“Nuestra Vida en Arte” is a remarkable collection curated by Sánchez and highlights the pivotal role of Chicano art in shaping both cultural identity and popular culture. The collection features work from several iconic artists who have played quintessential roles in the Chicano art movement, including Frank Romero, Diane Gamboa, Roberto “Tito” Delgado, and more.
RSVP by October 15
Located at 714-716 West Harvard Boulevard, People’s Place is a new construction development made up of 69 one-, two- and three-bedroom units, serving households earning 30-60% of the area median income (AMI). The property also has 21 units set aside for farmworker households making 30-45% of the AMI.
On-site amenities include a community center, learning center, outdoor courtyards, shared gardens, designated bike storage, onsite parking, and playgrounds. All residents also have access to free onsite supportive services.
SANTA MARIA — Allan Hancock College’s Boyd Concert Hall will be filled with music over the coming weeks as the college hosts multiple concerts in September and October.
All scheduled concerts will be open to the public and include talented students from the college’s music program.
SANTA MARIA — After a successful campaign with the event last fall, the Allan Hancock College men’s basketball program is preparing once again to scare and delight the community with the return of the “Frightmare Forest” haunted maze.
The three-acre haunted maze is located at Hancock’s basketball and softball complex and is adjacent to the college’s vineyard at 800 South College Drive in Santa Maria.
Maze runners brave enough to enter the eerie labyrinth will navigate their way through an entanglement of tricks and spooky surprises. The event also serves as a fundraiser for the men’s basketball program.
SANTA MARIA — Allan Hancock College’s talented student choir will kick off the holiday season with a festive all-ages concert.
The choir will perform a selection of popular holiday songs on Nov. 23 at 7 p.m. in Boyd Concert Hall (bldg. F) at the college’s Santa Maria campus.
“The students are very excited about the concert and the choir has never sounded better,” said Hancock music professor and choir director Nichole Dechaine. “We can’t wait to bring some holiday cheer to our community.”
SANTA BARBARA — Just in time for the holiday gift-giving season, more than 50 arts and crafts faculty and students from the SBCC School of Extended Learning will be selling their wares at Wake Campus from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 7.
The next meeting of the County Board of Supervisors is scheduled for
9 a.m. Tuesday, December 10, 2024
County Administration Building
Board Hearing Room, Fourth Floor
105 E. Anapamu Street, Santa Barbara
The public may participate virtually, or in person at the County Board Hearing Room
in Santa Barbara or Santa Maria.
SANTA BARBARA — Santa Barbara County residents are invited to participate in a community forum about a California law called the TRUTH Act and the access local governments may provide to federal immigration authorities. The meeting’s original scheduled date has been postponed by one week for the Board of Supervisors meeting agenda management.
The TRUTH Act Forum will take place during the Board of Supervisors meeting on Tuesday, December 17, 2024, at the County Administration Building Board Hearing Room at 105 East Anapamu Street, Santa Barbara. The public may participate virtually, or in person. Information on methods of Participation can be found here.
Santa Paula is on the front lines of a fight against a deadly disease targeting citrus trees. The Ventura County Agricultural Commissioner is calling on the community to help stop the spread of Huanglongbing (HLB) a disease vectored by the Asian Citrus Psyllid (ACP).
Residents in quarantine zones are asked to not move any plant material – this includes fruit, leaves, branches, and even dirt. The Ventura County Agricultural Comissioner/Weights & Measures Department is working with the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) to mitigate the situation.
The disease is not harmful to humans but it is detrimental to citrus trees. Right now the goal is to slow the spread to give science and research time to develop possible treatments.
Call the CDFA pest hotline at 1-(800)-491-1899 if your trees are showing symptoms of ACP/ HLB and they can arrange to have your tree tested.
Want to learn more? Take a moment to watch the video on how HLB affects local citrus.
Dear Friend,
During this season of gift giving, I’ve been reflecting on all the amazing gifts People’s has received this year:
82 new employees: The need keeps growing, and so do we. The ability of our mission and organization to attract professional, committed individuals is an imperative if we are to continue confronting the housing crisis head on.
$1M in housing impact notes: It takes considerable philanthropic vision to fund project pre-development costs, they are typically not exciting or visible, but they are vital. We were so grateful for this incredible opportunity to move multiple challenging projects forward. Thanks to our Resource Development and Accounting & Finance teams who safely and soundly manage our financial resources, we can accomplish more mission and meet philanthropist partners’ objectives.
SANTA BARBARA — ¡Viva el Arte de Santa Bárbara! (Viva) returns with its first event of the year– a free community performance by America’s first all-female mariachi, Mariachi Reyna de Los Ángeles. A collaboration between UCSB Arts & Lectures, The Marjorie Luke Theatre, the Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes Center, and the Isla Vista School Parent Teacher Association, Viva is dedicated to bringing the rich cultural heritage of Latin America to Santa Barbara County community members and students.
CENTRAL COAST — (On Dec. 1), the Central Coast Alliance United for a Sustainable Economy (CAUSE) and the Mixteco/Indigena Community Organizing Project (MICOP) celebrated and honored the farmworker families of Santa María at an event called “La Cultura Cura” (The Culture Cures). More than 60 people attended the event, which aimed to help build a more united community, one that connects and strengthens through art. Music, dance, song, poetry, and painting were the centerpieces of a special night that will undoubtedly remain in the memory of the people present. After a year often marked with painful reminders about the challenges faced by farmworkers, from high-profile investigations of labor violations to the workplace deaths of farmworkers in Guadalupe and Cuyama (see statement here), the “Cultura Cura” event offered an opportunity to reflect in joy and value family bonding moments.
Primera muestra de cortos en español del Teatro de las Américas 2023
Teatro de las Américas Spanish Short Film Showcase
SANTA MARIA — After 16 weeks of classroom and field instruction, 34 cadets graduated from Allan Hancock College’s Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Academy on Dec.7. The cadets were recognized for completing the Emergency Medical Services Academy 1A during a ceremony at Hancock’s Public Safety Training Complex (PSTC) in Lompoc.
Upon completion of the training, the cadets can provide basic life-saving skills and have passed a national registry test to become emergency medical technicians (EMTs).
SANTA MARIA — Twenty-six recruits graduated from Allan Hancock College’s Basic Law Enforcement Academy on Dec. 6 at the college’s Public Safety Training Complex in Lompoc.?
The graduating recruits of Class #23-126 gathered with their friends and families to celebrate the completion of more than 856 training hours required to graduate from the academy and enter careers as peace officers. Nearly all of the recruits have already been hired by Central Coast law enforcement agencies.?
“You have strapped into the seat of one of the greatest rollercoaster rides of your life,” Grover Beach Police Chief John Peters told the graduates. “This profession will have you experiencing more things than you ever imagined.”
SANTA BARBARA — In a significant stride toward fostering equitable access to parks and nature, NatureTrack and Wilderness Youth Project have been awarded grants totaling nearly $400,000 through the California Natural Resources Agency’s Youth Community Access program.
Gov. Gavin Newsom and First Partner Jennifer Seibel lead the state’s Outdoors For All Strategy, which recently allocated a total of almost $18 million to 71 projects statewide. Notably, two projects in Santa Barbara County—NatureTrack and Wilderness Youth Project—received grants to the tune of nearly $400,000.
Santa Ynez Valley-based NatureTrack received $97,400 to support outdoor field trips for underserved, low-income K-12 students in the north county of Santa Barbara County. Older youth will be recruited from local colleges to work as trip docents.
PORT HUENEME — The City of Port Hueneme, in collaboration with the Oxnard Performing Arts Center Corporation (OPAC) and the Ventura County Library, is pleased to announce a Call for Artists and Request for Qualifications for the development of a new mural at the Ray D. Prueter Library located at 510 Park Ave in Port Hueneme, California. This project will celebrate the 75th anniversary of the founding of the City of Port Hueneme and will launch the City’s public arts initiatives.
SANTA MARIA — For the 15th year in a row, Allan Hancock College’s CARE program provided students who are single parents with a turkey and other Thanksgiving meal items free of charge.
A total of 51 individuals and families stopped by CARE’s “Turkey Fest” booth outside the college’s Santa Maria campus on Nov. 21, where CARE staff provided them with everything needed to prepare a delicious Thanksgiving meal. The packages included a turkey, potatoes, beans, cranberry sauce, rolls, stuffing, pumpkin pie, whipped cream and butter. Also included were turkey preparation and cooking instructions.
“We know times are tough, so we are thrilled that we can provide this food and put a smile on the faces of our students,”?said Hancock CARE/EOPS Coordinator Fabian Mendoza
OXNARD — In a heartwarming display of community commitment, Cooper Kupp, the celebrated wide receiver for the Los Angeles Rams, took center stage at Food Share’s Thanksgiving Turkey n’ Trimmings giveaway in College Park, Oxnard, yesterday, Tuesday, 11/21. The event saw 1,800 families receive packages containing turkeys, seasonal fresh produce, and Thanksgiving trimmings, along with essential shelf-stable food items.
Kupp was joined by an impressive cohort of 45 student volunteers from Simi Valley’s Royal High School football team. Kupp has been actively mentoring these young athletes as part of the Rams’ partnership with the school.
Passionate about combating food insecurity, Kupp has championed various initiatives in Southern California, alongside fellow Rams players and staff. His commitment also reaches beyond state lines, as he has supported food banks in the Yakima and Richland areas in his home state of Washington.
The Oxnard Film Society presents CASSANDRO, a comedy featuring Mexican star Gael Garcia Bernal.
Our Film Series screens (usually) two films each month, on the first and third Mondays at 3:30pm and 6:30pm at Plaza Cinemas in downtown Oxnard.
We will continue our mission of providing the best of world cinema to the Oxnard and Ventura County community and supporting local filmmakers.
2023 State of the County: A Triumph in Safety and Progress
Celebrating 150 years as a County, on November 2nd, community members gathered at the iconic Ronald Reagan Presidential Library for the State of the County address by CEO Dr. Sevet Johnson. In a visionary speech, Dr. Johnson delivered an update on the County’s programs, initiatives and future endeavors.
Dr. Johnson also proudly highlighted the County’s achievements and distinction as not only fiscally healthy but as the “safest large county in the State of California.”
OXNARD — The City of Oxnard is hosting a series of meetings (Nov. 15, Dec. 5, 13) for community members to learn more about the City’s Environmental Resources (ER) Division, which protects public health and the environment by safely and efficiently disposing of trash and recyclables, and ensures compliance with local, State and federal laws relating to trash disposal and recycling.
Oxnard’s ER services include collecting, sorting, processing, and disposing of waste six days a week for 34,154 residential properties and 16,378 commercial customers, which includes apartment buildings. The division handles approximately 294,938 tons of waste annually and recycles approximately 12,918 tons of material and 14,177 tons of organics, which includes green waste and food scraps. Combined, this weight is almost as heavy as the Empire State building.
It’s Husky Week at Ventura County Animal Services! Husky Week is a week-long celebration of Siberian Huskies which includes education about the breed and, of course, FEE-WAIVED adoptions! Husky Week ends Sunday, November 19th, 2023. Visit www.vcas.us/huskyweek to view all Siberian Huskies. When you’re ready to adopt, you can either schedule an appointment at www.vcas.us/adopt, or simply come down to the shelter during normal business hours of 1:00pm – 6:00pm, Tuesday – Sunday.
If you’re unable to adopt, please help spreading the word to friends and family. With over 40 Siberian Huskies in our care, it is critical to find homes for as many as possible! Please note that pet promotions do not guarantee the adoption of a shelter pet. All interested parties must participate in the full adoption process to help ensure the best possible matches are made!
We invite you to take a look at our 2022-23 Impact Report, a compilation of the top milestones from this past year! For the first time, this report is available in both English & Spanish. Together, we are building so much more than housing!
Last week I noticed that October 25 was National Greasy Foods Day. Initially, I didn’t know if this was a joke or a celebration.
As it turns out, this day is deemed worthy of a “limited celebration.” This culinary observance is meant to celebrate greasy foods, which we all love, but only as a “special treat” of which we should partake only occasionally.
There are many good reasons to emphasize the “occasional” nature of this kind of food that, unfortunately, many of us tend to crave.
Este jueves 2 de noviembre ven a la función especial de El Viaje de los Esqueletos como parte del Paseo de las Artes de Oxnard (Oxnard Art Crawl)
Pre-show con: Rudy Razo (poeta chicano) y Araceli Collazo (cantante) a partir de las 7:00 p.m.
¡Deliciosos buñuelos y champurrado a la venta!
Presentación en exteriores en la parte trasera del teatro. Ven preparado con ropa invernal o tu cobijita, sarape o poncho favorito.
Mountains to Sea Jubilee – Celebrating 150 Years of VC!
Join us for a FREE family festival celebrating Ventura County’s 150th anniversary! The festival will take place in Santa Paula on Saturday, October 21 from 11:00 am – 3:00 pm.
Activities will include live entertainment on multiple stages, a kids’ zone, food trucks, arts & crafts stations, and more!
While you enjoy the fun, don’t miss the opening of the special 150th Anniversary museum exhibit! The Agricultural Museum in Santa Paula will host the opening for Ventura County: The Place We Call Home – a special reflection on our county.
CAMARILLO — The Ventura County Department of Child Support Services (VCDSS), in collaboration with First 5 Ventura County, is thrilled to announce the Harvesting All Dads event scheduled for October 7, 2023. This unique gathering aims to celebrate fatherhood and connect with dads in the community, fostering a supportive environment for them to share their insights. The event will take place from 9:30 am to 12:30 pm at the scenic Camino Real Park in Ventura.
As part of the ongoing commitment to enhancing fatherhood experiences in Ventura County, the Harvesting All Dads event welcomes all dads to participate in a morning filled with food, games, and valuable resources. The event is a crucial component of the county-wide Fatherhood Initiative that VCDSS is currently developing. The primary goal of this event is to better understand the needs of fathers in the community and to tailor services and resources accordingly.
“Father involvement is pivotal for the holistic development of families and communities,” says Director Marcus R. Mitchell. “We, at VCDSS, along with our partners at First 5 Ventura County, recognize the significance of actively engaging fathers in the journey of parenthood. The Harvesting All Dads event is more than just a gathering; it’s an opportunity for us to directly connect with dads, listen to their perspectives, and collaboratively create a fatherhood experience in Ventura County that is inclusive and resourceful. We believe that by understanding the needs of fathers, we can better support them in their role as parents.”
Aunque desde Washington DC no se ve ningún apoyo presupuestal significativo para abordar la crisis de viviendas asequibles, este mes vimos venir una ayuda útil, variada y pragmática desde la legislatura de California.
No surgió una solución milagrosa, pero en conjunto los proyectos de ley enviados al escritorio del Gobernador, medidas que se someterían a votación en las boletas, hacen que la construcción de viviendas asequibles sea menos onerosa, más ágil y ayude a frenar sus crecientes costos. Las señales más positivas fueron que estas medidas experimentaron relativamente poca oposición, sólo algunos niveles limitados de discusión en el debate público, y que existe una sensación cada vez mayor de consenso en todo el estado.
Algunas victorias importantes para la creación de nuevas viviendas asequibles incluyen:?
VENTURA COUNTY — Strengthening VC Families, an initiative of Ventura County Children and Family Services, is asking for families to help children in need by providing safe Emergency Shelter Homes (ESH) for children and youth who need an immediate place to go.
The ESH program provides children, youth, and families with a foundation of respect and support, from special people who can support children and youth by providing a safe place to stay, while birth families receive support so that they can reunify with their children as soon as it is possible.
“We all know the importance of a safe and loving home”, said Arturo Vargas, Manager of Resource Family Approval (RFA). “Folks who step up to offer an emergency shelter home understand how food, warm hearts, and loving compassion heals during times of trauma. All of us at Children and Family Services — through Strengthening VC Families — know that with our need of emergency shelter homes–this is an important community ask.” “It’s a big ask” but it’s an important ask.
Dear Friends,
Our shelters are, once again, OVERCAPACITY with cats, kittens, and dogs. To help alleviate the overcrowding we are holding a FEE-WAIVED pet adoption promotion through Sunday, September 24, 2023. This is an urgent call for help from adopters, fosters, and rescue partners. Overcrowding is an ongoing issue despite the success of our recent adoption event, Clear The Shelters, where 115 animals were adopted out.
Pets available for adoption, foster, or waiting to be reclaimed can be found at www.vcas.us/pets, and our adoption process is outlined at www.vcas.us/adopt.
Thank you,
Ventura County Animal Services
*Please note: Promotions do not guarantee the adoption of a shelter pet. All interested parties must participate in the full adoption process to ensure the best possible matches are made. Promotions do not include the cost of a pet license if applicable. This promotion applies to all animals EXCEPT dogs under one (1) year of age.
I have often thought about the burdens that girls and women have—burdens that are unique to them. It is often difficult, if not impossible, for men to comprehend the joys and traumas of childbirth, the stress of dealing with the menstrual cycle, the health issues that men will never have to consider for themselves.
I also sympathize with women’s constant need to protect themselves—from men. Certainly, female-on-male abuse and violence exist, but male-on-female brutality and assault is several orders of magnitude greater.
Women have one huge advantage over men that induces a secret jealousy in men: the ability to form deep and meaningful relationships with other women.
VENTURA — Ocean water quality results for samples collected this week indicate ocean water quality at the following Ventura County beach sampling location failed to meet State standards for bacteria:
SANTA BARBARA — UC Santa Barbara is conducting a research project with Latina, Latino, or Hispanic immigrant families who currently live apart because one parent migrated to the United States, while the other parent remained in a country within Latin America. Families who participate in the study will receive $140 in compensation for their time.
SANTA PAULA — The Economic Development Collaborative (EDC) has been granted first-year funding by the Ventura County Community Foundation (VCCF) to advance the Isabella Project. With the impending implementation of Universal Pre-K (UPK) in California, the funding will be instrumental in addressing potential disruptions faced by early childhood education (ECE) providers and fostering resilience during this transition.
California’s implementation of UPK over the next several years with full implementation by 2025-26 will ensure all children who turn four years old by September 1 of a given school year are provided free access to a Transitional Kindergarten (TK) program from their local school district.
SANTA PAULA — The Santa Paula Parks & Recreation Department and the Santa Paula Unified School District are proud to announce a transformative partnership focused on increasing access to youth sports in the community. This collaboration aims to overcome barriers and provide a comprehensive range of sports opportunities for students in 3rd to 8th grade.
Recognizing the importance of youth sports in fostering physical activity, teamwork, and personal growth, the Parks & Recreation Department and the School District have come together to develop a program that addresses existing challenges. The goal is to ensure that all interested youth have the chance to participate, regardless of financial constraints or logistical hurdles.
The National Weather Service and National Hurricane Center are forecasting the potential for Hurricane Hilary to impact central and southern California counties, including any area within Santa Barbara County. Moderate to heavy rain, strong winds, coastal storm surge and erosion, and hazardous sea conditions are possible. These conditions may start locally as early as Sunday afternoon (August 20).
The National Weather Service has also issued a FLOOD WATCH for the foothills above Santa Barbara, Montecito, Summerland, and Carpinteria and the Eastern Santa Ynez mountain range due to the potential for heavy rainfall from Hurricane Hilary. The FLOOD WATCH is in effect from Sunday (August 20) at 4pm through Monday (August 21) at 11pm.
Here are some resources you can use to get the latest information:
Due to circumstances outside of our control, the pre-application for People’s Place, previously announced for Monday, August 28, has been delayed. Current estimates for this process to resume are late 2023.
We regret any inconvenience this may have caused and will update our websiteas soon as new information is available.
***
Debido a circunstancias fuera de nuestro control, la pre-aplicación para People’s Place, anunciada para el lunes 28 de agosto, ha sido retrasada. Estimamos que el proceso será reanudando a finales de 2023.
Lamentamos cualquier inconveniente y pondremos la información pertinente en nuestra página web tan pronto como esté disponible.
CAMARILLO — Gold Coast Health Plan (GCHP) today announced the appointment of Eve Gelb as its new Chief Innovation Officer. With a proven track record of success, Eve will serve in a critical role, helping drive excellence, innovation, and quality care for GCHP’s more than 250,000 Medi-Cal members.
“As part of Gold Coast Health Plan’s mission to continue to build and improve equity and access across the Medi-Cal system of services and supports in Ventura County, we thoughtfully added a Chief Innovation Officer position to our Executive Team – which itself is an innovation for the organization,” said Nick Liguori, GCHP’s Chief Executive Officer. “Eve will lead the way as we improve the execution and integration of complex, mission-critical and strategic initiatives that will ultimately lead to better outcomes for our members, greater access to quality care, and a superior member experience.”
Throughout the United States, speakers of English use many different variations of Standard English. For example, the English spoken by the Creoles of Louisiana is quite different from the English spoken by Mexican Americans in Los Angeles, the elites in Boston, and residents of the Bronx in New York.
All of us have heard, or used, Black English. It is distinct in its pronunciation and grammar, differing somewhat from the Standard English that is taught in our schools. This variant of English used to be called, somewhat condescendingly, “Nonstandard Negro English.”
In the 1970s, Black scholars decided to rebrand this form of English as “Ebonics” (Ebony + Phonics). It was an attempt to normalize and respect the English spoken by the majority of African American students in the Oakland, California area. The school board made the decision to account for this background in the students that they served while teaching them Standard English in the classrooms.
SANTA PAULA — As the beginning of the new school year approaches (this week), the Santa Paula Police Department reminds residents, parents, and students to practice caution and safety in observance of drivers, pedestrians, bicyclists, and school buses.
The first day of school is Wednesday, August 9, 2023. Vehicle and pedestrian traffic will be impacted during drop- off and pickup times. Here are helpful tips for back to school traffic safety:
No experience required! Free of charge
Sing! is designed to empower young people, from 1st to 6th grade, to communicate with confidence, empathize with others, and encourage creative thinking. Sing! will help children learn about their own personal history through music and provide an opportunity to connect with others through the joy of singing.
The County of Ventura and the Museum of Ventura County will be holding a series of family-friendly pop-up celebrations across the county in celebration of the 150th Anniversary of Ventura County. You can catch our team at our first pop-up celebration during the Ventura County Fair on Friday, August 4!
Pop-up celebrations will be held at larger festival events and will feature community organizations that will provide opportunities for adults and children to interact and learn more about the rich history and traditions of Ventura County. These community partners will provide opportunities for residents to participate in arts and crafts activities, enjoy performances, and learn more about Ventura County’s heritage both past and present.
A full calendar of events can be found at www.venturacounty150.com
SACRAMENTO — Renters and homeowners in 14 counties impacted by the February and March storms and flooding will now have more time to sign up for federal disaster assistance.
FEMA’s registration period, due to end July 20, has been extended to Sept. 1, 2023.
The eligible counties are Butte, Kern, Madera, Mariposa, Mendocino, Mono, Monterey, Nevada, San Benito, San Bernardino, San Luis Obispo, Santa Cruz, Tulare and Tuolumne.
The extended registration deadline will provide more time for survivors living in remote areas as well as for residents in counties recently designated for federal disaster assistance.
“As a Climate leader for California’s Central Coast, we recognize that without community resilience, extreme heat will continue to exacerbate the underlying inequalities within our region,” said CEC Director of Climate Resilience Em Johnson. “Leading a regional coalition of over fifteen government agencies, grassroots organizations and community-based organizations, our vision as an EHRA partner is to reduce our region’s economic and health disparities related to the prevalence of extreme heat.”
VENTURA — The Board of Supervisors (on June 25) voted to approve $1.62 million in funding to support efforts to provide housing for homeless individuals in the Santa Clara Valley – serving individuals experiencing homelessness in the cities of Santa Paula, Fillmore, and the unincorporated area of Piru. The funding from the County will match funding provided by the cities of Santa Paula and Fillmore, as well as the State of California. The funds, which will be provided over a two-year period, starting in 2024, will go to support ongoing operations of a permanent year-round shelter with housing navigation services administrated by the non-profit Spirit of Santa Paula.
SACRAMENTO — California is set to continue its legacy of building upon and strengthening the Affordable Care Act, as its Board of Directors approved enhanced benefit designs that will ensure over 600,000 Covered California enrollees see reduced out-of-pocket costs in 2024.
“Covered California is proud to be a part of another visionary program that strengthens the Affordable Care Act,” said Jessica Altman, executive director of Covered California. “California made history with the State Premium Subsidy program in 2021, and we appreciate the continued leadership from Gov. Gavin Newsom and the state Legislature to make health care access and affordability a priority in our state.”
The new budget package passed by the state Legislature and enacted by Gov. Newsom appropriates $82.5 million of the Health Care Affordability Reserve Fund (HCARF) to Covered California to support a program of financial assistance for coverage year 2024. Per the budget agreement, funding for the program is planned to increase to $165 million starting in coverage year 2025.
VENTURA — On Tuesday, June 27, though unanimous vote, the Board of Supervisors approved the County Parks Department to enter into a dual lease agreement with the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Oxnard and Nyeland Acres Promise for management of the John C. Zaragoza Nyeland Acres Community Center and Park. The 2.2-acre park property, which is currently owned by the County of Ventura but under management by the Boys and Girls Club, is not available to the public on a full-time basis. Through the voted-on agreement, the County will now assume all oversight and maintenance for the park area through the County Parks Department, which will allow the neighborhood park to be open from dawn to dusk for the Nyeland Acres community. As well, the buildings will now be jointly operated by the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Oxnard and Port Hueneme and Nyeland Promise.
“This is a very large deal to our community,” stated District 3 Supervisor Kelly Long. “Rolling this park into part of the County’s parks system allows us to take the liability off of the Boys and Girls Club and open it up even more to the community as a whole. It allows us to really develop the park for the community.”
VENTURA — Dani Anderson, Disability Access Manager for the County of Ventura, has been appointed to the California Committee on the Employment of People with Disabilities (CCEPD). The appointment to the committee was made by the Speaker of the California State Assembly Anthony Rendon. Anderson will serve a three-year term that went into effect on June 29, 2023.
“I am very excited to re-connect with efforts to improve and enhance employment opportunities and outcomes for individuals with disabilities, where my career began,” said Anderson. “I have always believed that educating, training, and encouraging youth with disabilities about what their future can hold is crucial to their success. Of the many impactful components of the CCEPD, I look forward to using that mindset to lend to the continued success and even expansion of the Youth Leadership Forum for Students with Disabilities, of which I am an alumna. I am honored to be appointed to this vital committee and cannot wait to get started.”
For community colleges, the pandemic stressed the need to expand the ways we serve our community. Unfortunately, that’s especially true here in Oxnard, where families were disproportionately impacted by the effects of COVID-19. That’s why a year ago, the Ventura County Community College District invested $1.5 million to help Oxnard College launch two special initiatives aimed at better serving our community’s non-English speaking families and working adults.
When I was growing up here in Ventura County, my sister and I often served as de facto translators for my parents, helping them navigate English-speaking businesses, public institutions and neighborhoods. Over time, they picked up more of the language — even taking an English class at one point — and were increasingly able to engage with the broader community around them. My parents eventually leveraged this important skill — speaking English — to build small businesses and improve my family’s economic situation.
