CAMARILLO — Ventura County Fire (VCFD) received a $74,210 grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) to educate the community on preventing motor vehicle injuries to children, the agencies announced today. In collaboration with Safe Kids Ventura County…
For this reflective exhibit, MVC will partner with the RAD Foundation and the artist Julie Dahl-Nicolle to showcase 100 floral mixed media canvas paintings. This exhibit dives into the loss brought by COVID-19; of loved ones and what could have been. During the opening of the exhibit, guests can participate in hanging their clouties (piece of cloth tied to a tree branch)– an homage to the Irish Rag Tree tradition. Click here to learn more.
Girls Inc. of Carpinteria is once again making the holiday season brighter for local girls and families with the return of Operation Holiday Cheer, a holiday giving program presented by Cox Communications that launched in 2020 to provide gifts to local girls and their families.
“We are proud to host our 3rd Annual Operation Holiday Cheer in partnership with Cox Communications to once again spread holiday cheer for local girls and families and show them we are in their corner,” said Jamie Collins, executive director of Girls Inc. Carpinteria. “We encourage local businesses and community members looking for a way to support those in need this season to join our efforts to make a meaningful difference and ensure all families receive gifts for the holidays.”
Both of the last two Livable Communities Newsletters (May and August of 2022) used the Alliance’s State of the Region (SOTR) data to focus on what it will take to obtain the transportation structure required if Ventura County is to be a true livable community. We learned that, not only is there much more that needs to be done for transportation, but we also affirmed that housing is an integral part of the transportation puzzle that cannot be ignored.
Therefore, this edition of the Livable Communities Newsletter will discuss three different types of housing approaches currently being used right now in the County:
Traditional Developer
Publicly Developed and Funded
Public / Private Partnership
Oxnard College has received a $3 million federal Title V grant to boost enrollment and provide support for equitable student outcomes among Latino and low-income students as they pursue their college and transfer goals.
Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSI) throughout the country applied for the competitive grant, which will be distributed over a five-year period. The grant is directed by the U.S. Department of Education’s Developing Hispanic-Serving Institutions Program (DHSI).
“Over the last decade, the U.S. Department of Education has placed its faith in Oxnard College by awarding our institution seven competitive grants totaling nearly $30 million to better serve our community’s Latino and underrepresented students,” shared Oxnard College’s Acting President Oscar Cobian. “This most recent grant will transform our students’ lives by helping them thrive academically and transfer to four-year institutions.”
Housing Trust Fund Ventura County announces a 3.87 acre land donation by the City of Thousand Oaks to its supporting non-profit, the Housing Land Trust Ventura County. Approved at the City’s November 1, 2022 City Council meeting, the donated land located at 384 N. Erbes Road will be developed by People’s Self-Help Housing into nearly 80 affordable for-sale townhomes. People’s Self-Help Housing, as the lead agency, is working with collaborative partners Housing Trust Fund Ventura County/Housing Land Trust Ventura County, Ventura County Community Development Corp, McCarthy Companies, and DiCecco Architecture to bring this development to fruition.
One hundred and thirty students from throughout Southern California participated in a regional VEX Robotic Competition last Saturday at the Ventura County Office of Education in Camarillo. Student-built robots faced off in a game called Spin Up where they shot discs into baskets to score points. At the end of the competition, the following prizes were awarded:
Tournament Champions: Knight Time Bots 6627A and 6627D from Foothill High School, Santa Ana, CA
Excellence Award: Lancers 986A from Grace Brethren Jr Sr High School, Simi Valley, CA
Design Award: Peninsula High School 3050W from Palos Verdes Peninsula High School, Rolling Hills, CA
Judges Award: Lancers 6986E from Grace Brethren Jr Sr High School, Simi Valley, CA
Results of a clinical feasibility study suggest ketogenic diet and periodic fasting may have benefits against polycystic kidney disease.
Ventura County Credit Union is now officially a Low Income Credit Union (LICU). This Low Income Designation, granted by the California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation, demonstrates VCCU’s commitment to supporting the underserved.
To receive Low Income Designation, a credit union must show that at least half of its membership is at or below the 80th percentile of area’s median income. Other factors that helped VCCU earn this designation include the financial support provided by both the credit union and its foundation, as well as VCCU’s financial education efforts, partnerships with organizations like MICOP and the Mexican Consulate, and designation as a Juntos Avanzamos credit union.
On November 8, Cottage Health opened its newest Cottage Urgent Care Center at 1298 Coast Village Road in Montecito, with the goal of providing complete care within 45 minutes. Access to care is an important priority in preventing a minor issue from becoming a more serious health concern, and the new Urgent Care Center provides the community with convenient access from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., 365 days a year.
Cottage Urgent Care in Montecito joins 14 other Cottage Urgent Care locations in Santa Barbara, Goleta, Buellton, Orcutt, Santa Maria, and San Luis Obispo, as well as Ventura, Oxnard, Camarillo, and Point Hueneme.
The Fire Departments of Ventura County team up every year with ABC7 and local sponsors for the Spark of Love toy drive, the largest community toy drive in the nation. For 30 years, your local firefighters have been collecting donations for distribution to Ventura County children and teens in need of a happier holiday experience.
Just in time for the holidays, Island Packers, the official boat concessionaire to the Channel Islands National Park, with daily departures to the Channel Islands from Ventura Harbor Village, will be offering seasonal cruises for family and friends, as well as group functions. Ventura Harbor Holiday Cruises and Whale Watching trips are splendid ways to celebrate the winter season. (Masks are optional). An array of holiday options include the following:
Click here to read in web browser. Moorpark student financial stability profile featured on NCII website MOORPARK — To address barriers impacting students’ success, Moorpark College partnered with the National Center for Inquiry and Improvement (NCII) to conduct an exhaustive,…
Dozens of farmworkers and their allies were scheduled to hold a news conference and rally prior to Monday’s California Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR) “workshop” on plans for a statewide pesticide notification system. The news conference, sponsored by the Coalition Advocating for Pesticide Safety 805 (CAPS 805), was held outside the site of the DPR workshop, the Oxnard Performing Arts Center (800 Hobson Way, Oxnard). CAPS 805 and allies are concerned that the County’s pilot notification system and DPR’s current draft plans will not serve the community without the address or farm location of the pesticide application, among other issues.
Westminster Free Clinic and Care Center received funding of $1.5M from the State of California to support their programs and services. Budget request was made by Assemblymember. Steve Bennett.
Ventura County community college student government officers are driven by wanting to make a positive impact on their campuses and beyond. To provide these student leaders with the tools they need to advocate for their peers and build their leadership skills, the Ventura County Community College District on Oct. 26 held its first in-person Student Leadership Academy since 2020.
VCCCD created the academy four years ago as a year-long professional and personal development program to support emerging student leaders from Moorpark College, Oxnard College, Ventura College and the VCCCD student trustee. It was on hold during the pandemic.
Many of us will remember the Gabby Petito saga from a little over a year ago. Gabby was a pretty 22-year-old woman who went missing and was found dead several days later. It was determined that her fiancé, Brian Laundrie, was a suspect. The month following the discovery of Gabby’s remains, his remains were found. An anthropologist determined that he had suicidally shot himself.
Family Service Agency (FSA) announced that The Little House By The Park (LHP) has moved to two locations in Guadalupe. Staff will be on-hand at Riverview Townhomes, located at 230 Calle Cesar E Chavez, from Monday through Friday. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, residents can obtain services at Guadalupe Court, located at 4202 11th Street. Hours of operation are 8:15 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. for both locations.
The 14th Annual Art About Agriculture Exhibition
Saturday, November 12, 2022, from 4 PM to 6 PM
$5 SPAM Members • $10 Non-members
Art About Agriculture, the popular, group exhibition presented annually by the Ag Art Alliance, returns November 12, 2022, through March 5, 2023! Now in its fourteenth year, Art About Agriculture promotes awareness of agriculture by exploring its many facets through art—from workers to water, from machinery to fields, to the food that goes on our plates.
CSU Channel Islands has chosen a site for construction of an early childhood center designed to address the dire need for quality, affordable and accessible care for children of CSUCI students, 40% of whom earn less than $24,000 a year, farm workers’ children in the region, and other community members, as well as for the children of University employees.
The Ventura County Fire Department will provide $125,000 in matching funds to the Ojai Valley Fire Safe Council to support a localized fire hazard mapping project.
The county Board of Supervisors approved the funding Tuesday, Nov. 1, on a unanimous vote.
“The Ojai area is among the highest wildfire risk areas in the entire state,” said Board Chair Matt LaVere, who represents the Ojai area. “The 2017 Thomas fire and the many even larger wildfires throughout the state that have occurred since that time has shown us the significant role burning embers play in the astonishing speed at which these fires spread and threaten our communities.”
National Family Caregivers Month – celebrated each November – is a time to recognize and honor family caregivers across the country. It’s an opportunity to raise awareness of caregiving issues, educate communities, and increase support for caregivers. If you are caring for an elderly or disabled loved one, know that you are not alone. Caring Together Santa Barbara County is a network of organizations here to support you.
Caring for family members affects persons from all walks of life. It is estimated that 80-85% of care provided is by family members. Whether the person receiving care is in the final stages of Alzheimer’s Disease or has another physical or cognitive impairment, the role of the caregiver is a challenge.
Our success is only made possible by YOU. Because of your support, whether you donated, volunteered, attended, or spread the word about our 2022 Gala, we were able to host our most successful event ever. Together we raised $684,000 for our community’s youth! As you know, putting this event together is no small feat, and we’ve already begun planning next year’s… and we have a date! The 21st Annual Stand Up For Kids Gala will be held on
Saturday, September 9th 2023.
SANTA BARBARA — The Teacher’s Fund celebrated its 20th year by hitting a significant milestone thanks to strong community support during its annual Back-to-School Drive: the non-profit serving Santa Barbara-area educators surpassed the $2 million mark. The Teacher’s Fund set an…
If you have experienced the loss of a loved one due to suicide, do not hesitate to join our Survivors of Suicide Loss grief support group. Livingston’s Grief and Bereavement Program are committed to maintaining an open, accepting, confidential atmosphere. All are free of charge.
Fall is in the air across Santa Barbara County. Winter squash’s orange and yellow hues abound at farmers’ markets, farm stands, and local food retailers. Farmers are milling locally-grown grains harvested in the summer, and local ranchers are raising turkeys for the holidays. Fishermen recently showcased the abundance of sustainably harvested, high-quality seafood at the 19th Annual Harbor and Seafood Festival.
From the mobile farmers’ market to shared agricultural equipment, food system changemakers across the Lompoc Valley are addressing critical needs by fostering community and developing food system infrastructure. As you’ll read in our latest regional highlight on the Lompoc Valley, farmers, ranchers, farmers’ market managers, food business owners, and educators alike are accelerating community-led solutions to build a more equitable, closed-loop food system.
As the seasons change, there are a number of opportunities to get involved in the Santa Barbara County food system. See below for more updates on how our region is building resilience, upcoming events to make new connections, and funding for your next project.
Housing Trust Fund Ventura County has been notified by the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) that it has been awarded $5,000,000 from the Local Housing Trust Fund (LHTF) program. This is a result of the nonprofit’s ability to raise $5M in local funding to receive this 100% match from the California State Prop 1 matching grant program. This brings the total funding for Housing Trust Fund VC in this program round to $10M, which through the development of safe and affordable housing will positively impact the lives of farmworkers, veterans, low-income seniors, cognitively impaired individuals, houseless persons, transitional age foster youth, and extremely-low and low-income individuals and families.
Researchers map the environmental pressures of global production for all foods on land and ocean.
New student test score data released today by the California Department of Education will help Ventura County educators provide support and interventions where they are needed the most. The test results show student performance in math and English Language Arts on the 2021-22 California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP). The 2021-22 school year was the first that CAASPP was fully administered since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2020-21, only about half of Ventura County students took the test, and the year before that it was not administered at all. As a result, these new results can’t be meaningfully compared to prior years and are being used as a new baseline.
The Uplift Central Coast Coalition is excited to announce that we have been awarded the $5 million grant through California’s Community Economic Resilience Fund (CERF). We are excited for the opportunity to drive a 2-year planning process to create an inclusive economic development plan for the six Central Coast counties of Santa Cruz, San Benito, Monterey, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara and Ventura, with a focus on equity, sustainability, job quality, economic competitiveness and resilience.
VENTURA — Ventura County Parks has launched the Rincon Seawall Beautification project located south of Solimar Beach. This pilot project is being funded by County Parks in an effort to introduce art into parks and inspire community beautification. The 285’ stretch of seawall will take approximately 5 weeks to complete and will depict an ocean scene with the sea life found off the Ventura County Coast. Successful completion of this project will provide an upgraded look to the day-use parking area.
For more information on County parks and trails, please visit www.ventura.org/parks-department or call (805) 654-3951.
Greg Kovacs joins the Boys & Girls Club with a lifelong passion for helping children and teens achieve their true personal and academic potential. Throughout his career, Greg has had the great fortune and opportunity to design, develop, and lead educational nonprofit organizations, schools, and camp programs towards great success.
He has dedicated more than two decades of his life, helping our nation’s youth find safe and engaging environments, to provide the opportunities needed to grow and achieve personal success. He has gained experience in both traditional school settings and in less formal outdoor experiential education learning environments.
The Ventura College Foundation is now accepting scholarship applications for the 2022-23 school year. The deadline for application submissions is January 20, 2023.
Students currently enrolled at Ventura College in the 2022-2023 academic year, who have completed at least six credits by the end of Fall 2022 semester, are eligible to apply. Units earned in previous semesters at Ventura College count towards the unit requirement.
“We recently lowered the minimum number of credits from 12 to 6 so many part-time students now qualify to apply,” says Anne Paul King, Ventura College Foundation executive director. “Many of our students work full time and have family commitments that prevent them from taking a full class load. Our new credit policy opens eligibility to these students.”
This month we have been reflecting on how we are doing.
A leadership retreat, and the publication of our annual Impact Report, provided us the opportunity to share the many positive outcomes and significant impacts achieved because of your partnership.
The theme of this years report is ‘Twenty Years of Services’. The production of new housing, or the renovation of existing units, are outcomes we can clearly track. Harder to measure, but equally important, are the changed lives which happen when essential supportive services are partnered with those new homes.
We’re delighted to introduce Jem Morris and Gabriel Islas as the newest additions to the Santa Paula Art Museum team! As Museum Educator, Jem Morris is leading SPAM’s ArtSPARK school tour program, monthly Free Family Days, our busy partnership with Boys & Girls Club of Santa Clara Valley, and much more.
WHEN:
8 WEDNESDAYS: 4-5:30PM
October 19 – December 14 (no class Nov 23)
WHERE:
TEATRO DE LAS AMERICAS
321 6TH ST. OXNARD
WHO:
Ages 7-15
COST:
$50
(Scholarships available)
More info:
805 341-3837
cenalio@aol.com
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Ventura County (BBSVC), a youth mentoring nonprofit, invites the community to its 14th annual Bags, Bling & Bubbly champagne luncheon. The fundraising event takes place Wednesday, November 16th at the Sherwood Country Club in Thousand Oaks, CA. This sparkling event, benefiting BBSVC, begins at 11 a.m. with an amazing collection of designer and vintage handbags, jewelry, accessories, getaways, hotel stays and restaurant outings and more to be available for purchase or by auction.
The luncheon will also recognize Big & Little Sisters of the year, Karyn and Marcie, who will share the story of their long and happy mentoring relationship with guests
CARPINTERIA — Girls Inc. of Carpinteria recently held a ceremony at its campus on Foothill Road to celebrate the groundbreaking of the Lynda Fairly Courtyard, marking the official start of construction. More than 50 community members and supporters joined Girls Inc.…
A Celebration of Life event to honor Supervisor Carmen Ramirez will take place on Saturday, October 15, 2022, at 3:00 pm at Pacifica High School’s Outdoor Stadium located at 600 E. Gonzales Road, Oxnard, CA 93036. Community members are invited to attend to honor Supervisor Ramirez’s life and legacy. Doors open at 2:00 pm.
