Category: Local

Bilingual report — COVID-19 Update — Wishing our community a safe Holiday! Please wear a mask, social distance and only gather with members of your household

by Community Contributor • November 25, 2020 • Comments Off

Wishing our community a safe Holiday! Please wear a mask, social distance and only gather with members of your household. Your actions are saving lives and keeping businesses open.

Today, volunteers helped deliver special Holiday meals for the most vulnerable populations in Ventura County. More than 150 volunteers from across the community and from County agencies helped with this effort.

Nearly 1,000 deliveries and a total of 3,000 meals were provided. Along with the meals each recipient received a homemade holiday greeting card. The cards were received as part of the Ventura County Area Agency on Aging Holiday Greetings Campaign. Nearly 1,000 cards were received from children and adults alike from throughout the County.

CSUCI now offers master’s in Nursing

by Community Contributor • November 25, 2020 • Comments Off

CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI) welcomed its inaugural class to the Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) degree in the fall of 2020. Within the program, students can choose between two different concentrations: Nurse Educator and Family Nurse Practitioner. Nurses who already have a master’s degree in nursing may choose to complete post-master’s certificates in Family Nurse Practitioner and Nurse Educator.

CSUCI is the only university in Ventura, Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo Counties to offer an MSN program or a Post-Master’s Certificate program.

Santa Barbara First District Supervisor Das Williams — Thanksgiving Reflections, COVID Update, Racial Equity Hearing, and More!

by Community Contributor • November 25, 2020 • Comments Off

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.

United Way of Santa Barbara County Partners with Albertsons to Deliver 40 Thanksgiving Meals

by Community Contributor • November 25, 2020 • Comments Off

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.

Bilingual report — COVID-19 Update for Nov. 24

by Community Contributor • November 24, 2020 • Comments Off

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:

Outdoor Fitness Center Opens at Simi YMCA

by Community Contributor • November 24, 2020 • Comments Off

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.

Bilingual report — Oxnard Secures $2.8 Million FEMA Grant For New Backup Generator at City’s Wastewater Treatment Facility

by Community Contributor • November 24, 2020 • Comments Off

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.

Santa Barbara County Food Action Network Announces ‘Stay Home (and Eat Local) for the Holidays’ Campaign

by Community Contributor • November 24, 2020 • Comments Off

The Santa Barbara County Food Action Network (SBCFAN) has connected Santa Barbara County farmers markets, the Santa Barbara County Public Health Department and Edible Santa Barbara to develop a safe, affordable, and healthy option for celebrating the Holidays – and supporting the County’s food system – during the COVID-19 pandemic. Together, these Network partners are launching an aligned “Stay Home (and Eat Local) for the Holidays” campaign to encourage County residents to avoid large gatherings and enjoy locally sourced holiday meals with their household instead.

The campaign, which launches on Saturday, November 21, sprouted from conversations with County Public Health around how to emphasize the importance of avoiding gatherings during the holidays to help stop the spread of COVID-19. “Stay Home (and Eat Local) for the Holidays” takes that message and elevates it by also encouraging residents to shop local in our safe, outdoor farmers markets for affordable and healthy holiday meal ingredients that support Santa Barbara County farmers, ranchers, fisherfolk, and food artisans,” said SBCFAN’s Executive Director, Shakira Miracle.

EDC Business Alert- PPP Information You Need to Know

by Community Contributor • November 24, 2020 • Comments Off

PPP: INFORMATION YOU NEED TO KNOW

The federal government’s Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), part of the CARES Act, provided business loans that can be forgiven if the right circumstances are met. With the end of the year approaching, the EDC understands that there is a new sense of urgency to complete the actual process of forgiveness. This process can be very challenging and many lending institutions are addressing the information differently. An important note is that the Small Business Administration (SBA) has not finalized this forgiveness process, despite some banks accepting the forgiveness applications at this time. The EDC speculates that the legislative packet that includes guidance on PPP forgiveness processing will not pass until 2021.

UCSB — The Current — Race, Global Migration and Precarity

by Community Contributor • November 24, 2020 • Comments Off

A new Sawyer Seminar will explore the intersections of identity, migration and inequality in California, France and South Korea.

Bilingual report — COVID-19 Update for Nov. 23

by Community Contributor • November 23, 2020 • Comments Off

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.

Early childhood education center feasibility study available on CSUCI website

by Community Contributor • November 23, 2020 • Comments Off

A feasibility study examining the possibility of bringing an early childhood education center to the campus of CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI) is now available on the University’s website.

The study was a collaboration between several community partners including CSUCI, State Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin (D-Thousand Oaks), the Ventura County Community Foundation, and Reiter Affiliated Companies. Irwin was responsible for convening the stakeholders and obtaining $5 million in state funding to pursue the study.

Santa Maria High School FAA students hold Turkey Drive

by Community Contributor • November 23, 2020 • Comments Off

The Santa Maria FFA Chapter was able to give 75 FFA families affected by the pandemic a free turkey for the holidays during a drive-through event Nov. 18.

The Santa Maria FFA Chapter asked for student’s whose families have been impacted by the pandemic to fill out a short survey, and then selected, based on need, the families that would be given a turkey for the Thanksgiving Day Holiday.

CSUCI installs cost-saving solar array on campus

by Community Contributor • November 23, 2020 • Comments Off

CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI) is set to begin installing a solar array that will provide approximately 68% of the University’s electrical energy needs on an annual basis.

“CSUCI has been working diligently toward having a solar array that will provide clean, renewable energy for the campus and greatly reduce costs for electricity,” said Tom Hunt, CSUCI’s Interim Assistant Vice President for Facilities Services.

Santa Maria High School students take park in Catholic Charities Canned Food Drive

by Community Contributor • November 23, 2020 • Comments Off

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.

EDC’s Economic 411 Labor Market Report for October 2020

by Community Contributor • November 23, 2020 • Comments Off

The California Labor Market Information Division released its October 2020 report earlier today, showing a slight acceleration in our month-over-month recovery, our unemployment rate improving from a revised 8.3% in September to 7.1% in October. That’s encouraging, though the region’s recent move back to the more restricted Purple Tier will almost certainly slow or even stall the recovery and, indeed, we are starting to see an increase in new unemployment insurance claims. And while 7.1% is a grand improvement over our low point of 13.9% in April, it’s still more than double the 3.4% we enjoyed in October 2019. See here for the current summary detail.

State issues Limited Stay At Home Order

by Community Contributor • November 20, 2020 • Comments Off

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.

Bilingual report — COVID-19 Update for Nov. 20

by Amigos805.com • November 20, 2020 • Comments Off

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.…

November Newsletter from MCASB

by Community Contributor • November 20, 2020 • Comments Off

To remain in compliance with Santa Barbara County and California State health and safety guidelines, we must unfortunately, once again, close our doors to the public. Thank you to those who visited by appointment this past month, and we look forward to seeing you all again soon!
It is important that we do our best to keep our Santa Barbara community safe during these times. We apologize for any inconvenience that this closure may cause, but stay tuned for more information on re-opening in the future!

Community Environmental Council Chosen as a 2020 Nonprofit of the Year

by Community Contributor • November 20, 2020 • Comments Off

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.”

Bilingual report — Jason Benites Named Oxnard’s Next Police Chief

by Community Contributor • November 20, 2020 • Comments Off

City Manager Alexander Nguyen has named Assistant Police Chief Jason Benites as Oxnard’s next Police Chief, effective December 29, 2020 upon the retirement of Chief Scott Whitney.

“We are very fortunate to have two great chiefs-in-waiting, Eric Sonstegard and Jason Benites, both of whom would be great Chiefs here or in any other city,” said City Manager Nguyen. “It speaks volumes of the quality and excellence of the Oxnard Police Department. The community is very fortunate that Jason is accepting the appointment to be our next Police Chief.”

Ventura County Medical Resource Foundation Provides $40,000 Challenge Grant to United Way’s Homelessness Efforts

by Community Contributor • November 20, 2020 • Comments Off

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.

Bilingual commentary — A Loaded Question: “What Do You Do?”

by Community Contributor • November 20, 2020 • Comments Off

So there you are standing by yourself at a party, or at a dance, and you wander over to someone you’d like to get to know. Maybe you’re just curious about the person, or you find him or her attractive. Or perhaps you’ve been attending those webinars or listened to podcasts that instruct you in the art of determining whether someone is or isn’t a prospect for your business.

Maybe you’re an introvert and you feel clumsy in social milieus. But you just read a book with a title similar to, “How to Make Friends,” and you want to practice your new skills, as unpolished as they might be. So you approach someone. Now the hard part: what do you say? After all, “small talk” is a social minefield. One misstep could blow up a chance to make a good first impression.

Bilingual report — Beware COVID-19 spreads at gatherings

by Community Contributor • November 19, 2020 • Comments Off

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:

Bilingual report — COVID-19 Update for Nov. 19 — State of California has issued a limited Stay At Home Order effective 11/21 to 12/21

by Community Contributor • November 19, 2020 • Comments Off

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.

Bilingual commentary — Yesterday I was Bold and Clever, So I Wanted to Change the World; Year of Age, I Am Still Seeking Wisdom So I Can Change Myself

by Community Contributor • November 19, 2020 • Comments Off

Today at 70

MVC Re-Closure + Exclusive Online Content + More

by Community Contributor • November 19, 2020 • Comments Off

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!

Bilingual report — City Restarts Retail Cannabis Program for Opening of Dispensaries in Oxnard

by Community Contributor • November 19, 2020 • Comments Off

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.

Clean Air Grants Reduce Smog and Focus on Environmental Justice

by Community Contributor • November 19, 2020 • Comments Off

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.

Teddy Bear Cancer Foundation’s “Project Turkey” Extends to Thanksgiving to Continue to Help Families in Need

by Community Contributor • November 19, 2020 • Comments Off

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.

United Way of Ventura County — We’re thankful for you!

by Community Contributor • November 19, 2020 • Comments Off

December 1 will mark my 6th year serving as President and CEO of United Way of Ventura County. As we celebrate our 75th anniversary this year, I recognize my six years are only a moment in this organization’s rich history. The true legacy of our organization lives in the leaders and volunteers like you who have stood with us for decades.

I couldn’t be prouder of the courage and results our volunteers, staff, and community have delivered over the past six years. Here are just a few of the highlights:

UCSB — The Current — Excellence Cited and other news

by Community Contributor • November 19, 2020 • Comments Off

Clarivate Analytics names 14 UC Santa Barbara scientists and social scientists to its 2020 list of highly cited researchers.

Bilingual report — COVID-19 Update for Nov. 18 — Celebrate safer

by Community Contributor • November 18, 2020 • Comments Off

Don’t forget the most important ingredients this Thanksgiving. While it’s safest not to gather, if you do, keep safety and good times in mind. Keep it short, outdoors, and small, with no more than two other households. Wear masks, stay at least six feet apart, and wash your hands. Help stop the spread of COVID-19.

Santa Paula Art Museum — When Life Gives You Lemons…

by Community Contributor • November 18, 2020 • Comments Off

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!

The Collection spreads holiday cheer with safe, festive experiences for the whole family

by Community Contributor • November 18, 2020 • Comments Off

This holiday season, The Collection at RiverPark has reimagined several of its annual holiday experiences to offer safe, festive fun for the whole family. From visits with Santa and virtual story time with Mrs. Claus and friends to live music, giveaways, scavenger hunts and more, there are plenty of opportunities to participate in the holiday cheer.

Three Attorneys Join Employment Law Firm LightGabler

by Community Contributor • November 18, 2020 • Comments Off

Camarillo-based employment law firm LightGabler has added three attorneys.

Susannah J. Galiano counsels employers on employment-related issues as well as represents employers in litigation matters. Galiano also conducts group training for employers on various aspects of employment and labor law. She received her Juris Doctorate from Southwestern University School of Law. She is licensed to practice in California and Minnesota.

Bilingual report — COVID-19 Update for Nov. 17 — View Testing Locations Here

by Community Contributor • November 17, 2020 • Comments Off

View Testing Locations Here

Ventura County Moved Back to Purple Tier on Nov. 17

by Community Contributor • November 17, 2020 • Comments Off

(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.

Santa Barbara First District Supervisor Das Williams — Santa Barbara County Moved Back to Purple Tier

by Community Contributor • November 17, 2020 • Comments Off

The State of California (on Nov. 16) determined that transmission rates of COVID-19 were rising at an alarming rate. Based on the increase in positive and active cases in our community, the state moved Santa Barbara County from our recent red tier to the most restrictive purple tier. Currently, we have 14 active cases in the South County Unincorporated Areas (which include Montecito, Summerland and the City of Carpinteria), 44 active cases in the City of Santa Barbara, and 255 active cases County-wide. Our adjusted case rate is 7.1 per 100,000 residents and we have a 2.7% test positivity rate. The state went from 6,000 new cases per day to approximately 11,000 new cases per day in just a few days. Hospitalizations increased more than 1,000 in a week. The Santa Barbara County Public Health Officer issued a revised Health Order today indicating this change. For a reminder of what activities/sectors are permitted to operate in the purple tier and at what capacity, click here.

Ventura County School Reopening Plans Impacted as COVID-19 Cases Rise Statewide

by Community Contributor • November 17, 2020 • Comments Off

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.

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