Category: Local

Through Feb. 28 — Tuition-Free Career Skills Classes Begin Soon at SBCC School of Extended Learning

SANTA BARBARA — As the season cools, SBCC School of Extended Learning is giving working professionals and job-seekers tuition-free options to heat up their career paths with skills in Business, Design and Technology. Short courses and series in digital design…

March 1 — Kathy Ireland Joins Women United for ‘A Classic Storybook Luncheon’

SANTA BARBARA — Supermodel turned businesswoman Kathy Ireland will join United Way of Santa Barbara County’s (UWSBC) Women United in support of early education programs during “A Classic Storybook Luncheon” March 1 at the Coral Casino. Proceeds from the special…

March 1 — Learn about Summer Camp Options during STEAM Family Night Hosted by the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Conejo Valley (BGCCGV)

THOUSAND OAKS — Families are invited to learn all about the programs and experiences the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Conejo Valley (BGCCGV) will offer this summer during STEAM Family Night held on Friday, March 1 from 5 to 7…

March 2 — Common Ground’ Exhibit at the Santa Paula Art Museum to Feature Meredith Brooks Abbott, Susan Petty and Gail Pidduck

Exhibit opens with a premiere party on Saturday, March 2, 2019, from 4:00pm to 6:00pm. Admission to the premiere is $10.00 for members and $15.00 for non-members. Exhibit will be on view March 2, 2019 through July 7, 2019. SANTA…

Bilingual report: Las Cafeteras Bring it Home. Oxnard/Ventura Natives Headline their First 805 Concert, Work to Move the Arts Forward in VC with concert on Feb. 1

OXNARD — As part of its 50th anniversary season, the PACC is excited to present Las Cafeteras in concert with special guests The Villalobos Brothers on Feb. 1, 2019 starting at 7 p.m. Las Cafeteras remix roots music and tell…

Friendship Center of Santa Barbara update for Jan. 1 — Self-Care: New Year’s Resolution for Caregivers

Click here for the entire e-newsletter   About Us Programs For Caregivers Calendar of Activities Events Donate Contact Us Train Your Brain! CONNECTIONS Now Mondays & Wednesdays in Montecito: GOLETA 805-845-7442 Persons w/Memory Loss & Their Caregivers  2nd & 4th…

United Way Seeks Volunteers for Income Tax Assistance Program

SANTA BARBARA — United Way of Santa Barbara County (UWSBC) is recruiting volunteers to help local families and individuals prepare their tax returns and practice financial responsibility as part of its annual Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program. Volunteer training…

Teen shows resilience through her life-long foster experience; shares how finally having a home and family impacted her life

The teen and Foster VC Kids are sharing her story to encourage Ventura County families to help by fostering, mentoring or providing permanency. VENTURA COUNTY — Keanna, age 18, is sharing the story of her life-long foster experience with the hope…

Pew Research Center’s Hispanic Trends update for Dec. 21 — U.S. unauthorized immigrant total dips to lowest level in a decade

Click here for the entire e-newsletter   Hispanic Trends December 21, 2018 U.S. unauthorized immigrant total dips to lowest level in a decade The number of unauthorized immigrants in the U.S. fell to its lowest level in more than a…

Bilingual report: FEMA Eligibility Letter May Not Be Last Word on Disaster Assistance

SACRAMENTO — If you applied for disaster assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and received a letter or text message saying you were not eligible for disaster aid, you should know that the first communication may not be the…

Santa Barbara City College update for Dec. 21 — SBCC to offer Evening College

Santa Barbara City College’s Community Newsletter December 2018 SBCC to offer Evening College Juggling work, school and family prevents many college students from enrolling full time, making it difficult to persist and succeed. In 2017, SBCC was awarded a Federal…

Bilingual commentary: On Christmas Day…

Editor’s note: Amigos805 welcomes local 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. By David Magallanes •…

MONEY magazine ranks CSUCI 4th best college in the nation for transfer students

CAMARILLO — The journey to a university diploma doesn’t always mean a straight four-year shot through a single college. Finances, family obligations or a number of other reasons compel millions of students to choose two years at a community college first…

Santa Maria High School ASB students ring bells for Salvation Army’s ‘Kettle Drive’

SANTA MARIA — Santa Maria High School ASB students rang bells for the Salvation Army’s “Kettle Drive” and raised more than $1,000 for the needy this holiday season. The bell ringers participated during lunch at the Saint campus from Nov. 26…

Carnegie Art Museum update for Dec. 20 — Photographic Gifts-The Museum Project

Click here for the entire e-newsletter   Photographic Gifts-The Museum Project During this Season of Giving, Carnegie’s collection is happily being enlarged by gifts from California-based photographers facilitated by The Museum Project, a group of preeminent American artists who express…

Register Now For A Free California Friendly Landscape Training Class (Jan. 26 through April 13) and Apply For Water and Money Saving Rebates

OXNARD — To help Oxnard make water conservation a way of life, the City is offering classes to teach residents how to transform lawns into beautiful, water-efficient gardens. All residential water customers are invited to register for one of the following…

Bilingual report: After Applying for FEMA Assistance, it’s Important to Keep in Touch

SACRAMENTO — Immediately after a disaster, keeping in touch with family is important. It’s also important to keep in touch with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) after you have registered for disaster assistance. Many survivors of the November wildfires…

Museum of Ventura County update for Dec. 19 — Seasons greetings from your friends at the Museum of Ventura County!

Major funding for these programs is made possible by the City of San Buenaventura, the County of Ventura and private and community donors. Seasons greetings from your friends at the Museum of Ventura County! This is a friendly reminder that during the…

Assemblymember Irwin and State Treasurer Chiang host press conference to announce the launch of CalABLE Accounts

SACRAMENTO — Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin (D-Thousand Oaks) and California State Treasurer John Chiang announced the roll out of CalABLE (Achieving a Better Life Experience) Accounts. These special accounts, which were created by Assemblymember Irwin’s 2015 bill AB 449, are designed…

Registration is Now Underway for Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Conejo Valley 2019 Winter Sports Leagues….Free Basketball Clinic is Offered

AGOURA HILLS — Registration is now underway for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Conejo Valley’s Winter 2019 coed Jr. NBA Basketball League. The season kicks off with a free Basketball Clinic offered from January 6-27, on Sundays, at the…

SBCC Announces Executive Vice President of Educational Programs

Dr. Pamela Ralston. Courtesy photo. After an extensive and competitive search process, SBCC is pleased to announce that Dr. Pamela Ralston has been selected as the College’s permanent Executive Vice President of Educational Programs. Dr. Ralston has extensive experience in…

Santa Maria’s Delta High School students getting help meeting their post-secondary educational goals during ‘College Thursdays’

SANTA MARIA — Delta High School students are getting help meeting their post-secondary educational goals during “College Thursdays”. The workshops, held afterschool and in the evening, feature instruction on how to complete college financial aid forms, scholarships and applications, according to…

SBCC Board of Trustees elects new officers for 2019

Robert Miller Board President Dr. Peter Haslund Board Vice-President At its organizational meeting on December 13, the District Board of Trustees elected Robert Miller as president of the board for the 2019 calendar year. Dr. Peter Haslund was elected board…

CSUCI Biology faculty receives grant to help increase STEM degrees among minorities

CAMARILLO — CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI) Biology Lecturer Caryl Ann Becerra, Ph.D., has received $35,000 for a project called “California State University Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (CSU-LSAMP).” LSAMP stands for the Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation program, which…

Ventura County Community College District Welcomes New Board Members and Elects Board Officers

CAMARILLO — The Board of Trustees of the Ventura County Community College District held its annual organization meeting Tuesday, Dec. 11, 2018, and welcomed new members Gabriela Torres, Area 5 and Josh Chancer, Area 1. Chancellor Gillespie administered the oath…

More than 40 Santa Maria Joint Union High School District students receive scholarships generated by the ‘Patch’

SANTA MARIA — Scholarships generated by the “Patch” were recently awarded to more than 40 SMJUHSD students who worked on the agritourism project at Los Flores Ranch. The “Patch” made $13,000 in scholarships to students a reality. They collectively contributed 2,814…

Carnegie Art Museum update for Dec. 14

Click here to see the entire e-newsletter Give the Gift Art Help CAM Cornerstones fund art exhibitions, education, and programs by giving the GIFT of ART. Membership never looked so BRIGHT! Now through the New Year CAM members receive a…

Santa Barbara Museum of Art update for Dec. 14

SANTA BARBARA — The Santa Barbara Museum of Art, 1130 State St., Santa Barbara, announces the following exhibits. Exhibition Openings A Brilliant Spectrum: Recent Gifts of Color Photography to the Collection January 27 – May 5, 2019 Representing a broad…

‘Esteban’s Caravan: From Hope to an American Cage’ by local author Denis O’Leary now available

VENTURA COUNTY — Local author and educator Denis O’Leary has announced the publication of his new book — “Esteban’s Caravan: From Hope to an American Cage,” now available on Amazon.com. Published by Floricanto Press, “Esteban’s Caravan is the compelling story…

Coming to America — Understanding the migrant caravan requires an awareness of Central America’s recent history, social scientists say

By Andrea Estrada  • UCSB . The migrant caravan that traveled from Central America to the United States last month generated headlines — and angry rhetoric — long before it arrived. The situation reached fever pitch the Sunday after Thanksgiving when…

Bilingual report: Federal resources available for under-insured Hill and Woolsey fire victims

VENTURA — Some homeowners affected by the Hill and Woolsey fires are discovering that they may be under-insured for their losses. Help is available. The Federal Emergency Management Agency provides housing assistance for people who have lost their homes as…

Community Environmental Council and Santa Barbara Channelkeeper join effort to keep film plastic out of waste stream, serving as additional public drop-off locations

Click here for the entire e-newsletter SANTA BARBARA, CA – The Community Environmental Council (CEC) and Santa Barbara Channelkeeper (SBCK) are pleased to work together with Ablitt’s Fine Cleaners to collect and repurpose hard-to-recycle plastics. Sasha Ablitt, owner of Ablitt’s Fine…