SANTA PAULA — As the beginning of the new school year approaches this week, the Santa Paula Police Department reminds residents, parents, students, and school staff to practice caution and safety in observance of drivers, pedestrians, bicyclists, and school buses.
The first day of school is August 11, 2025. Vehicle and pedestrian traffic will be impacted during drop-off and pickup times. Here are helpful tips for back to school traffic safety:
“We need local climate leaders — now more than ever,” said Kathi King, Course Instructor and CEC’s Director of Outreach and Education. “The Climate Stewards Course provides the perfect avenue for impassioned individuals to start making change in their community, workplace, or school. The course truly has something for everyone because anyone can propel the climate movement — students, non-profit staff, entrepreneurs, retirees, teachers, community members, and many others. Our community holds immense power to create a groundswell of change, and our Climate Stewards program fosters the connection, confidence, and inspiration needed to unleash it.”
This simple truth is at the heart of the Ventura County Neighbors Support Fund. It reflects our core belief that every person matters, and that even the smallest act of kindness can spark hope and make a meaningful difference in the life of another.
Since launching this collaborative effort with our partners just one week ago, we have seen an outpouring of love and support. Because of you, more than $105,000 has already been donated (including pledges) to help our neighbors. We have also received heartfelt messages filled with encouragement, personal stories of resilience, and moving affirmations that this fund is both timely and deeply needed. Your generosity is not only financial, but also a powerful reminder that we are not alone, and that our community stands together.
Don’t miss your chance to secure the early bird price for a seat at our upcoming Fundraiser, celebrating our 50th Anniversary and the 35th Latino Leadership Awards! Reserve your spot today and join us for an unforgettable evening of celebration, recognition, and community. Act now—early bird pricing ends soon!
UCSB Arts & Lectures presents its 66th season of world-class cultural and artistic events, from stimulating lectures and animated conversations with today’s thought leaders to brilliant performances by the world’s most accomplished dancers, singers, musicians and performers. Single (non-subscription) tickets for UCSB Arts & Lectures’ 2025-2026 season go on sale Tuesday, August 19 at 10 a.m.
Summer Greetings from the VCCF Scholarship Program!
We’re thrilled to share that 2025 has been another record-breaking year for the VCCF Scholarship Program. Thanks to the generosity of our community, we awarded 569 scholarships to 412 students, totaling $1,838,986.60 — the highest amount ever granted. More than 30 awardees received the maximum scholarship of $10,000, paving the way for them to fully pursue their dreams.
The VibeWell VC grant program supports Ventura County-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit arts and cultural organizations in delivering programs that increase mental health awareness through creative experiences. Priority funding goes to arts organizations with explicit arts missions, though other nonprofits may apply if partnering with local arts organizations or artists.
“Our focus at CCMC is high quality care for our pediatric patients locally. This affiliation is a huge leap forward in reducing the burden placed on families to travel multiple times a year for a chronic condition that requires a large academic center like CHLA,” says Miriam Parsa, MD, MPH, Chief Pediatric Medical Officer of Cottage Children’s Medical Center.
Our newly-released five-year plan is the result of a thoughtful and collaborative process, shaped by the voices of our staff, board, community partners, and those we serve. It reflects our shared commitment to expanding access to safe, stable housing and supportive services that empower individuals and families to thrive.
More than a roadmap, this plan is a pledge—to stay focused, accountable, and connected in our pursuit of lasting impact. With clear priorities and measurable goals, we invite our supporters and partners to join us as we build a more just and compassionate future, one home and one life at a time.
On behalf of all of us at United Way of Ventura County, thank you for your participation in our 2025 Stuff the Bus campaign. At the conclusion of our campaign, we distributed over 2,300 backpacks filled with essential school supplies to students in Ventura County experiencing homelessness. Thanks to your donation, you have helped pave the path to academic success for unhoused youth.
VENTURA COUNTY — Big Brothers Big Sisters of Ventura County (BBSVC) is proud to announce the appointment of Phil Fingerman (Bank of America) to its volunteer Board of Directors to further the agency’s vision for youth mentorship programs in Ventura County.
Fingerman currently serves as Vice President of Business Intelligence Reporting at Bank of America, where he has also played a key role as an active participant in the Bank’s many volunteer programs and opportunities. His appointment to the Board at BBSVC reflects both his professional expertise, deep personal commitment to the organization’s mission, and drive to support the community as a whole.
Corina Logan and her team tease apart the role of behavioral flexibility in great-tailed grackles’ ability to flourish in human-made environments.
On the menu Thurs, Aug 7th:
Rice Balls of Fire
Passion Empanadas
Coyote Elote
Little Tony’s Wood Fired Pizza
Wrapped California
Juarez Tacos
Takumi
Happy Place
El Maíz
Cheesecake Plugg Caffe
J&K Catering
Pupusería La Llama
Jimbo’s Funnel Cakes
SANTA BARBARA — ¡Viva el Arte de Santa Bárbara! (Viva) is thrilled to announce its highly anticipated 2025-2026 season, marking 20 years of celebrating community, culture, and connection through the arts. This milestone season features an outstanding lineup of Latine performers guaranteed to captivate audiences throughout Santa Barbara County.
Viva will present five acclaimed acts that exemplify the vibrant and diverse cultural heritage of Latin America, in a special year commemorating Viva’s 20th season, with multiple opportunities for the community to celebrate together throughout the year.
Upcoming artists include: Grupo Bella, Gabby Moreno, Mariachi Reyna de Los Ángeles, Las Cafeteras, Ballet Folklórico del Rio Grande
I never thought I’d see the day when I would waver in my belief that the pursuit of a four-year college degree was a good choice for a young person. But that day has arrived. Yes, I’m wavering.
SANTA BARBARA — Last week, Cottage Rehabilitation Hospital celebrated the conclusion of the 40th annual Junior Wheelchair Sports Camp, following a week of adapted sports, new friendships and unforgettable experiences. Campers, volunteers and staff reflected on the lasting impact of this one-of-a-kind program.
Hosted July 21–25 at the UCSB Recreation Center, the camp welcomed approximately 40 campers and more than 75 volunteers—all gathered to support and celebrate the power of inclusive recreation. The event marked a milestone year in the camp’s history, which spans four decades of empowering youth with physical disabilities through sport.
VENTURA COUNTY — Housing Trust Fund Ventura County (Housing Trust Fund VC) has been awarded $5,000,000 from the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) as part of the Regional Early Action Plan (REAP 2.0). The funding will support the development of the Housing Trust Fund Ventura County’s Revolving Long-Term Loan Program for Infill Affordable Housing Developments.
SANTA BARBARA — The Music Academy of the West is proud to announce the winners of its two premier summer competitions: the Duo Competition and the Marilyn Horne Song Competition, recognizing the extraordinary artistry and collaboration of its 2025 fellows. These cornerstone events of the Summer Music Festival & School offer young musicians a platform to shine through world-class performance, interpretation, and musical partnership.
Fine Art Auction Fundraiser
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Saturday, August 16, from 3 PM to 5 PM
$15 SPAM Members • $20 Non-members
Take home a rare piece of California art while supporting the Santa Paula Art Museum’s arts education programs during our Fine Art Auction Fundraiser on Saturday, August 16. Bid on stunning artworks by historic and contemporary California artists, including Meredith Brooks Abbott, Jessie and Cornelis Botke, Robert Clunie, Paul Grimm, Douglas Shively, and many more.
The silent auction runs from 3 PM to 4 PM. The live auction runs from 4 PM to 5 PM led by professional auctioneers from California Auctioneers. Enjoy delicious hors d’oeuvres catered by Parque 1055while you browse! All proceeds benefit the Santa Paula Art Museum.
BROWSE LIVE AUCTION ITEMS
With environmental protections under threat and the impacts of climate change accelerating, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. Transform concern for our planet into meaningful local action through our Climate Stewards course.
Through the program, you’ll join a cohort of motivated climate advocates, explore local solutions through lessons and field trips, and design a personal Stewardship Project that makes a real difference in your community.
The climate crisis demands bold, informed action and engaged activists ready to lead. Whether you’re a high school or college student, recent graduate, business owner, nonprofit professional, or retiree, Climate Stewards provides the tools, knowledge, and support to help you make an impact.
CAMARILLO — The Ventura County Community Foundation (VCCF), in partnership with the County of Ventura, Ventura County Office of Education (VCOE), Economic Development Collaborative (EDC), Ventura County P-20 Council, Weingart Foundation, Ventura County Economic Development Association (VCEDA), Ventura County Credit Union (VCCU), League of Women Voters of Ventura County, Museum of Ventura County, Isabella Project, Social Justice Fund for Ventura County, Montecito Bank & Trust, Premier America Credit Union, County Schools Federal Credit Union, McCune Foundation and many others announced on June 28 the launch of the Ventura County Neighbors Support Fund—a united, community-wide effort to support local families and small businesses experiencing sudden hardship and disruption.
Distinguished professor Sarah Poot Herrera has built a cross-border scholarly network through her research on Mexican literature, fostering collaboration, mentorship and cultural dialogue across generations and geographies.
Read more about her work
WESTLAKE VILLAGE — The Southeast Ventura County YMCA is taking signups for its Adventure Guides programs in Simi and Conejo valleys and Moorpark for the 2025-26 school year.
Adventure Guides (for Kinder-6th graders) is set up into parent-child groups called Circles. Parent-child pairs join a Circle with families in their neighborhood or the school in which their children attend. They usually meet once a month for games and crafts and other activities. Also planned this year are a Pinewood Derby, a trip to Descanso Gardens, camping at Big Bear and Lake Casitas, and taking part in a plant restoration community service project.
VENTURA — Lights. Camera. Coastline! Evenings on California’s Central Coast at Ventura Harbor Village just got a lot more fun, as the waterfront destination unveils its highly anticipated 2025 Seaside Movie Nights – a
cinematic experience that fuses beloved throwback films with coastal charm. This free movie series spans from Summer to Fall 2025 at Ventura Harbor Village. www.VenturaHarborVillage.com
VENTURA — With thousands expected to attend the Ventura County Fair from July 30 through August 10, the Ventura Police Department advises the public to expect traffic congestion near the Ventura County Fairgrounds and throughout the surrounding area. Attendees are encouraged to plan ahead, utilize public transportation, or take advantage of off-site parking options to minimize delays and support pedestrian safety.
VENTURA COUNTY — Ventura County Leadership Academy (VCLA) is pleased to announce the forty members of their upcoming cohort year. They are: Adri Howe, Deputy Director, Mystic Ocean Adventures/Central Coast Ocean Adventures Alfredo Martinez, Financial Inclusion & Education Officer, Premier America Credit…
“This is an exciting opportunity to support our students and respond to critical workforce needs in California,” said Hancock Superintendent/President Kevin G. Walthers, Ph.D. “With the support of the Metallica Scholars Initiative, we can help more students—many from historically underserved communities—overcome financial barriers and launch meaningful, life-saving careers.”
CAMARILLO — Did you know your brain craves certain types of exercise? And music? And play! Gerontologist Kelsey Uyeda will explore the science of brain health with “The Brain And…,” one of 13 courses offered during the Fall I session of CSU Channel Islands’ (CSUCI) Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI).
Registration for the Fall I Session begins Aug. 4, with three and six-week courses running from Aug. 18 through Sept. 26. Discover timely topics ranging from mind and body to current events, as well as a selection of art, history and topics just for fun.
Included in the realm of mind and body is “Qigong Breathwork” by BJ Fan, Ph.D., who will familiarize participants with the ancient Chinese practice that combines stretching, meditation and breathwork to support overall health.
VENTURA — Ventura College Foundation is launching an awareness and philanthropic giving campaign to support Ventura College’s Basic Needs Center. The foundation provides support to the on-campus centers in Ventura and at East Campus in Santa Paula, which help alleviate food and housing insecurity and assist with overall student wellness.
The need for the center among students is growing. Ventura College data indicate that in 2024-25, two out of three students report experiencing at least one form of basic needs insecurity. Specifically, 47 percent of students are food insecure, 58 percent face housing insecurity, and 24 percent have experienced homelessness.
“These numbers demonstrate a critical and ongoing need for support services on campus,” says Maria Crisosto Calderon, Basic Needs Center Specialist. “Philanthropic support is essential to the work we do. Even with financial aid and part-time jobs, many students struggle to keep up with the rising cost of living. When students are unsure where their next meal will come from or how they’ll pay rent, their education often takes a back seat. Charitable giving enables the centers to provide immediate, life-stabilizing support, allowing students to focus on their academics and long-term goals.”
United Way of Ventura County is pleased to announce the 20th Annual Spirit Award Recipients. These awards honor our Founding members. Since 2005, individuals and organizations who embody the qualities of Milton M. Teague, Douglas Shively, and Roy Pinkerton are selected for this prestigious honor. This year we will also present our President’s Award. The awards and awardees are listed below:
SANTA BARBARA — City folks will get a taste of how the food they eat is grown during the 7th Annual Santa Barbara County Farm Day, Saturday, September 6, from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Hosted by Students for Eco-Education and Agriculture (SEEAG), this free event consists of over 20 farms, ranches, wineries and agricultural organizations across Santa Barbara County. All will open their doors so the public can learn how food is grown, meet the hands that feed them, and enjoy a fun-filled day of agricultural activities for the entire family.
THOUSAND OAKS — If California Latinos were an independent state, their GDP would be the nation’s sixth-largest state GDP, larger than the economy of Pennsylvania or Ohio, according to the 2025 California Latino GDP Report by researchers at California Lutheran University and UCLA.
“Latinos’ participation in the California economy is more active, more intense than that of Non-Latinos,” said Matthew Fienup, Ph.D., executive director of the Center for Economic Research and Forecasting at Cal Lutheran and coauthor of the report with David Hayes-Bautista, Ph.D., distinguished professor of medicine at UCLA. “The importance of rapid Latino growth rates, and the intensity of economic activity they represent, cannot be overstated. The vitality of the overall California economy depends on the intensity of the economic activity of Latinos.”
SANTA BARBARA — Since the start of the year, members of our indigenous community across the Central Coast, our relatives, friends, and neighbors, have been taken by ICE. The joy and vibrancy of community life were replaced by fear and silence. However, as indigenous people, we know that our simple act of existence is resistance.
At MICOP, we remain rooted in our mission to organize, support, and empower our indigenous migrant community. Night in Oaxaca will continue to honor the beauty of indigenous existence, and of our resilient communities. We are descendants of warriors, healers, and protectors. We speak the languages of the rain and the clouds. Our spirits carry the songs of the mountains and rivers, and the courage of ancestors who never surrendered, and neither will we.
“Dr. Cruz has devoted his career to caring for low-income and vulnerable populations,” said Dr. Felix Nuñez, GCHP’s chief executive officer. “He is a mission-driven leader with extensive experience in health education, health care administration, and care systems transformation who is committed to improving the health outcomes and reducing the health care inequities experienced by our most vulnerable members. I am confident that he will help lead us into the next phase of our work as we continue to find new ways to connect our members with care.”
SANTA MARIA — Allan Hancock College is inviting new students and their families to kick off the academic year with fun and informative Hancock Hello orientation events held this August at the college’s Santa Maria campus and Lompoc Valley Center.
Hancock Hello is designed to help first-time students and their families get connected, feel confident and prepare for a successful college experience. The Lompoc Valley Center will host its Hancock Hello event on Aug. 5, from 4 to 6:30 p.m., and the Santa Maria campus event will be held on Aug. 12 from 4 to 6:30 p.m.
“Hancock Hello is a great opportunity for incoming students and their families to get familiar with campus life,” said Hancock Outreach Coordinator Patricia Prado-Rios. “It’s a fun and informative way to feel prepared and excited for the year ahead.”
Mark your calendars for the Career & Resource Expo!
You’re invited to the County of Ventura’s Annual Career & Resource Expo on Wednesday, August 13, 2025, from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the Ventura County Government Center (Main Courtyard between the Hall of Administration and Hall of Justice).
VENTURA — The Ventura Port District announces the launch of Phase 2 of its Parking Management Plan, introducing paid parking at Ventura Harbor Village, Harbor Cove Beach, and Surfers Knoll Beach this weekend. Paid parking will be in effect from 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays, while remaining free Monday through Thursday (excluding major holidays).
The Parking Management Plan is intended to improve access and enhance the visitor experience by encouraging greater parking turnover and availability during peak times. This effort supports the Ventura Port District’s mission to provide exceptional amenities, infrastructure, and services for the community and its guests.
VENTURA — The City of Ventura is excited to announce the release of its Fall Parks and Recreation Activity Guide! Registration begins Tuesday, August 5, 2025, at 12:00 p.m. and will be available online, over the phone, or in person at City Hall, located at 501 Poli Street in Room 226. Registration information and policies are on page 43. Discover hundreds of upcoming classes, programs, and events scheduled from September through January at www.cityofventura.ca.gov/ActivityGuide
Assanis comes to UC from the University of Delaware, where he has served as president since 2016. He will assume his role at UCSB on Sept. 1, 2025.
SANTA MARIA — Caring for a critically ill child is every parent’s worst nightmare, and for too many families, navigating this unimaginable crisis is made even harder by financial strain. No parent should have to choose between paying medical bills and buying diapers. That’s why LEAP: Learn • Engage • Advocate • Partner and Hearts Aligned are strengthening their partnership to make life a little less stressful for such families in the Santa Maria area.
