“This is an exciting opportunity to support our students and respond to critical workforce needs in California,” said Hancock Superintendent/President Kevin G. Walthers, Ph.D. “With the support of the Metallica Scholars Initiative, we can help more students—many from historically underserved communities—overcome financial barriers and launch meaningful, life-saving careers.”
VENTURA — The City of Ventura kicked off its new fiscal year this month with a balanced operating and capital budget of $637.3 million for Fiscal Year 2025-26 (FY26). Spanning July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026, the adopted budget reflects the City’s ongoing commitment to fiscal responsibility, long-term planning, and delivery of high-quality public services.
The General Fund, the City’s largest operating fund, is balanced at $157.3 million and is primarily supported by local property and sales taxes. It funds daily operations for most departments, including police, fire, parks and recreation, public works, and administrative services.
The City continues to prioritize environmental stewardship through major infrastructure projects, including the Olivas Park Drive Extension and key water and wastewater initiatives such as the State Water Project Interconnection, the Advanced Water Purification Facility, and the Membrane Bioreactor and UV Disinfection system. Public safety also remains a central focus, with ongoing funding for Fire Station 7.
It’s never been easier or more affordable to get an electric vehicle. Federal EV tax credits are still up for grabs (but not for long) and state incentives are full steam ahead. In other words, now is the time to claim your savings on an EV.
Explore available programs designed to help you make the switch to electric for less:
SANTA BARBARA — City folks will get a taste of how the food they eat is grown during the 7th Annual Santa Barbara County Farm Day, Saturday, September 6, from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Hosted by Students for Eco-Education and Agriculture (SEEAG), this free event consists of over 20 farms, ranches, wineries and agricultural organizations across Santa Barbara County. All will open their doors so the public can learn how food is grown, meet the hands that feed them, and enjoy a fun-filled day of agricultural activities for the entire family.
VENTURA — Focused on eliminating driving behaviors that contribute to traffic-related fatalities on our nation’s roads, the Ventura Police Department and the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) calls on drivers to recognize speeding as an aggressive driving behavior that endangers all road users and to put an end to it because Speeding Catches up with You.
SANTA BARBARA — Since the start of the year, members of our indigenous community across the Central Coast, our relatives, friends, and neighbors, have been taken by ICE. The joy and vibrancy of community life were replaced by fear and silence. However, as indigenous people, we know that our simple act of existence is resistance.
At MICOP, we remain rooted in our mission to organize, support, and empower our indigenous migrant community. Night in Oaxaca will continue to honor the beauty of indigenous existence, and of our resilient communities. We are descendants of warriors, healers, and protectors. We speak the languages of the rain and the clouds. Our spirits carry the songs of the mountains and rivers, and the courage of ancestors who never surrendered, and neither will we.
SANTA BARBARA — Women’s Economic Ventures (WEV) is proud to announce its selection as one of only seven Women’s Business Centers nationwide to participate in the newly launched AWBC x Stearns Childcare Accelerator Program. This honor highlights WEV’s role as a regional leader in addressing the childcare crisis and advancing economic equity for underserved entrepreneurs.
“Dr. Cruz has devoted his career to caring for low-income and vulnerable populations,” said Dr. Felix Nuñez, GCHP’s chief executive officer. “He is a mission-driven leader with extensive experience in health education, health care administration, and care systems transformation who is committed to improving the health outcomes and reducing the health care inequities experienced by our most vulnerable members. I am confident that he will help lead us into the next phase of our work as we continue to find new ways to connect our members with care.”
SANTA MARIA — Allan Hancock College is inviting new students and their families to kick off the academic year with fun and informative Hancock Hello orientation events held this August at the college’s Santa Maria campus and Lompoc Valley Center.
Hancock Hello is designed to help first-time students and their families get connected, feel confident and prepare for a successful college experience. The Lompoc Valley Center will host its Hancock Hello event on Aug. 5, from 4 to 6:30 p.m., and the Santa Maria campus event will be held on Aug. 12 from 4 to 6:30 p.m.
“Hancock Hello is a great opportunity for incoming students and their families to get familiar with campus life,” said Hancock Outreach Coordinator Patricia Prado-Rios. “It’s a fun and informative way to feel prepared and excited for the year ahead.”
VENTURA — The City of Ventura is excited to announce the release of its Fall Parks and Recreation Activity Guide! Registration begins Tuesday, August 5, 2025, at 12:00 p.m. and will be available online, over the phone, or in person at City Hall, located at 501 Poli Street in Room 226. Registration information and policies are on page 43. Discover hundreds of upcoming classes, programs, and events scheduled from September through January at www.cityofventura.ca.gov/ActivityGuide
My sister “Ana” told me recently about a disjointed exchange she had with her granddaughter, “Sandra.”
Sandra and her brother “George” were home from their last full day of school before summer break. Thinking back on her own experiences in the 1950s, Ana asked them if any of their classmates had brought an apple for the teacher.
They both regarded her with wide-eyed, perplexed astonishment, saying “nooooo…,” emitting a tone of concern as if they thought their grandma was slipping into the first stages of dementia.
Oxnard City Manager Alexander Nguyen stated, “We’re excited for Brenda to lead the Housing Department. Her housing policy knowledge and years of service to the Oxnard community will be an asset in addressing two of the State’s most pressing issues—housing and homelessness, which remain increasingly vital as we face both federal and state budget cuts.”
SANTA PAULA — El Concilio Family Services will hold mobil clinic from 2 to 8 p.m. Thursday, July 24 at Puente de Vida Church, 203 S. 8th St., Santa Paula
“Let El Concilio help you stay protected and prepared! Our Mobile Immigration Clinic offers on-site assistance with:
Resident Card Renewal Applications (Form I-90
Application submission support
Bilingual staff ready to help (English/Spanish)
VENTURA — The Ventura County Assessor’s Office has begun mailing approximately 250,000 Annual Value Notices to property owners. These notices inform recipients of their property’s assessed value as of the lien date, January 1, 2025.
Of the total notices being sent, approximately 205,000 are postcards reflecting the standard 2% increase in assessed value in accordance with Proposition 13. In addition, more than 5,700 notices inform owners that their property’s market value is lower than its Proposition 13 factored base year value, indicating a temporary reduction in assessed value.
Summary:
The Board will discuss recent Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations in Santa Barbara County and hear from the public. Specifically, the Board will review federal enforcement actions that took place near Carpinteria on July 10, 2025, and in Santa Maria in early June. The discussion will include the community impact of these actions and any Board direction on this item.
As she was halfway around the world in New Zealand when her fight against cancer began, Santamaría would soon launch a journey that would bring her back to her California roots and back to Kaiser Permanente for care that she credits for her survival. She shares her story as a beacon of hope.
Santamaría is the associate vice president of strategy at California Lutheran University, where her role encompasses driving diversity, equity, inclusion, justice and belonging initiatives to deliver optimal offerings to students through partnerships with local businesses, nonprofits, municipalities and healthcare organizations.
VENTURA — The City of Ventura is excited to announce the release of Episode 12 of its Ventura Voices podcast, now available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, and YouTube. This latest episode features a conversation between City Manager Bill Ayub and Ventura’s new Chief of Police, David Dickey.
In this engaging interview, Chief Dickey shares how he got his start in law enforcement, what inspired his journey to Ventura, and his vision for the future of the Ventura Police Department. He discusses the importance of community policing, building public trust, and investing in strategies that strengthen neighborhood safety.
Eligibility:
Households earning at or below 60% of the Area Median Income
Visit pshhc.org/CCC to view income limits
14 units are set aside for agricultural worker households earning 30 to 60% of the AMI
VENTURA — The City of Ventura will begin resurfacing Telegraph Road from Ashwood Avenue to Hill Road in late July 2025, with construction scheduled through January 2026. This much-anticipated project will rehabilitate approximately 690,000 square feet of roadway and is funded by the SB1 Gas Tax Road Repair and Accountability Act and Measure O, Ventura’s voter-approved local sales tax dedicated to essential community improvements.
VENTURA — Elected officials and leaders from across Ventura County gathered (June 27) to address growing concerns about unjust immigration enforcement and reaffirm the community’s values of inclusion and justice. Speaking directly to Ventura’s immigrant community and the broader public, the event highlighted local leadership’s commitment to humane policy, community protection, and civil rights defense for all.
Speakers at the event included Vianey Lopez, County Supervisor, District 5, FatherTom Elewaut, Pastor of Mission Basilica San Buenaventura, David Newman, Mayor, City of Thousand Oaks, Bruce Stenslie, President/CEO, Economic Development Collaborative (EDC), Gabe Teran, Mayor Pro Tem, City of Oxnard, Rabbi Lisa Hochberg-Miller, Temple Beth Torah, Dr. Martita Martinez-Bravo, PsyD, Councilmember, City of Camarillo and Executive Director, Friends of Fieldworkers, Dr. Felix Nuñez, CEO, Gold Coast Health Plan, Helen McGrath, fifth-generation member of the McGrath farming family and Dr. Ana DeGenna, Superintendent, Oxnard School District.
As families in Ventura County are looking forward to celebrating America’s birthday during the upcoming Fourth of July weekend, it’s important to know that it’s OK to have fun under the sun, but without putting your health at risk and causing long-lasting injuries.
That’s especially true when it comes to fireworks, grilling and drinking alcohol, according to health experts.
“Celebrating the Fourth of July holiday is a special time many of us treasure dearly and look forward to every year,” said Dr. Juan Cruz, an internal medicine physician with Kaiser Permanente in Oxnard. “But I can’t stress enough the importance of celebrating responsibly and keeping safety in mind to ensure this festive holiday will be accident- and injury-free.”
Bilingual theater course for girls and boys during which they will create an original story inspired by the characters of El Chavo del Ocho
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.
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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.
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.
“We’re very excited to welcome Ronald Miller to our team as he steps into this important leadership role,” shared 4th District Supervisor, Janice Parvin, Chair of the Board of Supervisors. “We’re confident that his longstanding experience and proven leadership will guide the agency forward with success. His deep commitment to community investment, combined with an extensive career in law enforcement, makes him exceptionally well-suited to lead the Ventura County Probation Agency.”
View this email online The next regular meeting of the County Board of Supervisors is scheduled for 9 a.m. Tuesday, July 1, 2025 County Administration Building Board Hearing Room, Fourth Floor 105 East Anapamu Street, Santa Barbara The public may participate…
SANTA PAULA — The City of Santa Paula proudly hosted its first independent State of the City event on June 12, 2025, marking a departure from previous joint events traditionally held with the Chamber of Commerce. With more than 176 guests in attendance, the evening was a vibrant celebration of community, progress, and civic engagement, and by all accounts, a resounding success.
Held at the Ventura County Agriculture Museum, the evening began with a festive outdoor reception featuring live folklórico dancing by Proyecto Esperanza, musical performances by local group Chucumite, and hors d’oeuvres provided by local favorites including Flight 126, El Capricho, Mr. Shrimp, and Parque 1055. The community came together to enjoy food, music, and connection before moving indoors for formal remarks and presentations.
Pre-applications available Tuesday, July 8, 9AM at pshhc.org/CCC
Pre-solicitudes disponibles el martes 8 de julio a las 9AM en pshhc.org/CCC
“The 2024 Crop and Livestock Report focuses on the history of Ventura County’s top 10 crops and the issues that farmers face today in cultivating these crops,” stated Korinne Bell, Ventura County Agricultural Commissioner. “Ventura County is unique in that our agricultural community cultivates a significant number of crops with values well over $1 million. This allows for a wide range of products to be cultivated but also presents some substantial challenges for our farmers. Many thanks to the Ventura County agricultural community – growers, packers, and shippers – for providing the data on their efforts in 2024 and making the production of this report possible.”
VENTURA — The City of Ventura is thrilled to officially open Marina Park’s new playground, delivering a modern and thoughtfully designed play space for the Pierpont Bay community and surrounding areas.
Local dignitaries, City staff, project partners, and community members gathered on Tuesday, June 24, for a celebratory ribbon-cutting to commemorate this exciting milestone.
VENTURA COUNTY — Every fire department in Ventura County is united in our commitment to protecting lives—no matter who you are or where you’re from. Everyone in our communities deserves safety, emergency care, and compassion. Our firefighters respond to every emergency without hesitation or judgment. Immigration status is never a factor in the care we provide, and we do not ask, record, or report that information.
Having more time to walk the streets of the Oxnard and Ventura areas lately, I find myself navigating a world that had not been entirely apparent to me in the past. I am more aware now of the great number of people who are distressed, troubled, and immersed in mental illness.
Their plight becomes obvious as I witness people who are talking animatedly with themselves—sometimes cheerfully, but too often they are angry and threatening. It’s hard to feel safe when someone close by is screaming something such as, “I’m gonna kill every single person I find!”
CAMARILLO — Gold Coast Health Plan (GCHP), the local Medi-Cal plan for Ventura County, is deeply concerned about the possibility of sensitive Medicaid enrollment data—including names, addresses, and immigration statuses—being shared with the Department of Homeland Security as reported by the Associated Press. According to the article, the data sharing was conducted “despite internal objections from Medicaid officials” and without consent from states, health plans, or members.
The data includes information from individuals in various states, including California, that allow those with “unsatisfactory immigration status” to enroll in Medicaid programs funded by state dollars.
“This breach is not just a policy failure—it is a moral one,” said Dr. Felix Nuñez, GCHP’s chief executive officer. “Trust is the foundation of our health system. Undermining that trust by turning health care into a tool of immigration enforcement jeopardizes the well-being of entire communities. We must protect the right to seek care without fear.”
June is Homeownership Month and so I would like to shine a special light on our own Home Ownership department: the oldest team in our organization, the very reason we were founded 55 years ago. If you haven’t yet had a chance to check out some of People’s Self-Help Housing’s amazing early history, you can do that right here!
Of course, it is the incredible owner-builders themselves, the people who learn to dig, saw, hammer, and drill, who have been the stars of the show ever since the self-help program began. The physical and emotional investment made by the over 1,200 families who have completed building with us since 1970 is of a magnitude few of us could commit to. Usually over 40 hours a week (on top of regular day jobs!), 14 months of construction, and the desire to push through whatever the weather, or the date on the calendar.
Our organization has many facets which help those just trying to have a safe, decent, and affordable place to enjoy life. I hope you’ll join me this month in recognizing the efforts and achievements of just one of those – affordable homeownership.
Reminder: pre-applications due Tuesday, June 24 at 5PM
Recordatorio: pre-solicitudes deben entregarse el martes 24 de junio a las 5PM
