You’re invited to the Santa Paula Art Museum’s Fourteenth Anniversary Gala and Fundraiser on Saturday, April 20! In honor of the Museum’s Limoneira Building turning 100 this year, we’re going to party like it’s 1924! Join us inside the Museum for a Roaring ’20s evening of art, live music by Sophie Holt and Studio C, dancing, cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, and more.
Our community’s collective heart breaks every time we hear of yet another death of an inmate in custody. Moreover, delays in medical care have caused costly delays in booking inmates, taxing our law enforcement resources. The Board of Supervisors has recently voted to establish the Jail Health Monitoring Unit under the Public Health Department to ensure County health experts are a part of the medical policy-making and quality assurance.
SANTA BARBARA — Teens and adults who have undiagnosed autism (autism spectrum disorder / ASD) can struggle with symptoms that may lead to depression, anxiety and self-harm, according to the UCSB Koegel Autism Center at the Gevirtz Graduate School of Education.
They often feel misunderstood and dismissed because they have not received appropriate support and this can aggravate their mental health, explained Anna Krasno, Ph.D., who leads the Koegel Autism Center.
“An accurate diagnosis with regard to autism is absolutely crucial, so that people can get the support that best fits their needs,” said Dr. Krasno. “This can be life-saving, affirming, and validating for people with autism.”
California Lutheran University’s School of Management continues to provide a stimulating environment for our learners and the community around us, even in these unusual times. Today, we are once again happy to share a selection of exciting news, updates, and upcoming events with our communities in Southern California and beyond.
We encourage you to stay current on what’s going on at the School of Management by following our Showcase page on LinkedIn.
SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY — Lumina Alliance is proud to announce this year’s Shining Light Award winners ahead of our Lumina Nights event on April 12th and 13th at Thousand Hills Ranch in Pismo Beach. This year’s recipients come from a wide variety of backgrounds, but have one thing in common: they have chosen to stand in support of survivors of sexual assault and domestic violence, and their actions have made SLO County a brighter place to live.
VENTURA COUNTY — The Foundation of VCCU, Ventura County Credit Union’s (VCCU) philanthropic nonprofit organization, has awarded $38,500 in grants to 8 nonprofits who deliver invaluable help and support to our local community. This grant cycle, which is the first round of awards distributed in 2024, will support these organizations’ efforts to improve the lives of Ventura and Santa Barbara county residents.
The 8 organizations serve a wide variety of our neighbors in need including foster children, individuals that need help, as well as families struggling with homelessness, housing and food insecurity.
VENTURA — The Ventura Port District (District) Board of Port Commissioners (Board) are pleased to announce that a funding agreement has been signed with the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) to receive a grant of $200,000 for the improvements of restrooms and shower facilities at Harbor Cove Beach, Surfers Knoll Beach, and the District’s public launch ramp.
This grant is the second awarded to the District by NFWF under the “Refugio Beach Oil Spill Settlement: South Coast Shoreline Parks and Outdoor Recreation Grants Program” (Program), the first of which was a grant of $93,301 provided in 2022. Those funds were fully expended to improve beach accessibility, install three new light poles for Harbor Cove Beach parking lot, and the purchase of public safety communications equipment.
LOMPOC — Lompoc’s outdoor mural gallery is one of the largest of its kind in the United States. With more than 40 murals on street corners, in alleyways, and on the sides of prominent buildings, murals have transformed our downtown spaces into one of Lompoc’s top attractions.
As you wander through the streets, you’ll encounter murals celebrating our agricultural heritage, paying tribute to our brave veterans, capturing the natural beauty that surrounds us, and even celebrating the space program.
Many of the murals are curated by the Lompoc Mural Society, a local non-profit dedicated to revitalizing historic old town. Each mural tells a story that preserves Lompoc’s history through art.
SANTA BARBARA — The Housing Authority of the City of Santa Barbara will honor 17 graduates who have completed the organization’s Family Self-Sufficiency (FSS) program with a ceremony and dinner.
36-year-old Cindy Abrajan, who has lived in Santa Barbara her whole life, is one of the FSS graduates and is grateful for the support she has received with her financial and career goals.
CAMARILLO — A Chumash dialect spoken by the Barbareño/Ventureño Band of Mission Indians thousands of years ago is alive and thriving with a new online Chumash language dictionary hosted by CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI).
Ventureño Chumash, also called mitsqanaqan, is one of six (some say seven) documented Chumashan languages, each named after a mission. There have been other Chumashan dictionaries, but this is the first online dictionary specific to the Barbareño/Ventureño Chumash. These are the indigenous people who lived in Ventura County and the northern Channel Islands for thousands of years.
VENTURA COUNTY — The Ventura County Office of Education is pleased to announce that a Ventura County team won first place in the 2024 California Mock Trial Finals that were held over the weekend in Los Angeles. Trinity Pacific Christian School in Thousand Oaks was named the 2024 California Mock Trial Finals Champions after the competition that included schools from throughout the state.
This is the second time in three years that Trinity Pacific has come in first at the state level. They last won the state competition in 2021 when it was held virtually due to the pandemic. The Trinity Pacific team (pictured) will now advance to the National Mock Trial competition to be held from May 2 – 5 in Wilmington, Delaware.
LOMPOC — Reconnect with your besties and embark on the ultimate Girls’ getaway to Lompoc, California. From a leisurely breakfast to heart-pounding adventures and serene spa sessions, this itinerary promises a day of joy, laughter, and unforgettable moments.
“This new app will help improve the community’s knowledge and understanding of farming, food, and wine in our region, and connect them with the people who grow and produce these crops and wines,” said Hancock viticulture and enology instructor Alfredo Koch. “This will also help the county’s growers and winemakers by increasing awareness of their businesses and products.”
SANTA BARBARA — Girls Inc. of Carpinteria proudly announces Fuel Her Fire, previously known as Women of Inspiration, to be held on April 4th from 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM at the Girls Inc. campus. Fuel Her Fire is a fundraising and mentorship event designed to champion Girls Inc. of Carpinteria’s STRONG, SMART, and BOLD mission, celebrating the remarkable contributions of community leaders who have ignited the passions and fueled the futures of girls in our community.
This year’s event will honor three outstanding individuals whose commitment and dedication have significantly impacted the lives of young girls in Carpinteria: Sonia Aguila, Tim Cohen, and junior honoree Ellie Lou Olvera.
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Community members who are not already subscribed may sign up to receive our newsletter in English here and in Spanish here.
SANTA BARBARA — Family Service Agency (FSA) of Santa Barbara County and Youthwell are pleased to announce a free mental health training called QPR that will help participants learn three steps to help save a life from suicide.
QPR stands for Question, Persuade, and Refer — the three simple steps anyone can learn. Just as people trained in CPR help save thousands of lives each year, people trained in QPR learn how to recognize the warning signs of a suicide crisis. In the two-hour course, participants will learn to recognize the warning signs of suicide, how to offer hope, and how to get help and save a life.
The library has acquired the Cedric J. and Elizabeth P. Robinson Archive, comprising research and teaching papers, ephemera and digital materials reflecting their seminal scholarship and activism.
“The addition of our new data science program allows us to address student demand and meet workforce needs,” said Lori E. Varlotta, president of Cal Lutheran. “Our faculty have designed the curriculum to ensure that students will not only develop their technical skills but the ethical orientation of being good data stewards — professionals who will understand and seek to protect the sensitive data we all seek to safeguard.”
A Santa Barbara native, the first in her family to go to college, a tour guide during her UCSB days, and a 20-plus-year veteran of the admissions office, Acosta is an expert in her field.
The grants available are designed to revitalize and encourage the arts community in Ventura County. They aim to foster creativity, cooperation, and a greater involvement in the arts throughout the county. Whether you are an independent artist or part of an organization, you may be eligible to apply for these grants. The grants can be used to cover general expenses and to support new or existing projects.
THOUSAND OAKS — The Southeast Ventura County YMCA seeks sponsors for its 25th Annual National Day of Prayer Breakfast. The breakfast is Thursday, May 2 at CLU’s Gilbert Sports Center in Thousand Oaks. The breakfast brings the spiritual communities of all faiths together to celebrate fellowship and prayer. The theme this year is “Pray For Peace.”
The prayer breakfast will be from 7:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. and will include speakers, spiritual and community leaders providing invocations and prayers, and live musical performances.
“It could be a working health aide, or a surgical tech looking to advance skills and opportunities toward a health management position,” said CSUCI Health Science Lecturer Ashley Parks. “Someone earning $18 to $24 dollars an hour today doing manual labor can double or triple their salary to, perhaps, $54 an hour with a degree. They can move into research or management roles.”
“Through the commitments outlined in this MOU, our graduates will have a chance to access a high-quality, affordable college education close to home,” said Fillmore High School Principal Keith Derrick. “We are excited to work with CSUCI to enhance our students’ success and future options. This agreement is an important investment in the young people of our community.”
Focusing on the Maldives and Guyana — two communities on the front lines of sea level rise — sociologist Summer Gray’s new book examines and illustrates how seawalls serve as a point of conflict between rich and poor, colonizer and Indigenous, powerful and powerless.
SAN LUIS OBISPO — Uplift Central Coast Coalition (Uplift) is thrilled to announce it has been awarded $14 million from the California Regional Investment Initiative of the California Jobs First program (formerly known as the Community Economic Resilience Fund or CERF). Launched in 2021 by Governor Newsom, this initiative supported the establishment of Uplift, a coalition convened by three economic development agencies: REACH, Economic Development Collaborative (EDC), and Monterey Bay Economic Partnership (MBEP). The $14 million in funding, known as the “Catalyst Program,” will bolster Uplift’s ongoing efforts to craft strategic roadmaps and recommend investments for the 6-county Central Coast region.
AGOURA HILLS — Three “Be Like Carter” scholarships were awarded to Agoura High School students earlier this month. The scholarships are given out twice a year in memory of Carter Stone, an incoming freshman at Agoura High who passed away in 2022 unexpectedly just before the start of the school year and after making the football team.
Scholarship winners are Carter Roberts, a 12th grader who is on the football and baseball teams and overcame two injuries that required surgeries to continue to compete, Addison Reyes, an 11th grader who excels in track and field and soccer and, in addition, teaches kids to surf and Colin Hook, a 12thgrader who plays varsity football for Agoura High and is a certified lifeguard.
SANTA BARBARA — The Santa Barbara City College (SBCC) first-year experience and student empowerment program ¡Raíces: First Year and Beyond! is hosting a Rally and Campus Unity March across campus on Thursday, March 21, from 1-2:30 p.m. The rally will be held outside the West Campus Center, where the march will commence. From there the marchers will cross the SBCC campus bridge and make their way to the Winslow Maxwell Overlook on East Campus.
This event is part of the ¡Sí Se Puede!: Student Advocacy Series during March 2024 to honor el Movimento and the liberation grassroots activism can manifest.
The acquisition underscores the Art and Design Collection’s status as a premier resource for the study of the built environment in Southern California from the late 19th century to the present day.
The expanded two-year Promise, also known as HP2, was announced on March 8 as the college welcomed more than 2,000 local high school students to its campus for the annual Career Exploration Day event. Many of the students in attendance will benefit from the Promises expansion when it goes into effect in Fall 2024.
“We’ve covered first-year tuition for five years now, and that has significantly increased the number of local students who have access to a college education,” said Hancock Superintendent/President Kevin G. Walthers, Ph.D. “The two-year Promise will better support those students as they work to complete their degrees.”
CAMARILLO — The Ventura County Community College District (VCCCD) and the Ventura County Office of Education (VCOE) recently organized the second Dual Enrollment Community of Practice, emphasizing the importance of designing college pathways for high school students in Ventura County. Held on March 4, 2024, the workshop brought together educators and leaders from both school systems in a dynamic meeting of collaboration and inspiration.
The workshop, titled “Empowering Futures: Building Intentional Pathways for All Students,” highlighted the increasing opportunities available for the county’s high school students. These dual enrollment programs allow students to complete college-level courses while still in high school, providing them with a head start on their higher education journey. This event marked the continuation of efforts initiated during the first meeting in November 2023, where educators from both systems collaborated to envision dual enrollment opportunities across the county.
PORT HUENEME — The Port of Hueneme and City of Port Hueneme are thrilled to host the FIRST Robotics Hueneme Port Regional Competition in their vibrant coastal community. The Competition takes place over two weekends from March 1-3, 2024 and March 9 &10, 2024 located onsite at the Port of Hueneme in the FATHOMWERX lab — a collaborative space for innovation and technology transfer between the Port, the Naval Base Ventura County, the Economic Development Collaborative, and Matter Labs.
The exhilarating event brings over 1,500 high school students from across the world together along with their 51 life-sized robots to test the power of collaboration and measure the effectiveness of innovations and is made possible in part through the Port of Hueneme & City of Port Hueneme’s joint Community Benefit Fund. First Robotics is an exemplary partner as their mission not only fosters creativity and technical prowess but also focuses on strengthening community bonds. Support of their work is crucial as it empowers young minds, encourages innovation, and ensures a brighter future for our coastal community.
CAMARILLO — CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI)’s Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) is celebrating its 20th anniversary with a strong lineup of class offerings for the Spring II session.
Adult students whose tastes run toward current events, politics and history can sign up for classes like: “Eyeball to Eyeball: The Eagle and the Dragon Stare Each Other Down,” on U.S. Chinese relations; “Grasping Israeli Politics” or “Founding Friendship: John Adams and Thomas Jefferson.”
Lichtenstein’s latest book examines the former president’s expansive agenda, revealing why it was such ‘a fabulous failure’ and why its demise still haunts us today.
VENTURA COLLEGE — Ventura County Community College District (VCCCD) announces an updated schedule for the open forums featuring finalists for the Ventura College Presidential Search. College faculty, staff, administration, and community members are invited to attend.
Ventura College President Finalist Forums
Ventura College Performing Arts Center
4700 Loma Vista Road, Ventura, California
FILLMORE — For the first time ever, Fillmore High School in the Fillmore Unified School District (FUSD) is being honored with the prestigious California Distinguished Schools Award. The California Department of Education announced last week that Fillmore High School is one of only 293 schools out of thousands statewide to receive the honor in 2024.
Fillmore High School was selected as a Distinguished School following its exemplary efforts to increase student achievement in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. “After the pandemic, instead of focusing on the challenges ahead of us, we focused on creating opportunities for our students,” said FUSD Superintendent Christine Schieferle. “We expanded counseling and social-emotional support and focused on developing the capacity of our staff. Additional academic and counseling supports were added to meet the needs of our students.”
NOWRUZ
Saturday, March 23
11:00 am – 2:00 pm
@Museum of Ventura County
100 E. Main St., Ventura
Celebrate Nowruz at the Museum of Ventura County! Enjoy Persian cuisine by Safir Mediterranean Cuisine, traditional dance by Sahlala Dancers, and live music by Illunis Music. Experience Farsi Calligraphy, cultural displays, and the thrilling Fire Jumping ritual. Join us for a day of cultural splendor, delicious cuisine, and lively entertainment! Free, no registration required. For more information, click HERE.
OXNARD — Eleven-year-old engineering wiz Gio Basile created the winning poster design for the 38th Annual California Strawberry Festival. Gio’s winning entry was revealed today to a group of dignitaries and festival sponsors gathered at Yolanda’s Mexican Café in Oxnard. The luncheon officially kicks off activities for the 2024 festival celebration taking place May 18 and 19 at the Ventura County Fairgrounds.
VENTURA COUNTY — Housing Trust Fund Ventura County (Housing Trust Fund VC) welcomed community leaders to its Annual Meeting and “A Home for Education” symposium February 29th at the CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI) campus. The symposium was presented in collaboration with the County of Ventura, CSUCI, Ventura County Office of Education, Ventura County P-20 Council, and Housing Trust Fund VC to an audience of key decision makers in education, government, land use planning, and affordable housing development.
Rebecca Varney of the Department of Ecology, Evolution & Marine Biology helps to reveal the surprising origins behind mollusk eyes, shedding light on evolutionary processes.
The grants available are designed to revitalize and encourage the arts community in Ventura County. They aim to foster creativity, cooperation, and a greater involvement in the arts throughout the county. Whether you are an independent artist or part of an organization, you may be eligible to apply for these grants. The grants can be used to cover general expenses and to support new or existing projects.
SANTA BARBARA — Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital is excited to introduce Ezra Kai Avila, the hospital’s first Leap Year baby.
Born on February 29, 2024, at 2:19 a.m., weighing 6 pounds, 7 ounces, and measuring 19.5 inches in length. Ezra’s birth is unique as this date only occurs every four years.
Ezra’s proud parents, Veronica Ortega and Miguel Angel Avila of Goleta were overjoyed by his arrival. As first- time parents, they found Ezra’s Leap Day birth exciting and unique.
OXNARD — We are pleased to announce that we have selected three (3) finalists for the next President of Oxnard College. We would like to thank the entire College community for your continued interest and support in the process to identify our next President. I would like to take this opportunity to personally thank each member of the Presidential Search Committee for their exceptional insight, dedication, and effort.
CAMARILLO — The Camarillo Sunrise Rotary Club, a local service organization comprised of local business leaders and committed to a wide range of local and global causes, has been a long-time supporter of kidSTREAM, Ventura County’s only children’s museum. The Rotary Club is hosting the Fourth Annual kidSTREAM Charity Golf Tournament at Las Posas Country Club Golf Course on Monday, April 29.
There are a few spots for golfers remaining through sponsorship of the tournament, and they can be found by going to kidSTREAM’s website at kidSTREAM.org, under “Upcoming Events”. In addition to the golf tournament a 3-day silent online auction will open to the public on tournament day.
PORT OF HUENEME — In a strong spirit of partnership and heart for the community, the City of Port Hueneme, and the Port of Hueneme celebrated Heart Health Awareness Month by hosting a “Run for Your Heart” 5K Race on Sunday, February 24, 2024. The event is a result of the Port of Hueneme and City of Port Hueneme’s Community Benefit Fund partnership. To help celebrate, Del Monte Fresh Fruit and Produce provided a nutritious banana for runners after they crossed the finish line.
VENTURA — Each year, elementary school students travel by bus to Students for Eco-Education and Agriculture’s (SEEAG) free Farm Lab program at Petty Ranch in Ventura and Allan Hancock College’s Demonstration Orchard in Santa Maria. While at the farms, students learn about the farm origins of their food. Funds raised through SEEAG’s current “Bus Bucks” fundraiser will help offset school bus expenses so that field trips remain entirely cost-free to students, teachers and schools.
For each Farm Lab field trip, SEEAG gives schools $300 for bus expenses. Currently, SEEAG is scheduled to host 70 field trips in 2024. To ensure there are enough funds to pay for transportation, the Bus Bucks’ goal is to raise $20,000.
Assistant teaching professor Michelle Petty-Grue explores her life and profession in the arts in this long-form interview that ranges from her upbringing in England to raising a Black son in America.
SANTA BARBARA — Santa Barbara City College invites all college students to the Financial Aid Fest on Wednesday, February 28, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on SBCC’s Cliff Campus in the Eastern courtyard of the Student Services Building (East Campus).
Expert specialists will be available to assist students in completing FAFSA and Dream Act Applications. This event is open to ALL college students including AB-540 students and students from other colleges and universities like UCSB, Westmont, and Antioch are welcome to receive support.
CAMARILLO — After years of transformation, the CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI) Science Carnival is back, bigger and better, as the CSUCI School of Arts and Sciences STEAM Carnival. STEAM stands for science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics.
“It took a while to make this happen again, but I am so, so, so excited,” said Acting Dean of Arts & Sciences Phil Hampton, who started the carnival. “COVID nearly eliminated the event but now it has grown up into the Arts and Sciences (A&S) STEAM Carnival. We’ve added the arts, but it’s a very long bar over the ‘A’ to make it include art, social science and humanities.”
VENTURA COUNTY — Trinity Pacific Christian School is the winner of the middle school division of the 2024 Ventura County Mock Trial competition after earning the highest score in the final round this afternoon. Valley View Middle School in the Simi Valley Unified School District came in second place and Mesa Union School took third. The winners were announced at an awards ceremony this evening at the Oxnard Performing Arts Center.
Members of a single Colombian family each carry a mutation linked to accelerated development of the sticky plaques that, in addition to tangles of a misfolded structural protein called tau, are the hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease.
VENTURA COUNTY — Trinity Pacific Christian School and Royal High School took the top two spots in the high school division of the 2024 Ventura County Mock Trial competition, which was held over two weekends at the Ventura County Hall of Justice. Twenty-one high schools from throughout Ventura County participated in Mock Trial this year. The winning teams were announced at an awards ceremony this evening at the Oxnard Performing Arts Center. Here’s how the eight highest-scoring high school teams ranked:
LOMPOC — Step into history at one of California’s most extensively restored missions – La Purisima Mission State Historic Park! The Mission offers visitors a remarkable historic journey to life in the 1800’s. Within minutes of downtown Lompoc, you can explore the grounds of this meticulously preserved mission, and find yourself immersed in the rich tapestry of California’s past. From the imposing adobe walls to the tranquil courtyards, every corner of La Purisima Mission resonates with history.
Visitors can wander through the well-preserved buildings, including the chapel, living quarters, workshops, and gardens, gaining insight into the daily lives of the Spanish missionaries and the indigenous Chumash people who once inhabited this site.
WESTLAKE VILLAGE — The YMCA’s Model United Nations for middle schoolers will begin in the Conejo and Simi valleys on March 6. Students in grades sixth through eighth are eligible. The program is sponsored by the Southeast Ventura County YMCA.
The program, which runs from March 6 through April 28, enables participants to come together with peers from across California to discuss international issues, discover other cultures, develop life-enhancing skills and make new friends. These students will become “delegates” and be assigned to one of two program areas, each focusing on improving the international community.
“Art About Agriculture” is a group exhibition presented by the Ag Art Alliance, a collective formed in 2007 by Santa Paula photographer John Nichols and Santa Paula painter Gail Pidduck. The purpose of the exhibit is to promote awareness of agriculture by exploring its many facets through art—from workers to water, from machinery to fields, to the food that goes on our plates. All of the artworks are available for purchase.
“Inspired by the transformative power of mentorship, almost twenty years ago, I participated in a program that changed my perspective on public service,” said Mayor Leslie Cornejo. “Now, I’m thrilled to announce the launch of the Santa Paula Future Leaders Academy. This 10-week program is a direct response to our community’s desire for deeper engagement and understanding of City operations and aims to mentor residents and business owners, transforming them into ambassadors for our city.”
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Community members who are not already subscribed may sign up to receive our newsletter in English here and in Spanish here.
VENTURA COUNTY — The California Bountiful Foundation, the 501(c)3 science, research and education nonprofit organization of the California Farm Bureau, will begin enrollment Feb. 21 for a new program called Expanding Our Roots: Beginning Farmers and Ranchers Mentorship Program.
The program has a website where beginning farmers and ranchers with one to 10 years of farming and ranching experience in California may enroll for free in the mentorship program.
Farmers and ranchers interested in serving as mentors may also sign up via the webpage. Mentors are financially compensated for providing six hours of mentoring services to beginning farmers and ranchers.
VENTURA —The County of Ventura, in partnership with the Ventura County Community Foundation and the Ventura County Arts Council, has announced the Arts and Culture Investment Fund grant opportunity to support Ventura County-based arts and culture organizations and independent artists.
A total of $800,000 in funding will be available through this program, making it one of the largest arts and culture specific grant programs offered by local government in Ventura County. Of this funding, a total of $700,000 is available to nonprofit art organizations, independent artists, and arts projects. The remaining $100,000 will be dedicated to providing matching funds from the County to support arts and culture organizations applying for grant opportunities where a grant match is required.
Explore the complex life of Napoleon Bonaparte in a new exhibition of George Stuart Historical Figures®. As a charismatic leader, military strategist, and political figure, Napoleon rose to power during the tumultuous aftermath of the French Revolution. Immerse yourself in his journey, from the forces that propelled him to prominence, his marriages, and his entwined destinies with other global leaders. Through George Stuart’s intricate creations, experience Napoleon Bonaparte’s significant impact on the course of history.
