Category: News

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…

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…

emPower Hosts Free Energy Efficient Furnace Workshop in Santa Maria on Jan. 19

Jan. 19 workshop to be held at Veterans Memorial Building SANTA MARIA — With Santa Barbara County now firmly in winter, emPower Central Coast will be offering advice and information on selecting a new high-efficiency furnace during a free, Jan. 19 workshop.  …

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…

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…

December cover story: Holiday events add to the magic of the season

Posadas (Dec. 11), La Pastorela (Dec. 19, 20) to be presented at El Presidio de Santa Barbara Historic Park From Amigos805 staff reports The public is invited to participate in Santa Barbara’s oldest Christmas traditions as the Santa Barbara Trust…

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.

Ventura County officials to celebrate ‘Giving Tuesday’ on Dec. 1 at Santa to the Sea starting line

Ceremonial ribbon cutting and toy drive kick off “12 Days of Giving” at iconic Santa Claus Park OXNARD — Ventura County Fifth District Supervisor John C. Zaragoza and Ventura County CEO Mike Powers will be joined by county non-profit organizations, local…

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…

More Día de los Muertos events coming this weekend, beyond

From Amigos805 staff reports Día de los Muertos events will continue this weekend in Camarillo, Goleta, Nipomo, Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, Santa Maria, Santa Paula and Ventura.   Camarillo • CSU Channel Islands will present its annual Día de los Muertos celebration 4…

SBCC Center for Lifelong Learning presented Día de los Muertos celebration

SANTA BARBARA — The Santa Barbara Community College SBCC Center for Lifelong Learning (the CLL) hosted its free family-friendly Día de los Muertos celebration on Oct. 24 at the Schott Campus to commemorate the dead through a 4000-year-old Mesoamerican tradition. Children of all ages…

Channel Islands High School graduate and assistant to the president and deputy chief of staff to President Bill Clinton, Maria Echaveste to speak at CSU Channel Island on Oct. 27

CAMARILLO — “From La Colonia to the Clinton Administration, and to Cal: Learning and Leadership — A Conversation with Maria Echaveste” will be held at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 27 CSU Channel Island. The public is welcome to attend. Growing up…

Día de los Muertos events continuing this weekend

From Amigos805 staff reports Día de los Muertos events are continuing this weekend in Oxnard and Santa Barbara. The Carnegie Art Museum in Oxnard will present its annual Día de los Muertos program as part of its Family Day from 11 a.m. to…

Oxnard College Institute for Latino Performing Arts to present ‘An Evening with Actors Judy Reyes, Reynaldo Pacheco and Julissa Arce’ on Oct. 21

OXNARD — Oxnard College Institute for Latino Performing Arts will present a special evening with actress Judy Reyes and immigrant rights activist Julissa Arce with host Rick Najera at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 21 as part of Oxnard College’s Latino Thought Makers…

A UCSB professor’s personal experience with issues of immigration shapes her academic passions

By Nora Crutcher / UCSB Narayani Lasala-Blanco knows firsthand the struggles Latino and other immigrant families face when they come to the United States. She experienced them herself, as a child living in Santa Barbara in the late 1980s. Now an…

A UC Santa Barbara researcher’s book on Spanish-language radio earns national awards and a place in the national conversation

By Jim Logan / UCSB Dolores Inés Casillas, an associate professor in the Department of Chicana and Chicano Studies at UC Santa Barbara, picked a good time to write a book about the ways Latinos use Spanish-language radio. Not that…