With the pandemic dramatically redefining the landscape for California manufacturers, the Economic Development Collaborative is committed to helping businesses survive, recover, and thrive as they navigate through the challenges. In partnership with CMTC’s California Manufacturing Network, the EDC’s Small Business Development Center provides direct support to manufacturers across Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties.
Wishing our community a safe Holiday! Please wear a mask, social distance and only gather with members of your household. Your actions are saving lives and keeping businesses open.
Today, volunteers helped deliver special Holiday meals for the most vulnerable populations in Ventura County. More than 150 volunteers from across the community and from County agencies helped with this effort.
Nearly 1,000 deliveries and a total of 3,000 meals were provided. Along with the meals each recipient received a homemade holiday greeting card. The cards were received as part of the Ventura County Area Agency on Aging Holiday Greetings Campaign. Nearly 1,000 cards were received from children and adults alike from throughout the County.
Happy Thanksgiving.
What do you feel seeing those words? Angry? Sad? Hopeful? Or a combination of all three? I thought it would be good to go back to when the national holiday was established – back in a time when Americans were grappling with political divisions greater than any before, the legacy of racism, and experiencing death and economic hardship unlike any time in our history.
Good Evening , There are 140 new cases today, 1,971 additional people tested and 0 additional deaths. Current doubling time is 68.2 days. There are 82 people in the hospital and 17 in the ICU. Thank you Ventura County for following the public health guidance of wearing a mask, social distancing and not gathering. You also answered the call to action with increased testing. More than 40k people have been tested over the last two weeks! Increased testing has allowed for a rate adjustment from the state and has also helped to slow the spread of COVID-19. Once someone tests positive they isolate which prevents further spread. We appreciate your efforts in helping to save lives and keep businesses open.
View today’s special press conference message:
The City of Oxnard applied for and won a $2.8 million grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) through its Hazard Mitigation Grant Program, which helps local communities significantly reduce or eliminate future risk to lives and property from natural hazards such as flooding, tsunamis, and earthquakes.
The grant money will fund the Oxnard Wastewater Treatment Plant Generator Project, which will improve the reliability and resiliency for continued plant operations during power outages. The project will replace the City’s aging, 54-year old backup generators with a modern, single emergency generator.
The Santa Barbara County Food Action Network (SBCFAN) has connected Santa Barbara County farmers markets, the Santa Barbara County Public Health Department and Edible Santa Barbara to develop a safe, affordable, and healthy option for celebrating the Holidays – and supporting the County’s food system – during the COVID-19 pandemic. Together, these Network partners are launching an aligned “Stay Home (and Eat Local) for the Holidays” campaign to encourage County residents to avoid large gatherings and enjoy locally sourced holiday meals with their household instead.
The campaign, which launches on Saturday, November 21, sprouted from conversations with County Public Health around how to emphasize the importance of avoiding gatherings during the holidays to help stop the spread of COVID-19. “Stay Home (and Eat Local) for the Holidays” takes that message and elevates it by also encouraging residents to shop local in our safe, outdoor farmers markets for affordable and healthy holiday meal ingredients that support Santa Barbara County farmers, ranchers, fisherfolk, and food artisans,” said SBCFAN’s Executive Director, Shakira Miracle.
Good Evening , There are 610 new cases today (includes information from Friday, Saturday and Sunday), 6,715 additional people tested and 1 additional death of a 66 year old man with comorbidities. Current doubling time is 62 days. There are 75 people in the hospital and 18 in the ICU.
Tune in at 10 am (Tuesday, Nov. 24) for the weekly press conference update. View the press conference at www.venturacountyrecovers.org.
About 55 Santa Maria High School needy families received generous food donations from Catholic Charities Friday.
The distribution took place from 11 a.m. to noon at the campus where students and their families picked up grocery bags packed with rice, beans, cereal, pasta, vegetables, snacks and other nutritious necessities.
Saint School Community Liaison Patricia Lopez Barriga began contacting non-profit agencies in town after the families reached out to her for help.
The California Labor Market Information Division released its October 2020 report earlier today, showing a slight acceleration in our month-over-month recovery, our unemployment rate improving from a revised 8.3% in September to 7.1% in October. That’s encouraging, though the region’s recent move back to the more restricted Purple Tier will almost certainly slow or even stall the recovery and, indeed, we are starting to see an increase in new unemployment insurance claims. And while 7.1% is a grand improvement over our low point of 13.9% in April, it’s still more than double the 3.4% we enjoyed in October 2019. See here for the current summary detail.
The State has issued a limited Stay at Home Order generally requiring that non-essential work, movement and gatherings stop between 10 pm and 5 am in counties in the Purple Tier per the State’s Blueprint for a Safer Economy. The order will take effect at 10 p.m. Saturday, November 21 and remain in effect until 5 a.m., December 21, although it may be extended or revised as needed by the State.
November 20, 2020 COVID-19 Update Today, you can get tested for COVID-19 at the following locations: Ventura County Fairgrounds, 9-6, enter on Shoreline Drive in Ventura (Walk up site in San Miguel Hall) Oxnard College, 10-7, 4000 S. Rose. Ave.…
The Community Environmental Council (CEC) is proud to announce it has been selected as a 2020 California Nonprofit of the Year by District 37 Assemblywoman Monique Limón.
“For 50 years, CEC has stood out as an environmental leader, both in Santa Barbara County and across California. They understand that issues like the climate crisis are too complex and too big to be solved by a single organization and work collaboratively to treat a healthy environment as both a human right and the foundation for a thriving world,” said Assemblywoman Monique Limón. “We need the leadership of CEC to build momentum to reverse the threat of the climate crisis and safeguard our communities. Their work today is critical.”
City Manager Alexander Nguyen has named Assistant Police Chief Jason Benites as Oxnard’s next Police Chief, effective December 29, 2020 upon the retirement of Chief Scott Whitney.
“We are very fortunate to have two great chiefs-in-waiting, Eric Sonstegard and Jason Benites, both of whom would be great Chiefs here or in any other city,” said City Manager Nguyen. “It speaks volumes of the quality and excellence of the Oxnard Police Department. The community is very fortunate that Jason is accepting the appointment to be our next Police Chief.”
The Ventura County Medical Resource Foundation (VCMRF) has presented a $40,000 challenge grant to United Way of Ventura County’s Landlord Engagement Program. The goal of the program is to increase housing stock and utilize existing housing vouchers and housing subsidies provided by local jurisdictions and community partners to prevent and end homelessness.
This is a special update from the County of Ventura. We will send you today’s stats when they become available. This message is an urgent message to let you know that COVID-19 spreads at gatherings. Please do not host large gatherings for the Thanksgiving holiday. Keep it virtual or keep it small with three households or less. Keep it outside, socially distanced with a mask on. These simple steps can help to keep the numbers down, save lives and keep businesses open.
Today, you can get tested at the following locations:
The State of California has issued a limited Stay At Home Order effective 11/21 to 12/21 to stop all non-essential activities from 10 pm to 5 am.
Read more here.
The City of Oxnard is restarting its retail cannabis program, and will issue 16 dispensaries permits throughout the City. The process is being restarted due to inconsistencies that were discovered in its City Code regarding the appeal process for applicants who were denied a retail permit.
In fairness to all 50 applicants, the City has terminated the current program and will start a new accelerated retail cannabis and local equity retail cannabis program that will issue 16 permits (instead of 10 permits) by March 2021. No new fees will be required for previous applicants to apply to the new program.
On November 10, 2020, the Ventura County Air Pollution Control District (VCAPCD) approved $3.7 million in emission reduction grants for Ventura County businesses. This year’s grants will help pay for new, lower-emission equipment to replace 63 older, higher-pollution diesel engines in agricultural equipment and commercial fishing boats. In addition, this year’s grants will help fund the installation of 14 publicly-accessible electric vehicle charging ports. The total investment in 2020 air quality projects, including the cost-share contributed by grant recipients, will be over $5.6 million. Since 1999, VCAPCD has awarded over $48 million to help businesses operating in Ventura County replace older equipment with cleaner, low-emission equipment.
Don’t forget the most important ingredients this Thanksgiving. While it’s safest not to gather, if you do, keep safety and good times in mind. Keep it short, outdoors, and small, with no more than two other households. Wear masks, stay at least six feet apart, and wash your hands. Help stop the spread of COVID-19.
(On Nov. 16), the State of California announced new COVID-19 Tier assignments for counties. Due to increasing case rates, Ventura County and 40 other counties in the State will move back to the more restrictive Tier 1 Purple. Businesses that are impacted by this are asked to make their operational modifications by midnight November 17, 2020.
In response to a statewide spike in new coronavirus infections, Ventura County and 28 other counties were suddenly moved back to the most restrictive purple tier of California’s color-coded tracking system on Monday, November 16. Facing an unprecedented surge in COVID-19 cases, Governor Gavin Newsom said he was “pulling an emergency brake.”
Now that Ventura County is back in the purple tier, schools and districts that had already reopened are permitted to continue with in-person instruction according to state and local regulations. However, individual schools that have not yet reopened will need to wait until the County moves back to the less restrictive red tier and stays there for 14 days.
The County of Ventura’s new Mobile COVID-19 Testing Trailer can be requested at the following link:https://www.signupgenius.com/go/covid-testing.
Mobile Testing Team Onsite Testing Requirements
Business or organization must have at least 100 people that would like to get tested for the COVID-19 virus.
Outdoor location must include 100′ x 50′ open space suitable for parking a truck and 28′ trailer for our testing team.
Host location must provide access to restroom facilities within 200′ walking distance of the testing location.
Set up begins one hour before opening for testing.
November 17 @ 1:00 pm
Google Analytics is a fantastic tool. Best part is, it’s free to use for everyone! No matter if you have a 2-page website or a massive e-commerce website, you can use Google Analytics to understand how your customers are using your website and where you can improve their experience. During this webinar, expert in business data analytics Mo Hossain will walk you through the steps of how to set up Google Analytics so you can start getting data from your own website.
Good Evening, There are 433 new cases (35 (8.1%) of which have a lab collection from November 9 or earlier), 5,429 additional people tested, and 1 additional death of a 90 year old female with comorbidities. There are currently 49 people hospitalized with COVID-19 and 11 of those patients are receiving care in the ICU.
Our current data published as of November 16th is 13.3 (purple tier) for the case rate, 4.5%% (orange tier) for the positivity rate and 6% for the health equity positivity (red tier) for the measurement period ending.
COVID-19 is not only still with us, but it also casts a shadow over everything we think we know, including our understanding of the 3 Es that are the foundation of the Ventura County Civic Alliance: Environment, Economy, and Equity. Livable Communities has for years focused on land use and the creation of attractive and functional places to live and work with minimum impact on the environment. All of this has been impacted by COVID. While “livable” may start with wise land use, we know now that it truly is so much more encompassing.
Therefore, it is fitting that this quarter’s Livable Communities Newsletter explores the 3 Es and Livable Communities in a COVID-19 world:
Good Evening, There are 265 new cases (20 (7.5%) of which have a lab collection from November 6th or earlier), 1,665 additional people tested, and 1 additional death of a 36 year old female with comorbidities. There are currently 36 people hospitalized with COVID-19 and 10 of those patients are receiving care in the ICU.
Our current data published as of November 10th is 7.2 (purple tier) for the case rate and 3.0% (orange tier) for the positivity rate and 4.8% for the health equity positivity (orange tier) for the measurement period ending October 31st.
We are all working diligently to slow the spread of COVID-19 in our community by wearing masks, social distancing, and taking other necessary precautions. Thank you for your hard work! Another way to help is with COVID testing. It is easy, free, and nearby at a variety of convenient sites in the County. Because case rates have recently increased in Ventura County and other nearby counties, and the holidays are approaching, we are encouraging all Ventura County residents to get tested frequently starting now and throughout the holiday season. As you know, testing and tracing are key tools in stopping the spread of COVID-19.
Food Share, Ventura County’s largest hunger-relief organization, is holding a mega drive-thru food distribution of shelf-stable pantry items and fresh produce on Sunday, November 15, 9am-12pm at Food Share of Ventura County’s headquarters at 4156 Southbank Rd., Oxnard, 93036.
The American people have driven the mad tyrant out of the White House, long live Democracy! The last four years have been the most polarizing, uncertain, and painful years in our lifetime, nonetheless, we got the job done we have a new president. Without doubt Biden would not be the president-elect if Black, Latino, Asian, Native American and the young folks vote had not come to the rescue of the Democratic Party again. 19 million Latinos voted in this Presidential Election, more than 13million or roughly 67% of the Latino votes went to Biden. The first time in American history that the Latino vote represented the highest minority vote in the nation. The powerful and decisive Latino voting pattern will continue to grow in the coming years. Both the Democrats and the Republican are aware of this growing American electorate, and we will no longer will be appeased, marginalized, manipulated or simply be ignored. Biden know this better than most, and he must act accordingly! We will closely watch Biden not in what he says but in what he does.
Mohammed A. Hasan, a longtime business and environmental leader in Ventura county has been elected to United Water Conservation District board.
The United Water Conservation District boundary encompasses Piru to Ventura harbor along the Santa Clara River valley, and the Oxnard coastal plain. The cities of Santa Paula, Fillmore, Oxnard and Port Hueneme and the very eastern part of the city of Ventura are part of the District. This public agency was formed nearly 70 years ago. They recently moved their main office close to N. Rose Ave. in Oxnard, at 1701 North Lombard Ave. The District diverts surface water from the Santa Clara river, manages and serves groundwater to farmers and cities. Detailed information about the District is available at unitedwater.org.
The County of Ventura Board of Supervisors has unanimously approved $3.65 million in federal Coronavirus Relief Funding to support the Farmworker Household Assistance Program (FHAP) to help farmworkers struggling to maintain their households due to pandemic-related hardships.
Good Evening, There are 305 new cases (16 (5.2%) of which have a lab collection from November 5th or earlier), 3,718 additional people tested, and 0 additional deaths. There are currently 36 people hospitalized with COVID-19 and 5 of those patients are receiving care in the ICU.
Our current data published as of November 10th is 7.2 (purple tier) for the case rate and 3.0% (orange tier) for the positivity rate and 4.8% for the health equity positivity (orange tier) for the measurement period ending October 31st.
Known as the Banana Port of the West Coast, the Port of Hueneme can now add another title to their brand: the Peruvian blueberry pilot Port. Being the specialized reefer port of the U.S. West Coast, Hueneme has been able to receive completed cold-treated produce containers for years; however, they now are now going to be making history by offering the ability of completion of this treatment on-port. This new service is the first of its kind on the West Coast and stands to reduce the cost of transporting blueberries, eliminate thousands of pounds of Green House Gases, and support local California and Peruvian growers.
The County of Ventura Board of Supervisors has approved a resolution declaring racism a public health crisis. “The resolution is a pledge from the Board and the County to promote equity, inclusion, and diversity in housing, employment, economic development, health care, and public safety,” said Mike Powers, County Executive Officer. “The resolution also pledges that the County will work to become a more racial equity and justice-oriented organization in service to the community. It is our goal for this to become part of our culture to best serve our community.”
Good evening, There are 72 new cases today (17 (23.6%) of which have a lab collection from November 3rd or earlier), 1,577 additional people tested, and 0 additional deaths. Currently, there are 35 people hospitalized with COVID-19 and 5 of those patients are receiving care in the ICU.
Our current data published as of November 10th is 7.2 (purple tier) for the case rate, 3.0% (orange tier) for the positivity rate and 4.8% (orange tier) for the health equity positivity rate for the measurement period ending October 31st.
Some Ventura County schools could have to delay their plans to resume in-person instruction if the County falls back to the most restrictive level – the purple tier – on the state’s coronavirus watch list, which is looking increasingly likely. Due to a growing number of COVID-19 cases, County health officials anticipate the move back to the purple tier could happen as early as next Tuesday, November 17, but is most likely to occur a week after that on Tuesday, November 24.
COMMUNITY ALERT: COVID-19 cases are increasing. If the cases continue to increase we will be moved to the more restrictive purple tier by the State. We need your help. We need to increase testing numbers. The State gives credit for more testing and testing also helps slow the spread. We also need your help in slowing the spread by not gathering. Gatherings increase the virus’ spread. Let’s work together so we can all move forward and protect the most vulnerable in our community.
The Economic Development Collaborative is thrilled to announce the addition of five new advisors to our consulting team! As one of California’s largest direct business support networks, our Small Business Development Center (SBDC) is dedicated to providing quality consulting with a diversity of advisor skillsets to assist you with each of your business needs. Access to capital, top tier advising and personalized support is just a phone call away.
The County of Ventura Public Health Department is reporting concerning increases in COVID-19 cases. The community is urged to use caution. The best protection against COVID-19 continues to be to wash your hands frequently, avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands, self-isolate if you are sick, practice physical distancing, and wear a clean face covering when in contact with others from outside your household.
I volunteered to be a poll worker in the Santa Maria area of Santa Barbara County for the presidential election of 2020. I was assigned to work at Orcutt Junior High School, in the small agricultural city of Orcutt, here is what I learned. …At the end of the final night of poll work, I walked out to my car with a big smile on my face, with the satisfaction of knowing that I had just participated in a very important and sacred part of our American electoral process. And that our team had done a wonderfully honest, transparent, inclusive, and patriotic job.
November 3rd is Election Day, but we may not know all the election results for days or even weeks afterward. This doesn’t mean anything is wrong. It just means our elections officials are doing everything possible to make sure every vote is counted and the election results are accurate.
In partnership with the County of Santa Barbara, United Way is offering rental assistance grants to eligible individuals and families living in unincorporated areas. Eligible applicants must meet specific requirements. The funds were made possible by the County of Santa Barbara through federal grants received from the CARES Act.
The funding comes from the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act, which gave Santa Barbara County a total of about $46 million in funding.
In memory of those taken on November 7, 2018, and in honor of those that survived, this campaign is designed to encourage the community to perform 12 Acts of Kindness. An act of kindness can be simple and performed on behalf of those closest to you, a stranger, an organization, or for some, an act of kindness for themselves.
The campaign is mix of printable items and social media imagery for use across all platforms. The concept is to encourage everyone to participate in the way that is best for them. Participating in 12 Acts of Kindness does not require anyone to spend money, which is a critical aspect. Raising awareness around how many simple Acts of Kindness are possible and helping the healing process for the community is the goal of this campaign.
Free Flu Shots are offered throughout the County of Ventura. View the schedule by clicking here.
CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI)’s Channel Your Success initiative received a $600,000 boost this fall from the U.S. Department of Education.
Channel Your Success is a multi-faceted program designed to remove barriers preventing Latinx students from graduating on time. Director of Student Academic Success & Equity Initiatives Michelle Hasendonckx, Ed.D., said this particular grant is a 2020 Title V grant for a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI), but the campaign is to benefit all CSUCI students.
The Ventura County Area Agency on Aging is extending a call of action to local schools for a Holiday Greeting Campaign aimed to reach older adults and people with disabilities who are living in Ventura County.
Free Flu Shots are offered throughout the County of Ventura. View the schedule by clicking here.
Once the Election Polls close, voters can be assured that the election offices will remain active to process all the ballots that were postmarked by November 3rd. Ballots properly postmarked will be counted at the elections office through November 20.
Given the news reports out there that the many have not turned in their mail-in ballots, it’s time to remind them about the election of 2016.
YES, EVERY VOTE COUNTS!!!, whether you live in Miami or Oxnard, Detroit or Santa Barbara, Scranton or San Luis Obispo.
Nov. 3 is creeping up fast. If you have a ballot, fill them out ASAP and drop them off at OFFICIAL BALLOT BOXES. It’s too late to use the U.S. Post Office.
Otherwise, plan to take advantage of in-person early voting on Saturday, Oct. 31.
We are so close. VOTE!!!
Missed the online registration deadline in your state? Same-day registration is available in-person in the states highlighted above: TURQUOISE – Same-Day Registration during Early Voting Dates ONLY PURPLE – Same-Day Registration on Election Day (November 3) ONLY BLUE – Same-Day Registration during Early Voting AND on Election Day ALASKA – Allows Same-Day registration but ONLY for President and Vice President.
PLEASE NOTE: Same-day registration must typically be done IN PERSON and only at limited locations. An elections official may request a state-issued photo ID and proofs of residency for each new registration. Contact your local / county elections office for specific requirements for same-day voter registration.
