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.
Every year, Albertsons stores collects donations to help buy local families a Thanksgiving meal. This year, United Way of Santa Barbara County (UWSBC) has partnered with Albertsons in Goleta onCalle Real, for their annual Turkey Bucks fundraising project.
Turkey Bucks is an annual campaign where local grocery stores collect donations and use the money raised to buy turkey dinners for families who cannot afford to buy their own for the holidays.
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:
With Ventura County shifting back into the purple tier, which prohibits gyms from operating indoors, the Simi Valley Family YMCA is opening a new outdoor fitness center in the parking lot behind the facilities.
The approximately 3,000 square foot outdoor center is partially covered to protect from the elements and contains cardio and strength training equipment.
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.
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 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.”
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.
Dear Community Member,
For the health and safety of the community, all Museum programs have been moved online. The Museum of Ventura County, the Agriculture Museum in Santa Paula, the Research Library & Archives, and the Albinger Archaeology Museum will be closed until further notice.
We will continue to offer a variety of diverse online programming, including Virtual Learning Modules, Zoom Conversations, family activities, and more! You are encouraged to explore below or visit our website.
Be safe, be well, and stay healthy. We look forward to welcoming you back at MVC when we reopen!
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.
Every year, Teddy Bear Cancer Foundation’s (TBCF) “Project Turkey” helps food-insecure families who have a child facing pediatric cancer in the Tri-County areas with grocery gift cards and food baskets.
Just in time for Thanksgiving, TBCF plans on donating items to hospitals, clinics and homes and are hoping to help 50 families or more with Project Turkey food and grocery gift card donations this season.
Clarivate Analytics names 14 UC Santa Barbara scientists and social scientists to its 2020 list of highly cited researchers.
With the recent change in Ventura County’s reopening status, the Santa Paula Art Museum is now temporarily closed until further notice. If there’s one thing we’ve learned from the past eight months, it’s that when life gives you lemons, you definitely have to get a little creative! That’s why we’ll continue to produce our free, monthly Art To-Go Bags for children in our community for as long as we are able (see below).
Our staff are also hard at work transforming one of the Museum’s back parking lots into an outdoor art experience that will be free and open to all. The forthcoming Art Park is inspired by one of our favorite paintings from the Museum’s permanent collection, and reimagines the artwork in three dimensions. Stay tuned for more information and an official opening date.
The Museum’s 10th Annual Fine Art Auction Fundraiser continues online through Sunday, November 22. It’s our most important fundraiser of the year. See the auction items that are getting the most attention below!
(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.
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.
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.
If you’re planning a large Thanksgiving gathering with family and friends this year, think twice!
That’s because health officials are warning against such gatherings this year, and they are imploring the public to take important safety precautions to protect themselves and their loved ones against the coronavirus, which continues to pose a serious health threat in California and across the nation.
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.
Every year, Teddy Bear Cancer Foundation (TBCF) holds Project Turkey to help food-insecure families who have a child facing pediatric cancer in the Tri-County areas with grocery gift cards and food baskets.
This year, due to the pandemic, the holidays have hit families dealing with a child with cancer even harder due to increased financial constraints. Many families have had to leave work in order to care for their sick child, and TBCF is working hard to collect items for these families so they can enjoy a Thanksgiving meal.
Friendship Center staff are helping to distribute hygiene kits, put together by the Elk’s Lodge, to Santa Barbara area Veterans.
Please consider making a donation to Friendship Center so that we may continue to support Veterans in our community
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.
One of 20 Packard Fellowships has been awarded to mechanical engineering assistant professor Elliot Hawkes.
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 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.
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.
The Yarrow Family YMCA in Westlake Village has opened a nearly 9,000 square foot covered outdoor fitness facility in its back parking lot (31105 East Thousand Oaks Blvd.). The facility opened November 2.
The exercise area contains cardio equipment and weights to provide members an opportunity to workout in a COVID-compliant setting until Los Angeles County officially enters the red tier level and gyms can reopen indoors.
Free Flu Shots are offered throughout the County of Ventura. View the schedule by clicking here.
Already, over 850 county residents have become certified in Youth Mental Health First Aid. The popular course that teaches participants how to support youth struggling with a mental health or substance abuse problem is now available online. Parents, teachers, and others in Santa Barbara County who work with youth ages 12-18 are encouraged to “be the difference” for local youth by participating in a free, upcoming training.
A sophomore lab course in the physics department is configured so students can conduct experiments via remote control.
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.
Giving Thanks can make you Happier
by Sophia Davis, Advancement & Project Manager
November kicks of the holiday season with high expectations for a cozy and festive time of year. However, for many this time of year is tinged with sadness, anxiety, or depression. Research suggests that one aspect of the Thanksgiving season can actually lift the spirits, and it’s built right into the holiday — expressing gratitude.
Free Flu Shots are offered throughout the County of Ventura. View the schedule by clicking here.
This guidance outlines safer alternative ways to celebrate Halloween and Día de los Muertos during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. COVID-19 continues to pose a severe risk to communities and requires all Californians to follow necessary precautions in light of this ongoing risk.
Some of the traditional holiday activities promote congregating and mixing of households, which increase the risk of transmitting COVID-19. For this reason, CDPH recommends that you choose a safer alternative way to celebrate Halloween and Día de los Muertos, and strongly discourages trick-or-treating. It is important to plan early and identify safer options.
For many children of all ages, Halloween is synonymous with the American tradition of dressing up in costume and heading out into the neighborhood with friends and family to trick-or-treat and collect candy in the crisp autumn air.
However, with the coronavirus still spreading throughout much of the country, including in California, families are advised to take extra precautions this year, which could mean finding new and innovative ways to safely celebrate this holiday, according to a health expert.
We are still in the Red Tier according to the California Blueprint for a Safer Economy metrics, but we are getting closer to moving into the Orange Tier. Currently we have 1 active case in the South County Unincorporated Areas (which include Montecito, Summerland and the City of Carpinteria), 6 active cases in the City of Santa Barbara, and 138 active cases County-wide. Additionally, the Board of Supervisors recently voted to pass an Ordinance to adopt remedies, including administrative fines, for violations of County Health Officer Orders Pertaining to COVID-19.
View the list of ballot drop off locations at the following link: https://recorder.countyofventura.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/List-of-Drop-Off-Locations-9182020.pdf
View the list of in person voting locations at the following link:
https://recorder.countyofventura.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/IPVL-Insert-FINAL-1.pdf
Overcoming the challenges of COVID-19 to help bring assistance to abused and neglected children in our county, four new members have joined the Board of Directors of Court Appointed Special Advocates of San Luis Obispo County, Inc. Dr.Gilbert Stork, the new CASA Board President and past President of Cuesta College, leads the slate which includes new members James Simonaro of Arroyo Grande and Kaimy Chappell of Pismo Beach. Additional changes to the Board include Kelly Sanders (Atascadero) moving from President to Secretary and Suzy da Silva Hamilton of Templeton stepping up to Vice President. After many years serving as a CASA volunteer assisting a child, Rudy Bachmann of San Luis Obispo has expanded his commitment by also joining the Board.
Researchers examine the decrease in average body temperature among healthy adults over the past two decades.
A pulse oximeter can provide an early warning of oxygen deprivation and breathing problems associated with COVID-19 pneumonia. Acting on information from public health representatives, CenCal Health procured and distributed 2,000 pulse oximeters to various health care providers in Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties. CenCal Health is the Medi-Cal health plan that contracts with over 1,500 physicians, hospitals and other providers in these two counties on the Central Coast.
View the list of ballot drop off locations at the following link: https://recorder.countyofventura.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/List-of-Drop-Off-Locations-9182020.pdf
View the list of in person voting locations at the following link:
https://recorder.countyofventura.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/IPVL-Insert-FINAL-1.pdf
Ventura County has record voter registration of 500,062. As of October 28, 223,379 ballots have been returned. County Clerk-Recorder, Registrar of Voters Mark Lunn stated, “I urge voters to return the vote by mail ballot they received early to avoid lines at voting locations and limit contact with others due to COVID-19. Don’t wait until November 3 if you want your vote included in the first results on Election Night.”
Researchers develop an efficient, low-energy method for upcycling polyethylene plastic waste into valuable molecules that can be repurposed for further use.
The Ventura County Sheriff’s Office of Emergency Services is currently monitoring fire-prone weather expected to impact Ventura County late Sunday night through Tuesday evening. During this timeframe, there is an increased possibility of power outages and wildfires. Residents are being asked to take steps now to plan and prepare for this period of concern. For additional information on weather forecast, please visit the National Weather Service online.
Essential Volunteer Recognition, October 24, 2020 – The Port of Hueneme’s “Committed to Community” Drive hosted its 40th food distribution with a “Feeding the Frontline” volunteer appreciation touch. Commemorative plaques were distributed to volunteers who have supported this food and resource drive since the pandemic began in April of this year.
“It is important that we recognize our true community heroes; from the dockworkers, farmworkers and truck drivers who keep our shelves stocked; our staff, and most definitely our volunteers. They are answering a weekly call to bring much needed relief to our community and the Port is grateful that the volunteers have been there as partners from the very beginning.” Said Jess Ramirez, President of the Oxnard Harbor District Commission.
The County of Ventura’s Business Assistance Program will move forward to provide funding to all remaining eligible applicants that were not selected during the Round 1 lottery of the program. The potential number of additional recipients is over 3,700. In total, this program will provide up to $24 million directly to our local small businesses and non-profits.
“We hope that this funding can help provide some relief to businesses who have been seriously impacted by COVID-19. We appreciate our partnership with the Ventura County Community Foundation in serving those in need throughout the County,” said County Executive Officer Mike Powers. “They have worked so hard to help businesses qualify for these grants. They have fielded thousands of inquiries and provided direct support to business owners to help process applications. Their support has allowed for this effort to move forward.”
