
Click here for the latest newsletter President’s Message Dear Friends, Do you believe that a local, autonomous United Way in Ventura County is as vital today as it was when it was founded in 1945? Let me share with…
By Jacqui Irwin • Assemblymember SACRAMENTO — “I’ve never before voted for a tax increase as an elected official. Unfortunately, the current state of our streets and roads is unacceptable. The longer we wait to address this problem, the more…
SANTA BARBARA – Pinot and purses – two of a girl’s best friends were combined for a fun, filled philanthropic evening benefitting the American Heart Association’s fight to end heart disease in woman. “Pinot and Purses” took place on April 4,…
AGOURA HILLS — The community is invited to register for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Conejo Valley’s Spring 2017 coed Jr. NBA Basketball League and Sunday Soccer League through April 17. The Sports Leagues are open to ages 3-12.…
Volunteers Needed! A fun, educational and interactive volunteer opportunity. Enjoy a behind the scenes look at how the festival operates while you experience salsa bands, hot dancers, and spicy foods. Volunteers serve fun, four-hour shifts and receive a t-shirt, free drink…
By the Gevirtz School — Graduate School of Education at UCSB Richard Durán of UC Santa Barbara’s Gevirtz School was a member of the committee that conducted the study and wrote the report titled Promoting the Educational Success of Children…
Qué: “LOS ENCANTOS DEL RELAJO” Quién: Teatro de las Américas y Oxnard College presentan la comedia de Norma Román Calvo, Los encantos del relajo, dirigida por Robert Sánchez Cuándo: Del 12 de mayo al 27 de mayo viernes y sábado, 12, 13,…
OXNARD — Register now for the the “2017 Indigenous Knowledge Conference” at the Oxnard College Performing Arts Building, 4000 S. Rose Ave., Oxnard. Join us in learning more about Ventura County’s 20,000 indigenous Mexican immigrants, their lives, and how to build partnerships with…
Qué LOS ENCANTOS DEL RELAJO Quién Teatro de las Américas y Oxnard College presentan la comedia de Norma Román Calvo, Los encantos del relajo, dirigida por Robert Sánchez Cuándo Del 12 de mayo al 28 de mayo • viernes y…
OXNARD — A college registrar, a high school senior, a superintendent, a bank executive, an educational counselor, an associate programs director, a surgeon, and a chief probation officer will be recognized when El Concilio Family Services presents its 28th annual…
OXNARD — The Mixteco/Indígena Community Organizing Project (MICOP) and Centro Binacional para el Desarollo Indígena Oaxaqueño (CBDIO) will host their fifth annual “Indigenous Knowledge Conference” on Friday, May 26th at the Oxnard College Performing Arts Center from 9 am -4 pm. Our…
ATASCADERO — On Saturday, May 20, a group of volunteers, job trainees, community leaders, and residents will install no-cost rooftop solar panel systems on six homes of the Peoples’ Self Help Housing Atascadero Triangle neighborhood as part of the Solarthon Block…
SANTA BARBARA — ¡Viva el Arte de Santa Bárbara! proudly presents Mariachi Femenil Nuevo Tecalitlán from Guadalajara, Mexico. The group of eleven women offer three free family concerts showcasing their traditional sound at Isla Vista School, Friday, April 28, at 7 pm;…
SANTA BARBARA — Mariachi Femenil Nuevo Tecalitán will perform at 2 p.m. Sunday, April 30 the Santa Barbara Museum of Art, 1130 State St., Santa Barbara. In just ten years, Mariachi Femenil Nuevo Tecalitán from Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico have established their…
CAMARILLO — Consuls General to Canada and Mexico will give their perspectives on the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) during an upcoming presentation at CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI). The public is invited to “NAFTA’s Economic Progress 2017” from 10 a.m. to 3…
SANTA BARBARA — The Gevirtz Graduate School of Education, the Department of Education, and the Chicano Studies Institute present Dr. Oscar Jimenez-Castellanos, Associate Professor of Education Policy and Evaluation at Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College, Arizona State University, giving the talk…
SANTA BARBARA — Ahilan Arulanantham will present the Diversity Lecture “From 9/11 to Now: Immigrant Rights Matter to Us All” from 6 to 7 p.m. Thursday, May 25 at the UCSB Multicultural Center. Reflecting on his own family history, rulanantham, director…
SACRAMENTO – Today, on what would have been his 90th birthday, we celebrate the life and legacy of civil rights leader and labor organizer César Chávez. State Sen. Hannah-Beth Jackson (D-Santa Barbara) released the following statement: “Today we recognize and honor César Chávez’s remarkable…
SOLVANG — More than 200 students, teachers, career counselors, and administrators from regional high schools met at the Hotel Corque in Solvang on March 17 for the 2017 Global Entrepreneurship Summit hosted by the Santa Barbara City College (SBCC) Scheinfeld…
SACRAMENTO – Inspired by Rona Barrett’s efforts building the Golden Inn and Village, a housing project for low-income seniors in Solvang in Santa Barbara County, State Sen. Hannah-Beth Jackson (D-Santa Barbara) has introduced a bill to encourage the building of similar affordable…
SANTA BARBARA — Seventeen pilots, current and former, came together at Birnam Wood Golf Club for a luncheon in February to bond over stories of flying and catch up on the latest in military and aviation. Coordinated by the Pierre…
VENTURA COUNTY — Rebozo Festival, Inc., is pleased to announce the 13th annual Rebozo Festival, which will be held on Sunday, May 21, 2017. A Pre-Rebozo Festival Social will be held on Wednesday, April 12 at Sal & Limon at 598…
Editor’s note: Amigos805 welcomes guest columns, letters to the editor and other submissions from our readers. All opinions expressed in submitted material are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the viewpoint of Amigos805. David Magallanes By David Magallanes…
LOMPOC — To better serve its clientele, Family Service Agency will begin providing services at a new location in Lompoc starting Monday, April 3, 2017. The agency purchased former medical offices, and after extensive renovations, will move staff in its senior…
Industry Veteran and Diversity Expert Joins Gold Coast Health Plan CAMARILLO — The Ventura County Medi-Cal Managed Care Commission (VCMMCC) today announced that Douglas C. Freeman has accepted the position of chief diversity officer (CDO), at Gold Coast Health Plan (GCHP). Mr. Freeman…
AGOURA — The Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Conejo Valley announced the Youth of the Year winners during their 14th Annual ‘Superstars of the Year Celebration’ held on March 19 at the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza. Iverson Rodriguez won…
LOMPOC — The Channel Islands YMCA Youth & Government delegation joined more than 3,000 youth from throughout California for the 69th Model Legislature & Court held Feb. 16-19 at the Sacramento Convention Center and State Capitol. Among them was Lompoc…
OXNARD — Community members can attend free events on March 29 and April 2 to celebrate the life and accomplishments of late civil rights activist César Chávez. The Oxnard Main Library will show the feature film “Common Man, Uncommon Vision:…
VENTURA COUNTY — The Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Oxnard and Port Hueneme announces the addition of Alison Norris, Michael Vasalos, Evan Scott and Dr. Cynthia Azari to its Board of Directors. “These four individuals come from very different…
CAMARILLO — Homework may be an outdated notion. Holding underperforming students back a grade may set them up to fail. Maybe students shouldn’t be grouped according to age. Long-held concepts in education will be challenged during CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI)’s 9thAnnual Conference for…
SANTA BARBARA — SBCC Study Abroad will be holding several informational meetings about its summer 2017 programs suited for community members and eligible high school students who are interested in personal development or earning college units. The programs do not have a major…
SACRAMENTO — As momentum continues to grow nationwide for stronger family leave policies, a bill by State Sen. Hannah-Beth Jackson (D-Santa Barbara) to ensure that more Californians can take leave to care for a newborn without the fear of losing their jobs has passed…
Editor’s note: Amigos805 welcomes guest columns, letters to the editor and other submissions from our readers. All opinions expressed in submitted material are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the viewpoint of Amigos805. David Magallanes By David Magallanes…
VENTURA COUNTY — Enrollment applications are now available to youth interested in participating in the Ventura County 2017 Junior Lifeguard Program. The Junior Lifeguard Program, sponsored by the Ventura County Harbor Department, offers youth 8 to 15 years of age…
SANTA BARBARA AND SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTIES — CenCal Health is pleased to welcome two new board members, Douglas Metz, M.D., and Mark Lisa, to their Board of Directors. Douglas Metz, M.D., currently serves as the Deputy Director of Primary…
By Jerry Beckerman • Executive Director Segue Career Path Mentors Program We are thrilled to announce that Segue is now serving students at Ventura College and, for the first time, at a wonderful high school in Oxnard, Pacifica High. Please consider bringing your…
Departamento de Comunidades Mexicanas ¡Aviso importante! A los que viven en la ciudad de Santa Maria, les comunicamos que el próximo sábado 25 de marzo se estará revisando documentación para el trámite de la doble nacionalidad. Les recordamos que el…
By Cassidy L. Bartolo • Channels Staff • SBCC Students trickle into the Academic Counseling Center with a slew of questions for the counseling staff as the spring semester gets into gear. Academic counselor Oscar Zavala, 62, eagerly stands up behind his window plastered…
SANTA BARBARA — SBCC Aerospace Engineering student Jeffrey Sorenson was recently awarded The E-Week Scholarship for Engineering, one of ten college students in the combined counties of Santa Barbara and Ventura to receive the award. The scholarships of $1,000 for each…
OXNARD — The Board of Directors for El Centrito Family Learning Centers is pleased to announce the appointment of Teresa Segovia as its Executive Director. Teresa officially joined the organization’s leadership on March 1, 2017. “El Centrito provides extraordinary, high quality…
WESTLAKE VILLAGE — Dole Packaged Foods will be accepting its seventh Tournament of Roses float award in a ceremony at its headquarters in Westlake Village on Tuesday March 21st. Dole’s float, “Spirit of Hawaii,” won the Sweepstakes Trophy for most…
OXNARD — Oxnard College will present its 36th anniversary of Ballet Folklórico Mestizo at 7:30 p.m. Friday, April 21 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, April 22 at the Oxnard College Performing Arts Center, 4000 S. Rose Ave., Oxnard. Tickets are available at…
OJAI — After the opening of a popular local tasting room, one of Ojai’s wine-making favorites has joined the Ojai Wine Festival for the very first time this year, while Ojai’s most exclusive winery celebrates an award-winning first year with…
SANTA PAULA — An upcoming event at the Santa Paula Art Museum, Jeanette Cole Art Center invites visitors to experience a new way of seeing art in a fun and lively atmosphere where art, science, and play intersect. “The Land of…
OXNARD — DNTN Art Gallery and Acuña Art Gallery and Cultural Center are proud to invite the public to the opening reception of “Nuestra Comunidad”/”Our Community” A Unique Art Exhibit, which will take place on Saturday, April 22, 2017 from…
SANTA BARBARA — Che Malambo will perform at 7 a.m. Sunday, April 23 at Campbell Hall, UCSB. “A thrilling display… 14 stomping, drumming, roaring men pounded rapid-fire rhythms into the ground with many surfaces of their feet – heels, toes, inside…
Editor’s note: Amigos805 welcomes guest columns, letters to the editor and other submissions from our readers. All opinions expressed in submitted material are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the viewpoint of Amigos805. David Magallanes By David Magallanes…
SANTA BARBARA — The skies cleared on Friday, February 24th for the Free Dental Day at Eastside Family Dental Clinic. The event has been sponsored by Rotary Club of Santa Barbara Sunrise since 2012 and has provided hundreds with dental procedures…
OXNARD — Calling all strawberry lovers with a passion for creating culinary masterpieces. You could win a vacation getaway when you enter the 2017 California Strawberry Festival Berry Blast Off Recipe Contest, presented by the Ventura County Star. All contestants who submit…
As a result of the Caring Together Lompoc campaign, 50% of community members surveyed are now more aware of caregiving; 40% now identify as a caregiver LOMPOC — This past summer, the Caring Together Lompoc campaign launched with the goal of helping community members self-identify…
CAMARILLO — About 60 middle school girls ages nine to 12 will race the clock to build a prototype during a STEM Innovation Challenge at CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI) on Saturday, March 18. Sponsored by the Business & Technology Partnership (B&TP), the…
Nationally Recognized Show to Honor Labor Legend and Civil Rights Activist April 5 at Oxnard College’s Performing Arts Center, plus FREE Admission OXNARD — In collaboration with the Ventura County Community College District and Oxnard College, Rick Najera’s Latino Thought Makers will honor…
SACRAMENTO – Just a few weeks after erosion exposed eight abandoned oil wells along Summerland Beach in Santa Barbara County, two of them visibly leaking oil, a bill by State Senator Hannah-Beth Jackson (D-Santa Barbara) to monitor and cap California’s old, abandoned wells has…
SANTA BARBARA — Friendship Plaza on Santa Barbara City College’s East Campus will be transformed into a giant ashtray — cigarette butts and all — for “Kick Butts Day,” on Wednesday, March 15, from 10:00-2:00, to increase awareness and understanding of tobacco…
VENTURA COUNTY — FOOD Share of Ventura County is one of just four California food banks recently selected in a competitive bid process to administer a USDA-funded Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP) for seniors 60 years of age and older.…
SANTA BARBARA — Col. Phil Conran (USAF, ret) is one of three new inductees into the Fordham University Military and New York City ROTC Hall of Fame. Inductees are honored based on their contributions through active or reserve components of…
Research conducted by Adam Lewis, local historian for the Pierre Claeyssens Veterans Foundation (PCVF), has resulted in the posthumous enrollment of Frank Robert McCrary into the Legion of Valor. Lewis retired this year from his position as a PCVF board…
SANTA BARBARA — The SBCC Scheinfeld Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation hosted a panel Feb. 10 at the Fé Bland Forum on the Santa Barbara City College campus to help students and community members learn about local startup incubators, accelerators and…
Special St. Patrick’s Day Pet Adoption Fee $17 from March 13-18 Forget catching a leprechaun – Coco Boy is filled to the brim with mischievous charm and has a heart of gold! SANTA BARBARA – This St. PAWtrick’s Day, to find…
SANTA BARBARA – OXNARD – To commemorate Women’s History Month, State Senator Hannah-Beth Jackson (D-Santa Barbara) will honor eight women from Santa Barbara and Ventura counties as the 19th Senate District’s 2017 ‘Women of the Year’ in separate ceremonies in each county. The…