Board of Supervisors meeting since her passing. We are grateful to all who joined to remember and celebrate her life and dedicated service.
View the meeting recording here.
VENTURA COUNTY SCORE: HOW TO RECORD PAYROLL IN QUICKBOOKS ONLINE
September 13 @ 10:30 am
This live, interactive webinar session is designed to help you understand the features, functions and benefits of QuickBooks Online for small business owners as well as assist you in implementing accounting best practices to manage your business finance. This webinar will concentrate on steps to properly record payroll transactions that are administered.
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER
CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI) rose in three major categories in the recently released U.S. News & World Report 2022 college and university rankings.
CSUCI falls into the Regional Universities West category where this year the University ranked No. 28, up 13 spots from its previous rank of No. 41. CSUCI was ranked No. 12, up eight rungs from No. 20 in the Top Public Schools category. And for Social Mobility, CSUCI ranked No. 11, climbing from No. 17 last year.
“The credit for these rankings goes to the campus students, faculty and staff, but also to the members of the community who have supported us through the years,” said President Richard Yao, Ph.D. “As we celebrate our 20th anniversary and look toward our third decade as the county’s only public university, we take pride in the national recognition and in the quality of graduates who join the work force to keep our economy thriving.”
The Foundation of VCCU, a philanthropic nonprofit organization established by Ventura County Credit Union (VCCU), has provided $47,500 in grants to support 10 local nonprofits’ efforts to support the Ventura County community.
The Foundation honored the grant recipients at a virtual celebration on Sept. 8, where representatives from each organization shared their stories.
The grant awardees include Reel Guppy Outdoors, Fit 4 the Cause, Ventura Family YMCA, Coalition for Family Harmony, For the Need Foundation, National Disaster Search Dog Foundation, Andrea Grace Soter-Simonson Memorial Foundation, Ojai Unified School District Family Fund, Housing Trust Fund Ventura County, and Community Action of Ventura County.
Now that CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI) Teaching Credential candidate Marina Luque is student teaching at her elementary school alma mater—Norma Harrington Elementary School—Luque’s former first grade teacher, Patricia Oropeza, has asked Luque to call her “Pat.”
“But I still call her Miss Oropeza,” Luque said. “I’m 33, I’m a mom, but I call her Miss Oropeza. And sometimes I walk through the halls and think ‘No running in the halls!’”
Ayde Almaraz, 44, is spending her residency in a bilingual classroom at Rio Real Elementary in the Rio School District. Her childhood was difficult, and, having immigrated from Mexico, she knows what it’s like not to speak English, and to struggle with basic needs. She wants to help other children who may be having the same experience.
“If a student doesn’t want to do anything, they probably haven’t had enough sleep, or they haven’t eaten,” Almaraz said. “I want to be there for them to assist them with their needs.”
Learn How Selling to Latin America’s Online Consumers Could Be Your Next Big Growth Opportunity!
Grow Big Initiative (GBI) is back with their MASSIVE Latin America Market Entry through eCommerce Direct Sales workshop. Gain immediate access to the 330mm people online across the region without writing any customs clearance paperwork, setting up bank accounts or creating any in-region marketing, payments or fulfillment infrastructure.
September 22 at 10:00 am PST
California Lutheran University has received $2.5 million to provide scholarships to accomplished students from low- and middle-income families.
The donation from the Camarillo-based TOLD Foundation is the largest that Cal Lutheran has ever received for scholarships outside of an estate gift.
The Rod Gilbert Achievement Scholarship is designed to address the fact that a growing number of students with financial need are attending Cal Lutheran. The share of the university’s undergraduate students who are eligible for federal Pell Grants, which are awarded to those with exceptional financial need, increased from 16% to 30% during the last 15 years. In the 2021-2022 academic year, 60% of undergraduates received state or federal need-based financial aid. These trends align with the Hispanic-Serving Institution’s successful efforts to enroll and graduate students from diverse racial, ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds.
Latinos in the greater Los Angeles metropolitan region are making significant and rapidly growing contributions to the economy, according to a first-of-its-kind report by researchers from California Lutheran University and UCLA. The region’s Latino gross domestic product, or economic output, was $284.5 billion in 2018, the researchers found, larger than the entire economy of states like Oregon or Louisiana.
The full 2022 Los Angeles Metro Latino GDP Report will be officially revealed on Thursday, Sept. 8, during the L’Attitude Los Angeles Business Summit at The Belasco Theater in L.A.
The study, which covers the Los Angeles, Long Beach and Anaheim metropolitan statistical area (MSA), is co-authored by the Center for Economic Research and Forecasting (CERF) at Cal Lutheran and the Center for the Study of Latino Health and Culture (CESLAC) at UCLA, and funded by the Bank of America Charitable Foundation. In 2018, the Los Angeles metro area had a Latino population of 6 million, making L.A. the single largest MSA in the U.S. by Latino population.
Jest Improv, a local LGBTQIA+ (and ally) comedy improv school, that meets out of the Diversity Collective in Ventura, has announced its Jest Improv’s Diversity Scholarship now available.
We want to do our part in reaching out to our community to help give financial assistance to those who want to pursue their comedy aspirations but don’t normally get the chance to.
If you have wanted to try comedy but feel that opportunity has been out of reach, we encourage you to apply.
Click the link down below to apply now!
As cyber threats continue to increase across the nation, the Port of Hueneme organized a cyber security seminar to gather experts in the field who shared their knowledge and best practices. Today’s event hosted over thirty people with a panel of experts from the U.S. Coast Guard, Naval Base Ventura County, IT companies, and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency.
La Colonia Youth Mural Program and Future Leaders of America Unveil Mental Health Awareness Mural
The Mental Health Awareness Mural of Oxnard is a new public art installation designed and created by local youth from community-based programs. Read more
Extreme heat is straining the state energy grid. Conserve energy now to protect public health and safety. Turn off or reduce nonessential power, if health allows. Power interruptions may occur unless you take action. Stay up to date at www.vcemergency.com.
Following a nationwide recruitment, the County of Ventura’s Executive Office has selected Dani Anderson as the County’s first-ever Disability Access Manager to expand community engagement efforts and improve service delivery for individuals with disability access and functional needs.
“We are thrilled to have Dani Anderson join our team. She brings extensive professional and lived experience that will help us build upon efforts to ensure county services are accessible and inclusive of people with disabilities and other functional needs, particularly in emergency response,” said Interim County Executive Officer Dr. Sevet Johnson. “Ensuring that our services align with the needs of our community members is critical, and we believe Dani is the perfect person for this new role.”
Researchers estimate the environmental impacts of 57,000 common store-bought food products.
The 8th Annual Labor Day Vintage Tractor Fair
Monday, September 5th from 11am-2pm
The 8th Annual Labor Day Vintage Tractor Fair was a major (and sizzling hot) success with over a thousand attendees. Thank you for coming to your Museum to celebrate our agricultural heritage, our community, and this important holiday for all. We hope to see you next year.
FATHOMWERX Summit, with participation from Advanced Naval Technology Exercise (ANTX) Coastal Trident Open House and Agility Summit, has the goal of exploring the intersections between industry and the Department of the Navy. This inclusive event will be filled with tested technologies, demonstrations, tours, networking, keynote speakers, panels and the Department of the Navy program representatives and stakeholders.
September 14-15, 2022
FATHOMWERX LAB, 319 Ponoma Street, Port of Hueneme,
A group of 12 local girls from Girls Inc. of Carpinteria’s Eureka! Program recently returned from an inspiring five-day trip to Washington D.C.
The visit focused on three overarching themes: college and career; museums and monuments; and Capitol Hill. One of the highlights including meeting with Congressman Salud Carbajal to advocate for issues that are important to them, including climate change and LGBTQ+ rights.
The teenage girls – who just entered their senior year in high school – had the opportunity to tour the Girlhood Exhibit at the Museum of American History, the Holocaust Museum, Museum of African American History, Museum of Natural History and the United States Botanical Gardens. Additionally, they took part in visits to Georgetown and George Washington University, where the young women networked with students and faculty.
During the five days, the students also toured Capitol Hill, enjoyed a private tour of the Library of Congress and explored the historical monuments on a moonlit trolley ride.
VENTURA COUNTY SCORE: DOUBLE YOUR SALES WITH 5 EASY STEPS
September 7 @ 10:30 am
Are you working too hard to find enough profitable customers and clients for your business? Bring your pen and paper. This hands-on webinar will take you through five specific ways people are doubling and tripling their sales with low-cost and no-cost techniques you can start using almost instantly. Whether you market traditionally or through the Internet, this is one of the most important workshops you will attend this year.
On #LaborDay, we celebrate America’s workforce – the men and women who play a critical role in building a strong economy and propelling it forward.
Many Americans who are “done” with the pandemic and its devastation are ready to “move on” and “get back to a normal life.” Would that we could actually do this.
The pandemic may in fact be in the rear-view mirror. The problem is that we just don’t know if it is in retreat as we go on with our lives. We don’t want to think about it anymore. Unfortunately, it may be in that rear-view mirror because it is catching up to us, once again, from behind. This is the kind of thing that happened in the Middle Ages in Europe starting in the 14th century.
The Bubonic Plague, also known as the “Black Death,” caused massive devastation in Western Europe and surrounding regions. We in the modern age, armed with vaccines and highly effective treatments, do not expect to ever face such horrors. Still, we have lost over a million Americans to COVID-19 and continue to lose several hundred American lives each day.
The Community Environmental Council applauds the California Legislature for passing a range of impressive climate bills last night. These bills and the federal government’s recent passage of the Inflation Reduction Act provide the strongest tailwinds for climate progress that the United States has ever experienced. We urge the governor to sign these important measures to continue California’s climate and environmental leadership. Where California innovates, other states and nations follow, and 2022 is rapidly becoming the most momentous year for progress toward solving the climate crisis.
John Galan’s Remedios (Remedies)
Saturday, September 17, 2022, from 4 PM to 6 PM
$5 Members • $10 Non-members
Meet artist John Galan at the premiere of his solo exhibition, Remedios (Remedies), on Saturday, September 17. With artworks rich in symbolism and vibrant hues inspired by his Mexican heritage, Galan’s exhibit is an honest exploration of the connections between health, healing, nature, and tradition. Remedios will be on view September 17, 2022, to January 8, 2023.
Ventura County was shaken by the loss of one its premier leaders this month, Carmen Ramirez. We mourn her loss, and our thoughts go out to her loved ones.
Carmen was a barrier breaker, being the first Latina elected to the Board of Supervisors for the county. Carmen was also an inspirational leader fighting for equity and human rights. There is a long list of leaders in our county who she coached as they moved into positions of responsibility. Carmen, an advocate for empowering local leaders and communities, was a long-time supporter of the Social Justice Fund for Ventura County. We will miss her presence and the model she was for thoughtful and principle-based leadership.
Here is our update:
Join Rodale Institute for an Organic Field Day at the California Organic Center on Tuesday, August 30 from 10 AM – 3 PM. Learn more about their organic practices and research projects, watch an electric tractor demonstration, and listen to a panel presentation on “Water, Labor and International Competition.” This event is free and perfect for all farmers. Register to attend.
If you test positive for COVID-19, there are treatments you can take at home that are safe and effective at preventing severe illness.
Most treatments must be started within 5 days of getting symptoms, so get tested and talk to your health care provider or find a Test to Treat location as soon as you notice symptoms. Your health care provider or Test to Treat site can tell you if you are eligible to receive treatment and which type would work best for you. To find a Test to Treat location near you, or for more information about COVID-19 therapeutics visit: www.vcrecovers.org/therapeutics/. If you are immunocompromised, ask your health care provider today if pre-exposure prevention therapy with Evusheld would be right for you.
If you would love to empower our community and help families achieve their financial and homeownership goals apply for our open positions today:
Homeownership Specialists
Homeownership Program Manager
VCCDC offers a comprehensive benefits package including a generous paid time off plan, paid holidays, various health insurance plans including a plan offering 100% premium coverage for the employee and more. Enjoy a friendly working environment where you’ll have a positive effect on your community. Click below to learn more!
THOUSAND OAKS — As the 2022-23 fall semester gets underway at California Lutheran University, new student enrollment numbers have nearly rebounded to pre-pandemic levels. About 844 undergraduate students are scheduled to enter Cal Lutheran for the first time this fall.…
VENTURA COUNTY SCORE: CYBERSECURITY-PROTECTING YOUR SMALL BUSINESS
August 30 @ 10:30 am
Even small businesses are not immune from the cybersecurity epidemic. In fact, 60% of small businesses that are hit by a cyber-attack go out of business within six months. That said, there are many tools that are available to protect your small business, many are available in your current IT environment. During the first half of the webinar David will take you through some cybersecurity basics, conduct a demo of how a hack actually occurs, and then give you some tips that you can take back to your IT expert or IT vendor to make sure you are doing the right things in securing your business. David will then conduct a Q&A session to answer your most pressing questions.
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER
Four CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI) students are traveling to different corners of the world to study during the 2022-23 academic year, thanks to the U.S. Department of State’s Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program.
This Fall, Art major Alejandra Torres, 20, is studying photography and traditional dance in Monterrey, Mexico while Performing Arts/Theater History double major Rae McQueen, 25, is off to the United Kingdom to study film.
In Spring of 2023, Biology major Joanna Carmelita Patagan, 19, will travel to South Korea to study biology and the Korean language and Business major/Spanish minor Itzel Tena Ortiz, 19, is off to immerse herself in the culture of Granada, Spain while studying business.
The Gilman Scholarship is targeted at students who might not otherwise get the opportunity to study in another country.
Wilderness Youth Project (WYP), the leading nature connection organization in Santa Barbara County, is proud to announce the addition of Devon Azzam and Teresa Romero as Board Trustees.
With the addition of these two respected leaders, WYP is responding to our community’s increasing recognition that all children need nature. Their leadership will support WYP’s efforts to deepen opportunities for local youth to connect with nature.
Operating summer camps, an outdoor early childhood program, after school nature-based programs, and a subsidized program called “Bridge to Nature” in local low-income public schools and at community partner sites, WYP brings nature connection to more than a thousand children a year on a weekly basis, building on the fact that nature connection makes kids “smarter, healthier and happier.”
“Devon and Teresa both have impressive histories of working in their communities to provide access and support for environmental education and nature connection.” WYP Executive Director Dan Fontaine said. “Recruiting them to the board will help us serve local children even more fully.”
Researchers identify a new class of drugs that offer a safer, more targeted treatment for leukemia patients.
Going Wild
Opening Reception
Saturday, August 27th from 3-5pm
at the Museum of Ventura County
Free
By the end of this month, nearly 130,000 students from all corners of Ventura County will have returned to class for the 2022-2023 school year. It’s hard to believe, but this is the fourth school year in a row to be impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The good news is that we’ve come a long way from the days of remote learning and mandatory masking. This year, students will again be learning in person, masks will be optional, and most school activities will take place without restrictions.
In an effort to highlight the importance of high school choirs, Ventura County area high school students are being invited to audition this Fall for the CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI) University Chorus.
Auditions are currently underway for high school students, non-student members of the community along with CSUCI students, faculty, and staff for the 2022-2023 concert season. Inviting high school students to audition and participate in a university-level chorus is part of “Project: Lights On,” which is aimed at re-energizing high school choral singing by providing an opportunity for high school singers to perform with professional orchestras at major concerts.
“By doing so, we are creating a healthy feeder program for CSUCI’s music program while inspiring young artists to become contributors to their communities through the arts,” said Dean Butler, President of the Channel Islands Choral Association (CICA), which sponsors the University Choir as well as the Pleasant Valley School District Chorus.
“We are getting closer and closer to helping area high schools turn the lights back on in their choir rooms,” Butler said. “Walk onto many area high school campuses and ask to see their choir room and I think you will get some strange looks. Those rooms just don’t exist or have been converted into storage spaces.”
Join us at the Museum of Ventura County for the…
Going Wild Opening Reception
on Saturday, August 27th from 3-5pm
Through prose and painting, we invite you to expand your relationship with nature through new perspectives. On-site and virtually.
WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT BOARD OF VENTURA COUNTY WEBINAR AND CALIFORNIA EMPLOYERS ASSOCIATION: RECRUITING IN A POST-COVID WORLD
August 23 @ 10:00 am
Are you having a difficult time finding qualified people to hire back to work now that many COVID restrictions are easing up? This training shows how the pandemic has changed recruiting and gives you tips on how to market, interview and follow-up to get the best candidates to fill your job requirements.
California retired educator and longtime Oxnard School Board Member, Denis O’Leary will receive the International Latino Book Award. His book “Popol Vuh Stories for Children” is a finalist for the top prize in the category of Best Educational Children’s Picture Book – Bilingual in a ceremony at Los Angeles Community College on August 20, 2022.
Popol Vuh Stories for Children (published by Floricanto Press) is the first English, Spanish, and Yucatec Maya trilingual children version of The Popol Vuh. The Popol Vuh is the story of creation according to the Quiche Maya.
One weekend, two events for adults and kids alike!
National Honey Bee Day
Saturday, August 20th from 12-2pm at the Agriculture Museum
and
“Arty’s Amazing Accordion” by Amada Irma Pérez
Book Release Party
Sunday, August 21st from 2-4pm at the Museum of Ventura County
We hit another milestone this month…52 years of serving our communities! It all started for us, with a small group of concerned citizens and community leaders, wanting to address the lack of housing available to low-income and special-needs households.
And keeping to the same spirit of our origins, we remain today a community-based affordable housing developer and site-based services provider. Our formula for success continues to be connecting stakeholder input with local leadership direction, to formulate custom responses to address community need.
Since inception we have seen many cycles of economic challenge, changes of social issues of focus, and shifting political winds and priorities. Just like what we see around us today, these periods have included recessions, high interest rates, national inflation, and global conflicts. We weathered those conditions before, and will continue to do so as we are a dynamic team of highly talented and dedicated people, in positive relationship with local governance, supported by steadfast and resilient stakeholders.
Beginning Sept 1., 2022, the Channel Islands Maritime Museum will offer free admission to visitors who are less than eighteen years of age. (Youths or children must still be accompanied by an adult or guardian). Senior and active military admission prices will remain at $5.00/person and adult admission will change to $10.00/person. The Museum will also continue to offer its Museums for Alldiscounted admission for those patrons who present EBT, SNAP, or CalFresh identification cards.
“As part of our goal to provide improved access to all, including families with children, it was decided that the Museum would eliminate admission fees for those under 18 years of age,’ said Museum Executive Director Adri Howe. “We certainly hope it will allow for more families to come to CIMM and help them to enjoy and learn about the wonders of the maritime experience and human creativity. Museums play an important role in our society and we very much believe that future museum lovers are created when people have access to museums, especially as youngsters.”
Bid online now through Saturday, August 27, during the Santa Paula Art Museum’s Fine Art Auction Fundraiser. You could take home art by some of Ventura County’s leading historical and contemporary artists. (Check out the first 10 lots below!) All proceeds benefit the Santa Paula Art Museum.
