First Annual
Hispanic Heritage Month Celebration
Presented by SoCalGas
at the Museum of Ventura County
October 3
The Plaza, Courtyard, Children’s Garden, and Sculpture Garden at the Museum will be free and open to the public, registration is not required. Enjoy live music, drinks, cultural activities, and booths with our other community partners, including the Girl Scouts! Partake in and discover Latino traditions with activities for the whole family.
As a member-owned, not-for-profit financial institution, Ventura County Credit Union supports the local community in a variety of ways, including offering its board members $10,000 at retirement to donate to nonprofits of their choice. In honor of his recent retirement from the board, Phil Bohan chose to contribute $5,000 to each Food Share and Casitas Rowing.
“Food Share has done a remarkable job of addressing the basic nutritional needs of our most vulnerable communities, and I am proud to support their efforts,” Bohan said. “The Casitas Rowing family continues to support the health and athleticism of our local youth and adults through its rowing programs. My thanks to both organizations for your efforts, and best of luck in continuing to grow and thrive.”
United Way of Santa Barbara County’s (UWSBC) annual Fun in the Sun (FITS) summer learning program served over 350 children and 250 parents at six locations this summer throughout the Santa Barbara area from June 21st through July 30th. Locations included Carpinteria, Santa Barbara-Eastside, Santa Barbara-Westside, Goleta, Santa Ynez, and a brand new Guadalupe site which launched in 2021 to serve North County students. The free six week program addressed summer learning loss, COVID-19 learning and social skill loss through academic and social emotional programming.
Since Wednesday, there are 93 new COVID-19 cases reported and 5,794 new tests performed. There are 123 people hospitalized, 29 in the ICU. There have been 3 additional deaths of a 64 year old male, 91 year old female, and a 64 year old female. Our thoughts are with the family and friends of those who have passed away.
77.1% of Ventura County’s population 12+ has received the first dose.
78.8% of Ventura County’s population 18+ has received the first dose.
68.8% of Ventura County’s population 12+ are fully vaccinated.
Anyone age 12 and older can get vaccinated for free in Ventura County. Anyone who is immunocompromised 12 or older can get a booster at any vaccine location.
How do I get a copy of my vaccine record?
Visit myvaccinerecord.cdph.ca.gov California’s Digital COVID-19 Vaccine record portal to get a digital copy in minutes.
Find information about COVID-19 vaccines and testing at www.vcrecovers.org
Class: Still Life in Oil – Essential Skills (Ages 16+)
Four consecutive Saturdays starting Saturday, September 4, 2021, from 11 AM to 2 PM
There are only a few spots left in the four-part Still Life in Oil – Essential Skills course starting Saturday, September 4, at the Santa Paula Art Museum. If you’ve ever wanted to learn how to oil paint, or are looking to improve your skills, this is the perfect class for you! Teaching artist Gabriel Islas will break down the theory and process, and provide you with one-on-one guidance. The cost of the four-part class series is $140. All materials will be provided. Preregistration is required.
September 1, 2021 – COVID-19 Update COVID-19 Update Since Tuesday, there are 183 new COVID-19 cases reported and 5,585 new tests performed. There are 124 people hospitalized, 24 in the ICU. There have been 5 additional deaths of a 58…
The board of directors of the Triunfo Water & Sanitation District voted to initiate Stage 1 water conservation measures for its nearly 14,000 Oak Park residential and business potable water users. The measures, which were originally established in 2018, go into effect immediately.
Stage 1 water conservation measures include:
–Watering or irrigation of lawn, landscape or other vegetated areas with potable water is limited to three days per week. The provision does not apply to watering by hand-held hoses equipped with self-closing water shut-off devices. Other exclusions apply. …
Joseph R. Weiland, managing partner of independent advisory firm Arlington Financial Advisors, has been appointed president of the Board of Trustees of The Land Trust for Santa Barbara County.
Weiland, a Certified Financial Planner and 30-year veteran of the financial services industry, joined The Land Trust’s board in 2018. As president he will lead more than a dozen fellow trustees from the community whose expertise ranges from agriculture, law and finance, to teaching, biology, and planning.
In a series of decisions that culminated in its final ruling in July of 2021 regarding the City of Oxnard’s Infrastructure Use Fee (IUF), the Ventura County Superior Court ordered the City to reimburse its utility funds a total of $36.5 million over a three-year period and to remove the IUF from utility charges effective June of 2021.
The City is going beyond that by making those changes retroactive as of January 2020 and issuing a credit to all utility customers.
Since Monday, there are 242 new COVID-19 cases reported and 3,835 new tests performed. There are 125 people hospitalized, 22 in the ICU. There have been 2 additional deaths of two males ages 60 and 74. Our thoughts are with the family and friends of those who have passed away.
76.9% of Ventura County’s population 12+ has received the first dose.
78.6% of Ventura County’s population 18+ has received the first dose.
68.5% of Ventura County’s population 12+ are fully vaccinated.
Anyone age 12 and older can get vaccinated for free in Ventura County. Anyone who is immunocompromised 12 or older can get a booster at any vaccine location.
Find information about COVID-19 vaccines and testing at www.vcrecovers.org
The Simi Valley Family YMCA is signing up kids for “Safety Around Water” (SAW). This one-week program will be held September 13 through 17 at the Simi YMCA. SAW is designed to teach children water safety and basic swimming skills. It is offered at no cost to participants and is open to the public.
The 30-minute classes are for those with little or no swimming experience. Participants are grouped by age: 5 to 8-year-olds (class are from 4:30 p.m. to 5:20 p.m.) and 9 to 12-year-olds (classes are from 5:30 p.m. to 6:20 p.m.). A family swim opportunity–where the whole family can have fun in the water–will be held on Friday, September 17. YMCA lifeguards will be on duty.
Each September, Teddy Bear Cancer Foundation (TBCF) invites the community to join them in celebrating National Childhood Cancer Awareness month through their Gold Ribbon Campaign. The community’s participation noticeably demonstrates that families fighting pediatric cancer are not alone. That they live within a community of compassionate allies who are united in solidarity with TBCF in a collective effort to fight for the most precious among us, our children.
Supervisors LaVere and Ramirez, Districts 1 and 5, are the representatives for the area of the Task Force effort to address Santa Clara River bottom encampments. They, individually, and along with members of their staff, have accompanied the County Executive Officer, Sheriff, and County public health and other staff several times to see for themselves the encampments. They have observed the accumulation of trash and debris in the Santa Clara River bottom. They also recently went with the County’s Backpack Medicine team which offers help and services to the people living in the watershed. This is being done ahead of a major clean-up effort that is planned to take place in September. The County Executive team is leading the effort coordinating with the Sheriff’s office, Ventura and Oxnard Police, and Public Works Agency staff to make access easier and to clear pathways for the future clean-up event. More clearing of brush and vegetation, which pose a fire danger, will occur after the sites which are abandoned have been removed.
Food, water and shelter for California’s only freshwater turtle are all becoming scarcer across the Western U.S. Wildlife experts say that worsening drought conditions, habitat loss and fragmentation, and invasive species could threaten the long-term survival of western pond turtles in the wild.
“Turtles, in general, are among the most imperiled vertebrates in the world,” said Cat Darst, assistant field supervisor with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in Ventura, California.
That’s why federal, state and private partners across four western U.S. states and Mexico have developed a range-wide management strategy to help guide efforts to enhance, protect and restore habitat that is vital for western pond turtles in the future.
Shout out to our team of respiratory therapists for their incredible work in helping COVID patients breathe. This crew was on the night shift helping people survive… it is monumental. Their work saves lives. May we all make small choices to make big impacts on the health of our community. Thank you, Ventura County!
United Way of Santa Barbara County (UWBSC) partners with the Housing Authority of the City of Santa Barbara (HACSB) for United Learning Center – GRAD Academy. This partnership will transition students who previously attended the Housing Authority’s GRAD Academy after school program to United Way’s long standing United Learning Center programming.
Major improvements will soon be taking place at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Oxnard and Port Hueneme now that they have reached their $5 Million Comprehensive Campaign goal. The Believe in Our Next Generation Comprehensive Campaign began two years ago, when BGCOP set out to raise $5 Million to invest in their clubs and young members. With the help of the community and some very generous donors they surpassed their goal and were able to raise $5,079,684.
Since Tuesday, there are 196 new COVID-19 cases reported and 4,319 new tests performed. There are 145 people hospitalized, 32 in the ICU. There have been 3 additional deaths of a 82 year old male, 84 year old female, and a 97 year old male. Our thoughts are with the family and friends of those who have passed away.
76.1% of Ventura County’s population 12+ has received the first dose.
78% of Ventura County’s population 18+ has received the first dose.
67.7% of Ventura County’s population 12+ are fully vaccinated.
Find information about COVID-19 vaccines and testing at www.vcrecovers.org
Saturday, August 28, 2021, from 4 PM to 6 PM
There are only a few weeks left to enjoy NorCal artist Michelle Jung’s immersive exhibition, Making Waves, and Saturday, August 28, is the perfect time to see it. The artist will be on hand for the exhibit’s closing reception from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Admission to the event is free for everyone. Meet the artist and spend the evening meditating on the beauty and drama of the Pacific coast. Making Waves is on view now through September 12, 2021.
We sat down with our very valued long-time client and volunteer, Yolanda Duarte, and asked her about her journey with VCCDC. Take a look at her experience below!
Tell us about yourself!
My name is Yolanda and I am a single mom. I’ve been living here in California for 24 years and my dream has always been to own a home. VCCDC helped me to achieve that dream!
The Museum of Ventura County is pleased to announce and unveil its newest acquisition, John Nava’s Big Platter. A gift of Laura and William Peck, the 27-foot-long tapestry spans the north wall inside the Martha K. and Martin V. Pavilion, where numerous events, pop-up exhibits, and activities occur year-round. Big Platter will remain in the Pavilion as a permanent display.
Since Friday, there are 701 new COVID-19 cases reported and 12,169 new tests performed. There are 158 people hospitalized, 37 in the ICU. There have been 4 additional deaths of a 81 year old female, 67 year old male, 72 year old male, 63 year old male. Our thoughts are with the family and friends of those who have passed away.
75.9% of Ventura County’s population 12+ has received the first dose.
77.7% of Ventura County’s population 18+ has received the first dose.
67.4% of Ventura County’s population 12+ are fully vaccinated.
For more information visit www.vcrecovers.org
he Triunfo Water & Sanitation District is encouraging its nearly 13,000 Oak Park potable water customers to use the automated water meters on their property to track and conserve water usage.
Automated water meters were first introduced in the district in 2015 with a system upgrade two years ago. A total of 4,600 meters are installed on all Oak Park residential and commercial properties receiving potable water from the district. The meters enable customers to monitor their water use in real-time and set alarms to warn of excessive consumption.
Family Service Agency (FSA) of Santa Barbara County, also known as Santa Maria Valley Youth and Family Center and Guadalupe’s Little House By The Park, is pleased to announce the appointment of Paul Cordeiro to its Board of Directors.
“Paul’s extensive experience in K-12 education will be a huge asset to our agency,” said Lisa Brabo, FSA Executive Director. “Paul has made substantial improvements to education and positive contributions to the community. We’re very happy he’s joining our board!”
The infrastructure bill passed by the United States Senate last week has been hailed as a bipartisan victory. It was passed in the face of fierce opposition from a considerable number of Senate Republicans, regardless of how much the bill stands to benefit their constituents. After all, why make President Biden look good when you can make him look bad?
But enough Republican senators saw an opportunity to make things better for the country despite the usual threats from a certain former president. The bill is not yet signed into law, but it is expected to end up on President Biden’s desk for his signature after further discussions.
Since Wednesday, there are 224 new COVID-19 cases reported and 4,851 new tests performed. There are 147 people hospitalized, 32 in the ICU. There has been 1 additional death of a 55 year old female. Our thoughts are with the family and friends of those who have passed away.
75.4% of Ventura County’s population 12+ has received the first dose.
77.3% of Ventura County’s population 18+ has received the first dose.
67.0% of Ventura County’s population 12+ are fully vaccinated.
Over 1 million vaccine doses have been administered to Ventura County residents.
For more information visit www.vcrecovers.org
Santa Paula Art Museum visitors are loving the new exhibit, Vistas, Varmints and Vagabonds: The PAC6 Paints the Wild West, on view now through November 7, 2021. And we’ve got six fun ways to connect with the PAC6 during the run of their show! First, if you haven’t yet had the chance, you can peruse the exhibit online and share it with friends using the link below. All of the artworks are available to purchase.
Though we’ve battled and made strides against the pandemic, it’s not over yet. Even more persistent and stubborn though, has been the pandemic of unaffordable housing, which People’s continues to combat against on a daily basis. While the latter pandemic has no single vaccine, a very effective one for inoculating against housing cost unaffordability for the most vulnerable income groups among us, including our communities’ frontline, essential, wage-earner workforce, is the Federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) program.
Leticia, 15, received her second dose over the weekend at the mobile clinic at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church in Santa Paula. She’s completing the two dose Pfizer series because she wants the protection it offers against COVID-19 illness.
Family-to-Family is a free, 8-session education program for family members of adults living with a mental health disorder that will be held from Wednesday, September 22 – Wednesday, November 10th. This course is designed to help family members understand and support their loved one while maintaining their own well-being.
The class will cover information on illnesses such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, major depression and other mental health conditions and is taught by trained teachers who are also family members that know what it is like to have a loved one struggling with a mental health disorder.
Family Service Agency (FSA) of Santa Barbara County, also known as Santa Maria Valley Youth and Family Center and Guadalupe’s Little House By The Park, is pleased to announce the appointment of Alexander Murkison to its Board of Directors.
Alexander Murkison is the Advancement Associate at Midland School in Los Olivos. A recent graduate of Allan Hancock College,Alex is particularly passionate about mental health support in schools, and is an advocate and activist in the local community.
The Santa Paula Art Museum’s biggest fundraiser of the year starts Monday, August 16, and it’s all online! Bid on 21 stunning works of art by some of our region’s most popular historic and contemporary artists. You can preview the auction items and preregister to bid online on Bidsquare.com now. The auction artworks are also currently on display at the Museum during regular business hours.
You can even purchase raffle tickets for your chance to win one of the two paintings pictured below by historic Santa Paula artist Jessie Arms Botke! All proceeds from the auction and raffle benefit the Museum and the thousands of visitors it serves each year.
See the 3 articles below that address the following issues:
1. EQUITY – CAFWD (California Forward) pulled together a session on May 13 entitled: Building Equitable Economies that featured eight Inland Empire / Central Valley community leaders who are passionate about making sure that equity is a key component in the rebuilding of a post-pandemic economy. Dozens of key words, concepts, situations, and actions that are critical to understanding the task at hand were shared to help give leaders the material required to set goals and develop the necessary plans to reach those goals.
From COVID-19 safety to student mental health, there are many questions about the new school year that is now getting underway in Ventura County. Dr. César Morales, Ventura County Superintendent of Schools, will address some of these pressing questions in a live virtual Q&A on Monday, August 16 at 6:00 PM.
There are 289 new COVID-19 cases reported since Wednesday and 4,481 new tests performed. There are 123 people hospitalized, 30 in the ICU. There have been 0 additional deaths.
66.3.% of Ventura County’s community members 12+ are fully vaccinated.
California information
64.1% of California community members 12+ are fully vaccinated.
For more information visit www.vcrecovers.org
To better understand why patients elected to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, Clinicas del Camino Real, Inc. (CDCR) surveyed 429 patients in Ventura County who received a vaccine to understand their motivations better.
The survey results show that 37% of the patients reported that they received the COVID-19 vaccine as a precaution, 11.4% because a family member urged them to be vaccinated and 12.8% because of a doctor recommendation, 7% because of an employer recommendation and 6.5% because of a medical condition, 4.2% because of something they heard on the news and 0.9% because of travel. The remaining patients had other reasons.
As kids and teachers head back to in-person school after a challenging year of online learning, the non-profit Teacher’s Fund is aiming to raise at least $60,000 to help local educators get the tools and materials they need for their classrooms. To date, $47,000 has been raised with only $13,000 needed in the next two weeks to hit the goal of $60,000.
This year’s annual “Back to School” fundraising drive launched August 1 and runs through August 31. Similar to last year, fundraising will take place entirely online, given the ongoing pandemic risks. Individuals and organizations interested in donating to the drive can do so here.
There are 166 new COVID-19 cases reported since Wednesday and 4,475 new tests performed. There are 121 people hospitalized, 27 in the ICU. There has been 1 additional death, 49 year old male. Our thoughts and sincere condolences to the loved ones of those that have passed away.
74.4% of Ventura County’s population 12+ has received the first dose.
66.2.% of Ventura County’s population 12+ has been fully vaccinated.
76.5% of Ventura County’s population 18+ has received the first dose.
For more information visit www.vcrecovers.org
After thorough discussion and research, the Ventura County Community College District Board of Trustees unanimously approved the policy COVID-19 Vaccine Requirement for Employees and Students at its Aug. 10 meeting. The policy requires that everyone who accesses in-person, on-site campus/District programs or who participates in off-site District/college services in person will be required to be vaccinated against COVID-19. The goal is to protect the health and well-being of students, faculty, staff, administrators and the communities VCCCD serves, as well as maintain higher education access and attainment for the District’s approximately 31,000 students.
Effective Oct. 15, the mandate allows time for unvaccinated employees, students and the public to complete two-dose vaccines. The mandate recommends immediate implementation with the vaccines the Food and Drug Administration approved under Emergency Use Authorization, including those from Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna and Janssen (Johnson & Johnson).
Dr. César Morales, Ventura County Superintendent of Schools, (on Aug. 11) applauded a new move by the State of California to require all school employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19 or undergo weekly testing. “With the continuing spread of the highly contagious Delta variant, this is a commonsense step that will help ensure the safety of students and employees as schools reopen for the new year,” said Dr. Morales. “Most school employees are already vaccinated, and I’m confident others will now follow suit.”
SANTA BARBARA — Family Service Agency (FSA) of Santa Barbara County announced that it is providing bilingual social services and case management for Carpinteria residents aged 60 or older, giving them the tools they need to cope and live safe, independent,…
PODS Moving & Storage Ventura County, are putting their benevolent spirit to good use once again. They have partnered with Cumulus Media & Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS) to provide over 200 backpacks for children in Ventura County who need them most. PODS Moving & Storage have agreed to match each backpack donated by Ventura County supporters, helping students in our community!
August 2021 will be an exciting time for most children who are starting or reentering local schools, but it can be a daunting time for parents when extra school supplies cost more than they have. “PODS Moving & Storage, are delighted to be helping students in need in Ventura County, hence this Pack the PODS Container with Backpacks initiative!” said Steve Yapp, owner. “We are always looking for ways that PODS Moving & Storage can make a difference in our community and there is no better way to support our youth than with their education”.
Housing Trust Fund Ventura County announces a $3,225,000 construction loan commitment to the Housing Authority of the City of San Buenaventura (HACSB) for the Westview Village II and an $800,000 predevelopment loan funded to 2nd & B Street Homeless Solutions Center in Oxnard. Additionally, Housing Trust Fund VC has received operational grant funds in the amounts of $20,000 from Wells Fargo and $7,500 from Union Bank, with the potential to double with the State of California’s Proposition 1 match.
There are 186 new COVID-19 cases reported since Monday and 3,055 new tests performed. There are 121 people hospitalized, 25 in the ICU. There are no additional deaths.
74.1% of Ventura County’s population 12+ has received the first dose.
66% of Ventura County’s population 12+ has been fully vaccinated.
76.3% of Ventura County’s population 18+ has received the first dose.
For more information visit www.vcrecovers.org
The California Department of Public Health has issued a public health order requiring workers in health care settings to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by September 30, 2021. For more information visit https://bit.ly/CDPHSPHO
Aprenda inglés en persona o en casa con clases virtuales de Oxnard College. Inscripciones para las clases de inglés como segundo idioma están abiertas para el semestre del otoño 2021 en Oxnard College. Clases de crédito y sin crédito comienzan el 23 de agosto y se impartirán en línea y en persona con horarios flexibles por la mañana y por la tarde.
Oxnard College ofrece uso gratuito de textos, acceso a Zoom y tutoría para las clases. También habrá cierto número de computadoras portátiles disponibles para prestar a estudiantes que las necesitan.
Lumina Alliance received $35,000 in funding from the Opportunity to Thrive Initiative and The Community Foundation San Luis Obispo County. This grant will be used to help survivors of sexual assault and intimate partner violence exiting Lumina Alliance’s emergency shelters overcome barriers to their self?sufficiency.
