Category: Public Safety

Bilingual report — City of Santa Paula breaks ground on Santa Paula Creek Bridge Project

by Community Contributor • March 16, 2026 • Comments Off

SANTA PAULA — The City of Santa Paula marked an important milestone on March 3 with a groundbreaking ceremony for the Santa Paula Creek Bridge, a project that will improve access, connectivity, and safety while establishing a connection over the Santa Paula Creek.

Mayor Carlos Juarez, Vice Mayor Jenny Crosswhite, Councilmember Pedro Chavez, City Manager Dan Singer, and Deputy City Manager Aminah Mears were in attendance to celebrate the start of construction, along with City of Santa Paula department directors, staff members, project partners, and community members.

TruNorth Jets offers services 0ut of Middle East

by Community Contributor • March 9, 2026 • Comments Off

CAMARILLO — TruNorth Jets is available for clients looking to escape, whether that’s work, to a vacation or a suddenly-volatile situation abroad.

Bilingual report — City of Santa Paula — Flock Safety acknowledges inadvertent Accesses by out of state law enforcement agencies

by Community Contributor • March 2, 2026 • Comments Off

SANTA PAULA — Flock Safety, the provider of Automated License Plate Readers (ALPR) to law enforcement, has announced, through audit logs within their ALPR platform, it has confirmed access by out of state law enforcement for a period of time. As a result, Ventura County Law enforcement agencies, including the Santa Paula Police Department, had their ALPR networks inadvertently accessible by out of state law enforcement agencies. Flock Safety has accepted accountability and implemented plans to address the issue.

Assemblymember Steve Bennett (D-Ventura) — Bennett authors legislation package on home hardening using lessions learned from Mountain, Thomas fires

by Community Contributor • February 26, 2026 • Comments Off

“For years, we have worked on cultivating an enhanced sense of urgency in how Sacramento discusses wildfire prevention in the built environment,” said Asm. Bennett. “We remain committed to pursuing and supporting proven methods that reduce loss of life and property and give our communities greater chances in surviving fast-moving blazes. I’m proud to author a bill package that focuses on community resilience and is informed by firsthand experience of AD-38 residents following the Mountain and Thomas fires.”

805 UNCOCUFund — Two Violent Incidents in 30 Days — We Will Not Be Intimidated

by Community Contributor • February 23, 2026 • Comments Off

In less than 30 days, our community has witnessed yet another violent physical attack against individuals bearing witness to ICE activity in Santa Barbara County.

Congresswoman Julia Brownley (D-CA 26th District) — Holding ICE accountable

by Community Contributor • February 19, 2026 • Comments Off

I am infuriated that ICE is using taxpayer dollars to brutalize and kill Americans. No one should have to live in fear.

I voted NO to granting ICE billions of taxpayer dollars without proper oversight, and now I am demanding that DHS implement common sense guardrails to protect the constitutional rights of all of us.

Bilingual report — Economic Development Collaborative (EDC) — SBA Financial Assistance Now Available for businesses affected by the late December 2025 storms

by Community Contributor • February 19, 2026 • Comments Off

The Small Business Administration (SBA) has declared a disaster for the late December 2025 storms, which occurred from December 16 to December 25, 2025. SBA now offers Economic Injury Disaster Loans to eligible small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, nurseries, and PNPs, including faith-based organizations, with financial losses directly related to this disaster. The SBA is unable to provide disaster loans to agricultural producers, farmers, or ranchers, except for aquaculture enterprises.

View SBA’s disaster declaration HERE

UCSB — The Current — ‘Moving beyond money to measure the true value of Earth science information’ and more news, events

by Community Contributor • February 19, 2026 • Comments Off

Researchers have mapped out methods for assessing its societal benefits, an effort that could lead to more effective uses of remote sensing technology while increasing benefits to people at large.

County of Ventura District 2 Supervisor Jeff Gorell — Storm update

by Community Contributor • February 17, 2026 • Comments Off

Ventura County will see multiple storm systems this week, bringing periods of rain, colder temperatures, and possible travel impacts. The first storm has already moved through, with 0.75–2.5 inches of rain recorded. Light, intermittent showers may continue through Tuesday afternoon. A second, colder system arrives Tuesday evening, bringing about 0.5 inch of rain locally (up to 1.5 inches in foothills and mountains). Snow levels may drop to 3,000 feet, with 1–3 inches of snow possible along the Grapevine, which could impact travel. A final storm is expected Thursday, with 0.5–1 inch of additional rain.

For the latest updates, visit the National Weather Service website.

ICE OUT OF (U.S. 101) 805 BRIDGE BRIGADE protest in Ventura/Santa Barbara counties to be held Feb. 14

by Community Contributor • February 13, 2026 • Comments Off

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.)

Bilingual report – Ocean Water Quality Monitoring Report: Potential storm water runoff contamination in Ventura County

by Community Contributor • February 12, 2026 • Comments Off

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.

CAL FIRE to Review VCFD Operations on wildfire that preceded Mountain Fire

by Community Contributor • February 2, 2026 • Comments Off

THOUSAND OAKS — Delivering on a commitment by Fire Chief Dustin Gardner, the Ventura County Fire Department has reached an agreement with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) for an independent review of VCFD’s operations during a wildfire that preceded and eventually led to the Mountain Fire.

“CAL FIRE is the nation’s leading expert on wildfire operations,” Chief Gardner said. “No agency is better prepared to conduct this type of review and provide recommendations to enhance our future work.”

The Balcom Fire was started by a tractor clearing brush in the Balcom Canyon area near Somis. Firefighters contained it at 1.8 acres.

Bilingual report — Ventura Fire Department seeks community input on first-every Community Wildfire Protection Plan

by Community Contributor • January 29, 2026 • Comments Off

“As wildfire risks continue to grow, planning and prevention are more important than ever,” said Interim Fire Chief Kris McDonald. “This draft Community Wildfire Protection Plan reflects both data and local experience, but it is strongest when the community helps guide it. We encourage residents to review the plan, attend a workshop, and share their perspectives so we can truly meet Ventura’s needs.”

Bilingual report — Santa Paula Police Explorers achieve 1st and 2nd place awards in National Tactical Competition

by Community Contributor • January 26, 2026 • Comments Off

SANTA PAULA — On Jan. 17 and 18, 2026, Law Enforcement Explorers from Santa Paula Police Department Post 2350 participated in the “Chandler Tactical Competition” in Chandler, Arizona. There were eight Santa Paula Police Department Explorers who participated and competed with other explorer posts from across the Country. The young men and women from Santa Paula were successful, receiving a 1st place award and a 2nd place award. The national competition, hosted by the Chandler Police Department, included 42 explorer posts representing city, county and federal law enforcement agencies from California, Nevada, Arizona, and Colorado.

After 100 years of industrial use, Crooked Palm now permanently protected for recreation, ecological restoration

by Community Contributor • January 13, 2026 • Comments Off

“Crooked Palm’s transformation from an abandoned industrial site to protected land is a victory for Ventura and all Californians. Restoring this land protects habitat, strengthens regional climate resilience, and opens healthy access to the outdoors in a community where it’s needed most,” said Guillermo Rodriguez, Vice President of the Pacific Region and California State Director for Trust for Public Land. “For the first time in more than a century, this land will increase connection to the Ventura River and provide the public with the physical and mental health benefits that come with close-to-home access to nature.”