Category: News

Book to be published next month by Allan Hancock College English professor Marc García-Martínez

SANTA MARIA — Allan Hancock College English professor Marc García-Martínez, Ph.D., will soon join world-renowned researchers Jane Goodall and Noam Chomsky as authors whose works have been published by the San Diego State University Press (SDSU Press), college officials reported…

El Concilio profile: Jorge Ochoa

Editor’s note: Part of a continuing series of stories profiling the award-winners of El Concilio Family Services 2014 Latino Leadership Awards. The awards gala will be held on Saturday, May 31 at the Oxnard Performing Arts Center. Click here to register or to…

Pink Soiree a successful event. Now seeking committee members, team leaders for Oct. 11 ‘Making Strides Against Breast Cancer’ event

VENTURA — Organizers of the American Cancer Society’s “Making Strides Against Breast Cancer” walk report they had a successful “Pink Soiree — Make Strides for Pink” kickoff event on May 14 at Discovery Ventura. They are now seeking committee members…

United Way of Ventura County: Smith to retire. Successor sought

CAMARILLO — David M. Smith, president and chief executive officer of United Way of Ventura County since October 2001, has announced his retirement effective Dec. 15, 2014, the organization reported Monday in a media release. A search for Smith’s successor will…

El Concilio profile: Thomas D. McCollum

Editor’s note: Part of a continuing series of stories profiling the award-winners of El Concilio Family Services 2014 Latino Leadership Awards. The awards gala will be held on Saturday, May 31 at the Oxnard Performing Arts Center. Click here to register or to…

Mariachi Divas, Memo & Friends to perform at California Strawberry Festival on May 17-18

OXNARD — Grammy Award-winning Mariachi Divas will perform at 1 p.m. Saturday, March 17 at the California Strawberry Festival, 3250 S. Rose Ave., Oxnard. Mariachi Divas’ new CD “Mi Manera” features 13 new recordings including “A Puro Dolor,” “La Fuente,” “Poppuri,”…

El Concilio profile: Frankie Villasenor Guzman

Editor’s note: Part of a continuing series of stories profiling the award-winners of El Concilio Family Services 2014 Latino Leadership Awards. The awards gala will be held on Saturday, May 31 at the Oxnard Performing Arts Center. Click here to register or to…

Local

SANTA BARBARA — Foodbank of Santa Barbara County is holding its “Share Your Lunch” campaign from May 1 through 31. The program enables the community to help close the summer food gap by donating the amount one might typically spend…

Business: Online reviews can benefit shoppers, retailers alike

By Metro Editorial Services (MS) Word-of-mouth has long been an ally of small business. Customers who have positive experiences with a small business often share those experiences with friends, family members and coworkers, and that word-of-mouth can help hardworking small…

Local business information

> CSU Channel Islands’ Martin V. Smith School of Business and Economics will hold its final Spring 2014 Speakers Series program with a presentation by Joe Schroeder, president/CEO of Ventura County Credit Union, from noon to 2 p.m. Friday, May…

El Concilio profile: Susan Carrasco

Editor’s note: Part of a continuing series of stories profiling the award-winners of El Concilio Family Services 2014 Latino Leadership Awards. The awards gala will be held on Saturday, May 31 at the Oxnard Performing Arts Center. Click here to register or to…

Oxnard College to present Juan Felipe Herrera on April 30

OXNARD — UC Riverside English Professor and California State Poet Lauret Juan Felipe Herrera will read poems from his many books and discuss his journey from being a migrant worker to a published poet and a voice for the Mexican…

Sixth grader from César Chávez Elementary School in Oxnard wins California Strawberry Festival’s 2014 Youth Art Design contest

OXNARD — From an all-time record of 1,800 entries, the “berrilious” design of 11-year-old Itzel Gonzalez from César Chávez Elementary in Oxnard was selected as the winner of the 31st Annual California Strawberry Festival Youth Art Design Contest, the festival’s organizers…

El Concilio profile: Edlyn Vallejo Peña

Editor’s note: Part of a continuing series of stories profiling the award-winners of El Concilio Family Services 2014 Latino Leadership Awards. The awards gala will be held on Saturday, May 31 at the Oxnard Performing Arts Center. Click here to register or to…

Bilingual report: PODER to voice opposition to Santa Barbara gang injunction on April 22

SANTA BARBARA — PODER (People Organized for the Defense and Equal Rights of Santa Barbara Youth) will gather with other community members to voice opposition to the gang injunction prior to City Council’s first-ever public vote on the matter at 4…

Ventura County hospital leaders to report findings from community health-needs assessments on April 29

CAMARILLO — Representatives of hospitals, health systems and the Public Health Department will present a “state of Ventura County’s health” during the “Public Health and Hospital Needs Assessment Findings” session at 11:30 a.m. Tuesday, April 29 at the VCCF Nonprofit…

El Concilio profile: Frank P. Barajas

Editor’s note: Part of a continuing series of stories profiling the award-winners of El Concilio Family Service 2014 Latino Leadership Awards. The awards gala will be held on Saturday, May 31 at the Oxnard Performing Arts Center. Click here to register or to…

El Concilio Family Services announces 25th Annual Latino Leadership Award winners

OXNARD — Two university professors, a college and career counselor, an attorney, a coordinator of a college-readiness program, a gifted high school student, a successful high school and a police sergeant will be recognized when El Concilio Family Services presents…

Ventura College Santa Paula to present ‘Panel Discussion: Transforming Adversities to Resounding Victories!’ on April 10

SANTA PAULA — Ventura College Santa Paula will present the ‘Panel Discussion: Transforming Adversities to Resounding Victories!’ from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, April 10 at 957 Faulkner Road, Santa Paula. Featured panelists include: Councilwoman for the City of Oxnard, Carmen…

Earth Day volunteer event to be held April 12 at McGrath State Beach

  Beautification event to be co-hosted by Ventura County Supervisor Zaragoza, SoCal Gas  VENTURA – Friends of Channel Coast State Parks, the nonprofit cooperating association that serves the Channel Coast district of the California State Parks, will be joining with Ventura…

Guest commentary: You can make a difference by supporting the CAUSE Summer Youth Fellowship

By Marcos Vargas / Executive director of the Central Coast Alliance for a Sustainable Economy Friends, Here’s an exciting opportunity to open your heart for the hardworking youth who give so much outside of school to lead organizing campaigns for…

Bilingual commentary: Internet marketing — The new frontier

Editor’s note: Amigos805 welcomes guest columns, letters to the editor and other submissions from our readers. All opinions expressed in submitted material are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the viewpoint of Amigos805. By David Magallanes / Guest contributor We…

Guest commentary: Criminal justice professionals assist Future Leaders of America

Editor’s note: Amigos805 welcomes guest columns, letters to the editor and other submissions from our readers. All opinions expressed in submitted material are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the viewpoint of Amigos805. By Mona AlvaradoFrazier/ Guest contributor Criminal…

April cover story: Empowering youth, adults through education

Ventura-based GOCARE Inc. seeks to expand its efforts to business education in Nicaragua By Frank X. Moraga / Amigos805 Nicaragua is the poorest country in Central America and the second poorest in the Western Hemisphere. Much of the nation’s infrastructure was…

Local

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Rep. Lois Capps (D-Santa Barbara), along with many of her colleagues, demanded that the House of Representatives vote on a comprehensive immigration reform bill by signing a discharge petition on H.R. 15, the bipartisan Border Security, Economic…

Local business information

> Allan Hancock College to present its second annual “54-hour Startup Weekend Santa Maria” on April 4-6. “Bring your business idea, and we’ll help make it happen,” said Anne Cremarosa, director, Small Business Entrepreneurship Center, and one of the organizers…

Poder and the Coalition of Sustainable Communities to hold documentary screenings, forums on immigration on April 1

SANTA BARBARA —  Poder and the Coalition of Sustainable Communities will hold a series of free documentary screenings and forums in Spanish to address the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement expansion of detention centers in Santa Barbara and Santa Maria from…

Santa Paula High School, Latino Town Hall to present two-day leadership conference on March 25-26

SANTA PAULA — Santa Paula High School, Latino Town Hall and other community partners will be hosting a two-day leadership conference during spring break for 100 students from the Santa Paula community on Tuesday, March 25th and Wednesday March 26th,…

Oxnard College to present ‘Latinologues’ on March 12

OXNARD — The Oxnard College Literature, Arts and Lecture Series will present “Latinologues” from 1 to 2 p.m. Wednesday, March 12 at the Oxnard College Performing Arts Center, 4000 So. Rose Ave., Oxnard. Award-winning actor-writer-director-producer-comedian Rick Najera will entertain the…

Rigoberto Vargas, Marvelle Berry appointed to board of Boys & Girls Club of Greater Oxnard and Port Hueneme

OXNARD — Rigoberto Vargas and Marvelle Berry have appointed to board of Boys & Girls Club of Greater Oxnard and Port Hueneme, the organization reported this week in a media release. Vargas is public health director at the Ventura County Health…

Castañeda appointed as new executive director of El Centrito Family Learning Centers

OXNARD — The Board of Directors of El Centrito Family Learning Centers in Oxnard has announced the appointment of Joseph A. Castañeda as its executive director, the organization reported in a media release. Castañeda will lead the organization’s team in delivering…

‘From Hell to Healing — The Art of Vietnam Vets’ opening reception to be held at Bell Arts Factory on March 7

VENTURA — The City of Ventura, the Big Read and Bell Arts Factory will present “From Hell to Healing — The Art of Vietnam Vets” featuring the works of Vietnam veterans Jess Gutierrez, Orlando Menchaca, James Graca and Michael Arndt from 5:30…

Las Contemporañeas at the Museum of Ventura County to present inaugural Latina Short-Film Festival on March 8

VENTURA — Las Contemporañeas at the Museum of Ventura County will present the inaugural Latina Short-Film Festival (LSFF) on Saturday, March 8. The LSFF begins with a dessert and champagne reception from 6:30-7:15 p.m. followed by an award to keynote speaker,…

March cover story: Health care issues take centerstage

Affordable Care Act March 31 deadline, new health agency chief and health plan’s improvement of services top the list By Frank X. Moraga / Amigos805 With the deadline looming for open enrollment in the Health Insurance Marketplace, the announcement of…