“This project is more than just a bike and pedestrian path. It’s about connectivity, sustainability, and enhancing quality of life,” said Mayor Dr. Jeannette Sanchez-Palacios. “By investing in accessible transportation options, we’re creating dedicated corridors where residents can walk, bike, and roll through our city in ways that support their well-being.”
The Ventura County Civic Alliance’s most recent State of the Region Report released in November 2025 omitted our Key Statistics section. The data for that section comes from the U.S. Census website which was unavailable during the government shutdown in October 2025.
Our first article, based on data since collected from the U.S. Census American Community Survey 5 years (Table S0101), will give you our current status and highlights three cities where population growth is bucking the downward county trend.
The last two articles focus on the needs of our population and the nonprofits that serve them.
“This large grants pool not only reflects the remarkable generosity of our 1,450+ members but also their commitment to our community,” says Women’s Fund Board Chair Carolyn Jabs. “It also demonstrates the power of collective giving. By combining our contributions, we magnify the impact of every member’s donation so we can give significant grants to nonprofits with projects that benefit vulnerable women, children, and families.”
This annual award is selected by Housing Authority staff and recognizes a partner organization whose work has made the most meaningful, measurable difference for the people and communities the Authority serves.
“Stable housing is essential — but housing alone is not enough,” said Rob Fredericks, Executive Director/CEO of the Housing Authority of the City of Santa Barbara. “Food security is absolutely foundational to health, stability, and dignity. The Foodbank’s work ensures that families, seniors, and individuals don’t have to choose between paying rent and putting food on the table. Their impact is profound, especially during times of economic uncertainty.”
When climate challenges feel overwhelming, our most powerful response is connection — gathering in community, strengthening our resolve, and finding pathways forward together. Hope is something we must actively practice every day. That’s why the Community Environmental Council (CEC) invites you to join us for A Year of Active Hope.
OXNARD — Opening night for Amorodio is almost here and we’d love for you to join us! Your support means the world to us, and we can’t wait to share this special moment with you!
Warm regards,
Teatro De Las Americas
Coming from an artistic family, I knew in my youth that one day I’d want to see some of the world-renowned art in Paris. In 2004, I set out to do just that.
After taking several semesters of French at Ventura College, I felt confident enough, though with some trepidation, to face the well-known linguistic judgment (if not the disdain) of the French people.
This Valentine’s Day, nine communities are gathering at local overpasses to peacefully declare their support for their immigrant neighbors, for democracy, and for the just America our country has the potential to be.
All events start at 11:00 am. Bring your signs and flags! Meet your neighbors and make new friends.
Here are the nine locations. (This post’s listed address is just for the Ventura site, as Mobilize only allows one location per post.)
As we begin 2026, I want to take a moment to reflect on how far we have come — and where we are headed.
If the past few years have taught us anything, it is this: we cannot rely on systems that were never designed to protect undocumented and mixed-status families. And yet, through collective leadership, love, and courage, our community continues to build what did not exist before.
At 805UndocuFund, we did not just respond to crisis in 2025 — we built power.
Please join us February 13, from 5:30–7:30 PM for the opening reception of Pages to Posters: The Visual Worlds of Simms Taback.
Ventura
Ventura County
800 S Victoria Ave
Ventura, CA 93009
Location: Corner of Victoria and Telephone Ave
7:30 a.m. – 9:00 a.m. PT
OXNARD — Susan McCarthy, a partner with A to Z Law, is the incoming vice president of the Ventura County Trial Lawyers Association.
The Ventura County Trial Lawyers Association is a local organization of trial attorneys dedicated to improving the civil justice system, the lawyers who serve it and the overall community around it. McCarthy, whose practice focuses on business, commercial, real property and probate litigation, has been on the association’s board of directors since 2008.
SANTA BARBARA — This February, in observance of American Heart Month, Santa Barbara Neighborhood Clinics (SBNC) wants to remind the community to practice heart-healthy habits and stay up to date on screenings. With Valentine’s Day this Saturday, it is the perfect time to think about ours and the hearts of those we care about. SBNC encourages neighbors to show their love by scheduling a heart health check-up for themselves or helping a loved one book their own.
SANTA BARBARA — Valentine’s Day is a day to celebrate love and a time to rededicate our affection for a spouse or partner with flowers, cards, chocolate, and a romantic dinner. But for those who are coping with the loss of a partner or loved one, Valentine’s Day can trigger overwhelming feelings of loneliness, grief, and isolation, with seasonal décor serving as a constant reminder of the loss.
Visitors will tour the nursery to get a behind-the-scenes look at how plants are grown and cared for. Brokaw Nursery produces over 300,000 plants, including avocados and fruit varieties, and exports them to farmers and landscapers locally and worldwide. Family-owned and in business for 60 years, Brokaw Nursery will share its expertise in avocado plants and nursery production.
VENTURA — As part of the Ventura County Ocean Water Quality Monitoring Program, the Environmental Health Division (Division) is providing the following precautionary information to the public. Rainfall that is significant enough to result in runoff can flow into storm drains, channels, creeks, and rivers that empty onto the beaches of Ventura County.
In general, 0.2 inches (2 tenths of an inch) of rainfall may be enough to create significant runoff conditions.
United Way of Ventura County’s United to End Homelessness (UTEH) Ventura County proudly announces a major milestone in its mission to address homelessness in our community. Since the founding of the Landlord Engagement Program (LEP) in
2019, 1,000 people have now been housed.
WESTLAKE VILLAGE — The Simi Valley Family YMCA and Yarrow Family YMCA, branches of the Southeast Ventura County YMCA, are partnering with Simi Valley Soroptimist to collect clean, gently used or new formal wear and accessories. These items will be available at the YMCA’s third annual Prom Closet, where high school students can shop for free prom attire.
Items will be accepted through April 9 at each of the YMCAs.
The newly formed Women’s Legacy of Giving pools all member contributions with 100% of funds directly supporting People Helping People programs serving local children, families, and seniors.
Women are asked to contribute of $500, $1,000, $2,500, or $5,000 for annual membership in the Legacy of Giving. Each woman will then share an equal voice in collective funding decisions, regardless of her giving level.
Pelton joins SBEF as the organization celebrates its 40th year and will lead efforts to support nearly 12,000 students across the Santa Barbara Unified School District through programs that expand access to enrichment, innovation, and opportunity.
VENTURA — Incentives through 3C-REN (Tri-County Regional Energy Network), a partnership between the Counties of San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara and Ventura, are once again available to help improve homes and other buildings with clean, energy efficient systems. The renewed 2026 funding follows high demand in 2025, when incentives for single-family homes and the commercial sector were fully exhausted months ahead of schedule.
SANTA BARBARA — The Santa Barbara Trust for Historic Preservation (SBTHP) is pleased to announce that at its February 6, 2026 meeting, the California State Historical Resources Commission voted to add Jimmy’s Oriental Gardens, along with the adjacent Chung family house associated with the property, to the National Register of Historic Places (National Register). The National Register is the official list of the Nation’s cultural resources worthy of recognition and preservation. The nomination marks an important milestone in recognizing the cultural and historic significance of this beloved local landmark.
The campus ranks first among U.S. public universities, third among all U.S. institutions and seventh worldwide for scientific impact.
The conference highlights social justice–oriented work taking place in schools and educational institutions throughout the region and brings together educators, students, and community members committed to equity and transformative education. The conference provides opportunities to network with others who believe in the power and necessity of social justice in education and to learn strategies for teaching and learning that promote equity, peace, and integrity in public education.
For too long, bad landlords have used harassment and intimidation to push people out of their homes. Tomorrow, Ventura City Council has a choice.
If the City Council acts, they can put real protections in place so tenants aren’t bullied, threatened, or forced out just for standing their ground. In Oxnard, this policy is already doing what it’s meant to do: protecting tenants who speak up and shutting down landlords who try to terrorize families by threatening to call ICE.
IN-PERSON EVENT: CITY OF MOORPARK: READY • SET • GROW: SMALL BUSINESS SUCCESS WORKSHOP SERIES
February 12 and 19 @ 8:00 am
Join the City of Moorpark and Economic Development Collaborative for a 3-part series to help business owners improve legal compliance, financial planning and marketing. Participants will receive hands-on, practical training to achieve real results, such as official registration, funding readiness, and customer growth. This 3-workshop series will be conducted in English, with the option to answer questions in Spanish. Hands-on materials will be provided in both languages. Address: Moorpark City Council Chamber, 323 Science Drive, Moorpark, CA 93021. Price: FREE.
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER
While social media addiction hasn’t been officially recognized as a mental health condition, it shows up in brain scans, according to Kylie Falcione, a graduate student at UCSB’s Media Neuroscience Lab.
The new applied bachelor’s degree program was designed in close collaboration with regional employers and public-sector partners to address growing demand for skilled cybersecurity and network operations professionals. Graduates will be prepared for high-wage, high-demand roles securing critical infrastructure, defense, healthcare, manufacturing, finance and emerging technologies across Ventura and Los Angeles Counties.
Sigrid Wright and Joan Hartmann unpack why oil isn’t security — and what real energy leadership looks like for California and the nation.
VENTURA COUNTY — The Ventura County Office of Education (VCOE) is pleased to announce the winners of the 2026 Ventura County Academic Decathlon, which was held last month. The winners were revealed at a ceremony this evening in Camarillo. The three teams with the highest overall scores this year are:
1st Place: Royal High School (Simi Valley Unified School District)
2nd Place: Westlake High School (Conejo Valley Unified School District)
3rd Place: Channel Islands High School (Oxnard Union High School District)
In the new year, the Santa Barbara Museum of Art offers a sweeping look at how artists engage with time. Works grounded in personal histories, inherited traditions, and collective memory speak to the past while giving us new ways to access it in the present. Contemporary materials and lived experience illuminate the world as it is now, yet they also open space for reflection and reinterpretation. Digital experimentation and visionary forms gesture toward the future, and at the same time expand how we record, memorialize, and remember. Seen together, these exhibitions reveal art as a continuum—one in which past, present, and future coexist, overlap, and remain vividly alive today.
“The addition of Jacky Holler, Dr. Mark Mitchelson and Tracey Mateko strengthens the Foundation’s leadership with expertise spanning finance, healthcare, operations and community engagement,” said Dr. Julius Sokenu, president of Moorpark College. “Their collective experience and dedication will help advance our mission to support Moorpark College students and programs.”
“In today’s environment, it’s a community win that our writing and work in Chicano literature is recognized at this level,” said Arce, who will formally receive the award Thursday, Feb. 4.
Read more about Arce’s writing
Much like the great religions of the world, the institution of classical music is rooted in centuries of tradition and culture. For me, attending a classical music event in some ways feels the same as attending a Catholic Mass.
The “priest” during a classical musical event is the conductor. We may not applaud during a Mass, or kneel during an orchestra’s performance, but we do rise, sit, and applaud at prescribed times throughout a classical music performance that conceivably dates back several centuries.
Last year reaffirmed what we’ve always known: lasting change is built together and it’s powered by community support.
Across the Central Coast in 2025, working-class immigrant communities organized to defend our neighborhoods and strengthen our shared power. Through conversations at the doors and on the phones, in community meetings and rallies in the streets, neighbors stepped forward as organizers and advocates, winning real protections for affordable housing, environmental health, and immigrant workers.
Our 2025 Community Report shows what our collective power made possible.
View this email in your browser January 2026 Taking the Helm in 2026: Jason Hodge Voted Board President of the Oxnard Harbor District Congratulations to Commissioner Jason Hodge on his appointment as President of the Oxnard Harbor District! Hodge brings…
OXNARD — Food Share of Ventura County announces the launch of Feeding Our Future, a capital campaign project to build a new 85,000-square-foot food bank in Oxnard, CA.With a 12-acre parcel already secured, the new facility is designed to meet the growing demand and strengthen the region’s hunger-relief infrastructure for the long term.
Demand for food assistance in Ventura County has tripled since 2019. Food Share currently serves more than 250,000 neighbors each yearthrough a network of 200 nonprofit and community partners operating 335 distribution sites countywide. Today, Food Share operates out of three separate warehouses to distribute 21 million pounds of food annually.
VENTURA COUNTY — Ventura County Credit Union (VCCU) on Feb. 5 announced a $500,000 commitment to Food Share of Ventura County to support the construction of Food Share’s new 85,000-square-foot facility. The partnership represents VCCU’s largest investment in the organization and builds upon decades of collaboration through donations and volunteer support.
“This long-term partnership with Food Share aligns with VCCU’s commitment to investing in the community and the organizations that ensure our community has access to essential resources,” said Linda Rossi, President and CEO of VCCU. “We believe in giving back to the organizations that enrich the lives of those we serve, and Food Share’s mission to address food insecurity is critical to the wellbeing of our entire community.”
Ventura County’s entertainment, wellness and retail selection expand through new partnerships
OXNARD — The Collection at Riverpark announces the addition of six new tenants, bringing the premier lifestyle destination to a 95% leased occupancy rate. The new additions reflect The Collection’s continued commitment to blending shopping, dining, entertainment and wellness into an environment that embodies the Southern California lifestyle.
Now Open:
SANTA BARBARA — The Santa Barbara Trust for Historic Preservation (SBTHP) hosted the 63rd Annual Meeting on January 24, 2026, in the Chapel at El Presidio de Santa Bárbara State Historic Park. SBTHP members voted to elect new members Andrew Le and Qing Xue to the board for a three-year term.
