Now open for research, the collection provides scholars, students and community members with a rich resource for studying Chicano literature, grassroots activism and social movements.
Read more about the Luis J. Rodriguez Papers
GOLETA — LEAP celebrates Juan Pimentel’s 20 years of service and his new title as Chief Operating Officer (COO) of LEAP: Learn. Engage. Advocate. Partner., recognizing his longstanding leadership and commitment to children, families and community.
Pimentel joined LEAP, then Isla Vista Youth Projects, in 2006 at age 19 as a Work-Study student attending the University of California, Santa Barbara, serving as a group leader in its after-school program.
Sat. October 10th 2026, 7:00 pm
Have you heard the buzz about Teatro De Las Americas’s spectacular production of Diego Rivera: His Story – A One?Night Theatrical Event performed by Herbert Siguenza? It’s an event you absolutely can’t miss! Secure your seat today by grabbing your tickets online. Join us for an unforgettable experience!
There’s still time to share your perspective with CEC — but our community survey is closing soon!
We’re asking Central Coast residents to share how they want to hear from CEC and what would make it easier to connect with the climate action work happening in our communities. Your feedback will help us better understand how to reach more people and create accessible pathways to get involved.
SANTA BARBARA — Once a year, nonprofits come together to celebrate the people and institutions that give generously to the local community. This year’s National Philanthropy Day celebration will be held November 12 at the Rincon Beach Club in Carpinteria, and organizers are seeking sponsors.
The event is hosted by the Association of Fundraising Professionals, Santa Barbara/Ventura Counties Chapter (AFP), an organization that brings together those in the fundraising and nonprofit fields.
SANTA MARIA — Allan Hancock College invited 1,300 local high school and college students to its Santa Maria campus Oct. 2 for the college’s annual?Career?Exploration?Day.
The in-person event provided participating students with the opportunity to explore potential career paths and learn more about the college’s academic and career technical education programs.
“Career Exploration Day helps students see what’s possible beyond the classroom,” said Hancock Career Counselor David Hernandez. “By talking directly with employers and industry professionals, students can discover careers, companies and opportunities they may not have known were out there.”
SANTA BARBARA — Family, friends, fellow veterans, and community members gathered Oct. 2 at Santa Barbara Cemetery for the graveside military memorial honoring decorated World War II veteran and longtime local resident Arthur Max Petersen, who passed away on September 14 at the age of 102.
“Over forty-five years ago, a group of farmworker families worked together to protect their homes, and everything we have built since carries that same spirit forward,” said Victoria Brady, Chief Executive Officer of Cabrillo EDC. “This milestone belongs to the residents who have trusted us, the staff who have dedicated their careers to this mission, and the partners and supporters who have stood beside us through decades of growth. We are proud of how far we have come, and just as excited about what the next 45 years will bring.”
Let me start by saying that I am not receiving any compensation from Tesla Corp. for this article. Nor am I trying to promote the make or model of any car.
I am simply writing as someone who has driven cars for over 60 years. Over just the past year, I have had the opportunity to drive an electric vehicle (EV)—specifically, a Tesla.
Manriquez Loza is one of 22 students across the CSU selected for the annual award, which recognizes superior academic performance, personal accomplishments, community service and financial need. She was honored as the CSU Foundation Board Member Ron and Mitzi Barhorst Scholar during the CSU Board of Trustees meeting on Sept. 22.
A first-generation college student, Manriquez Loza is pursuing a Doctorate in Educational Leadership for Equity and Justice at CSUCI, where she maintains a 3.9 GPA. Her academic and professional work reflects a longstanding commitment to empowering Indigenous communities and improving educational opportunities for historically underserved students and families.
VENTURA COUNTY — The Ventura County Office of Education (VCOE) has received the prestigious Golden Bell Award from the California School Boards Association (CSBA) for its innovative approaches to alternative education that are helping students overcome significant barriers to graduation and success after high school.
VCOE’s Alternative Education program received the award for its submission “From Incarceration & Expulsion to Graduation, College & Workforce: Sustaining an Impactful Whole Child Ecosystem in Court & Community Schools.” The program serves students in grades 6–12, including expelled students, justice-involved youth, and students facing significant academic, behavioral, and social-emotional challenges. It operates Gateway Community School in Camarillo and Providence School at the Ventura County Juvenile Facility in Oxnard.
“Homecoming is a celebration of the people and partnerships that make Cal State Channel Islands such a welcoming and vibrant community,” said CSUCI Interim President Susan Andrzejewski. “We look forward to bringing alumni, students, families, friends and neighbors together to share in our Dolphin pride and strengthen the connections that extend well beyond our campus.”
VENTURA — The County of Ventura is taking proactive steps to coordinate efforts across agencies to strengthen readiness, identify potential resource and informational needs, and ensure infrastructure resiliency ahead of what could potentially be a very active winter season. The National Weather Service is forecasting that significant El Niño conditions will continue to intensify through the end of 2026, with the possibility of these conditions creating the strongest event on record. The presence of strong El Niño conditions raises the likelihood of Ventura County experiencing a stormier, wetter than usual winter.
SANTA MARIA — Educators, counselors, students and community advocates from across the Central Coast gathered at Allan Hancock College Sept. 30 for a conversation focused on expanding college access and helping students navigate financial aid.
Allan Hancock College and the Central Coast Cal-SOAP Consortium hosted Daisy Gonzales, Ph.D., executive director of the California Student Aid Commission (CSAC), for the event at Boyd Hall on Hancock’s Santa Maria campus.
CAMARILLO —The Ventura County Community College District (VCCCD) is inviting the community to hear directly from its leadership at its State of the District event, bringing together elected officials, regional industry and nonprofit partners, educational leaders and friends of the district to celebrate the work of VCCCD’s students, faculty and employees, reflect on the District’s progress and look ahead to what’s next. The free, public event takes place Monday, Oct. 19, 2026, at 3:30 p.m. at the Camarillo Public Library.
Chancellor Rick MacLennan, joined by Moorpark College President Julius Sokenu, Oxnard College Interim President Steve Hall and Ventura College President Luca Lewis, will offer a firsthand look at how VCCCD is responding to a changing Ventura County and creating more ways for students to access education, build careers and find opportunity close to home.
Fans of the spooky season will love our October events and classes! Don’t miss our Halloween-themed Free Family Day, creative classes inspired by ghosts, skulls, and haunted houses, and more frightfully fun ways to celebrate fall.
CENTRAL COAST — Gov. Gavin Newsom has signed SB 1268, the Outdoors for All Initiative, into law, establishing the initiative in state law and creating a lasting framework for expanding equitable access to parks, open spaces, trails, beaches, forests, and other outdoor public recreation spaces across California.
Los Padres ForestWatch proudly co-sponsored SB 1268, authored by Senator Lena Gonzalez, because the organization sees a direct connection between protecting public lands and ensuring more people can experience, enjoy, and build relationships with them.
For innovations with lasting impacts on society and for his influence on generations of inventors and entrepreneurs, he received the Distinguished Lifetime Achievement Award at the inaugural UC Regents Innovation Awards.
Read more about Bowers’ work
VENTURA COUNTY — Ventura County’s record $2.4 billion agricultural production value in 2025 masked a far more troubling number: growers of several of the county’s major crops spent more money to grow them than the crops were worth.
Strawberries, Ventura County’s number one crop, grossed $807 million in 2025. But Ventura County’s favorite berry cost growers every penny of that $807 million to produce, plus $8 million more. Lemons, a crop deeply embedded in Ventura County’s history and heritage, showed even worse returns, costing growers $203.5 million to receive $181.7 million in gross revenue.
CAMARILLO — Cal State Channel Islands (CSUCI) will begin accepting application submissions for the Fall 2027 term on Oct. 1, 2026. Students should submit their applications through the Cal State Apply portal. The priority application deadline for most Fall 2027 applicants is Jan. 15, except for the Nursing program which has a Nov. 30 deadline.
Applications for transfer students interested in Spring 2027 admission are already open. Students seeking Spring admission should submit their applications by the priority deadline of Oct. 30.
Thank you to everyone who joined our webinar “All About Electric Vehicles: Ownership, Charging, and How to Get Money Back”! CEC’s Climate Mitigation Program Manager Sean McArthur walked through the benefits of driving electric, how to navigate charging options and costs, and incentives that can help make EV ownership more affordable. If you’re ready to learn more or considering making the switch, CEC is here to help!
Join us as a volunteer for this unique and impactful opportunity. You can provide free tax preparation for low-income earners. Join like-minded people interested in making a difference!
SANTA PAULA — With temperatures expected to reach 90 degrees or higher over the coming days, the City of Santa Paula will open a cooling center at the Santa Paula Community Center beginning this Friday, October 2.
The cooling center will be located in the front lobby of the Santa Paula Community Center, 530 W. Main St., and will be open Friday, October 2 – Friday, October 9, including Saturday and Sunday, from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
SACRAMENTO— Assemblymember Steve Bennett’s AB 2075 has been signed into law by Governor Gavin Newsom.
Sponsored by the Ventura County District Attorney’s office, the legislation enhances wildfire safety regulations and liability protections by authorizing and equipping agricultural and vegetation management workers to suppress accidental ignitions before they escape into catastrophic wildfires.
CENTRAL COAST — The California Department of Aging has designated Family Service Agency (FSA) as the regional Area Agency on Aging (AAA) for Planning and Service Area 17, which encompasses Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties. Effective immediately, FSA will assume full programmatic, fiscal, and administrative coordination for critical older adult and caregiver services under Title III of the Older Americans Act. FSA is working closely with state officials, local community partners, and existing service providers to ensure service stability.
Our flags are flying on State Street in Santa Barbara! Make sure to visit and snap a photo by Tuesday, October 6! Dine at Mendocino Farms on Wednesday, October 7 and 50% of sales to be donated to Friendship Center.…
VENTURA — The City of Ventura invites community members to learn about its proposed permanent Tree Protection Ordinance before it returns to the City Council for consideration on October 27, 2026. The proposed ordinance is intended to protect and enhance Ventura’s urban forest while establishing clear standards for tree preservation, removal, and replacement.
At two upcoming community meetings, City staff will explain which trees would be protected, when a permit would be required, what to expect from the permit process, and other proposed impacts. Attendees will have an opportunity to ask questions and share input.
SANTA PAULA — The City of Santa Paula is pleased to announce a major investment in the community’s recreational future with the allocation of $1.5 million in state funding for Phase II of the Santa Paula Sports Park Complex.
The allocation, championed by Senate President pro Tempore Monique Limón, will help move the City closer to completing the next phase of improvements and expand recreational opportunities for Santa Paula’s residents. The new funding builds upon previous state support also graciously secured with Limón’s assistance for sports field lighting at the complex.
CAMARILLO — Students can soon get started at Moorpark, Oxnard and Ventura colleges in about 15 minutes, as the Ventura County Community College District (VCCCD) launches its new, simplified enrollment experience through CCCStart on October 8.
The district is among the first in California to adopt CCCStart, an enrollment platform that will replace the long-standing CCCApply system statewide by June 2027. This change is part of a statewide effort led by the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office to modernize how students begin college. The new platform was designed to expand access, improve the student experience and protect against fraud.
SANTA PAULA — A full freeway closure will impact travelers using Highway 126 in Santa Paula beginning Friday, October 2nd due to a freeway construction project. The closure will be in both directions from 10th St. to Hallock Dr. The closure begins on Friday at 8:00 p.m. and continues into Saturday, October 3rd, until 9:00 a.m. Motorists will be detoured on to surface streets in the City of Santa Paula during the freeway closure. Travelers are urged to avoid all unnecessary travel on Highway 126 and traffic delays are expected during the full freeway closure.
THOUSAND OAKS — Ventura County Fire Department, in partnership with the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), is proud to promote this year’s Fire Prevention Week theme: “Charge into Fire Safety: Safe Charging Is a Superpower.”
Many devices used in our daily lives; phones, tablets, laptops, tools, toys, e-bikes, and scooters, run on rechargeable lithium-ion batteries, which store a lot of energy in a small space. If they are damaged or charged the wrong way, they can overheat, start a fire, or even explode.
Last Saturday, more than 250 people came together for CEC’s Green Gala: Rooted in Hope — a celebration of the people, partnerships and practical climate solutions shaping the future of the Central Coast.
PORT HUENEME — The Port of Hueneme’s 13th Annual Banana Festival set a second consecutive attendance record as nearly 19,000 guests came to the Port for a celebratory day of live music, banana treats, tours, a classic car show, and family-friendly fun. This year’s theme, “Gateway to the World,” highlighted the Port’s role in connecting local consumers to global goods and markets.
Festivalgoers had the opportunity to find banana treats from a variety of local vendors while enjoying live music including headliner Twisted Gypsy. Bus and Boat tours gave visitors vision to the inner workings of a busy operating port and revealed how the Port of Hueneme moves much more than bananas. While bananas are big business for the Port with more than 5 billion coming in per year, Hueneme is also the only West Coast port authorized to import Peruvian blueberries. Other commodities that come across its docks include avocados, melons, pineapples, and liquid fertilizer.
“With Medi-Cal changes rolling out over the next year, we want to ensure our providers and community organizations have the resources they need to help members navigate the upcoming changes,” said Dr. Felix Nuñez, GCHP’s chief executive officer. “With these grants, our goal is to minimize coverage disruptions for eligible members so they have continuous access to high-quality care and services.”
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This month, we opened a new Learning Center at Buellton Garden Apartments! Enrollment forms and more information can be found at pshhc.org/education.
The Buellton Garden Apartments Learning Center is made possible through generous grants from Wells Fargo and the Santa Ynez Valley Foundation.
Get ready to see Mary Cassatt in a new light. Come see Cassatt & Friends, a new exhibition that offers an intimate look at the creative connections between drawing and printmaking among Mary Cassatt and her contemporaries. While Cassatt is best known for her luminous paintings, she was also an accomplished printmaker—and SBMA’s permanent collection includes a number of her printed works. At the heart of the exhibition is Simone in a White Bonnet Seated with Clasped Hands (No.1), a unique counterproof created by dampening a pastel drawing and pressing it onto another sheet of paper to transfer the pigment and create a mirror image.
VENTURA — Canine Adoption and Rescue League (C.A.R.L.) announces the opening of its pet food bank, which will distribute food at no cost to residents. The Ventura-based C.A.R.L. Thrift Store, located at 2750 E. Main Street, Suite B, will serve as the hub for the pet food pantry. Its hours of operation will run from noon to 2 p.m., while supplies last, on Tuesdays and Fridays.
C.A.R.L. Governance Board President Claudia Hoste decided to launch a pet food pantry after attending an event that featured a local food bank. “I thought, ‘We need to do the same to support our animal community.’” Hoste has also seen several posts on social media, where people discussed how the rising cost of dog and cat food has challenged them to keep their beloved pets.
In a multinational megastudy, social psychologist Hongbo Yu and collaborators analyze gratitude practices across 34 countries, with findings that illustrate the importance of cultural context.
Read more about practicing gratitude
“Understanding how to access financial aid can make a meaningful difference in a student’s ability to pursue their educational goals,” said Dr. Luca E. Lewis, Ventura College president. “We want to make sure students and families have the information and support they need to navigate the financial aid process and take full advantage of the resources available to them. At Ventura College, opportunity starts here, and we are committed to helping our students take that next step toward their future.”
SANTA YNEZ VALLEY — Santa Ynez Valley Cottage Hospital (SYVCH) has been recognized as a 2026 Top 20 Critical Access Hospital for Best Practice in Patient Satisfaction by the National Rural Health Association (NRHA).
The national designation recognizes SYVCH among the highest-performing critical access hospitals in the country for patient satisfaction. The recognition is based on data from the Chartis Rural Hospital Performance INDEX™, which evaluates rural hospitals across key areas of performance.
We are still still beaming with the warmth and beautiful show of support from so many of you last Thursday at Raising Justice!
Whether you joined us in person, invited a friend, or donated from near or from afar, THANK YOU!
VENTURA COUNTY — The Workforce Development Board of Ventura County (WDBVC) announced (on Sept. 25) the launch of a high-impact suite of workforce programs designed specifically to help local microenterprises scale without financial strain. Administered locally through America’s Job Center of California (AJCC), the initiative provides fully funded work experiences, hiring reimbursements, and subsidized training to sole proprietors, independent operators, and family-owned firms with fewer than five employees.
Designed to counter rising operational costs, these resources absorb the financial risks of onboarding and staff development for small employers that operate without dedicated HR departments or surplus working capital.
Dear Ventura County Community Foundation family,
Today I invite you to watch one of my favorite TED Talks of all time: Drew Dudley’s “Everyday Leadership.”
In just six minutes, Dudley reminds us that we are all leaders. We tend to associate leadership only with enormous achievements, defining moments or extraordinary individuals. When we do that, leadership starts to feel inaccessible, something reserved only for other people. But our capacity to change another person’s life, and our community’s future, is far greater than we realize.
CAMARILLO — Cal State Channel Islands (CSUCI) is inviting the community to support students experiencing food and basic-needs insecurity during the CSUCI Dolphin Pantry Donation Drive on Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2026, from 10 a.m. to noon at Studio Channel Islands Art Center, 2222 Ventura Blvd., Camarillo.
The event is presented through a collaboration among CSUCI Basic Needs, the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at CSUCI, and Studio Channel Islands Art Center. The eventconnects a passion for lifelong learning with the shared purpose of supporting CSUCI students.
MOORPARK — Moorpark College and the Moorpark College Foundation will kick off a year of celebrations marking the college’s 60th anniversary with Moorpark College Serenades: The Premiere, a free outdoor concert on Saturday, Oct. 10, from 4–6 p.m
SANTA BARBARA — Cottage Health brought together physicians, nurses, pharmacists, respiratory care practitioners and other clinicians from across the region on Friday, Sept. 18, for the 2026 Sepsis Conference, a multidisciplinary educational event focused on the recognition, treatment and management of sepsis.
The conference offered a day of education highlighting evidence-based practices, emerging research and new approaches to caring for patients with sepsis.
Presentations addressed key areas in sepsis care, including maternal sepsis, antibiotic stewardship, the use of artificial intelligence in sepsis management and recent clinical research.
OXNARD — Sunrise Set LLC, a family-owned trucking and logistics company rooted in Ventura County agriculture, is celebrating its 25th anniversary this month, marking a journey that began not behind the wheel of a truck, but in the fields of Oxnard.
Founded in 2001 by Francisco E. Ochoa and his son, Benjamin Ochoa, Sunrise Set grew from two bobtail trucks moving small shipments from local farms to shipping docks into a refrigerated freight company transporting fresh produce and agricultural products throughout California.
The family’s connection to Ventura County agriculture began decades earlier.
In mid-September, I had the opportunity to enjoy watching some of the finest flamenco dancing I had ever seen. The event, dubbed “Danzas y Canciones” (“Dances and Songs”) was held on the campus of Oxnard College in its Performing Arts Building.
Anyone with curiosity who hears the passionate cries of a flamenco dancer and observes the intricacies of the step patterns and rhythms of the dancer’s feet will instinctively want to know something about the origins of this highly expressive art form.
VENTURA COUNTY — October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, an opportunity to increase awareness about abuse, recognize the barriers survivors often face and remind our community that help is available. The Coalition for Family Harmony operates the only rape crisis center in Ventura County and provides services to survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault throughout the county.
The Coalition’s services include a 24-hour crisis hotline, emergency shelter, counseling, legal advocacy, housing assistance and prevention services. In addition to operating the county’s only rape crisis center, the Coalition currently operates three domestic violence emergency shelters, including specialized shelter services designed to address the needs of Indigenous-language-speaking survivors and a newer emergency shelter located at the Ventura County Family Justice Center.
Panteón Fest – 4th Annual
Saturday, October 17, 2026 • 1:00–9:00 PM
Join us in Historic Heritage Square in Downtown Oxnard for the 4th Annual Panteón Fest, a celebration of Día de los Muertos through art, music, and culture. Enjoy eight hours of live performances, community altars, an art gallery, the Catrín & Catrina Contest, local vendors, delicious food, and drinks.
This year’s theme celebrates the world of Chespirito. Come dressed as your favorite Chespirito character and join us for a day of culture, nostalgia, and community as we honor Día de los Muertos together.
… The festival will run from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and is expected to attract thousands of visitors for a full day of live entertainment, food, family activities, local vendors, and opportunities to experience the working Port up close through bus and boat tours. Admission and event parking are free. Guests are encouraged to park at Hueneme Beach.
The Banana Festival was created as a way to celebrate the Port’s role as a major gateway for imported bananas and other refrigerated agricultural products. The banana trade came to Hueneme in 1993 as the Port developed the largest cold storage capacity on the West Coast. Today, the Port of Hueneme ranks 5th in the nation for both automobiles and refrigerated cargo.While it imports 5 billion bananas per year, it also brings in Peruvian blueberries, avocados, mangos, and much more.
There’s a common thread running through October: from the violin at the heart of Birth of Impressionism, putting you inside a revolution in musical history, to the genre-defying strings of TAKE3, where Bach sounds like a stadium show, to two fiddle legends performing in the open air at golden hour. The series then expands outward into a 19-piece big band paying tribute to one of the most restlessly creative minds in American music, and finally, at the very end of the year, twelve voices filling a sanctuary with five centuries of choral music. And it all begins with the return of a cherished VMF tradition: Tea & Trumpets on October 11th, the perfect opening note.
SANTA BARBARA — The U.S. Department of State recently announced that Santa Barbara City College (SBCC) ranked among the top 25 U.S. community colleges producing Gilman Scholars for the U.S. Department of State’s Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship. This year the Gilman Scholarship Program is celebrating its 25th anniversary of supporting American students to study abroad by providing scholarships up to $5,000 to students with high financial need to study or intern abroad.
Current students, including those from SBCC, have until Thursday, October 1, to apply for the current scholarship program, which would support Study Abroad programs in Spring, Summer and Fall of 2027. Students may learn more about the scholarship, Study Abroad in general, and upcoming trips, here: https://www.sbcc.edu/studyabroad/programs/.
SANTA BARBARA — Cottage Rehabilitation Hospital (CRH) celebrated National Rehabilitation Awareness Week with a special event on September 15 recognizing patients, caregivers, clinicians, volunteers and community supporters who help make rehabilitation possible.
This year’s theme, “Building Futures Through Rehabilitation,” highlighted CRH’s commitment to helping patients regain independence and return to the activities that are most meaningful to them.
Our community is at the heart of CEC’s climate work. As we look ahead, we want our work to reflect what matters most to Central Coast residents and create more accessible ways for everyone to get involved in climate action.
This short survey will help us better understand what our community cares about, needs, and wants to see more of from CEC. Your feedback helps us:
“The need in our community is growing at a pace we haven’t seen before,” said Andrea Gallagher, president and CEO of Senior Concerns. “We used to receive one or two inquiries a week about Meals On Wheels. Now we’re receiving 10 to 12. At the same time, more older adults and family caregivers are reaching out to our case workers for guidance, resources and support. The funds raised through events like Par and Away help us respond when our neighbors need us most.”
