Category: News

Bilingual report — County Executive Office presents $2.55 billion balanced preliminary budget for FY 2021-2022

by Community Contributor • June 10, 2021 • Comments Off

The County Executive Office presented a $2.55 billion balanced Preliminary Budget for FY 2021-2022 at Tuesday’s Board of Supervisors Meeting. “A balanced budget means that we can continue to provide critical core services such as health, social and safety services, street and road maintenance and enhance key areas of public health and mental health services with a continued commitment of services for individuals facing homelessness,” said County Executive Officer Mike Powers. “I appreciate the hard work of our Board of Supervisors and County team in the strategic management of public funds. This careful stewardship has resulted in strong reserves enabling the County to move quickly in response to the pandemic, such as feeding vulnerable older adults and housing those facing homelessness and testing. This extensive community support during the pandemic has been in addition to enhanced funding of critical services.”

Consulado de Mexico en Oxnard — Apoyos económicos

by Community Contributor • June 10, 2021 • Comments Off

El Consulado de México en Oxnard reconoce la decisión de la Ciudad de Oxnard de otorgar estímulos económicos a trabajadores de supermercados y farmacias.

La decisión adoptada por el Consejo de la Ciudad de Oxnard la semana pasada es una valiosa muestra de apoyo a una parte importante de sus trabajadores esenciales, muchos de los cuales son de origen mexicano y que a lo largo del último año continuaron su trabajo en medio de condiciones muy difíciles por la pandemia del COVID-19.

UCSB — The Current — ‘Promise and Persistence’ and more news

by Community Contributor • June 10, 2021 • Comments Off

Promise Scholar and Guardian Scholar graduates reflect on obstacles overcome, goals met and big plans for the future.

Mayor John C. Zaragoza to Present Virtual State of the City Address on June 17

by Community Contributor • June 9, 2021 • Comments Off

Mayor John C. Zaragoza will present his first annual State of the City address at a virtual event hosted by the Oxnard Chamber of Commerce on Thursday, June 17, 2021, at 1 p.m.
“While we have endured many challenges over the past year, I am excited for the future of Oxnard,” said Mayor Zaragoza. “Thanks to the voters’ approval of Measure E, we will have our first positive budget in more than a decade. We are beginning our first year of restoring many services that our community needs and deserves. Together with my City Council colleagues, we established our 5-year priorities, which provide a roadmap for continued progress.”

United Way of Ventura County’s 2021 Stuff The Bus Campaign

by Community Contributor • June 9, 2021 • Comments Off

You can help pave the path to academic success for a child from a homeless or low-income family. Furthermore, your support not only provides essential school supplies – studies show that it also promotes learning, building self-esteem, and helps ensure that our youth stay in school.

Because of the economic impact of the COVID-19 crisis, we know that the need for support among families that are homeless and low-income families has increased greatly. So your help is needed this year more than ever.

It can cost as little as $11.00 to provide a full set of supplies for a student in need! Please consider sponsoring a student(s) with a complete package.

CSUCI among the top 30 ‘Most Promising Places To Work In Student Affairs’ for the seventh year in a row

by Community Contributor • June 9, 2021 • Comments Off

Hiring and maintaining a diverse staff and making sure all of their voices are heard are some of the main reasons CSU Channel Islands’ (CSUCI) Division of Student Affairs has been named one of the “2021 Most Promising Places to Work in Student Affairs” for the seventh consecutive year.

The list of universities and colleges across the nation that made the top 30 will be published in Diverse: Issues in Higher Education on June 10. Diverse has been releasing the Most Promising list for eight consecutive years.

People’s Self-Help Housing — NeighborWorks Week 2021

by Community Contributor • June 9, 2021 • Comments Off

People’s Self-Help Housing is celebrating NeighborWorks Week alongside hundreds of NeighborWorks America organizations throughout the country. This week is aimed at highlighting neighborhood vitality and nationwide efforts in building strong communities.

In recognition of NeighborWorks Week, we invite you to watch a new videofrom the PSHH IDEA Commission to see how they are building strong communities through Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and most importantly, Action!

PizzaMan Dan’s coming soon to The Collection at RiverPark

by Community Contributor • June 9, 2021 • Comments Off

PizzaMan Dan’s, a local favorite for pizza, subs, wings and more, will soon be opening a new location in The Annex Food Hall at The Collection at RiverPark.

This will be PizzaMan Dan’s ninth location, with other locations serving Ventura, Oxnard, Port Hueneme, Moorpark, Carpinteria and Camarillo. When it comes to pizza, PizzaMan Dan’s offers beloved classics and specialty options, with 24 ingredients and five sauces to choose from. The restaurant also serves hot wings — selling more than 100,000 pounds of wings in Ventura County each year. In addition to pizza and wings, the menu includes other appetizers, salads, subs and desserts.

Ramping Up for 2021 Wildfire Season, Cal OES Deploys New Type VI Fire Engines to Los Angeles Area

by Community Contributor • June 9, 2021 • Comments Off

As California closes in on yet another wildfire season, the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) continues its mission to support, strengthen, and supply local fire jurisdictions with the critical resources necessary to respond to emergencies and disasters.

Today, Cal OES announced the transfer of seven new Type VI fire engines to Los Angeles area fire jurisdictions as part of the California Fire and Rescue Mutual Aid System. Type VI fire engines are a widely used fire engine in wildland-urban interface fire response because of their versatility, maneuverability, off-road abilities, and fire suppression capabilities.

Actualización de la vacuna COVID-19 el 8 de junio de 2021

by Community Contributor • June 8, 2021 • Comments Off

Desde la última actualización del 3 de junio de 2021, hay 93 nuevos casos de COVID-19 y 13,994 pruebas adicionales. Ha habido 2 muertes adicionales. Nuestro más sentido pésame a los seres queridos de los fallecidos.

Economic Development Collaborative (EDC) — Weekly Webinar Schedule

by Community Contributor • June 8, 2021 • Comments Off

The Economic Development Collaborative encourages you to sign up for our partners’ no-costwebinars. Space is limited. Register today!

Combatting Teen Vaping is Focus of New Website

by Community Contributor • June 8, 2021 • Comments Off

The Ventura County Office of Education has launched a new website called The Triple Threat to Teen Health that’s aimed at combatting the serious problem of teen vaping. The website is available in English and Spanish at vaping.vcoe.org. “While many may think vaping is a safer alternative to smoking cigarettes, the most popular vaping products all contain nicotine and have a high potential for addiction,” said Dr. César Morales, Ventura County Superintendent of Schools. “This new website gives parents, guardians, students and educators an important tool to learn about the real risks that vaping poses to our students,” he said.

UCSB — The Current — Virtually Finished

by Community Contributor • June 8, 2021 • Comments Off

Campus will graduate 6,893 students for 2020-2021; celebrations will include Grad Walk and a virtual event featuring Oprah Winfrey.

Bilingual report — County of Ventura awarded highest credit ratings and successful financing

by Community Contributor • June 8, 2021 • Comments Off

The nation’s two top credit ratings firms – Moody’s Investors Service and Standard & Poor’s Rating Services – have awarded the County with their highest short-term credit ratings. The credit considerations noted that the County’s financial performance will remain solid.

Santa Paula Art Museum — Artist Michelle Jung is “Making Waves”

by Community Contributor • June 8, 2021 • Comments Off

Bay Area artist Michelle Jung is Making Waves at the Santa Paula Art Museum this summer! The artist has a particular fondness for the sea as she has lived near the coast—first east, then west—for most of her life. Making Waves is a large-scale, immersive presentation of seascape oil paintings that invites viewers to experience the beauty, energy and drama of the Pacific coast.

You’ll definitely want to see this stunning show in person, but like all of our current exhibits, Making Waves is also available to enjoy online.

LightGabler’s Kathleen Fellows and Monnett De La Torre Named to 2021 Super Lawyers’ Rising Star List

by Community Contributor • June 8, 2021 • Comments Off

Kathleen M. Fellows and Monnett De La Torre, attorneys with the Camarillo-based employment law firm LightGabler, have been named to the 2021 Super Lawyers’ Rising Star list of Southern California attorneys. Each year, no more than 2.5 percent of lawyers are selected by the research team at Super Lawyers to receive this honor.

This is the third year that Fellows has been selected and the first year for De La Torre.

VCCDC announces California State Treasurer, Fiona Ma as keynote speaker of June 26 virtual Homeownership Conference

by Community Contributor • June 7, 2021 • Comments Off

We’re excited to announce California State Treasurer, Fiona Ma, as our Keynote Speaker at this year’s Homeownership Conference! Ma has had a renowned career in public service, having been involved with many initiatives and committees in California’s government. She was elected on November 6, 2018 with more votes (7,825,587) than any other candidate for treasurer in the state’s history. She is the first woman of color and the first woman Certified Public Accountant (CPA) elected to the position.

County of Ventura Human Services Agency Partners with SEEAG To Increase CalFresh Student Enrollment

by Community Contributor • June 7, 2021 • Comments Off

The County of Ventura Human Services Agency is partnering with Students for Eco-Education and Agriculture (SEEAG) to increase CalFresh enrollment and food access among students and families served by SEEAG’s Ventura County Child Wellness Initiative (VCCWI). CalFresh provides monthly food benefits to individuals and families with low-incomes.

SEEAG’s VCCWI began in 2017. SEEAG staff members travel in an agricultural and nutritional-themed Farm Fresh Mobile Classroom van to Ventura County elementary schools to educate, inspire and empower children and their families to increase their consumption of locally grown fresh fruits and vegetables.

The Ventura County Class of 2021 Impresses and Inspires Amid Pandemic Challenges

by Community Contributor • June 7, 2021 • Comments Off

After an entire school year in the shadow of the coronavirus pandemic, we are beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Last year’s drive-through graduation events are being replaced with in-person ceremonies – some of them even held indoors.

Like the class of 2020 before them, high school students in the graduating class of 2021 have shown incredible resilience and perseverance throughout the pandemic. They’ve adapted to distance learning and social distancing and the strange realities of returning to school during a global health emergency.

Oxnard College Raises Pride Flag Above Campus to Honor Pride Month

by Community Contributor • June 7, 2021 • Comments Off

In honor of Pride Month, Oxnard College became Ventura County’s first higher-education institution to raise the LGBTQ+ Progress Pride flag over its campus. The flag-raising ceremony took place on June 1 and was in collaboration with the Diversity Collective, Ventura County’s LGBTQ Oxnard chapter. The flag will fly through June.

“If America stands for anything, it stands for the ideal of liberty and justice for all,” shared Luis Sanchez, president of Oxnard College. “Oxnard College welcomes students from all backgrounds and identities, and we proudly raise the Pride flag above our campus as a symbol of our commitment to equality for all human beings and a celebration of our LGBTQ+ community.”

Bilingual report — El Concilio Family Services — Youth ages 12 and up can now get vaccinated against COVID-19

by Community Contributor • June 7, 2021 • Comments Off

Youth ages 12 and up can now get vaccinated against COVID-19

Tom Fisher Announced as New President of Montecito Rotary Club

by Community Contributor • June 7, 2021 • Comments Off

Tom Fisher has been named the new president of the Rotary Club of Montecito.

Fisher and his wife, Lora, are both long-time Rotarians and transferred to the Rotary Club of Montecito after relocating to Santa Barbara three years ago. He will begin his new role as president on July 1, 2021.

LifeLine Medical Transport in Ventura now part of Global Medical Response

by Community Contributor • June 7, 2021 • Comments Off

Gold Coast Ambulance, a Global Medical Response (GMR) ground medical transport company, announced that it has finalized its purchase agreement with LifeLine Medical Transport in Ventura, California, on May 31.

COVID Casts Stark Light on Structural Inequalities in California

by Community Contributor • June 4, 2021 • Comments Off

… “If everyone had had the same opportunities to shelter at home, use personal protective equipment, get tested, and see a doctor at the first possible symptoms, there would have been very little difference between the state’s R/E groups,” said David E. Hayes-Bautista, Distinguished Professor of Medicine with the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and Director of CESLAC.

The Latino death rate, for example, went from merely twice as high as the NHW death rate in May 2020, to nearly six times as high by April 2021. With some minor variations, all other non-white R/E groups showed similar, growing disparities, resulting in higher and higher death rates.

Bilingual commentary — Walking on Water, Walking Into Walls

by Community Contributor • June 4, 2021 • Comments Off

People in our lives who can “do no wrong,” such as doctors, teachers, religious leaders—and, yes, even some lawyers and politicians—are said to “walk on water.” This is in reference to the biblical story about the time that the disciples of Jesus were crossing the Sea of Galilee. Jesus was not with them. The water was turbulent, and they feared for their lives. According to the narration, they suddenly saw Jesus walking toward them on the water. One of the disciples, Peter, armed with the faith that moves mountains, got out of the boat and likewise started walking on the water toward Jesus. That is, until his faith wavered, at which point he began sinking like a rock, just as any of the rest of us would.

Bilingual report — County of Ventura COVID-19 Update for June 3, 2021

by Community Contributor • June 3, 2021 • Comments Off

Gabriel Ramirez served as a Disaster Service Worker and is now returning entirely to his duties at the Public Works Agency as an Engineering Tech, where he focuses on research and development in the areas of geographic Information systems, computer programming, remote sensing, and video development.

He has been an important part of COVID-19 response including supervising a testing site at the start of the pandemic. As a videographer, Gabriel has also been helping to share important messages with our diverse community in Ventura County. He is pictured above filming Euclides del Moral, head of the Mexican Consulate in Oxnard, encouraging the community to get vaccinated.

We thank County Disaster Service Workers, like Gabriel, who have helped us get through the pandemic. We are so grateful for their service to our community.

Bilingual report — County of Ventura reports COVID spending plan totals $373 million in support

by Community Contributor • June 3, 2021 • Comments Off

“The pandemic impacted just about every part of our community and economy,” said County Executive Officer Mike Powers. “We budgeted and allocated funds in order to address multiple community health, social and economic impacts as well as basic needs.” The County’s COVID-19 Spending Plan encompasses costs incurred by the County from March 2020 through June 30, 2021. The plan is comprised of actual costs to-date and estimated costs through the end of June 2021 reported out now as the County reaches the end of the fiscal year.

UCSB — The Current — ‘Play Time’ and more news

by Community Contributor • June 3, 2021 • Comments Off

The Department of Theater and Dance teams with Isla Vista Arts to present the 17th-century play “Life Is a Dream” in a 21st-century Zoom performance.

‘A Taste of Camarillo’ is Happening on July 25

by Community Contributor • June 3, 2021 • Comments Off

The Meadowlark Service League is hosting “A Taste of Camarillo” this year on Sunday, July 25, from Noon -4pm, at the historic Camarillo Ranch, and spaces are already filling up for the region’s longest running wine, food, and brew festival. Due to reduced planning time with COVID, this year’s event will be a smaller, and more intimate event than in past years, so get your tickets while they last.

Community Market at Oxnard College to Reopen June 6

by Community Contributor • June 2, 2021 • Comments Off

The Community Market at Oxnard College, which operates every Sunday on the Oxnard College campus, will reopen June 6. Shopping hours are 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. with 150 vendors selling merchandise and produce; food trucks are also onsite.

The Community Market is located on the Oxnard College campus, 4000 South Rose Ave., Oxnard.

People’s Self-Help Housing — Introducing Building Together | PSHH’s 2021 Annual Appeal

by Community Contributor • June 2, 2021 • Comments Off

Home is where it all begins. Health, well-being, and career success all stem from having a safe and supportive place to thrive. Every day at PSHH we are building so much more than housing, but we can’t do it without you. Join us in building vibrant communities, independence & resilience, and successful futures. Let’s all ‘Build Together’!