LOMPOC — Everyone knows California is wine country. But have you heard about Lompoc?
This laid-back Central Coast wine destination is the perfect place to sip small-production wines, meet the makers, and explore a wine scene that feels refreshingly unhurried.Add beautiful vineyard views, cool coastal temps, and plenty of chances to discover a new favorite, and you’ve got the makings of a seriously good wine weekend.
Get ready to see Mary Cassatt in a new light. Cassatt & Friends opens this Sunday at the Santa Barbara Museum of Art, bringing together the work of the pioneering American Impressionist and the artists who shaped her world. Celebrated for her intimate, luminous depictions of women and children, Cassatt was also a daring innovator in pastel, drawing, and printmaking. Featuring a remarkable counterproof from SBMA’s collection alongside works by Berthe Morisot, Édouard Manet, Paul Cézanne, and Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, the exhibition captures the energy, experimentation, and creative exchange of a transformative moment in art history.
VENTURA — We hope we’ll see you in just one week at our big community celebration and fundraiser, Raising Justice! And this year, we have a historic victory to celebrate — This year’s celebration feels especially meaningful — not only because we’re marking 25 years of organizing for justice across Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties, but — because we’re celebrating a historic victory that you helped make possible:
Coast Veterans Memorial Museum invites our community to remember, reflect and help preserve the stories of a day that changed America.
Our new special exhibit, “On 9/11, I remember…”, is now open, presenting the events of September 11 and the lasting impact they had on our nation, our military and generations of veterans and their families.
THOUSAND OAKS — This year marks the 25th anniversary of the September 11th attacks on New York City and Washington, D.C. To honor the lives lost and the courage of those who responded, the Ventura County Fire Department invites the community to join firefighters in remembrance ceremonies across the county.
Commemorations will take place at every VCFD fire station in the county, along with VCFD Headquarters in Thousand Oaks, and our Fire Communications Center in Camarillo.
Last Sunday I had the pleasure of attending a concert of the Ojai Pops Orchestra at the outdoor Libbey Bowl in downtown Ojai. Admission to these concerts is free, but donations are requested. Money that is contributed is used to offer music scholarships, lessons, instruments, and education to children in our community.
CAMARILLO — Cal State Channel Islands’ (CSUCI) Department of Art and Art History will open the new academic year with “Double Landing,” a solo exhibition featuring the work of acclaimed artist Rafael Perea de la Cabada.
Opening Monday, Sept. 14, at the campus’ Napa Hall Art Gallery, “Double Landing” brings together dozens of original works that showcase Perea’s distinctive creative approach and the wide range of media he employs in his practice. The exhibition presents a diverse collection shaped by experimentation, keen observation and the interplay of construction and continual revision.
Over 1,000 people from across the country traveled to Oxnard to attend the La Defensa Del Pueblo summit at the Performing Arts Center (OPAC). Cars, trucks, charter buses, and food trucks crowded the site’s parking lot. Latecomers parked in the surrounding streets.
CENTRAL COAST – As students make their way back to school, People’s Self-Help Housing (PSHH) has opened a new Learning Center at Buellton Garden Apartments to support academic success. Located at 10 McMurray Road in Buellton, the Learning Center is ready to welcome twenty K-8 students this month.
With this addition of its ninth onsite Learning Center, PSHH’s education program serves nearly 300 students per year at its properties throughout the Central Coast.
VENTURA — Ocean water quality results for samples collected this week indicate ocean water quality at the following Ventura County beach sampling location failed to meet State standards for bacteria:
Promenade Park Beach – Figueroa St.
Warning signs are currently posted and contact with ocean water should be avoided for a minimum of 50 yards on either side of each posted sign. Warning signs will remain posted until ocean water quality meets State standards. Any items that may have come in contact with ocean water should be avoided. If contact occurs, wash thoroughly with soap and water.
Join us Tuesday, Sept. 15, to urge the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors to approve proposed amendments to the Land Use and Development Code (LUDC) and Coastal Zoning Ordinance (CZO) that would prohibit new onshore oil and gas wells. These long-awaited protections would safeguard community health, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and prevent future expansion of oil extraction while creating a responsible pathway for winding down existing operations in Santa Barbara County.
“Volunteering at Farm Day enables students to see that there is so much more to agriculture than the harvesting portion,” says Tyler A. Dickinson, an agriculture teacher at Pioneer Valley High School in Santa Maria. Dickinson coordinates the Farm Day volunteers. “They learn firsthand how farms operate. It broadens their perspective. They see career opportunities within the ag industry and the importance of the work that literally feeds the world.”
VENTURA — Mayor Dr. Jeannette Sánchez-Palacios has released the following statement in response to antisemitic vandalism targeting Temple Beth Torah and Juanamaria Park, including swastikas and other hateful imagery:
Dear Community Members of Ventura,
I am deeply disturbed by the antisemitic vandalism targeting Temple Beth Torah, Higher Vision Church, and Juanamaria Park, including the spray-painting of swastikas and other hateful imagery.
“When we opened the facility, our goal was simple: to create an amazing, reliable place where people could play pickleball, make friends and feel part of a community,” said owner Ted Guggenheim. “Over the past few months, we’ve listened closely to our players, our staff, and the people who walk through our doors every day. In response, we are moving away from a membership model and lowering the pricing by offering a player Pass system. This allows us to focus on the occasional customer as much as our regulars.”
SANTA PAULA — With temperatures expected to reach 90 degrees or higher for several consecutive days this week, the City of Santa Paula will open a cooling center at the Santa Paula Community Center to provide residents with a place to find relief from the heat.
The cooling center will be located in the front lobby of the Santa Paula Community Center, 530 W. Main St., Santa Paula, and will be open this Wednesday, September 9 through Thursday, September 10, from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Residents using the cooling center will have access to:
Ventura County students are invited to showcase their artistic talents by designing logos for the 2027 Academic Decathlon, Batalla de los Libros, Battle of the Books, Mock Trial, Science Fair, and Civic Action Project.
The winning designs will be featured on event lapel pins, awards, and competition materials. Students can compete for the opportunity to leave their mark on these prestigious events and win a plaque at the competition awards ceremonies. The deadline to submit entries is Friday, October 16, and details on how to enter are available at this link.
Global economic analyst Rana Foroohar, two-time Olympic gold medalist Alysa Liu, OB-GYN Mary Claire Haver and MacArthur Fellow Danielle Allen will address topical issues including the economy and national security, academic freedom, women’s health and how we define success
MCASB presents two solo exhibitions: Alexis Childress: Migration, Memory, Movement and Tristan Esmino: sa gawi ng araw as part of the ongoing MCASB Satellite Gallery program at the Riviera Beach House in the heart of Santa Barbara’s Funk Zone neighborhood. Childress is a recent MFA graduate from UCSB, and Esmino is an MFA candidate at USC. Linked by the artists’ use of textiles and themes of landscape and ancestry, the two exhibitions will be installed throughout the gallery, in conversation.
VENTURA — With the Medicare Open Enrollment period soon to begin, the Health Insurance Counseling and Advocacy Program (HICAP) – part of the Ventura County Area Agency on Aging, a division of the Human Services Agency – will again be providing countywide resources and help.
Medicare Open Enrollment begins on October 15 and runs through December 7. HICAP counselors, who are registered by the California Department of Aging, provide free, unbiased Medicare counseling to the public.
Soil scientist Iris Holzer will help lead the team updating greenhouse gas accounting guidelines for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
MOORPARK — Moorpark College’s student-athletes turned a championship-heavy year and conference-best academics into the Western State Conference’s (WSC) 2025–26 Commissioner’s Cup title.
The prestigious recognition, previously known as the Conference Supremacy Award, recognizes colleges for their athletic excellence in WSC competition in the conference’s 20 sponsored sports coupled with academic achievement as a department. Moorpark Raiders teamed up to take home the win by earning five WSC titles in the 2025-26 academic year and posting the best overall GPA of 3.37 among its student-athletes.
SANTA BARBARA — The Santa Barbara Athletic Round Table (SBART) is pleased to announce that Santa Barbara native Gabe Grandcolas has been named president of its board of directors, taking on a leadership role with an organization that has supported and celebrated local student-athletes for nearly 60 years.
Grandcolas brings deep roots in the Santa Barbara community to the role. He graduated from Santa Barbara High School, where he was a high school baseball pitcher, before heading to the University of Southern California’s Marshall School of Business, where he graduated cum laude. As the Sales Director with the Knight Real Estate Group, Grandcolas built his reputation on careful listening, creative problem-solving and giving clients a clear understanding of their options, whether they are selling a family property or looking to call the greater Santa Barbara area home.
SANTA BARBARA — Noah Luken, the 2026-27 Associated Students of UCSB’s Executive Vice President of Local Affairs, has been appointed to serve on the Isla Vista Community Services District (CSD or IVCSD) board of directors. Luken will fill the remaining term of Director Edward Pilotte, a recent graduate of UC Santa Barbara.
“I applied for the IVCSD Board of Directors to bridge the institutional gap between the two most influential public-facing entities in Isla Vista — Associated Students and the Community Services District,” said Luken, a fourth-year economics and philosophy double major at UCSB. “This will allow for greater collaboration and coordinated efforts when addressing issues faced by students and Isla Vista residents.”
Over seven weeks, you’ll explore the science and solutions behind the climate crisis facing our region, hear from local experts and climate leaders, and connect with others who want to make a difference. You’ll have chances to put what you learn into practice through hands-on field experiences and a stewardship project centered on an issue you care about. You don’t have to do it alone — we’ll be there to guide you!
“On behalf of the Oxnard community, we thank Chief Benites for his steadfast leadership of the department over the past six years and his decades of service dedicated to keeping Oxnard safe,” said Nguyen. “We’re fortunate to have strong leadership within our Police Department, and I am confident that Rocky Marquez will continue the department’s commitment to excellence and service to our community as our next Police Chief.”
• Back-to-School Distribution
• World Oceans Day — 4th Annual
• Classic Car Show
• 13th Annual Banana Festival — Sept. 26, 2026
VENTURA — Fifteen years ago, Salena Bracamontes took a leap into business ownership and opened the doors to her own State Farm agency. Today, she’s built so much more than a successful business with the Salena Bracamontes Insurance Agency, she’s built a dedicated team, lasting relationships with clients, and a reputation for showing up for the people and community she cares about.
SANTA BARBARA — For families with babies and toddlers, diapers are not optional—but for too many families across Santa Barbara County, having enough diapers each month can be a serious financial challenge. In recognition of National Diaper Need Awareness week, LEAP is calling on community members to help ensure local families have access to this basic necessity by donating diapers and wipes through its annual month-long community diaper drive.
“Every donation helps us put diapers in the hands of parents who need them most,” said Lori Goodman, CEO of LEAP. “Together, we can relieve some of the daily stress families face and make sure babies across our county have the healthy start they deserve.”
CARPINTERIA — Girls Inc. of Carpinteria is happy to announce that their on-campus community food pantry will be relocating and transitioning into the care of trusted community partner Carpinteria Children’s Project.
Over the coming weeks, team members from both organizations will work closely together to ensure a seamless transition that provides members of the Carpinteria community with continued access to household necessities and kitchen staples.
The decision to transfer stewardship of the food pantry is one that allows Girls Inc. of Carpinteria to focus its resources on impacting girls in the community and continuing its core mission of inspiring all girls to be strong, smart, and bold.
In partnership with the City of Camarillo, the Economic Development Collaborative has launched the City of Camarillo Business Assistance Loan Fund. This low-interest program is specifically designed to prioritize the vibrant business community in the City of Camarillo. Start-ups can get the necessary capital to launch their ventures and established businesses can secure funds to fuel their growth. With abundant opportunities for collaboration, a diverse customer base and an environment of innovation, Camarillo is a perfect place to start or grow your business.
I am writing this letter whilst attending the National Adult Day Services Association conference with our Program Director (recently promoted!), Nerely, and Lead Program Specialist/Volunteer Coordinator, Mary. We are thrilled to be here learning about ways to further improve and expand FC’s programs and services, but do forgive any lack of cohesion in this letter, as traveling to Providence took us more plane time than my trips to and from school in Australia. Four legs of flight, a cross-state-lines Uber, and we are here!
SANTA BARBARA — The City and County Housing Authorities are asking community members to complete a short rental market survey.
A SB County-wide request is being made to renters and rental property owners to complete a short rental market survey to help determine the true cost of rental housing.
First Thursdays Food Trucks returns to Downtown Oxnard this Thursday, Sept. 3rd! Dinner, dessert, drinks — and plenty of choices all in one place. Grab your crew and make a night of it in Downtown Oxnard!
Live music + 13 Food Trucks + Marketplace
“Predevelopment financing is often the hardest capital to secure, but it’s what allows a project like Gateway Grove to move from an idea to groundbreaking,” said Linda Braunschweiger, CEO of Housing Trust Fund Ventura County. “By stepping in early, we’re helping the Santa Paula Housing Authority, Many Mansions, and Homes & Hope turn a vacant motel into 21 homes for people who need them most, including veterans who have served our country.”
CAMARILLO — The Ventura County Community Foundation Scholarship Program has awarded $2,009,312 to students across the county for the 2026 season, exceeding the nonprofit’s past scholarship grantmaking record.
“As another incredible scholarship season closes and we enter a new school year, we are proud to celebrate the hard work and promise of the students this program exists to serve,” said Kirsti Vomund, VCCF scholarship director. “This year, we awarded 610 scholarships to 441 students, making this our biggest award year ever!”
This special event would not be possible without our incredible award recipients and the meaningful work they do for our Ventura County community, as well as our presenters, sponsors, donors, performers, volunteers, vendors, and United Way staff. We are so grateful for your support and partnership in making this celebration a success!
SANTA BARBARA — Rob Fredericks, Executive Director and CEO of the Housing Authority of the City of Santa Barbara, has announced his intent to retire at the end of December 2027, following more than three decades of service to the Housing Authority and nearly twelve years as its Executive Director/CEO.
Fredericks shared his planned retirement with the Housing Authority Commission to provide ample time for a thoughtful, orderly, and successful leadership transition. The advance notice will allow the Commission to develop a recruitment and transition plan for the agency’s next Executive Director/CEO, while ensuring continued stability for the residents, participants, staff, partners, and community members who depend on the Housing Authority’s work.
SANTA ROSA VALLEY — With the holidays less than 90 days out, now is the prime time to consider booking arrangements in order to maximize savings on costs as well as time.
Typically, the Wednesday before Thanksgiving is the busiest travel day of the year in the U.S. If you plan to travel on that day, you will definitely need to get ahead of the holiday rush. Booking ahead allows you more flexibility to adjust travel dates if necessary and can help lessen the stress of having to book everything last minute.
Additionally, as the holidays near, flight prices will increase as availability dwindles and demand escalates. By securing bookings in advance, travelers increase their likelihood to secure the best pricing for their trips.
SANTA PAULA — The Santa Paula Chamber of Commerce is pleased to announce a robust lineup of community events throughout September 2026. From the beloved monthly Cruise Night — kicking off a festive Labor Day weekend — to a Candidates Forum ahead of the November election, a ribbon cutting celebrating new housing investment and a downtown business mixer, September promises to be one of the most active and community-centered months of the year in historic Santa Paula.
This month, Free Family Day returns! Plus, don’t miss the premiere of Gail Faulkner: A Lasting Impression, an artist talk with Ojai artists Wrona Gall and Ted Gall, more than a dozen new classes, and more.
VENTURA — Students for Eco-Education and Agriculture (SEEAG) has received a $40,000 grant from AgWest Farm Credit to help prepare and develop the organization’s new Southbank Learning Farm, a 3.63-acre agricultural education and workforce development site located behind the Ventura County Juvenile Facilities in Oxnard.
The grant will support the development of a unique community resource where agriculture serves as a catalyst for education, career exploration, food security, environmental stewardship, and new opportunities for local youth.
Classicist Helen Morales discusses Parton’s radical empathy and the cultural power that let her hold contradictions — and people — together.
“We are thrilled to welcome Midpoint Organic Transplants to the Ojai food and farming community,” said Whitney Clapper, Co-Founder and Executive Director of Farmhand Foundation. “By providing organic farmers with the high-quality starts they need to keep growing healthy food, Midpoint is filling a vital role in our regional food system. Having this resource close to home strengthens our local growers, supports the continued production of fresh, thoughtfully grown food, and helps build a more resilient agricultural community for the future. Farmhand Foundation was proud to help Midpoint get off the ground through grant writing, encouragement, and plenty of cheerleading along the way, and we look forward to continuing to support their work however we can as they grow.”
For HACSB, however, the rating is not simply a measure of financial strength. It is another tool to advance the agency’s mission. HACSB measures success in human terms: more families with safe and stable homes, more seniors able to age with dignity, stronger neighborhoods, and more residents connected to opportunities and pathways to self-sufficiency.
“AB 2125 protects small farmers and individual water rights holders by ensuring they are properly notified of adjudications that impact their rights,” said Assemblymember Steve Bennett. “In Ventura County, the Las Posas adjudication affected thousands of residents, many of whom never received notice.”
“It is especially exciting to win a place for CSUCI in a fiercely competitive grant sought after by our nation’s greatest science institutions. Only 5% of applications were selected for funding,” said Feister. “This honor is a testament to the strength of the research being done at CSUCI and the expertise of our faculty. We may be a small institution, but we’re doing research that can make a meaningful contribution to some of the nation’s most ambitious scientific and technological efforts.”
Are you a homeowner age 62 or older?
You may have questions about how your home can support your financial goals during retirement.
My Way Home offers free reverse mortgage counseling to help senior homeowners understand how a reverse mortgage works and whether it may be right for their individual situation.
Exhibitions & Events
Sept 1 – 13
Sing Karaoke and
Create Your Own Art!
‘Robot Karaoke’ written in bold yellow and blue text over an image of silhouetted people singing karaoke.
Image courtesy of Jamie Brew
ROBOT KARAOKE
Thursday, September 3, 5 – 8 pm
On your 1st Thursday Art Walk, sing songs you know with never-before-sung lyrics generated from bizarre Internet datasets. Spam emails to the tune of “Sweet Caroline” OkCupid profiles in the style of “Pink Pony Club” The choice is yours! Comedian and writer Jamie Brew creates parodies for you to perform in real time using software from the utmost frontier of karaoke research. This event celebrates the final month of the special exhibition RANDOM-ACCESS MEMORY: Internet Art. FREE.
LEARN MORE
Earlier this year, the local 6th grader was attending a Girl Scout camporee when her best friend and fellow Scout suddenly began choking on a marshmallow and couldn’t breathe. Without hesitation, Gemma recognized the emergency and sprang into action. She administered back blows, successfully clearing the obstruction. She then stayed by her friend’s side, comforting and reassuring her until adults arrived.
For over 75 years, California YMCA Youth & Government has provided high school youth with a learning program modeling California’s legislature and courts. The program offers teen participants the opportunity to learn how government works, collaborate with others, make new friends and build skills such as critical thinking, persuasive public speaking, writing and research.
Help the County Plan for Disasters – Share your feedback!
What hazards concern you most in Ventura County and what should we be doing now to prepare for them?
That’s what Ventura County’s Hazard Mitigation Plan is all about. Simply put, it’s a roadmap for identifying the disasters most likely to impact our communities and taking steps before they happen to reduce damage and protect the people, places and services we rely on. And we need your input!
Take our short survey by September 15th and tell us
VENTURA COUNTY — Cabrillo Economic Development Corporation (Cabrillo EDC) and the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Oxnard and Port Hueneme announced the successful completion of their inaugural Summer to Remember program, an eight-week enrichment initiative that served 15 children living at Dolores Huerta Gardens Apartments in Oxnard from June 22 through August 14. The program brought free, on-site academic support, recreation and creative programming directly to the community where these children live, marking Cabrillo EDC’s first partnership that expands summer services for young residents.
A couple of weeks ago, I randomly chose a book to read from one of the “little libraries” that people put up in their front yards. Despite considering myself somewhat of an optimist, a book by Timothy Egan, The Worst Hard Time, caught my eye.
This book is about the Great American Dust Bowl, that period of our history marked by immense environmental, economic, and agricultural hardship. The Dust Bowl coincided with the Great Depression, something that my parents and grandparents lived through—and fortunately survived.
One of California’s safest cities is preparing for a September debate over why its 15 fixed Flock license plate reader cameras remain in place after Ventura County data was made available to out-of-state and federal agencies in violation of California law.
During a one-month period in early 2025, out-of-state agencies ran more than 364,000 searches against the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office’s Flock network, even though VCSO believed national access had been disabled since 2023. Immigration enforcement was referenced in the justifications for 299 searches. Flock has acknowledged that the access was unauthorized but said its technical logs cannot fully explain how it occurred.
Friendship Center is 50! Wow!
For 35 years this September, I have the joy of being part of this very special community. Many of you receiving this email, I know personally. I’ve had the privilege of connecting with so many members, families, and friends through my many roles at Friendship Center, from directing our buses and taking members on field trips to leading our Connections program, working at our Montecito and Goleta locations, running the Gold Program, and now serving as our Membership Liaison.
VENTURA — The Ventura County Board of Supervisors recently recognized twenty-five County of Ventura employees for their longstanding commitment to public service and whose careers collectively span 680 years. Celebrated during the Board of Supervisors regular meeting on Tuesday, August 18, the employees marked career milestones of 25, 30 and 35 years of employment with County agencies. Over the course of their careers, the employees have helped deliver essential services, respond to changing community needs, and provide the experience and expertise that keep County operations moving forward.
With each honoree marking at least 25 years of County service, their careers represent decades of institutional knowledge and commitment to public service that have helped shape the programs and services Ventura County residents rely on today.
Lea en español | Received this from a friend? Subscribe! eNewsletter | August 2026 Here’s to 56 years! This month, nearly 200 People’s team members from throughout the Central Coast came together to mark the milestone. Friend, The coming months will…
Thursday, September 10 | 5:30–9:30 PM
Sherwood Country Club, Thousand Oaks
Step back into the glamour of the 1920s for an unforgettable evening celebrating Ventura County’s remarkable role in the early days of filmmaking. Join us for Taste of History: The Silent Movie Era, featuring fine dining, vintage-inspired cocktails, live entertainment, dancing, and an exciting live auction.
The evening will also feature the presentation of the Museum of Ventura County’s Lifetime Achievement Awards honoring Chuck Cohen and Joanie Young. Celebrate their extraordinary contributions to Ventura County and their lasting impact on our community.
One Step A La Vez is in an important season of growth, reflection, and renewal. As we look toward the future, we also want to honor the people whose dedication and service have helped shape our organization. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to Amanda Garza, Diana Madrigal and Yuliana Suarez, who recently departed One Step after many years of commitment to our youth, families, and community. Their time, energy, care, and talents have left a lasting impact, and we are deeply grateful for all they contributed to One Step’s journey.
