Category: News

Ventura County Animal Services — Husky Week Promotion (11/11-11/19)

VENTURA COUNTY — Over 40 Siberian Huskies currently reside at the Camarillo and Simi Valley Shelter.  Animal Welfare officials believe the increase of this breed’s appearance in local shelters is, in part, due to the popularity of the HBO series Game of Thrones, where Huskies played integral roles.

To help Ventura County Animal Services (VCAS) find homes for these beautiful dogs, they are holding a rather creative promotional campaign called Husky Week, a parody of Discovery Channel’s Shark Week.  VCAS is waiving all adoption fees for Huskies (and Husky Mixes) from Saturday, November 11th – Sunday, November 19th.

Workzones CEO Pam Tanase inducted into Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Hall of Fame

SANTA BARBARA — Pam Tanase, who helped launch one of Santa Barbara’s first coworking spaces, Workzones, more than a decade ago, was recently inducted into the Ted Ducey Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Hall of Fame at Claremont McKenna College, her alma mater.

The Ted Ducey CMS Hall of Fame recognizes outstanding athletes, scholars and leaders within Claremont-Mudd-Scripps, an NCAA Division III athletic program comprised of student-athletes from three of the Claremont Colleges: Claremont McKenna, Harvey Mudd, and Scripps Colleges.

Ventura Land Trust donors, volunteers honored at Supporter Spotlight event

VENTURA — Ventura Land Trust (VLT) honored distinguished donors and volunteers at its annual Supporter Spotlight event on Friday, November 3rd. Ventura Land Trust supporters joined the VLT Board of Trustees and staff members for happy hour and dinner while celebrating the 2023 VLT accomplishments and community impact.

Moorpark College Named 2023 Champion of Higher Education for Excellence in Transfer

MOORPARK — Moorpark College has been named a 2023 Champion of Higher Education for Excellence in Transfer by The Campaign for College Opportunity (CCO). This recognition acknowledges the college’s exemplary work in advancing the Associate Degree for Transfer (ADT) program, a vital pathway that simplifies the transfer process for students and increases student success rates.

During the live honoree announcement on Nov. 1, the CCO revealed the 27 California Community Colleges and California State University campuses that have demonstrated outstanding commitment to improving transfer rates for students. Of the 27 institutions recognized, only 12 community colleges, including Moorpark, were acknowledged for excellence in transfer rates.

Economic Development Collaborative (EDC) free event and webinar schedule

SBA: INTRO TO GOVT CONTRACTING – CERTIFICATION

November 7 @ 10:00 am

This webinar will provide a brief overview of SBA programs and services, with an emphasis on SBA’s federal contracting resources! Have you considered, is government contracting a good fit for your business? This will be an intro to small business certification programs. Government contracts are a tremendous financial opportunity for small businesses, and the U.S. government is the largest customer in the world. It buys all types of products and services — in both large and small quantities — and it’s required by law to consider buying from small businesses. The SBA has several contracting assistance programs, and federal contracting resources available to assist entrepreneurs. This is a great opportunity to get any questions you may have answered and find out about the multiple resources available to help you on your way to small business success. SBA programs and services are extended to the public on a nondiscriminatory basis. For reasonable accommodation request please send an email to lado@sba.gov at least 7 days in advance.

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

People’s Self Help Housing — First Look: 2022-23 Impact Report | Primera vista: Informe de Impacto Anual

We invite you to take a look at our 2022-23 Impact Report, a compilation of the top milestones from this past year! For the first time, this report is available in both English & Spanish. Together, we are building so much more than housing!

Empowering Young Minds Through Play: Girls Inc. of Carpinteria Launches Recess Club in Carpinteria Schools to Encourage Physical Fitness, Educational Opportunities and Social Inclusion

CARPINTERIA — Girls Inc. of Carpinteria is proud to announce Recess Club within the Carpinteria School District!

Girls Inc. of Carpinteria is committed to promoting physical and hands-on activities while fostering an inclusive environment for children. The organization is thrilled to introduce Recess Club in elementary schools across the Carpinteria Valley. Recess Club’s mission is to create a secure and welcoming haven for students during school recess, providing engaging and interactive activities to enhance enrichment opportunities, teamwork, and social connections.

The Aspen Institute Again Names Moorpark, Oxnard, and Ventura Colleges among Top 150 U.S. Community Colleges Eligible for the 2025 Aspen Prize

CAMARILLO — The Aspen Institute has again named Moorpark, Oxnard, and Ventura colleges among the 150 institutions eligible to compete for the $1 million Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence, the nation’s signature recognition of high achievement and performance among two-year colleges. The institutions selected for this honor stand out among more than 1,000 community colleges nationwide as having high and improving levels of student success as well as equitable outcomes for Black and Hispanic students and those from lower-income backgrounds.

One805 Donated Seek Thermal FirePRO 300 Devices and SmartWool Socks to Santa Barbara County Firefighters Today

SANTA BARBARA — On Monday, November 6, 2023, One805 presented donations to Chris Mailes, President of the Fire Chiefs Association of Santa Barbara County. The event took place at 6300 Hollister Avenue at 12 p.m. 

Thirty-seven Seek Thermal FirePRO 300 devices, which help firefighters navigate through low visibility conditions by helping them see hazards invisible to the naked eye, were donated to Santa Barbara County Firefighters. One805 ran a “fundraiser within a fundraiser” at its One805Live! Fall Music Festival in September, earning enough to purchase fourteen Seek Thermal FirePRO 300 devices, with a promise from Seek Thermal to match, who exceeded its match promise with an additional nine extra devices to cover each fire station in the county. 

Día de los Muertos Celebrations continue through the 805 region

Editor’s note — While Día de los Muertos is traditionally celebrated on Nov. 1 (all Saints Day) and Nov. 2 (all Souls Day), a variety of organizations in the 805 region will be extending the celebration through this upcoming week. Here’s a sample of some of the upcoming events:

CAMARILLO — The 42nd annual “Día de los Muertos — The Grand Fandango De La Muerte” celebration will be held from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Nov. 4 at Conejo Mountain Funeral Home, Memorial Park & Crematory at 2052 Howard Road, Camarillo.

Ventura County Academic Competitions Seek Volunteers

Ventura County’s popular academic competitions are seeking volunteers to help present these events for local students. The Ventura County Academic Decathlon, Mock Trial, and Science Fair will be taking place next January, February and March. On average, more than 400 volunteer judges and scorers are needed to support the 2,500 students who participate. Please see below for additional information and links to online registration forms where you can sign up to volunteer.

Bilingual report — Golden Oaks Neighborhood in Ojai Earns Firewise Recognition

CAMARILLO — The Ventura County Fire Department congratulates the Golden Oaks neighborhood in Ojai, which became the sixth community in Ventura County to earn recognition from the National Fire Protection Association’s Firewise USA program.

Firewise recognizes communities that organize to reduce their wildfire risk by following best practices for vegetation management and home hardening.

“Ventura County has experienced devastating wildfires in recent years,” Fire Marshal Massoud Araghi said. “When neighborhoods come together to create defensible spaces and make it harder for embers to light buildings on fire, it significantly reduces the risk for the entire community.”

Central Coast Veterans Memorial Museum (CCVMM) Recognized by the US Library of Congress at October Dinner

The Central Coast Veterans Museum was recognized at the dinner by the US Library of Congress (LOC) as a top contributor to the LOC Veterans History Project. The Museum, located at 801 Grand Avenue, in San Luis Obispo,  was honored as the designated site on the Central Coast of California for veterans to record their oral histories as part of this nationwide project documenting the oral histories of America’s veterans, preserving the first person accounts of the men and women who have served our country, and civilians who worked in support roles to our armed forces during times of conflict.

Upcoming November Events (Nov. 1, 15) at the CLU School of Management!

MPPA Policy Talks Presents…
From Fields to Streams

Wednesday, November 1 | 6:00 – 7:00 pm | Thousand Oaks Campus
Explore the future of agriculture sustainability and environmental management through the lens of a coalition-based compliance model using the 2005-2023 public policy framework applied to the newly adopted Irrigated Lands Regulatory Program (ILRP) Waste Discharge Requirements.

Museum of Ventura County — Don’t Miss Out: 150th Anniversary of VC Programs and Events

State of the County

Ventura County 2023

Thursday, November 2

4:30 – 8:30 pm

@Reagan Presidential Library

Don’t miss the 2023 State of the County celebrating the County’s 150th Anniversary! Keynote speaker and County Executive Officer Dr. Sevet Johnson will share an update and unforgettable message followed by a networking reception under Air Force One. This in-person event is SOLD OUT, however Free Livestream will be available HERE and on the County of Ventura’s Facebook page. Mark your calendars and join us online!

Livingston Memorial Visiting Nurse Association — Grief Support During The Holidays

CAMARILLO — It’s that time of year when the expectations we place on ourselves can be unrealistic, especially when faced with the absence of a loved one. Livingston Memorial’s Grief and Bereavement Program offers multiple support groups that focus on restorative activities, seeking meaning and purpose, identifying changes to self, and receiving support in making life good again.

All support groups are free for the community.

Santa Barbara Law Firm Lands $9,750,000 Settlement for Victims of Life Insurance Ponzi Scheme

SANTA BARBARA — The law firm Foley Bezek Behle & Curtis, LLP (“FBBC”) obtained a $9.75 million settlement on behalf of almost 1,200 individuals ensnared in a fraudulent life insurance investment scheme involving Life Settlements between 2004 and 2014.

The $9,750,000 settlement, approved October 16 by Judge Lawrence P. Riff in the Superior Court of California, Los Angeles County, will allow investors to recoup thousands of dollars they lost to the scheme on a pro-rata basis based on the amount of their investment.

FBBC attorneys Thomas G. Foley, Jr., in Santa Barbara and Kevin D. Gamarnik in Costa Mesa initiated the litigation on behalf of plaintiffs Konstantin Shechter, Svetlana Averbukh and Arnold Applebaum in 2016. Co-counsels Richard E. Donahoo and Sarah L. Kokonas of the Tustin-based law firm Donahoo & Associates, PC, also played key roles in the litigation and settlement proceedings.

Bilingual report — Teatro de las Américas — El viaje de los esqueletos | PRESENTACIÓN ESPECIAL ***Día de los Muertos***

Este jueves 2 de noviembre ven a la función especial de El Viaje de los Esqueletos como parte del Paseo de las Artes de Oxnard (Oxnard Art Crawl)

Pre-show con: Rudy Razo (poeta chicano) y Araceli Collazo (cantante) a partir de las 7:00 p.m.

¡Deliciosos buñuelos y champurrado a la venta!

Presentación en exteriores en la parte trasera del teatro. Ven preparado con ropa invernal o tu cobijita, sarape o poncho favorito.

Santa Barbara County First District Supervisor Das Williams — Preparing for Wildfires

Wildfire Insurance and Preparedness I hear frequently about the acute level of crisis homeowners are facing when it comes to wildfire insurance — rates are going up dramatically, and in many cases, homeowners don’t have options because insurance companies aren’t…

Bilingual report — 12th annual Can-Tree Food Drive to be held Nov. 30 through Dec. 3

OXNARD — Food Share, Ventura County’s largest hunger-relief organization, is bringing its most popular community event back for the holidays! The 12th Annual CAN-tree food drive will take place in Figueroa Plaza from Thursday, November 30 when the trees will be built, through Sunday, December 3, 2022, when they will be dismantled. 

The event, which brings thousands of individuals, families, and local businesses together to collect and build hundreds of canned food “trees” is Food Share’s biggest food and fund drive of the year and is a critical source of food for the thousands of people still struggling with food insecurity in Ventura County. 

Bilingual report — Economic Development Collaborative (EDC) — National Veterans Small Business Week

The Economic Development Collaborative would like to recognize National Veteran’s Small Business Week. The EDC is dedicated to providing equal access to resources, advising and capital to all business owners. Since 2010, the EDC has provided over 3,000 hours of one-of-one business advising to Veteran-Owned businesses and has helped generate over $1 Billion in revenue.

The EDC is proud to support the community by providing professional technical assistance in English and Spanish through our Small Business Development Center. Our NO-COST advising areas include:

Amigos805 taking Fall break Nov. 1 through 6

Amigos805.com will be taking a short Fall break starting Wednesday, Nov. 1, back Monday, Nov. 6. Wishing you all a wonderful, safe and memorable Dia de Los Muertos celebration this week.

Museum of Contemporary Art Santa Barbara — Día de los Muertos Celebrations  Continue through November 5th

Our Dia de los Muertos celebrations kick off our year end giving campaign, and we would be so grateful and honored to have your support. It has been just over 10 months since a new leadership team reopened the Museum. We ask for your much needed support to take us into the new year. We are so incredibly grateful for the many individuals, foundations, and business that have been early adopters. 

Economic Development Collaborative (EDC) free event and webinar schedule

CMTC: PRODUCTIVITY AND COST REDUCTION TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS FOR CALIFORNIA MANUFACTURERS

November 1 @ 11:00 am

Changing environments requires efforts to enhance productivity, reduce errors and evaluate automaton to free up valuable human resources for higher-value initiatives. Enterprise Resource Planning has evolved to more than a financial or manufacturing system. Businesses are now able to improve their business insights, increase levels of efficiency, and enable reduction in operational costs. With centralized data, businesses can identify improvement opportunities and mine their data to achieve market advantages.

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

CSUCI’s 2023 Distinguished Alumnus ‘Gabby’ Vignonegoes from ‘wild child’ to executive director of nonprofit

CAMARILLO — Nicknamed “Gabby” when she and her friends hung out on the streets of Santa Barbara, CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI) 2023 Distinguished Alumni “Gabby” Vignone believes her formal name, “Gabrielle,” now suits her better.

“I think I’ve gotten to that ‘change’ point in life,” said Vignone, who graduated in 2016 with a bachelor’s degree in English. “I think we don’t know who we are for a while as we go through different changes and experiences that bring us to where we are now.”

Vignone will share the story of her evolution with the 350 guests expected to attend CSUCI’s 21st Annual President’s Dinner on Saturday, Oct. 28.

For Vignone, those experiences have included giving birth at 15, having her best friend killed by a train, falling in love with a man, raising four children with him, and having him die in prison.

Teacher’s Fund in Santa Barbara Celebrates Another Milestone: Over $2.1 Million in 21 Years Raised for Local Schools

SANTA BARBARA — The Teacher’s Fund celebrated its 21st year by hitting a significant milestone thanks to strong community support during its annual Supplies Drive: the non-profit serving Santa Barbara-area educators surpassed $2.1 million.

The Teacher’s Fund set an ambitious goal this year for its drive – and far exceeded it, thanks to the generosity of residents, local business leaders and entrepreneurs who answered the call to give back. In all, they raised more than $75,000 during this year’s drive.

UCSB — The Current — ‘Are sportier people better friends? New research looks at physical activity and close relationships’ and more news, events

In Professor Nancy Collins’ Close Relationships Lab, graduate student Paige Harris is exploring how physical activity and sports may impact romantic relationships and friendships.

Climate change is pushing more than 40% of amphibians toward extinction says study co-authored by CSUCI Biology faculty member

CAMARILLO — The world is in danger of losing almost half of its frogs, salamanders and other amphibians with climate change emerging as a greater threat than ever before. 

That’s according to a major new study co-authored by CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI) Assistant Professor of Biology Rudi von May and was the cover story for the October issue of the scientific journal, “Nature.” The study, called “Ongoing declines for the world’s amphibians in the face of emerging threats,” contains two decades worth of data from 8,000 amphibian species around the world.  

Bilingual report — Economic Development Collaborative (EDC) — Honoring National Women’s Small Business Month

The Economic Development Collaborative would like to recognize National Women’s Small Business Month. The EDC has supported over 875 Women owned small businesses this year alone and has helped generate over 100 jobs. The EDC is dedicated in supporting women with achieving their business goals.

The EDC is proud to support the community by providing professional technical assistance in English and Spanish through our Small Business Development Center. Our NO-COST advising areas include:

Launchpoint in Goleta Granted Patent For Hybrid Power System in Electric Flight

GOLETA — LaunchPoint Electric Propulsion Solutions, Inc. (“LaunchPoint”), a pioneer in advanced aerospace electric power generation and propulsion technologies, announced today the grant of US Patent 11,738,875 B2 “Lightweight, High-Efficiency, Energy-Dense, Hybrid Power System for Reliable Electric Flight”. This patent is a significant milestone in LaunchPoint’s greater mission to revolutionize electric flight and propel the aerospace industry into a new era of efficiency and reliability.

Apricot Lane Farms Added to the Ventura County Farm Day Lineup

VENTURA — Apricot Lane Farms, the home of the award-winning “Biggest Little Farm” documentary, is a participant in the 11th Annual Ventura County Farm Day, Saturday, November 4. The farm was added this week.

The Moorpark farm is offering free Farm Day Tours on a first come, first served basis. Pre-registration is required to enter the farm—use this Eventbrite link. Parking is limited, so carpooling is suggested.

Founded in 2011 by John and Molly Chester, Apricot Lane Farms currently spans 234 acres of countryside in Moorpark. It cultivates more than 200 varieties of fruits and vegetables; and raises sheep, cows, pigs, chickens and ducks with care and respect. The farm is Certified Organic and Biodynamic.

Bilingual report — Economic Development Collaborative (EDC) 411 Labor Market Report

Labor Market Report for September 2023

The California Labor Market Information Division released its September 2023 report earlier this month, showing moderate improvement across all the major labor market indicators. Ventura County gained a total of 2,800 industry jobs, helping to lower the unemployment rate from 4.7% in August to 4.5% in September. 

While those are positive indicators for the economy, more interesting was the increase in the total labor force by 5,900 workers, now at 418,800, an encouraging upsurge but still 2,300 workers shy of our pre-pandemic level in September 2019. It appears now that most of the workers that dropped out during COVID are back, except—and this is significant—for those who aged out of the labor force or left the region entirely. The “aging out” piece might be the biggest part of the story, as the demographics show we are aging as a region.

SBCC’s Raíces program hosts artist’s talk with Chicano mural painter, educator Manuel Unzueta on Oct. 26

SANTA BARBARA —  The Santa Barbara City College (SBCC) student empowerment program ¡Raíces: First Year and Beyond! is hosting a talk with internationally acclaimed artist Manuel Unzueta on Thursday, Oct. 26, at 6 p.m. at the SBCC East Campus Center. 

Unzueta will discuss his career as a muralist, educator, and community activist by highlighting “Metamorphosis of Reality,” the mural painted at East Campus Center with SBCC students in 1976. The event will begin with a reception at 6 p.m. outside the Campus Center near the mural. A talk with Unzueta will follow at 6:45 p.m. inside the Campus Center. 

According to his longtime friend and colega, Mark Alarado, “Unzueta is a Chicano muralist, and his work spans six decades to include masterpieces that live in La Casa de La Raza, along with other works at educational institutions throughout the South Coast, the Smithsonian Institute, Paris, Mexico City and El Paso, Texas.”