Category: Health

Cottage Health Hospitals Earn National Awards Hospitals in Santa Barbara and Goleta Valley receive “A” ratings from Leapfrog, while Santa Ynez Valley location earns 4-stars from Medicare

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Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital and Goleta Valley Cottage Hospital both received an “A” Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade for fall 2022 from the Leapfrog Group. The national distinction recognizes the two hospitals for achievements in protecting patients from preventable harm and errors. 

“This Leapfrog award marks the third consecutive time that Cottage hospitals in Santa Barbara and Goleta Valley have earned the ‘A’ Safety Grade. We received the honors in fall 2021, spring 2022 and now fall 2022. This is a tremendous accomplishment made possible by the commitment of everyone in our organization to keep our patients safe,” said Dr. Babji Mesipam, Chief Medical Quality Officer for Cottage Health.

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VCFD Awarded Grant to Increase Child Passenger Safety Awareness

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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…

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Bilingual commentary — The Decision To Become a Doctor

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A considerable number of children of immigrants decide to “do their family proud.” They decide to commit to studying medicine to become a doctor or dentist. Some of them are first-generation college students who become first-generation professionals. 

Although their ambition and successes are admirable, the backgrounds of immigrants’ children may not thoroughly prepare them for the financial jolts they will receive along the way as medical professionals. It is entirely possible that no one in their family ever sat down with them and talked about that traditionally taboo topic: money. It is entirely conceivable that no one talked with them about financial planning because the parents and other relatives themselves had little money with which to plan much of anything. 

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Calls Mount for Advance Warning of Ag Pesticide Spray

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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.

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Westminster Free Clinic and Care Center announces funding of $1.5M from the State of California to support their programs and services

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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. 

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CSUCI selects early childhood center site, nears 50% funding mark

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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.

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Mental Wellness Center Hires Resident Chef for its Fellowship Club Program

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Just a few short years ago, David Medina was looking at a future much different from where he is now. He and a friend had a plan to open a new restaurant in Santa Barbara. The funding was confirmed, and the restaurant was about to get off the ground when the pandemic hit, shutting down in-person eating and effectively derailing Medina’s plans.

Fortunately, Medina wasn’t one to sit at home waiting for another opportunity to present itself. He still had a skill set, and people still needed to eat; he just needed to figure out how to get his food to them.

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Ventura County Fire Department Provides Matching Funds for Localized Fire Hazard Mapping Project

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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.”

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National Family Caregivers Month: A Time to Honor Those Caring for a Loved One

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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.

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Livingston Memorial presenting Survivors of Suicide Loss Grief Support Group

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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. 

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Eight more Clean Power Alliance Communities Choose 100% Green Power as their primary energy option to create a healthier and more sustainable future

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Seven cities and one county within Clean Power Alliance’s (CPA) service territory have chosen 100% Green Power as their default energy option this fall, making their communities and Southern California cleaner, healthier, and more resilient. CPA leads the nation in serving the most customers with 100% renewable energy.

Beginning this October, Beverly Hills, Camarillo, Claremont, Hawthorne, Redondo Beach, unincorporated Los Angeles County, and businesses in Rolling Hills Estates and South Pasadena are joining other CPA communities that have already established themselves as environmental champions by selecting 100% Green Power. CPA residential customers in Rolling Hills Estates and South Pasadena have been on the default option since 2019.   

As a not-for-profit clean energy provider, CPA offers three default energy options to the many communities it serves: 100% Green (100% renewable energy), Clean (50% clean energy) and Lean (40% clean energy). With the addition of this year’s communities, 21 of the 32 communities CPA serves are now on 100% Green Power.

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Jonathan Grunzweig Joins Santa Ynez Valley Cottage Hospital Foundation Board

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Santa Ynez Valley Cottage Hospital Foundation (SYVCHF) has elected a new member, Jonathan Grunzweig, to join the Board of Directors for 2022 and serve on its Finance & Investment Committee.

A resident of the Santa Ynez Valley since 2005, Mr. Grunzweig previously served as the Chief Investment Officer of DigitalBridge. He received a Bachelor of Arts from Cornell University and a Juris Doctor from Harvard Law School. Prior to his time at DigitalBridge, he was a partner at the Skadden Arps law firm in Los Angeles.  A native of Cleveland, Ohio, he resides in Ballard with his family.

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On 50th Anniversary, Community Environmental Council Launches Largest Capital Campaign in its History $15 Million “Protect Our Climate Campaign”

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SANTA BARBARA — Community Environmental Council (CEC) CEO/Executive Director Sigrid Wright on Oct. 20 announced the public launch of Protect Our Climate: CEC’s 50th Anniversary Reverse, Repair, Protect Campaign – a $15 million fundraising campaign that will bolster CEC’s work to confront the climate crises. 

Until Thursday, the $15 million campaign had been in a quiet phase, during which CEC leadership ensured a strong foundation and resources for a  successful campaign. The campaign comes at a pivotal time when  state and federal climate policy is dramatically accelerating; the success of those laws depends on local and regional implementation.  The action by the California Legislature and the federal government’s recent passage of the Inflation Reduction Act provide the strongest tailwinds for climate progress that the United States has ever experienced. 

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October News from People’s Self-Help Housing

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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. 

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Port of Hueneme Charges Ahead with Another Big Environmental Win by Expanding Shore Side Power System

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The Port of Hueneme has been awarded $5 million dollars as part of the Volkswagen (VW) Environmental Mitigation Fund. These funds will be utilized to purchase shoreside power hardware components for the Port’s North Terminal and further support the existing South Terminal shoreside power system used to cool reefer and container vessels.

Board of Harbor Commissioner President Mary Anne Rooney said: “We are happy to get this project started as part of The Port of Hueneme’s Environmental Management Framework (EMF), as it will significantly improve regional air quality in an Environmental Protection Agency designated priority location. It will also provide a readily available backup if the South Terminal system becomes temporarily unavailable due to construction or other projects.”

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Bilingual report — Ventura County Public Works Moorpark Water Reclamation Facility informing the future drought resiliency for Ventura County and others

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Ventura County Public Works Agency (VCPWA) Waterworks District partnered with Lawrence Berkely National Lab scientists to study the groundwater recharge potential of the percolation basins at the Moorpark Water Reclamation Facility (MWRF). The results of this study will help inform the future design of Ventura County’s planned stormwater diversion and groundwater recharge project at the MWRF. This project will be important to reducing Ventura County’s reliance on imported water by increasing our groundwater supplies.
Aquifers are increasingly stressed. Groundwater recharge is a critical factor in assessing groundwater sustainability, particularly in arid and semi-arid regions like California but recharge is very difficult to measure precisely.

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Bilingual report — Covered California Supports the Biden Administration’s Proposal to Expand Affordable Coverage to More Californians by Fixing the So-Called “Family Glitch”

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Covered California Executive Director Jessica Altman commended President Joe Biden’s administration for finalizing the proposed fix to the “Family Glitch,” an issue that had prevented millions of Americans with unaffordable employer health insurance from getting marketplace coverage through the Affordable Care Act.

“Covered California supports this proposed rule change, which will build on the Affordable Care Act’s vision and intent to expand access to affordable health insurance, by opening the door of coverage to millions of Americans.

This is a new era for the Affordable Care Act, as Covered California prepares to enter its 10th open enrollment period, with increased financial help available for those who need coverage as well as our 1.7 million enrollees.

With renewal beginning Oct. 18 and open enrollment starting Nov. 1, we look forward to spending the next four months getting every Californian covered.”

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Two CSUCI faculty members receive grant from National Science Foundation to streamline imaging for science and medicine

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If a doctor wants to get a closer look at a tumor inside of a patient, or if scientists want to get a detailed image of a plant, animal or inanimate structure, scientists and doctors frequently rely on sophisticated imaging devices. 

Powering some of the most sophisticated imaging devices are ions. Working to make ion sources even more efficient, accessible, and able to handle large amounts of data are CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI) Assistant Professor of Computer Science Scott Feister, Ph.D., and Assistant Professor of Mathematics Alona Kryshchenko, Ph.D. 

“If you want create a beam of radiation to take a picture of something you can’t see with the naked eye, you could use an ion source,” Feister explained. “There are instruments around the world that create and use ions in this way. The ions offer a source of ‘lighting’ for the picture, the way a flashbulb is used to offer a source of lighting for photos.” 

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Bilingual report — County of Ventura — Preparing for the 2022 Flu Season

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As we enter Flu Season, the Ventura County Health Care Agency is reminding the community that the best way to protect against the flu virus is to receive an annual flu vaccine.

The Ventura County Health Care Agency is offering multiple options for the community to conveniently receive a flu shot, through our Ambulatory Care Clinic system, Public Health Clinics, as well as pop-up community clinics.

Although seasonal influenza (flu) viruses are detected year-round in the United States, flu viruses are most common during the fall and winter. The timing and duration of flu season can vary, but influenza activity often begins to increase in October, and most often, flu activity peaks between December and February.

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Guest contribution — Younger By The Days offers holistic wellness therapy and much needed ‘me time’ to Santa Barbara residents

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People looking for physical strength, mental balance and inner peace turn to healing practitioner Beatrice Appay of Santa Barbara-based Younger By The Days, a recognized authority on how to obtain balance and peace within and for yourself.

A scientist, anatomy expert and experienced professional in her wellness craft, Appay is known for exercising patience, compassion, empathy, kindness and determination in guiding her students and clients.

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Bilingual commentary — The Specter of Nuclear War

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Those of us who were in grade school in the 1950s and early 60s will never forget the “duck and cover” drills we used to have in our classrooms. This was a Civil Defense exercise that put the fear of nuclear war into our little heads. At least once a month, as best I recall, we would hear the sirens wailing at 10 a.m. on a Friday. We knew what to do: kneel and drop, face down, below our desk—that mighty protector of our young lives—and cover our necks and heads with our arms and hands as much as possible. 

The Soviet Union became a nuclear power in 1949, and suddenly we had a threatening nuclear rival. The Cold War that followed World War II was replete with the rattles of sabers and ominous words, not too unlike what we are hearing today from the leaders of Russia, the remnant of the Soviet Union.

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Bilingual report — Local Health Care Providers Propel CenCal Health to top 5% Nationwide in Postpartum Care

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CenCal Health, the community health plan for Medi-Cal in Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties, received high marks in two respected professional health care assessments — the national Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set (HEDIS®), and the state-wide report on Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS®). With results released in 2022, the findings in both annual audits concluded that, in multiple categories, CenCal Health and its providers delivered exceptional care to child members, as well as members that are new mothers and members with diabetes

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Bilingual report — Community Health Needs Assessment Calls on Residents for Input Findings will help identify population health concerns in Santa Barbara County

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Cottage Health and Santa Barbara County Public Health Department, along with several other community organizations, are partnering to improve the well-being of Santa Barbara County residents. To better understand the needs and strengths of the entire community, and the many diverse groups within it, the collaborative is asking residents to participate in a Community Health Needs Assessment. 

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Bilingual report — Save the Date — 2022 State of the (Ventura) County on Nov. 30

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This FREE in-person and virtual event will highlight the collective work that makes Ventura County one of the best places to live, work, and play. Join us for a presentation and discussion about this year’s accomplishments and opportunities with a discussion about top priorities to address into the future.

Enjoy a presentation by keynote speaker County of Ventura Chief Executive Officer Dr. Sevet Johnson followed by a panel discussion among community leaders on key issues facing our communities.

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Cabrillo Economic Development Corp. (CEDC) — Gov. Newsom Announces Over $1 Billion in Housing Accelerator Awards

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The Cabrillo Economic Development Corporation (CEDC) announced on Sept. 29 that it has been awarded $26,246,464 from a California Housing Accelerator grant from the California Housing and Community Development Department (HCD). The funding is part of the California Housing Accelerator Comeback Plan, which is designed to assist in ending homelessness and providing affordable housing.

“The quick, strategic investments the state has made through the California Housing Accelerator brings us another step closer to the 2.5 million homes needed by 2030, as outlined in our Statewide Housing Plan,” said Gustavo Velasquez, Director of the California Department of Housing and Community Development. “Just one year after Governor Gavin Newsom announced the California Housing Accelerator, HCD has helped partners unlock the ability to construct over 5,000 quality affordable homes that were stuck waiting for funding. Roughly 80 percent of all Accelerator units will be for extremely low to very low-income households and unhoused residents.”

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Lumina Alliance & Cal Poly Safer Welcome October as Dating & Domestic Violence Action Month

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A Theme of “We Deserve” calls attention to the rights of all people in relationships SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY — Lumina Alliance and Cal Poly Safer are calling attention to Dating and Domestic Violence Action Month this October. The theme,…

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United Way of Ventura County — Compassion + Results

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Dear Friends,

Fall is officially here and it’s hard to believe that 2023 is just around the corner. As we celebrate 77 years of Uniting Ventura County, I am so proud of how your local United Way has responded throughout these challenging times, but our support is only possible because of the continued generosity of our community. It’s your generosity that powers the programs serving those in need and changing lives. Lives like John, a U.S. Air Force veteran. Please read his testimonial.

“With only social security, and no family to fall back on, I began a search for a place I could settle down in. The money I had on hand didn’t last long and then the pandemic hit. At this point, I didn’t have a place to call home and I started living in my car. I connected with United Way and they gave me a sense of hope in the real possibility of finding somewhere to live. They helped me find a place in a senior living apartment complex. They also helped with furniture, bedding, dishes, and utensils. The compassion and care they showed gave me confidence that things would work out. I feel fortunate because of their efforts.”

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September News from People’s Self-Help Housing

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In honor of National Latinx Heritage Month, we celebrate the innumerable contributions of the heritages and cultures that daily enrich our communities. 

At People’s, the majority of our staff and residents identify as Latinx.  We are committed to growing in a direction that align with the needs voiced by those we serve, whose lived experience has been shaped by Latinx heritage, and to especially address past disparities and present day inequities.

To further strengthen our Latinx communities, we ask you to continue to support our mission.  Your investments and partnership meaningfully impact lives each day.  May all go well for you and yours, as we enter the Fall Season together!

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Innovative and Family Friendly, Ventura County Children & Family Services Offers Strengthening and Support to Keep Families Together

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Ventura County Children and Family Services is working to transform child welfare to better serve our communities in one of the most forward-thinking family strengthening efforts in the State.   

For nearly a decade, Ventura County Children and Family Services have sought to shift child welfare practice from traditional methods of removal and compliance to a wellness system approach to strengthening families. This innovative approach better supports families and gives children of all ages in out-of-home (foster) care the chance to be reunified with their birth parents—or never to need to leave home at all.

“Strengthening VC Families was founded on the belief that every child deserves permanency, and every family deserves to stay together whenever it is safe. We also believe that it takes an entire community to help keep a family together,” said Judy Webber, Director, Children & Family Services. “The main goal is to keep children safe while strengthening their families and providing services for their families so they can reunify permanently.”

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Triunfo Water & Sanitation District Board Approves Reducing Sprinkler Irrigation Time From 15 to 10 Minutes Per Station

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At its September 19 meeting, the Triunfo Water & Sanitation District (TWSD) board of directors approved reducing the amount of once-a-week sprinkler irrigation time per water station from 15 to 10 minutes. The reduction in watering time takes effect October 1.

TWSD gets its water from the Metropolitan Water District (MWD). The TWSD decision follows an MWD directive requiring the more restrictive provision. For more on the one-day-per-week watering restrictions, go to https://www.triunfowsd.com/faq.

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Santa Ynez Valley Cottage Hospital Volunteer Services Awards $27,000 in Scholarships

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Santa Ynez Valley Cottage Hospital (SYVCH) Volunteer Services has awarded nine $3,000 scholarships to local students who reside or work in the Santa Ynez Valley and plan to pursue college studies in health-related careers.

The scholarship awards totaling $27,000 are made possible through proceeds from the New to You Thrift Store in Solvang. New to You Thrift store is staffed entirely by Santa Ynez Valley Cottage Hospital volunteers who generously donate more than 16,000 hours of their time and talents each year to support the hospital.

Scholarship recipients were selected by SYVCH Scholarship Committee members Jacky Green, Martha Nedegaard, Brenda Loskamp and Susan Snekvik.

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Bilingual report — Ventura County Sustainability Division Gets a New Look, Launches New Online Hub to Support Climate Action

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The County of Ventura’s Sustainability Division has launched a new online hub to support local climate action, available at sustain.ventura.org. Community members and partners can now easily access sustainability resources and information about county progress towards meeting climate action goals and find information about local sustainability events and initiatives.

“Climate change is presenting challenges and opportunities to Ventura County,” said Chair of the Board Matt LaVere. “Our new Sustainability website provides our residents tools to directly engage with these issues by allowing them to participate in local climate action, social equity, and economic vitality efforts and learn about actions our Board has taken in support of a sustainable and resilient future.”

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Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital Recognized as National Leader in Treating Sepsis

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Sepsis is not an infection. It is not contagious. Sepsis is the body’s reaction to an infection.

More than 1.5 million people in the United States develop sepsis each year, and at least 270,000 Americans die from sepsis annually. 

Normally, the immune system fights and controls infections, but for unknown reasons, this process breaks down during sepsis. As sepsis progresses, the immune system stops fighting the infection and becomes overactive, which can lead to severe sepsis, and even septic shock. 

This can result in irreversible tissue damage, organ failure, and even death. Like a stroke or heart attack, sepsis is a medical emergency that requires rapid diagnosis and treatment with fluids and antibiotics.

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Bilingual commentary — The Flaw in Biden’s “Cancer Moonshot”

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Laudably, President Joe Biden has reignited the “Cancer Moonshot” that he had previously launched in 2016 when he was vice president. There is now renewed energy, new leadership, and more advanced medical experience, knowledge, and technology. The goal is now more focused: to reduce the death rate from cancer by at least 50 percent over the next 25 years. 

The initiative was termed a “moonshot” to evoke the historic call by the late President John F. Kennedy to land a man on the moon within a decade. So far in our history, nothing compares with the boldness, wisdom, and foresight of that vow to take the “giant leap for mankind.” Nonetheless, a spirited call to take on the current, daunting epidemic of cancer in the United States and save American lives is certainly a necessary step in the right direction.

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Bilingual report — Join the Oxnard Fire Department at Upcoming Fire Prevention Week 2022 Events

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 The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) created Fire Prevention Week to promote fire safety at home and in the workplace. This year the Oxnard Fire Department joins the association in celebration of Fire Prevention Week’s 100th anniversary and its “Fire won’t wait, plan your escape” campaign with a series of community events throughout Oxnard.

According to the NFPA, you may have two minutes or less to safely leave a home once your smoke alarm goes off. Having a fire evacuation plan will help to keep you and your family safe.

“It’s important for everyone to plan and practice a home fire escape. Everyone needs to be prepared in advance, so that they know what to do when the smoke alarm sounds. Given that each home is different, every home fire escape plan will also be different,” said Stephen McNaughten, Oxnard Fire Marshal. “Have a plan for everyone in the home. Children, older adults, and people with disabilities may need assistance to wake up and get out. Make sure that you plan to help them.”

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Bilingual report — Ventura County Animal Services reports FEE-WAIVED kitten and cat adoptions through Sunday!

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Dear Friends, Ventura County Animal Services is holding a 4-day FEE-WAIVED* kitten and cat adoption promotion through Sunday, September 25th at both the Camarillo and Simi Valley Animal Shetlers.  Promotion available for all adoptable cats.  Please note that promotions do…

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Livingston’s Grief and Bereavement Program Announces New Group for LBGTQ+ Community

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Livingston is pleased to announce a new free 10-week closed-ended grief support group program for our LBGTQ+ community, Understanding Your Grief, written by author, educator, and grief counselor, Alan D. Wolfelt, PhD. The program is intended to companion you on your own unique grief journey. 

Registration for the group ends October 3rd. Group will meet in person and space is limited. Please contact Livingston’s Grief and Bereavement Program for reservations at 805-389-6870 or online at lmvna.org/grief.

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Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin (D-Thousand Oaks) — Statewide Battery Recycling Programs Created Under New Law

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Gov. Gavin Newsom signed the Responsible Battery Recycling Act today as part of a larger climate action package. Together, SB 1215 and AB 2440 will create a statewide collection and recycling program for consumer batteries and products that contain batteries. The signing of these bills mark the culmination of many years of effort to address battery waste.

California classifies batteries as hazardous waste and bans them from solid waste landfills because of the hazardous metals and corrosive materials that batteries contain. When improperly discarded, batteries pose serious fire, health and safety hazards that disrupt the state’s waste stream and poison the environment. …

“Few people know that batteries are actually hazardous waste and those of us who do have containers of used batteries we don’t know what to do with. This means the majority of batteries end up in curbside waste bins, causing damage to our recycling facilities which ultimately requires rate payers to pay more on our utility bills,” said Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin (D-Thousand Oaks), author of AB 2440.

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CSUCI Health Science major is named a CSU Trustee Scholar

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CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI) Health Science major Daisy Morado Navarrete is taking a full load -16 units- this semester, maintaining a 3.92 grade point average (GPA) and spending four hours a week at St. John’s Regional Medical Center helping to translate for Spanish-speaking patients.

Her talent, determination, academic excellence and generosity of spirit are among the reasons she has received the 2022 CSU Trustees’ Award for Outstanding Achievement. Navarette is among the 23 students—one from each CSU campus—chosen by the CSU Board of Trustees as a 2022-2023 scholar.

The CSU Trustees’ Award is the university’s highest recognition of students who demonstrate superior academic performance. Each donor-funded scholarship bears the name of a donor; Navarette is the recipient of the TELACU scholarship.

All the scholars will be honored on Tuesday, Sept. 13 as part of the CSU Board of Trustees meeting.

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The First-Ever UndocuFund Summit hosted by 805 UndocuFund, UndocuFund, and Latino Community Foundation, Calling for Equitable Disaster Relief to be held Sept. 18-20

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UndocuFund, 805 UndocuFund and The Latino Community Foundation (LCF), will co-host the first-ever UndocuFund Summit during the start of peak wildfire season in California. From September 18-20th at North Bay Organizing Project (NBOP) in Sonoma, the Summit will convene leaders from over 30 grassroots immigrant-serving organizations across California that responded to the pandemic and other disasters. Community leaders will highlight the experiences of undocumented Californians throughout the state and explore collective state and federal advocacy efforts.

“Undocumented workers contribute billions to the economy, yet are excluded from federal disaster aid,” said Beatrice Camacho, Director of UndocuFund in Sonoma County. “Without a safety net, California’s undocumented essential workers have labored through wildfires and smoke, 110 plus degree heatwaves, and the pandemic. They were forced to risk their lives to keep food on the nation’s table during devastating disasters. Now it’s time for California to make them a priority.” 

California is home to 10.6 million immigrants (foreign-born individuals) who comprise 27 percent of California’s population. Recent data shows that one in five children in the state are U.S. citizens living with at least one undocumented family member (1.7 million children in total).

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Bilingual commentary — The Angry Sun

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As we know all too well, Californians have been suffering recently with the “heat domes” that seem to enjoy settling, for days at a time, over our region in the Southwest. The resulting inferno bakes us, unmercifully, in a sweltering heat. The suffering we experience forces us to admit that yes, despite those who rant and confuse climate with weather, we are in fact facing a potential collapse of earth’s climate systems.

And yet many of us here in Ventura County live relatively close to the beach. We along the coast, at least, are consistently among the cooler spots in this entire corner of the country—if not the entire country (except for Alaska—usually). We are indeed fortunate when we compare our climate to that of California’s Central Valley, for example. 

Still, we suffer, though our suffering is relative. We can’t help but feel that we’ve angered the sun when in fact we’ve angered the earth.

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Bilingual report — Bird Tests Positive For West Nile Virus

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On September 13, 2022, the Ventura County Environmental Health Division (Division) received confirmation from the California Department of Public Health that a bird collected during the fourth week of August from the City of Simi Valley area tested positive for West Nile Virus (WNV). This is the first bird collected in 2022 to test positive for WNV in Ventura County. There are no confirmed human cases at this time.

WNV is considered endemic, so we can expect the virus to stay in our environment.

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