Clinicas del Camino Real, Inc. will be expanding vaccination efforts to their Maravilla Health Center, located at 450 Clara St. Oxnard CA 93033, in South Oxnard this weekend. A total of 1,000 vaccines will be administered to Clinicas’ patients Saturday March 6, and Sunday March 7, from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Walk-ups will not be accepted at this particular event as all availabilities have been electronically reserved by eligible patients.
COVID-19 Vaccines are available for adults age 65 and older, healthcare, food and agriculture, education and childcare, emergency services and qualifying regional center family caregivers. More information at the following link: www.venturacountyrecovers.org/vaccine-information/.
Appointments open each week on Mondays at 7 am online am on the phone line for those with limited internet access: www.venturacountyrecovers.org/vaccine-information/portal/
SMHS Agricultural Teacher and FFA Advisor Luis Guerra was recently selected as the South Coast Regional Golden Owl Award winner, making him one of six finalists in the state for the Ag Educator of the Year.
Nationwide Insurance’s Golden Owl Award sheds light on the selfless contributions agricultural teachers play in the communities they serve and the countless hours they spend preparing future generations for successful careers.
In a matter of weeks or months, if all goes well, the world will begin to transition into a new era: the Post-Pandemic Age. When we emerge and behold the new world order, a different work landscape will present itself—for better and for worse.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has awarded more than $27 million to support projects across the country to protect, restore or enhance almost 28,000 acres of coastal wetlands and adjacent upland habitats under the National Coastal Wetlands Conservation Grant Program.
The California State Coastal Conservancy, The Nature Conservancy and other partners will receive $1 million to begin restoring the 650-acre Ormond Beach wetlands in Oxnard, California, to improve water quality, resiliency to sea-level rise and reverse degradation of a portion of the wetlands.
?Nueva Línea Telefónica de Acceso Comunitario para el Registro de Vacunas contra COVID-19!
In order to return to the things we enjoyed pre COVID-19, such as gatherings, travel, live entertainment, in-person education and indoor dining, it is critical that we increase the amount of COVID-19 testing in our County, as well as mask up, physical distance and vaccinate when it is our turn.
Right now, it is as important as ever to get tested for the COVID-19 virus because frequent testing is the best way (short of getting vaccinated once available) to make sure positive cases are identified quickly and get isolated in order to stop further spread.
The Community Environmental Council is hosting an Affordable Electric Vehicle Clinic on Tuesday, March 23, 2021 from 12:00 p.m. to 1:15 p.m. as part of CEC’s Climate Action Webinar Series. This free webinar will be presented in English with Spanish translation.
Join CEC’s Energy and Climate Programs Director Michael Chiacos and CEC’s Energy and Climate Associate Jen Hernández – both EV owners and industry experts – to learn which 100+ mpge electric vehicle or plug-in hybrid might be best for you. Michael will share his experience driving on sunshine since 2012. Jen, who recently leased an EV for $20/month, will share why the decision to drive electric was an easy choice for her family.
COVID-19 Vaccines are available for adults age 65 and older, healthcare, food and agriculture, education and childcare, emergency services and qualifying regional center family caregivers. More information at the following link: www.venturacountyrecovers.org/vaccine-information/.
Appointments open each week on Mondays at 7 am online am on the phone line for those with limited internet access: www.venturacountyrecovers.org/vaccine-information/portal/
?If you have limited internet access you can also call the registration hotline at 805-477-7161. The phone line is staffed M-F 8-5. Appointments are set aside for both online registration and the phone line.
The Area Agency on Aging provides transportation services for older adults that are in need of transportation to a vaccine appointment or for COVID-19 testing. This includes people that need lift assist as well as gurney transportation. The driver will take the individual, wait for them, help them at the site and take them home. To schedule a ride call 805-477-7300. Please note, you must have a vaccine appointment before you schedule a ride to a vaccine site.
For CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI) Nursing student Rebecca Warden, helping vaccinate people during a global pandemic gives her exactly the kind of rewarding experience she was hoping for when she becomes a nurse.
“It feels huge — it does! It doesn’t seem like it in the moment and then you take a look back and it’s like, we’re doing so much for everyone,” Warden said. “I’m excited. Everyone’s excited.”
Warden is among about 250 CSUCI nursing students and faculty members who are helping out in Ventura, Santa Barbara and soon, Los Angeles County in any way they can during the massive COVID-19 vaccination rollout.
With eyes toward reopening in the coming weeks, the Santa Paula Art Museum has four stellar exhibitions lined up for the summer and fall months, which will showcase artists and locales that stretch the length of the California coast. All of the exhibits will be available to view online at www.santapaulaartmuseum.org during their respective run dates, as well as open to the public when allowed by local public health directives.
“Erin Hanson: Colors of California” will mark Hanson’s most comprehensive collection of California’s multitudinous landscapes. Combining the emotional resonance of the 19th century Impressionists with the lavish color palette of Expressionism, Erin Hanson’s unique style of oil painting has come to be known as “Open Impressionism.” Hanson’s exhibit at the Santa Paula Art Museum will include an expansive collection of landscapes inspired by Ventura County, Santa Barbara, Paso Robles, Monterey County, Mendocino, and other scenic locales. The exhibit will be on view May 1, 2021 to July 25, 2021. Visit Erin’s website at www.erinhanson.com.
Our First Ever Virtual Event
Nearly 200 visitors to our first virtual event!
Over $30K for HEART (Helping Elders At Risk Today)
The Santa Barbara County Food Action Network (SBCFAN) is pleased to announce Kiah Jordan as Chair to its Executive Committee. SBCFAN’s Executive Committee is comprised of a broad spectrum of community leaders who drive the work of the organization and act as ambassadors to advocate and network on behalf of SBCFAN.
Jordan is the founder of Impact Family Office, a multi-family office serving clients as guides, advisors, and trustees. Before starting Impact Family Office, he worked for Santa Barbara Capital, a real estate investment firm, and with clients in the wine industry, tech sectors, and international manufacturing. Jordan graduated from Westmont College with degrees in Economics/Business and Spanish, and received a Master’s degree in Social Entrepreneurship from USC’s Marshall School of Business. He is a National Certified Guardian by the Center for Guardianship Certification and a licensed Professional Fiduciary by the California Professional Fiduciaries Bureau.
Loan Opportunities
Paycheck Protection Program (PPP)
Potentially fully forgiven loan for businesses, nonprofits, veteran organizations, tribal concerns, self-employed individuals, independent contractors and other eligible borrowers keep their workforce employed during COVID-19.
DEADLINE: March 31, 2021
Learn more CLICK HERE.
COVID-19 Vaccines are available for adults age 65 and older, healthcare, food and agriculture, education and childcare, emergency services and qualifying regional center family caregivers. More information at the following link: www.venturacountyrecovers.org/vaccine-information/.
More appointments are available at this time. Register at www.venturacountyrecovers.org/vaccine-information/portal/
The Foundation at Hearst Castle announced today the appointment of four new members to its growing Board of Directors. Each will help support the nonprofit’s ongoing efforts to conserve Hearst Castle and inspire students from underserved communities through its innovative STEAM Program at the Castle education initiative.
Por considerarlo de su interés les compartimos la siguiente invitación por parte de SCORE Hispano.
Talleres completamente en español, que dieron inicio el 17 de febrero y que continuarán todos los miércoles a las 5:30 pm terminando con el 10 de marzo..
Próxima sesión, miércoles 3 de marzo.
On February 23rd, Governor Newsom signed into law a comprehensive package providing urgent relief for the small businesses of CA. The package provides an additional $2 billion – a four-fold increase over the $500 million currently being distributed – for grants up to $25,000 for small businesses impacted by the pandemic, and allocates $50 million of this total for non-profit cultural institutions.
Lendistry with the CA Small Business COVID-19 Relief Grant Program will be opening 4 additional rounds of applications. Please review the information below about Round 3 and Round 4.
Hello Ventura County – Apologies for the late night stats update. This evening Governor Newsom toured our vaccine site at the Ventura County Office of Education. The video update from the visit to be shared tomorrow. To date more than 202,000 community members have been vaccinated in our County.
Ventura County Community Development Corporation (VCCDC) is celebrating the success of its first “From Here Forward” program recipient. Last month, Mia Martinez, a long-time Ventura County resident, closed on her first home with the help of $100,000 in down payment assistance from VCCDC. With available funding for more families, VCCDC is inviting residents to apply for this special program.
CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI) is one of the Hispanic-Serving Institutions across the nation that invested in “25 Years of Hispanic-Serving Institutions,” a research project conducted by Washington D.C.-based Excelencia in Education.
Excelencia—an institution dedicated to the advancement of Latinx students in higher education across the nation—is co-hosting a virtual event, “California Briefing on 25 Years of HSIs in Accelerating Latinx Student Success,” on Tuesday, March 2, at 10:30 a.m. In addition to CSU Channel Islands, partnering institutions include CSU Northridge, CSU Monterey Bay, CSU San Bernardino, Fresno State, the California State University system, California Community Colleges, and the University of California Merced.
The public is invited to register for the free presentation at: https://www.csun.edu/node/11001/california-briefing-25-years-hsis.
In the nearly one year since the pandemic was declared in March 2020, the people most directly affected in South Oxnard have been farmworkers and their families – food access is critical for those whose jobs and health have been impacted. Many efforts have sprouted to help provide food and COVID-19 resources and relief, and Oxnard’s Southwinds Neighborhood Council has been holding weekly food distributions. Saturday’s Southwinds event, in collaboration with the Port of Hueneme, its customers and other partners, marked the Port’s 45th food distribution event, as they continue to be committed to community.
An online discussion and Q&A with campus experts explores the science of COVID-19 vaccines and other, non-pharmaceutical interventions.
CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI) has earned national recognition for innovative programs in the Division of Academic Affairs’ Teaching & Learning Innovations area, as well as the Division of Student Affairs.
CSUCI is one of 10 universities across the nation to garner one of the inaugural Virtual Innovation Awards: Excellence in Delivering Virtual Student Services, a newly created award program funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and presented Feb. 23 through the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA) – Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education. It carries a prize of $15,000.
Trinity Pacific Christian School in Thousand Oaks is the first and second place winner of the 2021 Ventura County Mock Trial with Santa Susana High School in Simi Valley taking third place.
The winning teams were announced this evening after seven days of competition that were held entirely online for the first time ever due the COVID-19 pandemic. Twenty-six teams from 22 high schools throughout Ventura County participated in this year’s competition, which is coordinated by the Ventura County Office of Education. Here is how the top eight teams placed:
During its special City Council meeting on February 20, 2021, the Ventura City Council approved the appointment of Jeannette Sanchez-Palacios, who took an oath of office, to fill the District 4 vacancy after interviewing 14 candidates.
Under Section 705(c) of the City of Ventura’s Charter, the City Council approved an appointment process to fill the District 4 vacancy on February 1, 2021. The vacancy was created after City Councilmember Erik Nasarenko was appointed as the new District Attorney for Ventura County on January 26, 2021.
I started my career in human resources and eventually found myself working as a corporate recruiter. As a young and albeit naïve professional, focusing on diversity in the recruiting process was not in my immediate field of vision because, at the time, the topic of “inclusion and diversity” was not necessarily at the top of the national dialogue.
Fortunately, the experience of observing and participating in the recruiting process of hundreds of candidates began to shape my understanding of the importance of diversity.
We are pleased to announce that Ventura College has been presented with two awards of excellence this year, from the California Colleges Board of Governors and the Ventura County Economic Development Association.
“We are so proud of our faculty, staff and administrators for their tireless work to help improve the college experience for our students. These awards are a nod to their remarkable efforts,” said Ventura College President Dr. Kimberly Hoffmans. “Our
Beginning this week, the state has begun to use a 70/30 formula in allocating vaccine doses. 70% of our vaccine doses will go to those who are 65 and over while 30% will be going to those residents who fall under Vaccine Tier 1B: education/child care workers, food and agriculture workers, and emergency services workers.
Vaccine appointments will be made available for Emergency Services Workers, Grocery Workers, and Phase 1A Health Care workers beginning March 1st at 9am on the County’s COVID-19 Vaccine Appointment website.
Island Packer Cruises, established in 1968, has recently begun to operate daily scheduled trips for day visitors and campers from Ventura Harbor Village to Scorpion Anchorage in Channel Islands National Park – The Galapagos of North America.
The new pier at Scorpion Anchorage now allows Island Packers, the official park concessionaire, to offers safe and accessible access at Scorpion Anchorage.
On January 4, 2021, H.R. 1 For the People’s Act was introduced and is currently being reviewed by Congressional committees. The bill provides an opportunity to expand and protect voting rights, get big money out of politics, hold elected officials accountable and assure our democracy is representative of all Americans’ voices and values.
The vast majority of Americans support this bill, including 56% of Republicans. Special interests spent $14 billion to influence the 2020 election, the most amount of money spent on an election in the history of the U.S.
Do you have a will or a trust? If the answer is no, you are leaving your loved ones and your assets at risk if you something were to happen to you. Join us to learn how you can prepare and protect yourself and your loved ones with a few simple steps! With guest speaker, attorney Roy Schneider
More COVID-19 Vaccine appointments will open on Monday morning. The online appointment portal will be available beginning at 7 am at the following link: www.venturacountyrecovers.org/vaccine-information/portal/.
The registration phone line will also have appointments available beginning at 8 am. The phone line is for those with limited access to the internet. The phone number is 805-477-7161.
Learn more about the eligible sectors at the following link https://www.venturacountyrecovers.org/vaccine-information/
SBCC School of Extended Learning is proud to announce the free ‘Back-to-Work’ program. The program was created as a rapid solution to help unemployed Santa Barbara County community members secure employment. Back-to-Work participants will receive training, grant funding, job search support and more. The application deadline for the first three Back-to-Work career tracks is March 9.
“The pandemic’s toll on local service jobs is pushing already vulnerable families into crisis,” said Joyce Coleman, Vice President of SBCC School of Extended Learning. “Our Back-to-Work program focuses on local job markets that, in part due to the pandemic, have immediate high-demand for trained workers.”
Listen to this Spanish-language interview with Katie Pena, director of TRIO programs at Oxnard College, and Luis Garcia, student services assistant, as they talk about TRIO programs, which provide services for students from disadvantaged backgrounds. The interview aired on 102.1 FM y 910 AM La Mexicana (KOXR), 96.7 FM La Mejor (KLJR), and 102.9 FM Radio Lazer (KXLM).
Upon the death of a parent, we children find ourselves scrambling about, muddling through the logistics: finding a mortuary, arranging religious and/or memorial services, choosing a cemetery and possibly meeting with family and friends for that last goodbye at the burial grounds. Of course, much of this can be pre-arranged.
It was announced yesterday that education and childcare, food and agriculture and emergency response sectors are now eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine.
Information about appointments can be found at the following link.
www.venturacountyrecovers.org/vaccine-information/portal/. Appointments open Monday mornings beginning at 7 am online and 8 am on the phone line.
If you have limited internet access you can call the registration hotline at 805-477-7161. The phone line is staffed M-F 8-5. Appointments are set aside for both online registration and the phone line.
Jim Clark, Santa Barbara City College’s Director of Information Technology Infrastructure and Security, was recently notified by the Chief Information Systems Officers Association of the California Community Colleges (CISOA) that he is the recipient of the CISOA Technology Planning Award for 2021. The award is bestowed upon someone who has played a prominent role in evaluating information technology variables and developing a strategic plan of action that advances the college mission.
It was announced (Feb. 24) that education and childcare, food and agriculture and emergency response sectors are now eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine.
Information about appointments can be found at the following link.
www.venturacountyrecovers.org/vaccine-information/portal/. Appointments open Monday mornings beginning at 7 am online and 8 am on the phone line.
If you have limited internet access you can call the registration hotline at 805-477-7161. The phone line is staffed M-F 8-5. Appointments are set aside for both online registration and the phone line.
The Area Agency on Aging provides transportation services for older adults that are in need of transportation to a vaccine appointment or for COVID-19 testing. This includes people that need lift assist as well as gurney transportation. The driver will take the individual, wait for them, help them at the site and take them home. To schedule a ride call 805-477-7300. Please note, you must have a vaccine appointment before you schedule a ride to a vaccine site.
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There are now 1st and 2nd dose vaccine appointments available as of 2/25/21 for those eligible.
Please make your appointment by visiting the following link: www.venturacountyrecovers.org/vaccine-information/portal/.
2nd dose appointments are available for Moderna. Pfizer appointments are full at this time. More will open next week.
2nd dose appointment information can be found at the following link:
www.venturacountyrecovers.org/vaccine-information/portal/registration-d2/
In this special episode, OC Business Professor Tim Fontenette hosts a panel discussion on the history, meaning and legacy of Black History Month. This iconic celebration is a staple of the educational and cultural calendar – what has its impact been and should we re-imagine it for the 21st century?
Joining Prof. Fontenette are OC Personal Growth Professor and Counselor Ross Fontes, OC History Professor Josh Leiser, and special guest Perry Martin, Jr., Business Professor at Moorpark College.
The Workforce Development Board of Ventura County (WDB) has released its 2021-2024 regional and local plans for workforce and economic development in the county. The plans are available for public review and comments.
WDB serves as a facilitator between public and private sectors, creating partnerships that will strengthen the Ventura County economy and match well-paying jobs with a trained workforce.
2,045 deaths were reported to the Ventura County Medical Examiner’s Office during calendar year 2020. Jurisdiction was accepted for 1001 of these deaths, requiring further investigation and certification. Postmortem examinations were performed on 706 cases. Of the cases investigated, 217 deaths were due to medications, alcohol and or illicit drugs.
Of the 217 deaths, 203 were accidents, 12 were suicides and two deaths were of undetermined manner. Of the overdose deaths, men accounted for 151 deaths (70%) and women accounted for 66 deaths (30%).
A delegation of Mexico’s top trade representatives visited the Port of Hueneme on Wednesday to strengthen their longstanding trading partnership. Led by Mr. Roberto Velasco Alvarez, Director General for North America and acting Undersecretary for North America at Mexico’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the delegation was welcomed with a socially distanced port tour and roundtable discussion of expanding and supporting trade between the Port and Mexico.
“Our on-going trading partnership with Mexico continues to grow, from the establishment of a Sister Port relationship with Port of Ensenada in 2015, to supporting trade through our various local customers importing and exporting cargo between our two great countries,” said Oxnard Harbor District President Jason Hodge. “We are committed to supporting the growth of this fruitful partnership.”
Employment law firm LightGabler was named “Business of the Year” by the Simi Valley Chamber of Commerce. The award was announced virtually on February 19 at the Chamber’s online Salute to Excellence Awards program.
The Chamber singled out LightGabler for “educating and assisting the business community with financial support, resources and compliance with legal and employment law changes throughout 2020.”
Playwright Anna Deavere Smith’s ‘Fires in the Mirror: Crown Heights, Brooklyn,’ gives voice to community members caught up in a tragic event.
The County of Ventura (on Feb. 24) announced a new goal of providing school employees with their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine by the end of March, which is significantly sooner than had originally been anticipated. This will be accomplished by working with local health care providers to administer vaccinations to educators in addition to using the County’s existing vaccination infrastructure.
“We are very gratified to see that the people who work in our schools are receiving high priority for vaccinations in Ventura County,” said Dr. Cesar Morales, Deputy Superintendent for the Ventura County Office of Education. “A fully functioning school system is one of the keys to getting our lives back to normal. The sooner we can get school employees vaccinated, the sooner we will be able to bring all of our students back to the classroom,” he said.
COVID-19 Vaccine Information
It was announced today that education and childcare, food and agriculture and emergency response sectors are now eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine, effective today.
Information about appointments can be found at the following link.
www.venturacountyrecovers.org/vaccine-information/portal/. Appointments open every Monday.
If you have limited internet access you can also call the registration hotline at 805-477-7161. The phone line is staffed M-F 8-5. Appointments are set aside for both online registration and the phone line.
Natalie Orfalea Foundation and Lou Buglioli sponsor Hospice of Santa Barbara’s (HSB) illuminate Speaker Series, a virtual series that brings world-renowned speakers every month to discuss how COVID-19 is impacting us all.
As local nonprofits are adapting to find new ways to serve their clients and causes, HSB is adjusting to the new realities that come with COVID-19 through their illuminate Speaker Series, which provides helpful resources to our community and beyond as we cope with our new reality.
you like dirt, old things, and history…then you’re going to “dig” our two-part educational series on archaeology. In this first installment, you will learn about what archaeology is, why it is important, and what you can do to help preserve the past. At the end of the module, you will also find some fun activities to get you thinking like an archaeologist! Sound fun? Well, then let’s “dig” in!
Despite the challenges that accompanied 2020, Local PODS® Moving & Storage was committed to supporting as many nonprofits as possible in the community, donating over $20,000 between monetary and container donations. As the end of the year approached, Local PODS wrapped up their 15th anniversary celebration of business in Ventura County by providing some additional holiday cheer to their community.
Nutrition knowledge and essential food help arrived for 150 Santa Maria Joint Union High School District families when the SMJUHSD Multilingual and Migrant Education Program (MMEP) held a Health and Wellness Drive-thru Fair at the Santa Maria High School student parking lot on Saturday, February 20.
MMEP along with community organizations from Mixteco Indigena Community Organization Project (MICOP), Community Health Centers (CHC), Community Action Partnership of San Luis Obispo (CAPSLO), Center for Employment Training (CET), and the Food Bank of Santa Barbara County offered families free information packets. Organization packets included information on health, dental, rental assistance, healthy food choices, COVID. Families also received hygiene kits, groceries/produce and pan dulce.
Join us for the second installment of MCASB’s Collectors Series, a behind-the-scenes dive into the many facets of collecting art.
On Thursday, March 4, Vivian Brodie, Associate Vice President, Specialist, working in Private Sales at Christie’s in New York will lead a walkthrough and discussion of the Post-War to Present Day Sale. This exclusive walkthrough will offer an early glimpse of the exciting work on sale, including artists Elaine de Kooning, Ruth Asawa, Henry Taylor, Beatriz Milhazes, and Titus Kaphar, and will provide insight into how to work with an auction house.
Post-War to Present jumpstarts Christie’s Spring 2021 auction season in New York with artwork spanning the Post-War era to the most celebrated contemporary artists of today. Click here to read more about this event.
On Monday February 22nd, 2021, the Biden-Harris Administration and the Small Business Administration (SBA) announced steps the agency is taking with the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) to further promote equitable relief for America’s mom-and-pop businesses.
Please review the following changes to the Paycheck Protection Program:
Dianne Travis-Teague has been appointed to the Santa Barbara City Fire & Police Commission. She brings a wealth of knowledge and lived experience that will benefit the Commission at a time when the city is focusing efforts toward racial justice and equity.
As Director of Alumni Relations for Pacifica Graduate Institute, Travis-Teague has created and maintained numerous pathways for alumni engagement. Her capabilities include project management, financial analysis, training, team building, mentoring, and creative brainstorming. Travis-Teague earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Management and Marketing from Northwestern University in Illinois and also currently serves on the Board of Hospice of Santa Barbara.
Branches of the Southeast Ventura County YMCA are offering outdoor, in-person enrichment programs for preschoolers through age 11.
The Yarrow Family YMCA holds classes Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. Preschoolers get moving with “Preschool Hip Hop” on Mondays and “Preschool Ballet” on Thursdays and Fridays. Storytime readings are from 9:00 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. on Thursdays.
Parents looking for creative after-school enrichment classes for their 5 to 11-year-olds can sign them up for “Theater Games” on Mondays, and “Move And Groove” and “Beginning Hip Hop” on Thursdays.
Family law attorney Maya Shulman is used to hearing from clients who say they want an “aggressive” lawyer, someone they envision boldly striding into court and convincing a judge to rule in their favor.
Most often, Shulman tells them that’s a bad idea.
Courts are unpredictable and hard to navigate, even with a good lawyer by your side, she says. Divorce and custody proceedings can drag on for months, piling stress on clients and their children, and draining families financially. Even then, there are no guarantees that clients will get what they want in court, Shulman explains. Judges, like all humans, have blind spots, biases, and bad days. Taking a case to court means leaving critical, life-impacting decisions to the whim of a judge, and losing control over the outcome, the attorney says.
