The Channel Islands YMCA Youth & Government Alliance joined more than 3,500 youth from across the state in Fresno this weekend for a Training & Elections conference held Jan. 16-18 at the Fresno Convention Center. More than 70 teens with…
Category: News
Bilingual commentary: The Spring 2016 Oxnard College Literature, Arts & Lecture Series
By David Magallanes / Guest contributor David Magallanes In an unexpected corner of Ventura County, we have access to an impressive array of educational, musical, literary, artistic, historical, poetic and theatrical presentations for our community—free of charge. That former “diamond in the rough”…
HSB and Santa Ynez Valley Union High School Partner for Student Bereavement
SANTA YNEZ — Hospice of Santa Barbara is partnering with Santa Ynez Valley Union High School to provide group and individual bereavement counseling free of charge to students on campus during school hours. Through this new partnership, school counselors will…
Acuna Art Gallery at the Café on A in Oxnard to present opening reception for artist ‘George Yepes y Amigos’ on Feb. 12
OXNARD — The Acuna Art Gallery at the Café on A in Oxnard will present the opening reception for artist “George Yepes y Amigos: from 6 to 9 p.m. Friday, Feb. 12 at 438 S. A St., Oxnard The exhibit will…
Bilingual report: Exhibit by Mexican artist Francisco Toledo to be held in Oxnard on Feb.19
OXNARD — An exhibit by world famous Mexican artist Francisco Toledo will be held at 6 p.m. Friday, Feb. 19 at the Mexican Consulate, 3151 W. Fifth St., Oxnard. The exhibit has been touring the globe over the past year. The event…
Bilingual report: Latino Thought Makers Series at Oxnard College to present ‘Conversation with Stars in Hollywood’ featuring Josefina Lopez (Real Women Have Curves), Luis Guzman (Code Black) on March 10
OXNARD — Oxnard College Institute for Latino Performing Arts proudly presents the next installment of the Latino Thought Makers series featuring nationally acclaimed writer, Josefina Lopez and multi-award winning actor, Luis Guzman. The series, led by writer-director-comedian, Rick Najera will take place on Thursday, March 10th at Oxnard College’s Performing Arts Center…
Las Contemporáneas of the Museum of Ventura County to present the 2nd annual Latina Film Festival on March 12, 13 in Ventura
VENTURA — Las Contemporáneas of the Museum of Ventura County proudly present the 2nd Annual Latina Film Festival. Come celebrate Latinas in film and help us pay special tribute to award-winning Actor/Writer/Producer, Evelina Fernández. March 12 & 13, 2016 The Latina…
Inlakech Cultural Arts Center to celebrate 43 years of service on Feb. 27
OXNARD — The Inlakech Cultural Arts Center will celebrate 43 years of service with a “Red Charro Suits and Raffle Fundraiser” from 4 to 8 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 27 at The Kitchen Restaurant, 529 S. A St., Oxnard. Featuring a new…
Bilingual report: Clinicas del Camino Real Inc. hosting dental health fair on Feb. 27 in honor of National Children’s Dental Health Month
OXNARD — February is National Children’s Dental Health Month. If you have a baby or toddler, you may have questions about thumb sucking, your child’s first dental visit or how and when to clean your child’s teeth. If so, on…
Bilingual report: Teatro de las Américas to present ‘Locuras en Wichita’ on March 11 and 12 at Oxnard College
OXNARD — The 2016 season begins when Teatro de las Américas and Oxnard College present Lina Gallegos’s comedy, WILD IN WICHITA, directed by Denise Blasor. Don’t miss this charming play. An elegant Puerto Rican woman and an irreverent Mexican man fall in love when they meet at…
Art Exhibition, with reception on Feb. 10, to Benefit Hospice Nonprofit
SANTA BARBARA — Hospice of Santa Barbara welcomes local artist Jim Hill, who will display his art at the Leigh Block Gallery located within Hospice of Santa Barbara — 2050 Alameda Padre Serra, Suite #100, Santa Barbara – beginning February…
CSU Channel Islands professor helps create ‘Latinos and Baseball’ exhibit at the Smithsonian
CAMARILLO — CSU Channel Islands (CI) Professor of Chicana/o Studies Jose Alamillo, Ph.D., helped launch an exhibit for the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History called “Latinos and Baseball: In the Barrios and the Big Leagues.” Alamillo and other scholars from across…
Local NAMI Chapter Offering ‘Family-to-Family’ Educational Course for Family Members of Adults Living with Mental Illness
SANTA BARBARA — The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Southern Santa Barbara County is inviting family members of adults living with serious mental health conditions to register for its upcoming “Family-to-Family” education program. The free, 12-session course is designed…
Reserve tickets for ‘El Bracero — A Mariachi Opera’ return performance at Oxnard College on Feb. 6
OXNARD — Back by popular demand!! “El Bracero — A Mariachi Opera,” will return at 7 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 6 at the Oxnard College Performing Arts Center, 4000 S. Rose Ave., Oxnard. El Bracero is a dynamic one-act “Mariachi Opera”…
Money in the pockets of working Californians
By Hannah-Beth Jackson Last year, California created the state’s first-ever Earned Income Tax Credit. This tax credit, which I supported, will put money back into the pockets of California’s low income working families to help pay for groceries, catch up…
CSU Channel Islands’ Student Affairs division earns national award for excellent diversity, staffing practices and work environment
CAMARILLO — Excellent diversity, staffing practices and work environment are among the reasons CSU Channel Islands (CI)’s Division of Student Affairs has won a designation as one of the “Most Promising Places to Work in Student Affairs” for a second year in a…
Jackson Introduces legislation to protect Californians from unsafe drone use
SACRAMENTO – State Senator Hannah-Beth Jackson (D-Santa Barbara) has just introduced a bill to set comprehensive limits around the use of drones near critical infrastructure such as bridges and power plants as well as in state parks and wildlife refuges,…
The Collection at RiverPark expands fashion empire adding Victoria’s Secret to its growing retail roster
UCSB to present ‘Culture Clash Muse & Morros: True Stories – Real People’ on Jan. 27
SANTA BARBARA — UCSB Arts & Lectures will present ‘Culture Clash Muse & Morros: True Stories – Real People’ at 8 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 27 at UCSB’s Campbell Hall. For 30 years, Culture Clash has scoured the nation searching for the…
Visiting Nurse & Hospice Care Announces Rosanna Dellegrotti MSN, RN as Quality, Compliance & Education Director
SANTA BARBARA – Visiting Nurse & Hospice Care (VNHC) welcomes Rosanna Dellegrotti MSN, RN, as new Director of Quality, Compliance & Education. Ms. Dellegrotti has more than 35 years of nursing experience; 22 years being in critical care and has held…
Visiting Nurse and Hospice Care Welcomes Kyrie Belme as Marketing and Public Relations Coordinator
SANTA BARBARA — Visiting Nurse & Hospice Care(VNHC) is pleased to announce Kyrie Belme as Marketing & Public Relations Coordinator. Belme brings experience working with local nonprofits and a flair for creativity. As Marketing & Public Relations Coordinator, Belme will assist…
Girls Inc. Carpinteria Launches Literacy Initiative to Prepare Students for Academic Success
CARPINTERIA — Girls Inc. of Carpinteria is kicking off the New Year with the implementation of a new after-school reading and literacy program at Carpinteria Unified School District school sites and on the Girls Inc. Carpinteria campus. The Literacy Initiative is…
“Remembering Our Fallen” Traveling Portrait Exhibition on Display throughout Santa Barbara County
Deeply moving memorial exhibition features 721 photo portraits of California’s fallen SANTA BARBARA — The community is invited to the “Remembering Our Fallen” memorial exhibition that is on display in Santa Barbara County during the month of January. The deeply moving…
Santa Barbara Humane Society Unveils New Logo for New Year
SANTA BARBARA — Santa Barbara Humane Society is pleased to unveil a new logo with a contemporary color palette as we celebrate a new year. “Since 1887, the Santa Barbara Humane Society has been a resource for animal advocacy and education,”…
Visiting Nurse & Hospice Care Welcomes Scott Gordon as Annual Giving Coordinator
SANTA BARBARA — Visiting Nurse & Hospice Care (VNHC) is pleased to announce the addition of Scott Gordon as Annual Giving Coordinator. Gordon brings years of experience working in various professions including development, software and management, along with a background…
United Way of Ventura County: 36 hours left to make a difference
President’s Message Click here for the entire January 2016 E-newsletter Dear Friends, I returned from serving in the Peace Corps as a teacher in the 5th poorest country in the world just two weeks prior to 9/11. What was so…
Peoples’ Self-Help Housing Welcomes New Project Manager
Peoples’ Self-Help Housing (PSHH) has hired Toby Seiler as Project Manager to its Multi-Family Housing Development (MHD) Department, announced PSHH President & CEO John Fowler Working out of PSHH’s San Luis Obispo headquarters, Seiler will be responsible for project management…
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Ventura County looks forward to celebrating National Mentoring Month 2016
/ Big Brothers Big Sisters of Ventura County VENTURA COUNTY — Big Brothers Big Sisters of Ventura County (BBSVC) is looking forward to celebrating National Mentoring Month for January 2016. The National Mentoring Month campaign will acknowledge the ‘Bigs’- adult…
Local PODS® Moving and Storage Serves As “Santa’s Sleigh” For 12th Annual Santa Claus Park Toy Giveaway
/ PODS Local moving and storage company, PODS teamed up with Ventura County’s most popular running event, the Santa to the Sea ½ Marathon and 5K, to collect unwrapped toys for the 12th annual Santa Claus Park toy giveaway taking…
FOOD Share ends successful 4th annual CAN-tree Collection weekend with 201,200 pounds of food
/ FOOD Share The Collection at RiverPark and Cumulus Media hosted FOOD Share’s successful 4th annual CAN-tree Collection drive in support of the regional food bank’s annual Tackle Hunger campaign, bringing in 201,200 cans of food (one can of food…
Shoppers Make Mad Dash To Christmas Shopping Finish Line, Centerpoint Mall Offers Many Deals And Savings
/ Centerpoint Mall As the last week of Christmas shopping gets into full swing, millions of people are still finalizing their shopping lists. And to help meet the last-minute Christmas crush, Centerpoint Mall has many deals and savings at the…
Surfer Santa and Scrooge, the new favorites at The Collection at RiverPark
/ The Collection at RiverPark While most shopping centers promise children a chance to meet and take a picture with Santa Claus, The Collection at RiverPark goes a step further and surprises customers with the opportunity to meet other lively…
Local Holiday Toy Drive Receives Donations for Foster, Low-Income Children
/ Foster VC Kids / Children’s Services Auxiliary Currently there are 1,000 children in foster care and thousands of additional low-income kids in Ventura County, and these youth are in need of toys and other gifts this holiday season. In an…
Women’s Economic Ventures to present free Spanish Self-Employment Training Orientation in Ventura County
/ Women’s Economic Ventures Have you wanted to run your own business, but don’t know where to start? Or do you already own a business and want to expand? Learn how to make those dreams a reality with Women’s Economic…
Girls Inc. of Greater Santa Barbara Members Awaken the Force with Hour of Code
/ Girls Inc. Girls Inc. of Greater Santa Barbara’s Goleta and Santa Barbara Centers were buzzing on Friday afternoon, as the local affiliate hosted the “Hour of Code” to introduce girls to coding and computer science. Approximately two dozen girls…
California LULAC will focus on new voting rights cases in 2016
Plan will impact scores of California cities and school districts CAMARILLO —The California League of United Latin American Citizens will partner with the Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund (MALDEF) and private attorneys in a significant expansion of cases brought…
Gold Coast Health Plan’s Membership Hits a Milestone
Ventura County’s Medi-Cal Plan Now Serves More than 200,000 Residents CAMARILLO — Gold Coast Health Plan (GCHP) reached a milestone in its membership this month, surpassing 200,000 members. With 202,360 members, GCHP is on track to quickly surpass its projected membership…
Catherine Rodriguez named Ventura County chief financial officer
VENTURA — The Ventura County Executive Office announced that Assistant County Executive Officer Catherine Rodriguez has been named the County Chief Financial Officer and Shawn Atin has been promoted to Assistant County Executive Officer, Human Resources. The moves follow the…
Commentary: Hispanics awaiting Supreme Court decision on voting districts
By Frank X. Moraga / Amigos805 While the song goes “The Eyes of Texas are Upon You,” it’s more of a case that the eyes of Hispanics nationwide is upon Texas and a pending decision by the U.S. Supreme Court…
El Centrito Family Learning Centers selected as Americorps Vista sponsor, currently recruiting Vista members
OXNARD — El Centrito Family Learning Centers has announced it has been selected to receive up to three full-time AmeriCorps VISTA (Volunteers In Service To America) members whose efforts will strengthen service delivery and sustainability within El Centrito’s pioneering After School & Summer STEAM (Science, Technology,Engineering, Art & Math) Academy.…
Teatro de las Américas to present final two performances of ‘Your Friends Would Never Harm You’ on Dec. 4, 5
OXNARD — Teatro de las Américas will present final two performances of “Your Friends Would Never Harm You” at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Dec. 4 and 5 at the Oxnard College Black Box Theatre, 4000 S. Rose Ave., Oxnard…
Teatro de las Americas, MusicaLatitudes, and Oxnard College to present a Christmas concert on Dec. 6
OXNARD — Teatro de las Américas y MusicaLatitudes invite the community to participate in a free Christmas choir program that will be featured in Songs and Odes of Christmas at 5 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 6 at Teatro de las Américas at Oxnard…
El Concilio seeks support during ‘Giving Tuesday’ on Dec. 1

Dear Friend,
We are coming to the end of the year and over the last year we have enjoyed support of many of you.
We have served over 17,000 client contacts in the areas of Citizenship, Immigration, Youth Leadership and Development and Direct Client Assistance.
This is a request to join our end of the year campaign by making a donation to El Concilio Family Services.
All donations are most gratefully received regardless of the amount.
A new book co-authored by a UCSB researcher details how the Maya have farmed sustainably and survived for millennia
By Jim Logan / UCSB History has not been kind to the Maya, an indigenous people of Mesoamerica. They’re usually portrayed as the hapless victims of European colonialism who collapsed and disappeared as a result of overpopulation and environmental degradation. A…
UCSB’s Society for Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science is named an outstanding regional role model
By Julie Cohen / UCSB The UC Santa Barbara chapter of the Society for Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS) has received the 2015 Outstanding Regional Network Role Model Award. This award marks the fourth in as many years bestowed…
Emmy Award-winning journalists join Oxnard College’s Latino Thought Makers for ‘Politics in America’ talk on Nov. 12
OXNARD — Oxnard College Institute for Latino Performing Arts will present a special evening of political discussion and debate on Thursday, Nov. 12 with award-winning journalists Myrka Dellanos, Ruben Navarrette Jr. and Julio Varela as part of its continuing Latino Thought Makers Live…
November cover story: Area agencies prepare to wage war on hunger
Holiday season is typical time for organizations to raise awareness of those in need in the region From Amigos805 staff reports Given the rebounding economy and the stereotypical image of a laid-back Golden State, the statistics seem stark. One in…
Local news briefs
SANTA BARBARA — Award-winning author Reyna Grande will be presented with UCSB’s 12th annual Luis Leal Literature Award during a ceremony at 4 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 4, in the McCune Conference Room, 6020 Humanities and Social Sciences Building at UCSB.…
Business: WEV to present free Spanish self-employment sessions
Orientations will be held Nov. 4 in Oxnard, Nov. 11 in Fillmore and Nov. 12 in Ventura From Amigos805 staff reports Women’s Economic Ventures (WEV). will hold free, one-hour informational sessions facilitated by Spanish Program Coordinator Leticia Sandoval in Ventura…
Local business information
> The EDC-VC and EDD will present a “Federal / State Basic Payroll Tax Seminar” from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 3 at the Ventura EDD Tax Office, 4820 McGrath St., Suite 200, Ventura. Participants will receive information…

