By David Magallanes • Guest contributor David Magallanes When I take my morning run by the water at our nearby marina, I always pass a salon that keeps a sign outside its front door with encouraging messages that change every…
Category: Local
Business economics students at SMHS recently mastered their personal finances during the 10-week simulation entitled “H&R Block Challenge”.
SANTA MARIA — Business economics students at Santa Maria High School recently mastered their personal finances during the 10-week simulation entitled “H&R Block Challenge”. The lesson allowed the Saints to examine and select future 401k plans, check and credit card…
Entries Now Open For 2019 Oxnard Salsa Festival’s “Great Oxnard Salsa Challenge”
OXNARD — Do you have a salsa recipe that everyone raves about? Here’s an opportunity to show off your creation by entering the “Great Oxnard Salsa Challenge,” taking place Sunday, July 28 during the 26th Annual Oxnard Salsa Festival. The…
Plan your July 4th at Channel Islands Harbor with Fireworks by the Sea and a day full of family activities
OXNARD — Channel Islands Harbor celebrates the 4th of July with a full day of family activities. The Harbor will host a variety of activities throughout the day, ending with the annual Fireworks by the Sea starting at 9 p.m.,…
Bilingual report: County invites public to Planning Commission work sessions on June 6 for the preliminary public review draft of the 2040 General Plan
VENTURA — The County’s Planning Division will host three Planning Commission work sessions beginning on June 6th to review the Preliminary Public Review Draft 2040 General Plan and share public input received during recent public outreach events. All work sessions…
Bilingual report: California Department of Fish and Wildlife awards $13.4 million grant to Matilija Dam Ecosystem Restoration Project
Santa Ana Bridge Replacement proposal to provide critical funding to restore fish habitat and allow for natural sediment transport to occur along the Ventura River Watershed. VENTURA COUNTY — The Ventura County Public Works Agency’s (VCPWA) Watershed Protection District (WPD) is…
Former Boxing Champ Fernando Vargas Fights For La Colonia Boxing Gym
OXNARD — Former boxing world champion, Fernando Vargas, is returning to his hometown Wednesday, June 5 to tour the famed Colonia Youth Boxing Gym, and to urge the city of Oxnard to keep the gym open. Vargas grew up in…
Jackson to Honor 805HELP as Nonprofit of the Year
Local Disaster Relief Effort Began in Response to 2017 Thomas Fire SACRAMENTO– Recognizing the organization’s work to connect survivors of local disasters with the tools they need to recover, State Sen. Hannah-Beth Jackson (Santa Barbara) will honor 805HELP as Senate…
NOW LIVE: Watch wild endangered California condor chick on ‘Condor Cam’
FILLMORE — People across the world can get up-close-and-personal with an endangered California condor chick in real-time through live streaming video of a cliff-side nest in a canyon on the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Hopper Mountain National Wildlife Refuge in Ventura…
Museum of Ventura County update for June 5 — Concert at the Ag Friday + Munch Returns, First Friday and more!
Thank you to everyone who joined us for the Actual Reality opening reception this past Saturday. The turnout was fantastic! If you didn’t have the opportunity to see Carlos Grasso and Peter Fox’s exhibit, be sure to visit the Museum…
More than 94 Percent of Properties Eligible for State Debris Removal Program Cleared of Woolsey, Hill Fire Debris
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA — State contractors have cleared eligible debris from more than 94 percent of the properties affected by the Woolsey and Hill fires in the state’s Consolidated Debris Removal Program, officials with the Debris Removal Operations Center (DROC) in Calabasas…
Local Boys & Girls Club Receives its 10th National Honors Award
OXNARD — The Boys & Girls Clubs of America recently honored the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Oxnard and Port Hueneme with a national merit award for program excellence – the tenth one it has received. BGCOP won an…
Hundreds expected to Flood Oxnard City Council Meeting on June 5 on Proposed City Budget; Residents, Community Leaders, and Public Employees to Call on Council to Save Oxnard’s Arts, Libraries, Jobs. Please see related stories
Slash and Burn Approach Outlined in Proposed Budget Will Close La Colonia Branch Library, Carnegie Art Museum, Performing Arts Center, and Layoff Dozens of City Employees; Residents Will Speak Out Against City’s Knee-Jerk Decision to Rectify Years of Financial Mismanagement…
July 13 — Bring the kids! Bring la familia, vecinos y amigos! ‘Growing Up in La Colonia: Boomer memories from Oxnard’s barrio’ authors presentation coming to La Colonia!
OXNARD — As part of the Guest Speaker Series, Oxnard Housing Authority Resident Service Department is honored to announce a special book reading and signing event in La Colonia area of Oxnard by authors, Margo Porras and Sandra Porras. Their…
July 26 — Oxnard Salsa Festival Friday Night Kick Off Concert Featuring Legendary Percussionist Pete Escovedo
OXNARD — To kick off a weekend of nonstop salsa and Latin entertainment, the Oxnard Salsa Festival will present a free general admission concert on Friday July 26 featuring legendary percussionist Pete Escovedo. Escovedo is known worldwide for his live…
Bilingual report: Ventura County Health Care Agency Poised to Close its Budget Shortfall
VENTURA — Bill Foley, the Director of the Ventura County Health Care Agency, announced several initiatives designed to improve its financial performance in the new fiscal year, which begins July 1, 2019. “The performance improvement initiatives include several strategies designed…
Assemblymember Limón Advances Legislation to Protect Consumers from High Cost Loans
SACRAMENTO — Assembly Bill 539, the Fair Access to Credit Act, is headed to the Senate after garnering bipartisan support in the Assembly. AB 539 places an interest rate ceiling of 36% plus the Federal Funds Rate on installment loans…
World ‘No Tobacco’ Day (May 31) Marks Kick Off of Local Smoke Free Campaign.
Local residents are invited and encouraged to join Ventura County Public Health to go smoke free on Friday, May 31st. VENTURA COUNTY — Every year, on May 31, World No Tobacco Day (WNTD) is observed, encouraging 24-hour abstinence from all forms…
Registration Open for Simi Valley YMCA Before & After School Childcare
SIMI VALLEY — The Simi Valley Family YMCA is accepting registrations for before and after school childcare for the 2019-20 school year. Childcare is for children in kindergarten through sixth grade in the Simi Valley Unified School District. Childcare is…
26th Annual Oxnard Salsa Festival Seeking Local Talent For Community Stage
OXNARD — Local performers have the opportunity to show off their talent at the 26th Annual Oxnard Salsa Festival. Festival organizers are accepting applications from dance groups, musicians and singers who would like to perform on the festival’s Community Stage…
26th Annual Oxnard Salsa Festival Seeks Sponsors
OXNARD — Sponsorship applications are being accepted for the 26th Annual Oxnard Salsa Festival. The festival attracts an estimated 35,000 attendees who love all things salsa–dance, music and food. The event is July 27 and 28 at Plaza Park, (Fifth…
Senate Approves Jackson Bill to Determine Cost of Shutting Down and Cleaning Up Oil & Gas Infrastructure
SACRAMENTO – As California moves towards a greener economy and grapples with the taxpayer costs of cleaning up facilities such as Platform Holly and the Greka offshore facility, the California State Senate approved State Sen. Hannah-Beth Jackson’s (D-Santa Barbara)’s legislation to…
EF Educational Homestay Programs: 25 More Beds Needed for Summer Program
VENTURA COUNTY – EF Educational Homestay Programs announced that 25 More Beds Needed for Summer Program. Volunteer families are asked to host international exchange students, ages 13-17, who are scheduled to arrive in the U.S. in June for a two-four week…
Animal Sculptures at Oxnard Plaza Park
OXNARD – City of Oxnard Public Works and Cultural and Community Services Departments, in cooperation with Squire Foundation, are proud to announce a temporary exhibition of four animal sculptures at Plaza Park in Downtown Oxnard, Fifth and B Streets. A…
Senate Approves Jackson Bill to Reduce Wildfire Risk
SACRAMENTO — As California prepares for the next catastrophic wildfire season, legislation by State Sen. Hannah-Beth Jackson (D-Santa Barbara) to strengthen local planning requirements in high fire hazard areas and encourage local governments to pursue more fire-resistant and home hardening strategies in…
Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Conejo Valley is Awarded a Grant from Let Them Play Foundation
AGOURA HILLS — The Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Conejo Valley (BGCGCV) was recently awarded $12,500 from Let Them Play Foundation resulting from a fundraising event held by the Women in Corporate Growth (WCG), part of the Association for Corporate…
Santa Barbara Zoo employees win U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 2018 Recovery Champion Award
SANTA BARBARA — Nine Santa Barbara Zoo employees received the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s 2018 Recovery Champion Award today. The award recognizes their collective work to advance the recovery of endangered and threatened species along the California coast. Every…
More than 500 Students With Disabilities to be Honored at Night to Remember Prom on May 31
A Night to Remember: A prom for students with disabilities (ages 12-25) in Ventura County. VENTURA – Mission Church hosted the eighth annual A Night to Remember (NTR), a free prom for students with disabilities, to be held at the…
As the Trump Administration Rolls Back Title IX Protections, Jackson Bill to Improve Investigations of Campus Sexual Assault Advances. See other news here
SACRAMENTO – As the Trump Administration seeks to roll back Title IX protections, the California State Senate today approved State Sen. Hannah-Beth Jackson (D-Santa Barbara)’s legislation to protect the civil rights of California college students by requiring schools to follow specific…
SBCC Finalizes Superintendent/President Screening Committee
SANTA BARBARA — On May 23, 2019, the Santa Barbara City College Board of Trustees finalized the 17-member screening committee for the hiring of the new Superintendent/President. Three of the 17 members represent the community or noncredit programs while the…
CSUCI student body president graduates to state politics
CAMARILLO — Three days after making his last speech as the student government president at CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI), Class of 2019 graduate Atticus Reyes accepted a fellowship that takes him to the halls of the California State Capitol. Reyes, 22,…
United Way of Ventura County update for May 23 — Creating lifechanging impacts
Click here for the entire e-newsletter President’s Message Dear Friends, May is a month filled with community activity, from graduations and social gatherings to an array of community events. As we approach the end of our fiscal year on June…
Local YMCAs Host Summer Camp in Big Bear
VENTURA COUNTY — The three branches of the Southeast Ventura County YMCA are taking signups for their annual summer resident camp at Camp Oakes in Big Bear. Camp runs from July 6 through July 13. The YMCA camp is for…
Coast Village Plaza Fire Hose Flag Dedicated to First Responders to Thomas Fire and Debris Flow
SANTA BARBARA — As a prelude to Memorial Day and as a way to honor the first responders of the Thomas Fire and Mudslide, the businesses and merchants of 1187 Coast Village Road joined with Pierre Claeyssens Veterans Foundation (PCVF)…
Debris Removal Crews, Operations Center to Suspend Operations during Memorial Day Weekend
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA — State contractors involved in debris removal operations related to the Woolsey and Hill fires will suspend operations from Friday, May 24 through Monday, May 27, to observe Memorial Day weekend, officials at the Debris Removal Operations Center (DROC)…
Senate Approves Jackson Bill to Close the Wage Gap with Data
SACRAMENTO — As the gender pay gap persists, State Sen. Hannah-Beth Jackson’s (D-Santa Barbara)’s legislation to require California’s larger employers to report salary data to the state passed off the Senate Floor today on a 27 to 9 vote. The bill…
An important message from Carnegie Art Museum Cornerstones President — Other upcoming events
Click here for the entire e-newsletter Dear CAM Members, Donors, Artists, and Friends, Although the City of Oxnard must responsibly resolve a $9.2 million budget deficit projected for next fiscal year 2019-20, Carnegie Art Museum and its 501(c)3 nonprofit…
RISE Executive Director Retiring after 15 Years
SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY — Jennifer (Jenny) Adams, Executive Director of RISE San Luis Obispo County, is retiring on June 28, 2019. She has worked in the field of gender-based violence for over 20 years, serving as Executive Director for…
CSUCI receives grant to support food program for students
CAMARILLO — Their earning power will increase once they receive their degrees, but while students are still attending CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI), they sometimes need help affording groceries. So, CSUCI launched the Basic Needs Program, which helps students with food…
Community Action Commission Presents Annual Champions Honor to Santa Ynez Chumash
Event Raised Close to $350,000 for Senior Meal Program. Art of Giving Back Fundraising Dinner and Presentation Featured Notable Fine Artist at Work SANTA BARBARA — At its annual awards dinner and presentation, Community Action Commission of Santa Barbara County (CAC)…
New Online Sexual Harassment & Bullying Prevention Training Course From Employment Law Firm LightGabler
CENTRAL COAST — A new California law requires that companies with five or more employees provide two hours of supervisory training and one hour of staff training every two years on harassment, discrimination, bullying and retaliation. Companies must be in…
Bilingual report: Ventura County adopts disaster recovery plan
VENTURA — The Board of Supervisors adopted a Disaster Recovery Plan at their April 30th meeting which will be incorporated into the County’s overall disaster plans to provide for an efficient recovery process following a major incident. The recovery plan…
National Sexual Assault Experts Train Local Law Enforcement
SLO County Law Enforcement, Prosecutors, and Victim Service Professionals to Receive Training from National Experts on Sexual Assault Response SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY — Over 150 law enforcement professionals, prosecutors, victim service providers and others attended a one-day training on…
City of Oxnard: Water Provided by City of Oxnard Is Clean and Safe
There are social media concerns about nitrate contamination in the drinking water in Oxnard. The problem is not in the City of Oxnard’s water supply. It is with the Vineyard Avenue Acres Mutual Water Company (VAAMWC). The water provided by…
Hospice of Santa Barbara and Visiting Nurse and Hospice Care Work Together to Make Sure that ‘No One Dies Alone’
SANTA BARBARA — In a unique collaboration between Hospice of Santa Barbara and Visiting Nurse and Hospice Care, the No One Dies Alone (NODA) program helps ensure that those who are dying in our community, with no family or friends…
City of Oxnard Implementing Development Review Improvements to Simplify Processes for Permits
OXNARD — The City of Oxnard is implementing development review improvements to make it easier and faster for homeowners and businesses to get permits. In many cities, the permit review process is the subject of complaints from customers with particular focus…
Mental Wellness Center Celebrates Mental Health Awareness Month
SANTA BARBARA — The Mental Wellness Center (MWC) held its first ever Stigma Buster Celebration May 1 in recognition of Mental Health Awareness Month and the efforts of its local graduates and partners. About 100 supporters gathered at MWC’s Fellowship…
Bilingual commentary: The Continued Demise of News Sources
By David Magallanes • Guest contributor David Magallanes Some 50 years ago, when I was starting to explore the world and found myself living in the barracks of a military radio school in Mississippi, I already had the custom of…
CSUCI School of Education receives grants to launch teacher residency program
CAMARILLO — CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI) will start its first teacher residency program in partnership with the Ventura County Office of Education and the Rio and Oxnard Elementary School Districts, thanks to a pair of grants that complement each other. One…
CSUCI Professor appointed to California Cybersecurity Task Force
CAMARILLO — The U.S. Department of Commerce estimates there are about 350,000 cybersecurity jobs currently unfilled nationwide. More than 37,000 of those jobs are in California, and that number climbs every day, according to the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic…
United Way of Ventura County’s Women United Luncheon Raises Funds and Inspires Single Mothers to Reach their Goals
VENTURA COUNTY — Nearly 300 people gathered on campus at Cal Lutheran University Friday, May 10th for United Way of Ventura County’s (UWVC) Women United 3rd Annual Luncheon, featuring acclaimed social psychologist and author Dr. Aida Hurtado. Dr. Aida Hurtado’s…
BSVC’s premier tournament raises more than $200,000 for Ventura County Youth
VENTURA COUNTY — Big Brothers Big Sisters of Ventura County (BBSVC), the youth mentoring organization which facilitates more than 1,500 one-to-one relationships annually, hosted its 46th-annual Golf Classic on April 29 at The Saticoy Club in Somis, CA. Through sponsorships, donations, auctions and more, the tournament raised over…
CSUCI joins forces with Museum of Ventura County to digitize historical archives
CAMARILLO — Some CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI) student researchers are going to spend their summer bringing Ventura County’s historical archives into the 21st century. A partnership forged between CSUCI and the Museum of Ventura County (MVC) means that three student…
This Summer, Seize the Day or Prepare for Tomorrow at SBCC School of Extended Learning
SANTA BARBARA — With hundreds of classes throughout this summer, SBCC School of Extended Learning is a fit for every schedule. Tuition-free and fee-based life enrichment classes offer a bounty of arts, fitness, and mindfulness classes to fill summer ‘staycation’…
Ventura County Community Development Corp. (VCCDC) update for May 14 — Upcoming FREE Workshops ? Get Home SMART! Promo code inside…
Upcoming Workshops Take advantage of VCCDC’s FREE upcoming workshops on topics ranging from Homebuyer Education to Estate Planning! REGISTER – May 18 REGISTER – June 15 Taller en Español – junio 15 HUD-Approved Homebuyer Education Workshops Cost: $25 fee waived…
$4.3 Million Grant to Enhance Career Education in Ventura County
VENTURA COUNTY — Career technical education (CTE) programs for Ventura County middle and high school students will continue thanks to a major new grant awarded to the Ventura County Office of Education (VCOE). In a highly competitive process, VCOE received a…
WEV (Women’s Economic Ventures) Announces Founder’s Retirement and Names Successor
SANTA BARBARA — Women’s Economic Ventures (WEV) announced this week that its founder and CEO, Marsha Bailey, will retire next year after 30 years at the helm. Her successor will be Kathy Odell, an accomplished entrepreneur and business leader in…
California Strong Distributes Second Round of Grant Money to Woolsey Fire Victims
VENTURA COUNTY — California Strong, a nonprofit organization created by California professional athletes to provide immediate financial support to victims after disasters, distributed its second round of funding to over 60 families who were impacted by the Woolsey Fire. More…
CSUCI Police armed with special training and medicine to counteract fatal opioid overdose
CAMARILLO — To help officers respond to opioid-related medical emergencies quickly and effectively, CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI) police are now carrying naloxone hydrochloride or Narcan to help prevent fatal opioid overdoses. “This is a direct response to the opioid crisis,” explained…
More than 700 Properties Cleared of Woolsey, Hill Fire Debris
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA — State contractors have removed debris generated by the Woolsey and Hill fires from the first 709 properties in Los Angeles and Ventura counties whose owners are participating in the state’s Consolidated Debris Removal Program, officials with the Debris…