VENTURA — As Independence Day celebrations approach, the Ventura Police Department (VPD) is ramping up efforts to prevent illegal fireworks activity by increasing patrols and expanding the use of drone technology for the second consecutive year.
This proactive enforcement strategy builds on the success of 2024, when the department responded to over 300 fireworks-related 911 calls and issued $9,000 in citations through drone deployments that helped pinpoint illegal activity in real time.
The Santa Paula Police Departments reminds residents of the dangers of setting off fireworks leading up to and including the Fourth of July holiday. Extra patrols by police officers through the end of the holiday will be focusing on enforcement for those found in possession of any “safe and sane” or illegal fireworks.
Every year, the numbers of fireworks calls reported to the Santa Paula Police Department Dispatch Center rises significantly the days prior to and including Fourth of July holiday. Due to the increases in these calls for service, we ask for your patience as patrol officers respond to the high number of calls we will be experiencing.
SANTA BARBARA — The Pierre Claeyssens Veterans Foundation (PCVF) invites the community to celebrate Independence Day with a free, family-friendly concert featuring Santa Barbara’s beloved 80-member Prime Time Band on Friday, July 4th at 5:00 PM at the Santa Barbara County Courthouse Sunken Gardens (1100 Anacapa Street, Santa Barbara, CA 93101).
Enjoy an uplifting afternoon of music that honors the spirit of freedom and the heroes who defend it. The concert program includes stirring tributes to military valor—with iconic themes from Band of Brothers and Top Gun—as well as fan-favorite selections from Wicked, How to Train Your Dragon, The Magnificent Seven, and classic patriotic sing-alongs.
Bilingual theater course for girls and boys during which they will create an original story inspired by the characters of El Chavo del Ocho
SANTA PAULA — Santa Paula Animal Rescue Center (SPARC), 705 E. Santa Barbara St., will participate in Bissell Pet Foundation’s Summer 2025 National Empty the Shelters Event from July 5-19, 2025, offering no-cost adoptions for dogs and cats, six months and older. All adoptable pets will be spayed/neutered, microchipped, and vaccinated up to date.
BISSELL Pet Foundation’s Empty the Shelter, the nation’s largest funded adoption event – returns this summer from July 5-19, 2025. This lifesaving initiative helps make adoption more affordable by sponsoring reduced fees of $70 or less. Since 2016, Empty the Shelters has helped more than 324,000 pets find loving homes.
“Shelters across the country are once again at a breaking point. They are facing record intakes and limited space. Too often, loving, healthy pets are at risk, but our communities hold the key to their future,” said Cathy Bissell, Founder of BISSELL Pet Foundation. “Our Summer National Empty the Shelters is more than an adoption event—it’s a movement to support local shelters and save lives together. It’s an opportunity to change a pet’s life—and your own. Together, we can give every pet the future they deserve.”
VENTURA — United Way of Ventura County is pleased to announce the appointment of its 2025–2026 Board officers, effective July 1, 2025, continuing the organization’s longstanding tradition of collaborative, community-driven leadership.
The incoming Board Officers are:
Chair: Tim Harrington – Real Estate Consultant
Chair-elect: Stratis Perros – Environmental Services Director, City of Simi Valley
Treasurer: Osmany Rios – VP/Commercial Banking Officer, Montecito Bank & Trust
Secretary: Sierra Gutierrez – Eastern Regional Director, Premier America Credit Union
Immediate Past Chair: Brad Whetten – VP/Center Manager, Citizens Business Bank
OXNARD — Gold Coast Transit District (GCTD) will implement biannual service changes on Sunday, July 6, 2025. The service adjustments are designed to enhance travel efficiency and address overcrowding due to increased ridership. Effective January 6, 2025, through January 3, 2026, these updates are part of GCTD’s commitment to providing a safe, reliable, and convenient transit experience for all passengers.
The Small Business Administration (SBA) has declared a disaster for the Los Angeles County Civil Unrest, which occurred from June 6 to June 18, 2025. SBA now offers Economic Injury Disaster Loans to small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small businesses engaged in aquaculture, and most private, nonprofit organizations impacted by the civil unrest.
We have come so far together! With you, we celebrate our 80th anniversary this year.Since opening our doors in April 1945, United Way has become a driving force for local impact — helping tens of thousands of residents rise above poverty, gain access to housing, education, and health services — all to build better futures.
To mark this milestone, we are hosting a special 80th Anniversary edition of our annual Spirit Awards Gala on Saturday, August 23, recognizing the people and partnerships that have fueled its mission — and inviting the community to shape its future. The more of you that are there, the more to celebrate!
SANTA BARBARA — UCSB Arts & Lectures is proud to announce the creation of the Roman Baratiak Endowed Lecture Fund in support of an annual mainstage lecture honoring the legacy of Roman Baratiak, whose 44 years of service helped bridge the university and the Santa Barbara community through the arts and intellectual discourse. This prestigious lecture will debut as part of the UCSB Arts & Lectures season in 2025-2026 with columnist, CNN host and author Fareed Zakaria giving the inaugural presentation, a talk titled “What It Takes” on Thursday, October 16 at 7:30 p.m. at the Arlington Theatre.
VENTURA — This July, the City of Ventura proudly joins communities across the country in celebrating the 40th anniversary of National Park and Recreation Month. This year’s theme, “Build Together, Play Together,” shines a spotlight on the vital role that local parks, open spaces, and recreational programs play in creating a strong, healthy, and connected community.
Help United Way of Ventura County provide backpacks with essential school supplies for 1,000 local homeless youth
SUPPORT OUR ONLINE SCHOOL SUPPLY DRIVE
Our online school supply drive closes on Wednesday, July 9th. When you purchase supplies online through Roonga, the donations will be shipped directly to us to fill backpacks for at-risk students in Ventura County. Our Roonga Drive includes a bundle where you can purchase a brand-new backpack filled with school supplies for $21.30. For less than $22, you can help pave the path to academic success for a homeless student. Click the link here or scan the QR code below to purchase supplies to donate. Thank you so much to those who have already donated!
VENTURA — Ventura County Assessor Keith Taylor has officially certified and delivered the 2025 Annual Assessment Roll to Auditor-Controller Jeff Burgh as of Thursday, June 26 – ahead of the July 1 statutory deadline. The roll reflects a record-setting $187 billion in taxable property, highlighting the continued strength and stability of the county’s property tax base.
SANTA BARBARA — Cottage Health’s Nursing Residency Program at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital, Goleta Valley Cottage Hospital and Cottage Rehabilitation Hospital has earned national accreditation from the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s (ANCC) Practice Transition Accreditation Program® (PTAP).
This prestigious designation recognizes organizations that demonstrate excellence in supporting newly licensed registered nurses and those entering careers in acute care, as they transition into clinical practice.
Saturday, July 12, 2025, from 4 PM to 6 PM
$5 SPAM Members • $10 Non-members
Join us for the premiere of “Celebrating Nature: Paintings by Allied Artists of the Santa Monica Mountains and Seashore,” a vibrant exhibition that showcases the wild and breathtaking spirit of the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area. The show kicks off with a premiere party on Saturday, July 12. Mingle with the artists, enjoy light refreshments, and be among the first to view (and purchase!) stunning original artworks.
The exhibit features 42 original paintings by artists Robin Angelides, Ruth Askren, Liz Blum, Steve Brown, John von Buelow, Larry Deeds, Jessica Falcone, Karen Fedderson, Susan Flanigan, Marian Fortunati, Barbara Freund, Carole Garland, Russell Hunziker, Virginia Kamhi, Nora Koerber, Timothy Kitz, Monica List, Nathan Mellott, Jane Mick, Rachel Sylvers, Bonnie Taylor, Laura Wambsgans, and Sharon Weaver.
“Celebrating Nature” will be on view from July 12 to November 9, 2025.
WESTLAKE VILLAGE — FireAid donated $75,000 to California Strong, powered by the Southeast Ventura County YMCA (SEVC YMCA), to distribute to families affected by the Palisades and Eaton fires. Seventy-five fire victims who had previously filled out relief applications and were vetted received the funds.
The FireAid January 30 benefit concert in Inglewood provided $50 million in immediate relief assistance to more than 120 nonprofit organizations that distributed the funds to over 150,000 fire victims. The California Strong/SEVC YMCA donation is part of a second distribution phase that focuses on long-term recovery.
Don’t miss out on this opportunity to celebrate our amazing 2025 Art Award Recipients! You will be able to ascend the iconic tile staircase in the heart of Santa Barbara to the Arts Terrace at Paseo Nuevo, in your most mythical and legendary look.
We will begin The 2025 Art Awards celebration with a reception at the museum followed by a short award ceremony in the Center Stage Theater, and an al fresco buffet dinner and open bar. Guests will have early access to new limited editions, silent auction, as well as after hours access to the museum and the wildly popular and critically acclaimed community exhibition Arte del Pueblo.
Purchase Tickets Here
Dear Families & Friends,
So, I have some news….
We didn’t hit our $50,000 goal for the 2025 Spring Appeal…..
WE SURPASSED IT by raising $52,000! You surpassed it! This was one of our most successful spring campaigns to date, and it couldn’t have come at a more important time. With membership levels and activity scheduling at an all-time high, your support is helping us meet the immediate, growing needs of our community. We received gifts from 106 generous donors, including:
View this email online Sign up to receive the monthly County newsletter in English or Spanish. County Fire Reminds Us to Celebrate 4th of July Safely Safe and sane fireworks are permitted only in Santa Maria, Guadalupe, and Lompoc. All…
Thanks to a student-led sports-waste recycling program, Gauchos and visiting community members can recycle their old sports gear in the drop-off bin at the Rec Cen.
Read more about the program
CENTRAL COAST — The Santa Barbara County, San Luis Obispo County, and Ventura County Air Pollution Control Districts (APCD) encourage residents to prepare for potential poor air quality caused by smoke, now that the area has entered peak wildfire season.
Smoke and ash from wildfires contain very small particles known as particulate matter that can travel hundreds of miles. These particles harm the lungs and heart and can cause coughing, wheezing, breathing difficulty, chest pain, nausea and, in severe instances, premature mortality. People with heart or lung disease, older adults, kids and pregnant women are especially sensitive.
VENTURA — The Ventura County Public Works Agency (VCPWA) is pleased to welcome Earthea Nance, PE to the role of Watershed Protection Director. Watershed Protection serves to provide control and conservation of flood and stormwaters, and to protect and maintain watercourses, watershed, life and property in the geographic County. Nance brings over 20 years of leadership experience in government, academia, and the private sector.
CAMARILLO — Dr. Richard Yao, President of CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI), has announced that he will step down from his role effective August 1, 2025. Yao will assume the presidency of DataPhilanthropy, the giving arm of the Jeff T. Green Family Foundation. The Foundation, led by Jeff Green, Co-Founder and CEO of the Trade Desk and signatory of The Giving Pledge, focuses on applying data science to make its philanthropic efforts as impactful as possible.
“It has been the greatest honor of my professional life to serve as President of CSUCI,” said Yao. “This campus has demonstrated remarkable strength and resilience through an era of unprecedented challenges. I have never wavered in my belief in our mission or in the transformative impact of our work.”
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SANTA BARBARA — The Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians has made a generous donation of $15,000 to Hospice of Santa Barbara, supporting ongoing patient care services for approximately 800 people annually in the Santa Barbara community. Patient care services encompass medical care management, volunteer support, anticipatory grief counseling, spiritual care, bereavement care management, and quality of life stipends.
“Hospice of Santa Barbara fills a critical need in the community, providing vital care and services to patients and their families,” said Kenneth Kahn, Tribal Chairman for the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians. “Our tribe is proud to support their efforts,” Kahm also shared.
CARPINTERIA — Girls Inc. of Carpinteria is proud to announce the acceptance of two leadership staff into prestigious national leadership programs and the addition of two exceptional women to its Board of Directors, deepening the organization’s commitment to strong, smart, and bold leadership at every level.
Melissa Cornejo, Campus-Based Program Manager at Girls Inc. of Carpinteria, has been selected to join the newest cohort of the Girls Inc. National Leadership Accelerator Program—an intensive, year-long professional development experience designed to strengthen leadership across the Girls Inc. network. This program supports and cultivates the next generation of organizational leaders through targeted learning opportunities, collaborative peer communities, and hands-on skill-building to expand each participant’s leadership capacity.
SCORE: IS EXPORTING FOR ME – GRANT-FUNDED ASSISTANCE
July 2 @ 10:00 am
Join SCORE for a webinar on a new, grant-funded Regional Export Training and Assistance Program (RETAP). This free webinar will introduce you to RETAP, to the many organizations supporting it and to the entirely cost-free services it offers to new and early-stage exporters. Attendees will have the opportunity to sign up for the program. Don’t miss this chance to enhance your export knowledge, connect with industry experts and get customized NO-COST support to help you start and expand your export activity.
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER
What a welcome! From the incredible VCCF staff, board members, donors, and nonprofit partners to the friendly barista at Old New York Deli & Bakery, I’ve felt an immediate sense of home and belonging here in Ventura County. I want to take a moment to share my reflections on my first 100-plus days and the deep hope and responsibility I feel stepping into this role.
After 22 years as CEO of a community foundation in Northern California, I stepped down last July in search of one final adventure—something meaningful to carry me into retirement with purpose. Vanessa and I have been friends and colleagues for over 10 years, and when she heard I was exploring what might come next, she invited me to Ventura County. From the moment I arrived, I was struck by the dedication, humility, and heart of this community. I knew I had found something special.
VENTURA — At its June 24 meeting, the County of Ventura Board of Supervisors recognized 12 employees who have each served 25 years or more in public service, totaling 340 years of combined service to the people of Ventura County.
These long-serving employees were honored as part of the County’s Employee Continuous Service Recognition Program, which celebrates staff in five-year milestones starting at 25 years of service.
“These employees have dedicated decades of their careers to serving others, often behind the scenes, ensuring that vital services are delivered with care, consistency, and professionalism,” said District 4 Supervisor Janice Parvin, Chair of the Board of Supervisors. “Their commitment helps make Ventura County a stronger, safer, and healthier place for everyone.”
MONTECITO — Sese Ntem, a community leader with over a decade of service experience and a global outlook, will take the helm as president of the Rotary Club of Montecito on July 1.
Ntem will succeed Kim Stone, who is stepping down after serving the club with dedication over the past two years. Founded in 1953, the Rotary Club of Montecito has been a catalyst for community and global service for more than 70 years.
“I’m deeply honored to step into this role and build on the incredible work of those who have come before me,” Ntem said. “Rotary’s mission of service above self is something I’ve lived by for much of my life, and I’m excited to help grow our impact both locally and globally.”
VENTURA — In celebration of Summer and its 57th Anniversary last month, Island Packers, the official concessionaire to the Channel Islands National Park, is expanding its non-landing schedule to include Summer Whale Watching excursions from June – mid-September, 2025 to view some truly extraordinary, magnificent mammals.
With DJ Javier’s upcoming exhibition approaching dive into this amazing article about the artist behind the “cartoonish figures, bright colors, and catchy phrases.”
The 2024-2025 Ventura County Civil Grand Jury is proud to introduce its consolidated report, which includes the following final reports: Addressing Refund Delays in the Property Tax Assessment and Collection System; Prioritizing Best Practice Street Maintenance; Ventura County Animal Services Commission; and Water Rates for the City of Ventura and the Underground Dam in Foster Park. The consolidated report also includes a Compliance Review: Casitas Municipal Water District and the mandated Annual Inspection of Detention Facilities.
The Center for Economics of Social Issues at Cal Lutheran has fully updated its database with the most recent available data. This essential resource provides support to researchers, policymakers, nonprofits and government agencies in gaining a better understanding of the economic and social environment of Ventura County. The database includes information at a state and national levels, as well as Ventura County across its cities and zip codes.
VENTURA — The Valentine Road Apartments unveiled the first of its newly renovated units during a progress celebration at the largest Homekey initiative in Ventura County, marking a major milestone in the region’s efforts to address homelessness through permanent supportive housing.
Led by the Housing Authority of the City of San Buenaventura (HACSB), the Valentine Road Apartments are the result of a $32 million Homekey award secured in 2023 through the California Department of Housing and Community Development. That funding marked the largest Homekey grant in both City and County history and initiated the conversion of the 142-room hotel into 134 studio apartments for individuals experiencing or at risk of homelessness.
• Ventura County Animal Services (VCAS) is currently at 143% capacity!
• Approximately 22 animals enter our care daily.
• Stray animal intakes increase considerably during 4th of July due to fireworks.
The California Competes Tax Credit (CCTC) is an income tax credit available to businesses that want to locate in California or stay and grow in California. Businesses of any industry, size or location compete for over $180 million available in tax credits by applying in one of the three application periods each year. Applicants will be analyzed based on fourteen different factors of evaluation, including number of full-time jobs being created, amount of investment and strategic importance to the state or region.
Application Period Timeline: For fiscal year 2025-2026, GO-Biz will accept applications for the California Competes Tax Credit during:
July 21, 2025 – August 11, 2025
January 5, 2026 – January 26, 2026
March 2, 2026 – March 16, 2026
SANTA BARBARA — CenCal Health, the Medicaid managed care plan for Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties, provides health insurance to over 242,000 low-income people on the Central Coast. Recent federal proposals to reduce Medicaid funding and constrict eligibility would negatively impact local hospitals, healthcare providers, businesses, and thousands of area residents.
Throughout our country’s history during the time that I’ve been alive, we have had presidents who embraced traditional values and customs. Despite their political maneuverings and strategies, for the most part these presidents adhered to cultural norms. Some were great orators (e.g., Kennedy, Obama, Reagan) while others were not, shall we say, “out of the top grandiloquent drawer” (e.g., Nixon, Bush II, Biden, Trump).
And then there are those presidents who, for better or for worse, deviate from tradition and norms.
CAMARILLO — Gold Coast Health Plan (GCHP) (on June 25) announced the inaugural recipients of its new Resilience, Innovation, Sustainability & Equity (RISE) Grant Program—a three-year initiative with an initial commitment of $21.9 million dollars and second- and third-year opportunities for applications. The program is aimed at strengthening Ventura County’s health care infrastructure and improving access to care for Medi-Cal members.
