Category: Family

CSUCI awards area business and non-profit partners during Connections Breakfast

by Community Contributor • April 30, 2025 • Comments Off

CAMARILLO — Representatives from area businesses, the non-profit sector, the health industry, and a faculty member from the campus were recognized as valuable partners to CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI) during the annual CSUCI Connections Breakfast.

The sold-out event took place on campus where participants had a chance to mingle and look over student research projects on display before sitting down to breakfast and welcome remarks from CSUCI Vice President for Advancement Richard LeRoy and President Richard Yao.

Ventura County Students Dazzle at Industry and Education: Student Project Showcase

by Community Contributor • April 28, 2025 • Comments Off

VENTURA COUNTY — More than 100 middle and high schoolers from throughout Ventura County marveled industry professionals last Thursday with their innovation and technical talent at the first annual Industry and Education: Student Project Showcase in Camarillo. The event brought together students, educators, and industry leaders to highlight the ingenuity of local youth and the importance of providing educational opportunities that can lead to local manufacturing careers.

Bilingual report Allan Hancock College hosts art, music, dance and film events (and ?Folklórico Invitational Concert) May 1 through 19

by Community Contributor • April 28, 2025 • Comments Off

Hancock will host the 2025 Folklórico Invitational concert and dance performance on May 1-3 at 7 p.m. in Boyd Concert Hall (bldg. F) on the Santa Maria campus. Performers include Hancock students, as well as talented dancers from Righetti, Pioneer Valley and Santa Maria high schools, as well as members of the community. Tickets are $10 each and are available at https://www.hancockcollege.edu/pathways/creative-arts/tickets.php.

Strawberries Rule at 39th Annual California Strawberry Festival, May 17 and 18

by Community Contributor • April 28, 2025 • Comments Off

VENTURA — More than a million and a half strawberries will be eaten over two days during the 39thAnnual California Strawberry Festival, May 17 and 18 at the Ventura County Fairgrounds(10 W. Harbor Blvd., Ventura, CA 93001).

Many of the 50 food vendors at the festival will serve strawberry-themed offerings. Festival goers can treat themselves to such treats as chocolate-covered strawberries, strawberry-topped funnel cakes, strawberry pizza, strawberry nachos, deep-fried strawberries, berry kabobs, strawberry tacos and strawberry beer, margaritas and smoothies.

Ventura Music Festival — Tickets on sale now for Ottmar Liebert in concert on June 27, more upcoming events

by Community Contributor • April 28, 2025 • Comments Off

Friday, June 27 at 7:00 PM
The Majestic Ventura Theater
One of the most successful instrumental artists of the past decades, Ottmar Liebert has been entertaining audiences around the world for decades with his unforgettable, signature Nouveau Flamenco sound that blends elegance, passion, and global rhythms. Don’t miss this world-renowned guitarist as he creates a spellbinding atmosphere with every note!

Family Service Agency Event Highlights Critical Need for Youth Mental Health Support in Santa Maria

by Community Contributor • April 28, 2025 • Comments Off

SANTA MARIA — More than 50 community leaders, school administrators, local government representatives, and concerned parents gathered on April 10th at the Santa Maria Public Library for Family Service Agency’s (FSA) impactful luncheon focused on youth mental health. The event showcased FSA’s comprehensive approach to supporting youth mental health across Santa Barbara County and highlighted the organization’s significant impact in the community.

“We all need help sometimes, and FSA is universal in their approach in that FSA serves the entire county and communities in which they live, meaning there is ‘no wrong door’ to access services for anyone in need,” said Teressa Johnes, FSA board member, during her opening remarks. Johnes emphasized FSA’s unique ability to serve individuals across the entire lifespan, from prenatal care to senior services for those in their golden years.

Ventura County Taxpayer Foundation — Get the Economic Outlook Report

by Community Contributor • April 28, 2025 • Comments Off

Download the 2025 Economic Outlook Report presented at our April 17th VCTF event.
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This comprehensive report is presented by Dr. Mark Schniepp from the California Economic Forecast.

UCSB — The Current — ‘Alcohol marketing ushered in a golden age of drinking in America’ and more news, events

by Community Contributor • April 24, 2025 • Comments Off

Cultural historian Lisa Jacobson’s new book tells the complicated and fascinating story of how alcoholic beverages morphed from disreputable habit to ubiquitous facet of American life.

Bilingual commentary — Young People vs. Boomers Using AI

by Community Contributor • April 24, 2025 • Comments Off

Recently I was helping my eldest grandson with some technical homework he had in his college class. I was flipping through the index of his massive reference book, the way I used to do it in my college days. Meanwhile, he nonchalantly typed in a few words to an app on his phone and rapidly found the answer to the question that we were seeking.

Boomer grandpa asked Generation-Z grandson how he did that. Without batting an eye, he informed me that he was using AI.

Join us outside the Santa Maria Strawberry Festival on April 27 – Justice Can’t Wait

by Community Contributor • April 23, 2025 • Comments Off

This May Day, we’re showing up loud and clear in solidarity with farmworkers at the Santa Maria Strawberry Festival, and we want you there with us.

While the festival celebrates strawberries, it leaves out the very people who make the harvest possible. Farmworkers power a multi-billion-dollar industry in California, yet they’re still fighting for wages they can live on.

This isn’t just about fairness – it’s about people power. And when we show up together, we shift what’s possible through our collective voice and power.

May at the Santa Paula Art Museum

by Community Contributor • April 23, 2025 • Comments Off

Premiere Party:

“Plein Air Visions”

Presented by the California Art Club

Saturday, May 10, 2025, from 4 PM to 6 PM

$5 Members, $10 Non-members

The prestigious California Art Club was established in 1909 by early California Impressionists to promote the practice of traditional fine arts in the fields of painting, drawing, and sculpture. “Plein Air Visions” will feature 35 contemporary plein air paintings by two dozen current CAC members. The group exhibition celebrates the immediacy and spontaneity of the plein air technique in capturing the ever-changing light, colors, and moods of the California landscape. All of the paintings will be available for purchase.

Bilingual reports — Economic Development Collaborative (EDC) — GRANT OPPORTUNITY for California Restaurants, Food Trucks and Caterers

by Community Contributor • April 22, 2025 • Comments Off

RESTAURANTS CARE RESILIENCE FUND

Restaurants Care, a nonprofit program of the California Restaurant Foundation, has awarded $7.3 million in grants to 1,603 independent restaurants across California—supporting burger joints, taquerias, bakeries and more. In 2025, Restaurants Care is offering two grant opportunities to help restaurants thrive: $10,000 grants for LA County restaurants and food trucks impacted by the 2025 LA Fires and $5,000 grants for restaurants and commercial caterers in select CA counties (including Ventura & Santa Barbara!) to build resilience. Restaurants Care was created in 2017 as a safety net for food and beverage workers. To learn more about their fund for food and beverage workers, click here.

Bilingual report — El Concilio Family Services — Celebrate the power of trees!

by Community Contributor • April 22, 2025 • Comments Off

This Arbor Day, let’s get planting! Whether you plant a tree, grow native plants, or start a community garden, every green effort helps create cleaner air, cooler neighborhoods, and thriving ecosystems.
Ready to make an impact?

Bilingual report — April news People’s Self-Health Housing

by Community Contributor • April 22, 2025 • Comments Off

In April we celebrate Fair Housing Month and rightly recognize the passage of the Fair Housing Act of 1968. This landmark legislature came just two years ahead of People’s Self-Help Housing’s incorporation.

The Act, which protects people from discrimination when renting or buying a home, securing a mortgage, seeking housing assistance, or engaging in other housing-related activities, originally had four protected classes – race, religion, national origin, and gender. With the amendment of 1988, two additional classes, ability and familial status were added.

VCFD Junior Fire Academy registration opens May 1 – May 8

by Community Contributor • April 22, 2025 • Comments Off

CAMARILLO — Ventura County Fire Department will accept registrations for our Junior Fire Academy from 9am May 1, 2025 to 5pm May 8, 2025 (or earlier if all spots are filled).

The department will offer three, five-day sessions for girls and boys ages 13 to 15. Sessions are taught by firefighters and include hands-on activities, interactive learning, and field trips. Each session is limited to 30 spaces, which will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis. Applicants will be able to register for the program starting on May 1st, 2025 at https://vcfd.org/junior-fire-academy

Bilingual contribution— Post-Action Momentum Continues: April 19 Community Gatherings in Santa Barbara, Goleta, and Isla Vista

by Community Contributor • April 18, 2025 • Comments Off

SANTA BARBARA — Following the powerful momentum of the recent Hands Off! action, local organizers are calling on residents to come together again—this time to deepen connections and organize at the community level.

On Saturday, April 19 from 1:00 to 3:00 PM, simultaneous Community Gatherings will be held in Santa Barbara, Goleta, and Isla Vista. These events are designed to create space for real conversations, grassroots strategy, and mutual support as we build a stronger, people-powered movement.

RSVP today at https://t.ly/apr19 to join one of the gatherings.

UCSB — The Current — Giovanni Batz wins book prize for ‘The Fourth Invasion’ for more news, events

by Community Contributor • April 17, 2025 • Comments Off

Distilling more than a decade of ethnographic research, the book examines ongoing resource exploitation in Guatemala by multinational corporations that fund and operate hydroelectric projects.

Read more about the “invasion”

Teatro de las Americas — Don’t miss your chance to see Birthday Party Fundraiser on April 19

by Community Contributor • April 17, 2025 • Comments Off

Don’t miss your chance to see Birthday Party Fundraiser! Tickets are still available, but they’re selling fast. You can skip straight to the front of our line and secure your tickets by visiting our website.

Bilingual report — Buenaventura Golf Course reopens with 14-hole design on Friday, May 2

by Community Contributor • April 17, 2025 • Comments Off

VENTURA — The City of Ventura is excited to announce the reopening of Buenaventura Golf Course on Friday, May 2, 2025. The course has been closed since January 2023 as a result of extensive storm damage to buildings, equipment, and golf course features. The opening represents the first phase of a larger plan to design and integrate flood mitigation improvements that will protect the course from future flood events.

Ventura County Community Foundation — April 2025

by Community Contributor • April 17, 2025 • Comments Off

Last month, the Isabella Project was delighted to unveil our murals at Glen City Elementary to the Santa Paula community. The art celebrates the importance of highest-quality early childhood education in our community, and we are so grateful to everyone who joined us for such a special occasion. Watch the highlight reel and view the photo gallery below!

69th Annual Conejo Valley Days seeks vendors; Application deadline is June 1

by Community Contributor • April 17, 2025 • Comments Off

THOUSAND OAKS — Vendor slots are now available for the 69th annual Conejo Valley Days (CVD), June 19 through June 29 (dark June 23 and 24) at Conejo Creek Park South (Janss Rd./23 Freeway) in Thousand Oaks. The deadline for vendor application submissions is June 1.

CVD is accepting applications from local businesses and craftspeople wanting to show off their products or services in booths along CVD’s Main Street

Registration open — Senior Concerns’ Love Run returns for 31st Year on June 1 to Support Meals On Wheels in Westlake Village

by Community Contributor • April 16, 2025 • Comments Off

This annual fundraising event supports Senior Concerns’ Meals On Wheels Program, which provides over 65,000 meals per year to over 450 homebound seniors in Thousand Oaks, Newbury Park, Westlake Village, Oak Park, and Agoura Hills.

Museum of Contemporary Art Santa Barbara (MCASB) — Join us on the LA Art Tours!

by Community Contributor • April 16, 2025 • Comments Off

Travel from Santa Barbara to Los Angeles with our MCASB Team & Supporters like you! Immerse yourself in a curated tour of the LA Arts Scene and make new friends. $250/ person, transportation & box lunch included.

We will depart from Santa Barbara at 9am & return 5pm.

Special Ventura pick-up & drop off for our friends in Ojai/Ventura/Oxnard.

Spring Fever at the Museum of Ventura County!

by Community Contributor • April 16, 2025 • Comments Off

vor Davis: Up Close and Personal with Paul Harris

Thursday, April 17
6:30 pm – 8:00 pm
@Museum of Ventura County
100 E. Main St., Ventura

Enjoy a captivating evening featuring legendary photographer Paul Harris, interviewed by Ivor Davis. Doors open at 6 PM for refreshments.
From presidents to movie stars, rock legends to eccentric geniuses, Paul has been behind the lens for history-making moments. Now, he’s ready to share the fascinating inside stories behind his photographs.
?Tickets are on sale: free for members, $10 non-members, $5 non-member Zoom. For more information and to purchase tickets to this event, click HERE.

Housing Trust Fund Ventura County announces $1,500,000 in funding for 111 new affordable housing units in Santa Paula

by Community Contributor • April 16, 2025 • Comments Off

The Topa Vista Villas development will provide 111 units of affordable housing with over a third of the units being allocated for formerly unhoused individuals. The development is a collaboration between Homes & Hope, Cabrillo Economic Development Corporation (CEDC), and the Santa Paula Housing Authority (SPHA). Homes & Hope will serve as the Administrative General Partner, CEDC will oversee property management, and SPHA will provide support for long-term affordability.

Bilingual report — City of Santa Paula to Celebrate grand opening of Santa Paula Creek Sports Park on May 3

by Community Contributor • April 15, 2025 • Comments Off

The Grand Opening Celebration will offer a full afternoon of fun and excitement for the whole family. Guests will enjoy live drills and demonstrations by Santa Paula’s talented youth softball and soccer teams, showcasing the community’s athletic spirit. A live band will take the stage at the new amphitheater, filling the park with music and energy.

Food lovers can grab a bite from a selection of local food trucks, while kids explore the Parks & Recreation equipment displays or hop aboard a charming kids’ train ride. The celebration will also feature interactive booths hosted by community-based organizations, offering educational resources and hands-on activities.

Ventura County jurisdictions provide 40 tons of Agromin Compost and mulch to local schools during fourth quarter 2024 at no cost to schools

by Community Contributor • April 15, 2025 • Comments Off

OXNARD — The cities of Oxnard and Ventura, along with the County of Ventura, enlisted the help of Agromin, California’s largest organics recycler and manufacturer of environmentally friendly soil products, to distribute 40 tons of compost and mulch to local schools during the last quarter of 2024. This distribution was coordinated by Ventura County Farm to School, a nonprofit dedicated to promoting environmental, agricultural and nutrition education.

Schools receiving compost and mulch for their school gardens included Haycox Elementary School, Lincoln Elementary School, Mesa High School, Oxnard High School, Rio Del Norte Elementary School, Rio Del Sol STEAM School, Rio Del Valle Middle School, Rio Real Elementary, Tierra Vista Elementary, and Sunset Elementary School.

CSUCI’s new Theatre and Performance Studies program presents the Spring One-Acts play festival

by Community Contributor • April 14, 2025 • Comments Off

CAMARILLO — When CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI) alumna Sara Ruiz had the opportunity to return to her alma mater as a guest director, she didn’t think twice. The Class of 2020 alumna, who double majored in Performing Arts and Political Science was elated to return to the place that shaped her and share some of her wisdom with current students who are part of the theatre community.

“To impart the sort of wisdom that I’ve learned at Channel Islands, and since, to bring that back to the young actors who are here now, is just unbelievable, and is something that I am really grateful that I get to be a part of.”

Santa Paula Museum of Art — Inbox Art Exhibit: “A Brush With Nature: Three Artists’ Perspectives”

by Community Contributor • April 14, 2025 • Comments Off

“A Brush with Nature: Three Artists’ Perspectives”

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Sandy Fisher, Mardilan Lee Georgio, and Charlotte Mullich

On view now through May 4, 2025

Artists Sandy Fisher, Mardilan Lee Georgio, and Charlotte Mullich highly recommend joining your local arts organization. The three friends met through the Santa Clarita Artists Association and later formed their own modest alliance to trade advice and support one another. All three women began their professional fine art careers later in life after raising children, though Charlotte has been teaching art for many years, and all were encouraged towards the arts from a young age.

Ventura County Ethnic Studies Downtown Oxnard Walking Tour to be held April 18

by Community Contributor • April 11, 2025 • Comments Off

OXNARD — The Ventura County Ethnic Studies Downtown Oxnard Walking Tour will be held from9 a.m.to 1:30 p.m. Friday, April 18.

Led by Professors José Alamillo and Frank Barajas, the 2.5 mile tour of the historic and cultural sites of downtown Oxnard will be followed by lunch and conversation.

A driving option is available for those with mobility issues.

RSVP to Patty Colman (pcolman@vccd.edu) by Wednesday, April 16 as space is limited.

Santa Barbara Museum of Art to open expanded educational space on April 13

by Community Contributor • April 11, 2025 • Comments Off

“Education is at the core of SBMA’s mission,” states Eichholz Family Foundation Director Amada Cruz. “The new expanded space for classes and workshops at the Museum is a game-changer. From the minute you walk into the light-filled white ART LEARNING LAB, you are immersed in a space for art-making with colorful pencils, crayons, sketch pads, and drawings on the wall.”

150 artisans will display their designs and crafts at 39th annual California Strawberry Festival

by Community Contributor • April 10, 2025 • Comments Off

While strawberry-themed foods and beverages are a big draw for the nearly 50,000 people who attend each year, the festival is well-known for unique handcrafted works by artists and crafters. Over 150 artisans showcase their original items including paintings, ceramics, children’s toys, wearables, photography, outdoor furniture, jewelry and specialty foods. Many incorporate strawberries into their creations.

“For many festivalgoers, their first stop is the arts and crafts booths to see what’s new,” says Dana Hale-Mounier, director of Pacific Fine Arts Festivals and coordinator of the festival’s arts and craft booths. “Meeting the artists at the festival makes the experience special. You learn about their inspiration and the creation process and appreciate what goes into every item.”

Museum of Contemporary Art Santa Barbara — Take a Look at What’s Coming Up!

by Community Contributor • April 10, 2025 • Comments Off

Join us for an evening of Cochineal Dye Demonstrations, Mezcal Tasting, and Delicious Oaxacan Cuisine at Sangre De Nopal artist Porfirio Gutierrez’s Studio in Ventura.

Funds raised will provide critical support for museum exhibitions and programs like Sangre de Nopal currently on view.

For further questions email hello@mcasantabarbara.org

Bilingual report — Peoples’ Self-Help Housing (PSHH) — Get your tickets for the 2025 Builder Games on April 26

by Community Contributor • April 10, 2025 • Comments Off

Saturday, April 26 | 3-7 PM | 1060 Kendall Rd, San Luis Obispo

Want to join the fun at the 2025 Builder Games? Reserve your spot now!

Cheer on teams as they race against the clock and face fun challenges to build one-of-a-kind playhouses for children. Enjoy Santa Maria style BBQ, local wine, beer, and music! All funds raised benefit the Supportive Housing and Camino Scholars programs of PSHH.

Bilingual report — Ventura County Continuum of Care announces 15.6% reduction in 2025 Ventura County Homeless Count

by Community Contributor • April 9, 2025 • Comments Off

VENTURA — The Ventura County Continuum of Care has reported a 15.6% decrease in homelessness as part of the 2025 Ventura County Homeless Count. Conducted on January 22, 2025, the count identified 1,990 individuals experiencing homelessness, a reduction of 368 people compared to 2024. Since 2023, the overall decrease stands at 18.5%.

This progress reflects successful investments in permanent supportive housing, homelessness prevention programs, and enhanced supportive services across the county to promote housing retention. The count, which adheres to federal definitions of homelessness, includes individuals living unsheltered, in emergency shelters, or in transitional housing.

UCSB — The Current — ‘Transparency in government is good for global health’ and more news, events

by Community Contributor • April 8, 2025 • Comments Off

A field experiment conducted with cities in China demonstrates that an increase in government transparency causes decreases in pollution, with meaningful effects on health.

County of Ventura Supervisor Jeff Gorell announces inaugural Supervisorial Leadership & Excellence Awards

by Community Contributor • April 7, 2025 • Comments Off

Ventura County Supervisor Jeff Gorell is proud to announce the honorees of the 1st Annual Supervisorial Leadership and Excellence Awards, a signature event recognizing extraordinary individuals whose leadership, dedication and compassion have made a lasting impact across Ventura County’s District 2.

The awards ceremony will take place on Wednesday, May 21, 2025, from 5:00–7:00 PM at the Amgen campus in Thousand Oaks. This inaugural celebration will honor “Great Navigators” those who have shown excellence in Public Safety, Education, Prosperity and Economy, Conservation and Environmentalism and Community Leadership.

Lumina Alliance launches ‘Light the Way’ lifeline vampaign to dustain vital services for survivors

by Community Contributor • April 7, 2025 • Comments Off

SAN LUIS OBISPO — Lumina Alliance has launched the Light the Way lifeline campaign, a bold three-year, $5 million fundraising initiative to ensure that survivors of sexual and intimate partner violence in San Luis Obispo County continue to have access to life-saving resources. With nearly half of the organization’s funding at risk due to potential federal funding cuts, vital services—including emergency shelter, therapy, and crisis intervention—are in jeopardy.

“For thousands of survivors in San Luis Obispo County, Lumina Alliance is their only lifeline,” said Jennifer Adams, CEO of Lumina Alliance. “Without urgent funding, we risk losing the essential services that help survivors heal and rebuild their lives.”

Long-time Ventura College Foundation board member Eleanor Tilquist given board emeritus status

by Community Contributor • April 7, 2025 • Comments Off

“Eleanor is dedicated to seeing that students have every opportunity to succeed,” says Nicole Kreutz, Board Chair. “She is adored by students and the community. We are proud to bestow Eleanor with the Board Emeritus status and look forward to her continued involvement in the foundation.”

Gainey Foundation gives significant gift to People Helping People repairs in Solvang

by Community Contributor • April 7, 2025 • Comments Off

“We couldn’t be more grateful to the Gainey Foundation for this remarkable gift,” said PHP CEO, Erica Flores. “They have been a dedicated supporter of our mission for many years and we appreciate them supporting us for this unplanned and unanticipated need.”

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