Category: Family

BBSVC and Mentor CA kick off a statewide Back-to-School Campaign with Partners

As part of a first-ever statewide collaboration with MENTOR California, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Ventura County (BBSVC) is hosting a Back 2 School Backpack Drive that will equip over 1,500 students in the Ventura County community with the tools necessary for educational success. Essential school supplies will be provided by the Rotary Clubs of Ventura County. Backpacks will be donated by NBA and NFL state franchises, community partners such as PODS, and other local nonprofit agencies such as Kids & Families Together and Safe Passage. BBSVC will also sign up youth for the agency’s one-to-one mentoring program that builds college and career readiness, socioemotional health, and a sense of belonging and connectedness. 

The Museum of Ventura County Research Library digitizes early 20th Century footage

The Herman Keene film collection is available in an online exhibit, “OUT AND BACK: VENTURA COUNTY BACKCOUNTRY ADVENTURES” VENTURA COUNTY — Made possible by a Schwemm Family Foundation grant, the Museum of Ventura County’s (MVC) Research Library has successfully digitized…

Bilingual report — Ventura County Public Health Issues Health Advisory Urging Vaccinations and Masking Indoors

Due to the current surge, Ventura County Public Health (VCPH) is urging all Ventura County residents that are eligible but have not yet been fully vaccinated to get vaccinated as soon as possible. In alignment with state and federal health authorities, VCPH officials also continue to strongly recommend mask wearing indoors in public places regardless of vaccination status. While Ventura County continues to be aligned with the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance on masking, which recommends that everyone regardless of vaccination status wear masks indoors, and that requires those that are not fully vaccinated to mask indoors, officials are closely monitoring the current surge in case additional mitigation measures are needed.

Thousand Oaks resident raising funds for Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Conejo Valley via free throw shooting challenge

Basketball games are often won and lost at the free throw line, the pressure too much for some players. For new Thousand Oaks resident Richard Crasnick, shooting free throws in his driveway has pressure of its own. Every make yields a $1 donation to The Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Conejo Valley; however, every miss is one less dollar for the Clubs. This is all part of Crasnick’ s 365-consecutive-day free throw challenge.

Openings Still Available For YMCA After School Childcare Programs

YMCA branches serving the Conejo Valley/Las Virgenes, Simi Valley and Moorpark areas have a limited number of openings left for children in TK through fifth grade for YMCA after-school childcare programs for the 2021-22 school year.

Yarrow Family YMCA provides childcare in the Las Virgenes School District at Sumac/Mariposa, Willow and Yerba Buena elementary schools in Agoura Hills and White Oak Elementary in Westlake Village.

Simi Valley Family YMCA offers childcare at Big Springs, Hollow Hills, Katherine and White Oak elementary schools.

Conejo Valley YMCA is providing childcare at Peach Hill Academy Elementary School in Moorpark and M.A.T.E.S. Charter School in Thousand Oaks.

Bilingual report — County of Ventura COVID-19 Update for Aug. 9, 2021

Since Friday, August 6, there have been 598 new COVID-19 cases reported and 8,616 new tests performed. There are 116 people hospitalized, 23 in the ICU. 5 additional deaths of a 60 year old male, 69 year old female, 68 year old female, 95 year old male, and a 75 year old male. Our thoughts and sincere condolences to the loved ones of those that have passed away.

United Way of Ventura County — It’s the final challenge week, your donation NOW makes the difference!

Today kicks off the FINAL challenge week for our Community Thrives fundraiser!

What are challenge weeks? Each challenge week, the top fundraisers are awarded with EXTRA grant funding … meaning your donation goes even further.

Are you able to help us reach our goal to support United to End Homelessness initiative?

Your donation helps another individual get one step closer to securing a stable place to call home. Donating now makes all the difference.

Third Annual Santa Barbara County Farm Day – Meet The Hands That Feed You

Get ready for the third annual Santa Barbara County Farm Day with free, in-person, open farm tours on Saturday, September 18. This year’s theme is “Meet The Hands That Feed You.” Visitors can use a new online Farm Day Trail Map to build a custom itinerary to travel between growers and curated tour routes throughout the Santa Maria Valley. 

Farm Day is for all ages. The public will experience a day of agricultural activities, farm tours, tastings, and fruit and produce giveaways, plus hear from the local farmers, ranchers and growers who produce the food we eat. Visitors can learn about seed science, see the newest and most advanced farming technology including the Ferrari transplanting machine at Plantel Nursery, learn how compost is created and used on farms, and hear about the seed-to-table journey. Tour hours are from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Santa Barbara County Food Action Network Summer Newsletter

Summer is in full swing across our food system – stone fruit, tomatoes, summer squash, fresh beans, and corn are abundantly available at farmers markets and farm stands across the County. As you’ll read in our Mid-County Community Profile, many local ranchers, fishermen, chefs, home cooks, and gardeners are preserving the harvest to cultivate food sovereignty, curb food waste, promote food access and food security, and ultimately build resilience into the food system.

Patricia Herrera Joins Family Service Agency Board of Directors

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 Patricia “Patty” Herrera to its Board of Directors.

Herrera is the Manager of Community Health for Dignity Health Northern Central Coast Hospitals, coordinating community education and outreach, and serves as Master Trainer for Stanford’s Chronic Self Disease Management program Healthier Living.

Bilingual commentary — Coming to Terms with My Heritage

At the time, it was hard to imagine that patiently spitting into a plastic tube would unlock some of the secrets of my ancestry. But such is the process that allows 23andMe, a “genetic service” that provides DNA testing, to provide ancestral information to their customers. 

The results of such genetic inquiries can range from shocking to embarrassing to simply confirming what we may already know—or at least suspect—about our family background.

United Way of Ventura County — Our Community Thrives Fundraiser is LIVE and we need you!

Two weeks left and we need your help!

United Way of Ventura County is participating in VC Star’s A Community Thrives fundraising challenge in order to raise funds for our United to End Homelessness initiative.

From July 19 – Aug. 13, your donation goes FURTHER. The more we raise, the closer we get toward an opportunity to receive additional grant support!

United Way of Ventura County — You can help us win this challenge week!

Let’s finish this challenge week strong! We’re so appreciative for the surge of support this week toward our Community Thrives fundraiser to support our United to End Homelessness initiative. Let’s keep this momentum going!

With less than two weeks to go, every donation makes a big impact. Plus, depending on how much we raise in a challenge week (like this week) … we become eligible for additional grant funding.

We’re on a mission to house Ventura County. Who’s with us?

Ventura County Animal Services — Pet Adoption Promotion!

The VCAS Bunny Brigade is offering fee-waived adoptions for those who submit a rabbit adoption application between August 1st – 8th! Visit www.vcas.us/BunnyBrigade to submit yours, today!
All house rabbits adopted out by VCAS must be indoor-only!
Domestic rabbits are family members and need your love and affection.
All rabbits leave VCAS spayed or neutered, vaccinated, and microchipped before going home.
Rabbits also live longer when living with fellow rabbits. So, consider adopting a bonded pair already in our care. Questions? Need more information? Email VCASbunnybrigade@gmail.com.

Girls Inc. of Carpinteria Celebrates 50th Anniversary

Community members joined Girls Inc. of Carpinteria staff, board members, girls and alumnae for a special event on Thursday, July 29 – ‘Cocktails and Conversations’ – to commemorate Girls Inc.’s 50th anniversary. Carpinteria Mayor Wade Nomura, Councilmember Natalia Alarcon and longtime supporters of the organization, including past board members Clyde Freeman, Sharon Organista and Gail Persoon, were among the guests to help kick off the celebrations.

Lumina Alliance launches county-wide campaign supporting youth and pre-teen boys

After merging into one organization, Lumina Alliance (formerly known as RISE and Stand Strong) is launching its initial prevention project, ReDefineSLO: A social marketing campaign focused on improving the social, emotional, and physical well-being of children and pre-teen boys. 

ReDefineSLO, which launches August 2nd, is an innovative approach to preventing sexual assault and intimate partner violence in San Luis Obispo County. The campaign aims to empower parents and caregivers with the tools to engage pre-teens in tough conversations about their social and emotional health, in order to end violence before it ever takes place. 

Santa Paula Art Museum announces upcoming events

The new exhibit, Vistas, Varmints and Vagabonds: The PAC6 Paints the Wild West, is now on view at the Santa Paula Art Museum! PAC6 is a group of six women artists from Southern California who joined forces in 2014 to travel and paint across the country. The artists are Linda Brown, Marian Fortunati, Nita Harper, Debra Holladay, Laura Wambsgans and Sharon Weaver. Meet the artists during their exhibit premiere party on Sunday, August 1. The exhibit runs through November 7, 2021, and all of the artworks are available for purchase.

Bilingual report — Mi Vida, Mi Voz Community Collaboration Provides Critical Resources for Santa Barbara County Spanish Speaking Community

For years, the Spanish-speaking community has struggled to receive timely, culturally appropriate information related to emerging needs.  A collaboration comprised of local Latino-serving organizations, Mi Vida, Mi Voz (My Life, My Voice) was developed to address this information deficit. After the Covid-19 pandemic hit, Mi Vida, Mi Voz (MVMV) pivoted to address the critical needs related to the crisis. With the pandemic’s disproportionate health and economic impact in the Latino community, this essential formation was and is more relevant than ever

Since spring of 2020, Mi Vida, Mi Voz has been collecting information about community resources in five basic categories: Health; Basic Needs (food, financial support, housing, legal); Mental Health; Children & Families; and Seniors. The emphasis has been on health and basic needs information during the COVID-19 crisis.

Bilingual report — COVID-19 Update for July 30, 2021

Since Wednesday, July 28, there have been 346 new COVID-19 cases and 7,026 new tests performed. 0 additional deaths.

72.7% of Ventura County’s population 12+ has received the first dose.
64.9% of Ventura County’s population 12+ has been fully vaccinated.
75.1% of Ventura County’s population 18+ has received the first dose. 

As of July 28, 2021, there have been 359 breakthrough cases in Ventura County.

High-Tech Learning Lab to Open at VCOE

Seventh-grade students from Somis School will be the first to experience a new high-tech learning lab opening at the Ventura County Office of Education (VCOE) in Camarillo next week. It’s called the LMNOP Lab, which stands for Learning Makes New Opportunities Possible. The lab is outfitted with large interactive displays and all of the tools students will need to complete various technology-oriented projects.

The students will enjoy a full week of interactive learning about computer coding, robotics, electronic music, and website design.  Students will have the opportunity to choose their own projects, which they will present to the class at the end of the week. Students will have access to a variety of technology learning tools, including Arduino microcontrollers and LEGO BOOST kits that use motors, sensors and coding to bring models to life.

Oxnard College Reopens Child Development Center to the Community

Oxnard College is reopening its Child Development Center on Aug. 16 after undergoing renovations, expanding its hours and adopting a new curriculum. The Oxnard College “Little Condors” Child Development Center will serve preschoolers Monday through Friday, year-round, helping bridge a gap in Ventura County childcare services and providing much-needed support for family care needs.

Part-day and full-day childcare services are available to families in the community, while scholarships and priority are reserved for Oxnard College students. The Center’s new curriculum will provide an innovative focus on dual language learners, outdoor learning and play, and STEAM experiences (i.e., science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics).

Amgen Foundation renews support for United Way with $100,000 grant

The Amgen Foundation has awarded a $100,000 grant to United Way of Ventura County to continue to support the nonprofit’s United to End Homelessness initiative. This initiative is a landlord engagement program designed to increase housing stock and utilize existing housing vouchers and housing subsidies provided by local jurisdictions and community partners to prevent and end homelessness.

Bilingual report — Mayor and City Councilmembers Welcome Dallas Cowboys Back to Oxnard for 15th Training Camp

Oxnard Mayor John Zaragoza and the City Council welcomed the Dallas Cowboys back to Oxnard for their 15th training camp in Oxnard on Saturday, July 24, 2021. A capacity crowd attended the opening ceremony to welcome the Cowboys back to the West Coast home for America’s team.

The City of Oxnard has had the pleasure of hosting the Dallas Cowboys nearly every year since 2002. This year, Mayor Zaragoza welcomed Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy to his inaugural trip to Oxnard, and applauded quarterback Dak Prescott’s speedy recovery and return to the field.

“We want to say how excited we all are—the City of Oxnard, its residents, and its visitors—to be able to open the City to the Dallas Cowboys again,” said Mayor Zaragoza. “This is a time of year that we all truly look forward to and we are so happy you are back.”

Santa Barbara First District Supervisor Das Williams — Highway 101 Highlight, COVID Update, & more news

Yes, concrete. I like to highlight innovative programs in our district, and the Highway 101: Carpinteria to Santa Barbara project has a big one. The new concrete mix site (see photo) is going in by the southbound on-ramp at the North Padaro Lane. This enables concrete for the new freeway lanes to be mixed on-site and reduces truck routes by 6-16 miles per trip, saving an estimated 463,771 truck miles for the Carpinteria, Padaro, and Summerland segments. This also reduces water use by 400,000 gallons (concrete mixed on-site uses less water), reduces off-site neighborhood impacts, and saves taxpayers between $10-$15 million. Old concrete is also being recycled across the freeway (see left edge of photo). Crews are also installing a new concrete surface that is a quieter and has a longer lifespan. For more project information, visit www.SBROADS.com. 

‘Vistas, Varmints and Vagabonds: The PAC6 Paints the Wild West’ Opens July 31 at the Santa Paula Art Museum

The PAC6 Painters return to the Santa Paula Art Museum this summer with their second major exhibition. “Vistas, Varmints and Vagabonds: The PAC6 Paints the Wild West” will open July 31, 2021, and will be on view through November 7, 2021. The artists will be on hand for an opening reception on Sunday, August 1, 2021, from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Admission to the reception is $10.00 for SPAM members and $15.00 for non-members. All of the 81 artworks in the exhibition will be available for purchase. The exhibit will also be available to view online at www.santapaulaartmuseum.org beginning July 31, 2021.

4th Annual Southeast Ventura County YMCA Gala Cancelled due to rising COVID-19 numbers

Citing the growing number of COVID-19 infections throughout the area, the Southeast Ventura County YMCA has decided to cancel its 4th Annual Gala that was set for Saturday, September 18 at the Four Seasons Hotel in Westlake Village.

“After careful consideration of the rising uncertainty of the pandemic, our board and staff have decided to cancel our gala for 2021,” says Ronnie Stone, President/CEO of the Southeast Ventura County YMCA. “We look forward to hosting an in-person event in September of 2022.”

Despite canceling the event, the Y’s mission continues.  The Y encourages the community to continue supporting the Y.  Every dollar raised provides vital funding to individuals and families in need.  To donate, please visit www.sevymca.org/mission.

Bilingual report — County of Ventura Public Health Advisory: Public Health Strongly Recommends All Community Members Wear Masks Indoors to Prevent Further Spread of COVID-19

With cases of COVID-19 rising locally and increased circulation of the highly transmissible Delta variant, the County of Ventura Public Health Department strongly recommends that everyone, regardless of vaccination status, wear masks indoors in public places. This serves as an extra precautionary measure for those who are fully vaccinated and will further limit spread of the Delta variant in the community at large.

“The Delta variant is spreading quickly in our State. All community members should take action to protect themselves and others against this potentially deadly virus,” said County of Ventura Health Officer Doctor Robert Levin. “While vaccines remain our best tool against COVID-19, masking in indoor and crowded outdoor settings will help us curb the spread of this latest wave of infection. Ventura County data have recently shown that unvaccinated people are 22 times more likely to become infected and hospitalized than vaccinated residents. Several of our hospitalized people have been vaccinated and that is several too many.” 

Bilingual report — County of Ventura COVID-19 Update for July 19, 2021

“At first I wasn’t for it but then I talked to the nurse on site at the vaccination clinic and she answered some of my questions and I felt more comfortable getting vaccinated. I work with kids at the Boys and Girls Club and I’m glad that now I’m protected and so are they.” Amri Cardenas, 24, from Fillmore got vaccinated this week at the mobile vaccination clinic at the Boys & Girls Club of Fillmore. Thank you Amri for protecting yourself and your community!

Friendship Center Senior Day Care Program to Re-open Aug. 2

Friendship Center Senior Day Care Program will open at its Montecito facility for in-person programming Monday, August 2nd. As an intermediate step toward fully reopening, programs will be offered on a part-time basis, Monday to Thursday. Members will enroll in a morning group (9-12:30 p.m.) or afternoon group (1:30-5 p.m.), during which Friendship Center staff will lead safe, socially distanced, engaging activities designed to exercise the physical, emotional, cognitive and social aspects of the body and brain.

Friendship Center staff will prepare and serve a hearty snack, with fruit or vegetable and a protein. Water will be available to all members at all times.

VC Animal Services Newsletter

I am thrilled to announce that the Camarillo Animal Shelter has completely opened to those wishing to walk around and adopt shelter animals! It feels great seeing so many people at our facility, looking for their next family member. Adoption hours are Tuesday – Sunday from 1:00pm – 6:00pm and we encourage everyone to preview our pets online and learn about our adoption process prior to your visit. We are equally happy to report that the Simi Valley Animal Shelter is open for the drop off of stray animals and for the reclaim of owned animals Tuesday – Sunday from 12:00pm – 5:00pm. Pet adoptions will soon return to this location.

Our staff and volunteers are here to answer questions and help make the best matches possible! Thank you for your patience and support during the past 18 months!

United Way of Ventura County — Good news: Child Tax Credit & new board members

Last week, Congresswoman Julia Brownley held a press conference at the Encanto Migrant and Seasonal Head Start in Oxnard to raise awareness about the Child Tax Credit payments that are coming to Ventura County families. The expansion of the Child Tax Credit will help all families succeed, from working families struggling with basic needs like food, rent, and bills, to middle-class families that need help with childcare and college savings. This helps Main Street businesses and the whole community thrive. United Way was honored to attend Congresswoman Brownley’s event with our partners from First 5 Ventura County and the Central Coast Alliance for a Sustainable Economy (CAUSE).

Southeast Ventura County YMCA’s Summer ‘Find My Genius’ Closes The Achievement Gap

Young scholars from two local school districts are taking part in “Find My Genius” this summer. The five-week program, sponsored by the Southeast Ventura County YMCA, Conejo Valley Unified School District and Las Virgenes Unified School District, is designed to reduce the achievement gap that often occurs over summer break.

The program is offered at no cost to low- and moderate-income students entering K-6thgrades who are not reading at grade level. Of the 240 children participating, half attend the program at Conejo Elementary School in Thousand Oaks and half attend at Sumac Elementary School in Agoura Hills.

Santa Ynez Valley Riders Offers Membership Discounts in Time for Summer

As Santa Barbara begins to return to a ‘normal life’ after the pandemic, the Santa Ynez Valley Riders (SYVR) are helping provide some open-air, family fun this summer.  

SYVR is a riding club dedicated to the sheer enjoyment of trail riding and is open to all breeds of horses and styles of riding. SYVR offers opportunities for individuals and families to bring their horse and trail ride on some of the most beautiful and remote landscapes in Santa Barbara County and the Central Coast area. They invite anyone who shares a love of horses to join them for some fun and unique trail riding in time for the summer. 

Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Conejo Valley Announces New Board Member: Rachelle Wan

The Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Conejo Valley is excited to announce its newest board member, Rachelle Wan.

Wan has more than 25 years of experience as a pharmaceutical expert and executive. She is skilled in leading and mentoring diverse teams to their maximum professional potential. Her family moved to Southern California five and a half years ago to begin her career at Amgen. Her many responsibilities and initiatives as an executive director at Amgen include owning pricing and contracting elements for the company’s diverse brands, delivering financial reporting for quarterly earnings reporting, and helping achieve the successful integration of the Otezla acquisition.

Assemblymember Irwin Holds Press Conference to Announce $3.3 Million in Funding for Conejo Recreation & Park District COVID Work

THOUSAND OAKS — Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin (D – Thousand Oaks) held a press conference at Conejo Creek North Park (on July 14) to announce $3.3 Million secured in the 2021-22 State Budget for the Conejo Recreation & Park District (CRPD). The announcement included some words from Doug Nickles, Chair of the CRPD Board of Directors and General Manager, Jim Friedl. Both the legislator and guest speakers covered the need for the crucial state budget funding that was signed by Governor Gavin Newsom late Monday evening.

“When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, CRPD went above and beyond to fulfill the needs of our community members who most needed help,”stated Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin. “Senator Stern and I were determined to secure this funding in the state budget, because the work their amazing staff have done for our community during these trying times is truly priceless.”

Last Day — United Way of Ventura County’s 2021 Stuff The Bus Campaign

This is the last day for our Stuff the Bus school supply drive!

Thank you for helping us reach our goal!

Provide essential school supplies for local students experiencing homelessness or from disadvantaged families. 

You can help pave the path to academic success for a child from a homeless or low-income family. Furthermore, your support not only provides essential school supplies – studies show that it also promotes learning, building self-esteem, and helps ensure that our youth stay in school. 

Bilingual report — County of Ventura COVID-19 Update for July 14, 2021

Since the last update on Monday, July 12, there have been 80 new COVID-19 cases and 4,148 new tests performed. 0 additional deaths.

70.8% of Ventura County’s population 12+ has received the first dose.
63.2% of Ventura County’s population 12+ has been fully vaccinated.
73.5% of Ventura County’s population 18+ has received the first dose.
66.0% of Ventura County’s population 18+ has been fully vaccinated.

Anyone ages 12 and older can get a COVID-19 vaccine for free in Ventura County. No appointment is needed. View the schedule of vaccine sites at www.venturacountyrecovers.org/vaccine-information/. Want to plan ahead? Schedule an appointment at www.myturn.ca.gov or call 833-422-4255.

COVID-19 are available at Ventura County Public Health Clinics and Mobile Clinics, pharmacies, health care providers, ambulatory and urgent care, among other locations.

Click here for information about COVID-19 testing.

VCCU employees help Make a Wish come true for local child

Delilah is an energetic 5-year-old who always has a smile on her face. She also has a nervous system disorder that causes seizures and has endured many hospital visits in her young life. She loves to play outside with her sister, so she and her family wished for a backyard playset with a shady playhouse. In partnership with Make-A-Wish® Tri-Counties, Ventura County Credit Union employees helped make Delilah’s wish come true.

Through a series of fun employee events and activities, VCCU raised $5,000 to make Delilah’s wish come true. Her playset has a slide, swings, a climbing wall and a playhouse that Delilah can enjoy all year long. 

Santa Barbara First District Supervisor Das Williams — Big Step to Legalize Utility-Scale Solar, Save Water, & Drive Safely!

It meant a lot to me to be able to have my oldest daughter, Ya’Ash, sit beside me on the dais today as we provided direction to staff on the development of our Utility-Scale Solar ordinance – meaning we are one step closer to legalizing utility-scale solar in our County. We must live our values and move away from our dependency on fossil fuels by creating clean energy locally. I fight so hard on turning the tide on climate change to ensure our children, including my daughters, have a habitable planet to live on. While I was in the legislature, I missed the final vote on SB 350 in 2015 (a bill that I carried on the Assembly side and, at the time, created the highest goal for clean energy in the country at 50%) due to Ya’Ash’s birth so having her by my side today was extra meaningful. I’m still fighting for clean energy and we’ve made incredible progress in the last six years and more progress is yet to come!

United Way of Santa Barbara County’s Fun in the Sun (FITS) and Early Learning Success Institutes (ELSI) Programs Kick off to Address Pandemic-related Learning Loss

United Way of Santa Barbara County’s (UWSBC) Fun in the Sun (FITS) and Early Learning Success Institutes (ELSI) summer programs have launched to address pandemic-related learning loss for Santa Barbara County’s most financially and academically at-risk students and their families. Both of these programs are managed in direct partnership with school districts to help improve the academic results of students across the County.

As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, students across the globe face learning loss not experienced in modern history. The stakes are especially high for students in their elementary school years. If these students are unable to close the learning gap, they face substantial future difficulty graduating high school.

So Far So Good. No New Water Restrictions For Triunfo Water & Sanitation District Water Customers

The Triunfo Water & Sanitation District, which provides drinking water to communities in the southeastern portion of Ventura County, currently has enough potable (drinking) water to avoid imposing new water restrictions on its 14,000 water customers for the foreseeable future, according to Raymond Tjulander, chair of the district’s board of directors.

There are a number of reasons why the district water supply is currently in good shape. “Our potable water customers are using much less water. If you look at usage in 2010 versus 2020, potable water demand is down 17 percent,” says Tjulander. “Ever since we began experiencing increasing drought conditions, businesses and homeowners  throughout the district have taken water conservation seriously. Their efforts have paid off.”

Bilingual report — County of Ventura COVID-19 Update for July 12, 2021

Shout out to Emma Cervantes with the Ventura County Public Health Department who has supported COVID-19 response ensuring language access for Spanish and Mixteco-speaking community members. “We as Disaster Service Workers are here to help and support our community especially in times of great need,” said Emma. Thank you, Emma, and all County Disaster Service Workers for helping our community move forward!

Simi Animal Re-Opens as Holding Facility Only on July 10

Ventura County Animal Services will be re-opening the Simi Valley Animal Shelter on Saturday, July 10th, 2021 as a holding facility only, for the reclaim and drop-off of lost/found dogs and cats.  This is the next step in our phased reopening plan.  Pet adoptions at this location will resume at a later date.  Animals not reclaimed by their owners during their stray hold period will be transferred to the Camarillo Animal Shelter or further services and to be made available for adoption.  The Simi Valley Animal Shelter will be open Tuesday – Sunday from 12:00pm – 5:00pm.

Santa Barbara County receives $3 million in federal funds for emergency housing vouchers for homeless

Emergency Housing Vouchers (EHVs) intended to help prevent and end homelessness are now available for Santa Barbara County residents in desperate need. Funded by the American Rescue Plan Act signed into law in March by President Biden, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) allocated $5 billion in funding for emergency housing vouchers to be distributed nationwide for housing the homeless. HUD Secretary Marcia L. Fudge said, “Homelessness in the United States was increasing even before COVID-19, and we know the pandemic has only made the crisis worse. HUD’s swift allocation of this $5 billion in American Rescue Plan funding reflects our commitment to addressing homelessness as a priority. With this strong funding, communities across the country will have the resources needed to give homes to the people who have had to endure the COVID-19 pandemic without one.”