Family Service Agency (FSA) announced that The Little House By The Park (LHP) has moved to two locations in Guadalupe. Staff will be on-hand at Riverview Townhomes, located at 230 Calle Cesar E Chavez, from Monday through Friday. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, residents can obtain services at Guadalupe Court, located at 4202 11th Street. Hours of operation are 8:15 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. for both locations.
The 14th Annual Art About Agriculture Exhibition
Saturday, November 12, 2022, from 4 PM to 6 PM
$5 SPAM Members • $10 Non-members
Art About Agriculture, the popular, group exhibition presented annually by the Ag Art Alliance, returns November 12, 2022, through March 5, 2023! Now in its fourteenth year, Art About Agriculture promotes 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.
CSU Channel Islands has chosen a site for construction of an early childhood center designed to address the dire need for quality, affordable and accessible care for children of CSUCI students, 40% of whom earn less than $24,000 a year, farm workers’ children in the region, and other community members, as well as for the children of University employees.
A Renewed Focus
A water purification collaboration involving UC Santa Barbara researchers receives a $12 million grant from the Department of Energy.
Ivor Davis: Up Close and Personal with Joe Sohm, Thur., November 3rd from 6:30-8pm
Joe Sohm (“America’s Photo-Historian”) has been published more than 500,000 times in publications that include the National Geographic, Time, Newsweek, New York and L.A. Times, Washington Post and featured on CNN, ABC, PBS, and the History Channel. He served as President Clinton’s photographer for the D.N.C and his work is featured in Ronald Reagan’s book The Great Communicator. Join host Ivor Davis for a riveting discussion with Sohm about his work as one of the nation’s greatest political photographers of our time.
A heartfelt thank you to everyone who came to our Annual Fundraiser in Saticoy on October 16th. We are grateful for our speakers, who all brought an invaluable perspective and offered attendees a thorough look at the challenges and community efforts in Saticoy.
Our success is only made possible by YOU. Because of your support, whether you donated, volunteered, attended, or spread the word about our 2022 Gala, we were able to host our most successful event ever. Together we raised $684,000 for our community’s youth! As you know, putting this event together is no small feat, and we’ve already begun planning next year’s… and we have a date! The 21st Annual Stand Up For Kids Gala will be held on
Saturday, September 9th 2023.
The library launches the Community Archives Project for Santa Barbara’s Latinx neighborhoods.
If you have experienced the loss of a loved one due to suicide, do not hesitate to join our Survivors of Suicide Loss grief support group. Livingston’s Grief and Bereavement Program are committed to maintaining an open, accepting, confidential atmosphere. All are free of charge.
Fall is in the air across Santa Barbara County. Winter squash’s orange and yellow hues abound at farmers’ markets, farm stands, and local food retailers. Farmers are milling locally-grown grains harvested in the summer, and local ranchers are raising turkeys for the holidays. Fishermen recently showcased the abundance of sustainably harvested, high-quality seafood at the 19th Annual Harbor and Seafood Festival.
From the mobile farmers’ market to shared agricultural equipment, food system changemakers across the Lompoc Valley are addressing critical needs by fostering community and developing food system infrastructure. As you’ll read in our latest regional highlight on the Lompoc Valley, farmers, ranchers, farmers’ market managers, food business owners, and educators alike are accelerating community-led solutions to build a more equitable, closed-loop food system.
As the seasons change, there are a number of opportunities to get involved in the Santa Barbara County food system. See below for more updates on how our region is building resilience, upcoming events to make new connections, and funding for your next project.
New student test score data released today by the California Department of Education will help Ventura County educators provide support and interventions where they are needed the most. The test results show student performance in math and English Language Arts on the 2021-22 California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP). The 2021-22 school year was the first that CAASPP was fully administered since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2020-21, only about half of Ventura County students took the test, and the year before that it was not administered at all. As a result, these new results can’t be meaningfully compared to prior years and are being used as a new baseline.
VENTURA — Ventura County Parks has launched the Rincon Seawall Beautification project located south of Solimar Beach. This pilot project is being funded by County Parks in an effort to introduce art into parks and inspire community beautification. The 285’ stretch of seawall will take approximately 5 weeks to complete and will depict an ocean scene with the sea life found off the Ventura County Coast. Successful completion of this project will provide an upgraded look to the day-use parking area.
For more information on County parks and trails, please visit www.ventura.org/parks-department or call (805) 654-3951.
Santa Barbara City College celebrated the grand opening celebration of the SBCC Dream Center in the Campus Center on its main campus (721 Cliff Dr.), Wednesday, Oct. 19. The Dream Center is a space where undocumented students can receive legal assistance, academic assistance, financial assistance, access to community resources and more.
As part of SBCC’s Office of Equity, Diversity and Cultural Competency, the Dream Center hosted a number of activities and events in recognition of the California Community Colleges system-wide Undocumented Student Week of Action, Oct. 17-20. On Tuesday, Oct. 18, Rafael Agustín was on hand for an in-person keynote speech and book signing. An award-winning television writer (“Jane the Virgin”), Agustín is also the author of “Illegally Yours: A Memoir,” a funny and poignant book about how as a teenager, he accidentally discovered he was undocumented and how that revelation turned everything he thought he knew about himself and his family upside down.
… “We black men have a hard enough time in our own struggle for justice, and already have enough enemies as it is, to make the drastic mistake of attacking each other and adding more weight to an already unbearable load.”… Malcom X
… Racism as American as Apple Pie
But, pathetically, we do attack one another. Always, it seems, fighting for the proverbial crumbs that the oppressor throws at our feet. Latino and Black folk in this country have had a troubled and checkered history when it comes to, as Rodney King implored, “to just get along”. American racism is complex, insidious, multi-layered and has been “as American as apple pie” and an evil and shameful scourge on this nation for 250 years. Racism permeates and infects every aspect of American life. No one is totally inoculated and immune from this highly infectious American pathology, Latinos and Blacks are no exception.
Greg Kovacs joins the Boys & Girls Club with a lifelong passion for helping children and teens achieve their true personal and academic potential. Throughout his career, Greg has had the great fortune and opportunity to design, develop, and lead educational nonprofit organizations, schools, and camp programs towards great success.
He has dedicated more than two decades of his life, helping our nation’s youth find safe and engaging environments, to provide the opportunities needed to grow and achieve personal success. He has gained experience in both traditional school settings and in less formal outdoor experiential education learning environments.
The Ventura College Foundation is now accepting scholarship applications for the 2022-23 school year. The deadline for application submissions is January 20, 2023.
Students currently enrolled at Ventura College in the 2022-2023 academic year, who have completed at least six credits by the end of Fall 2022 semester, are eligible to apply. Units earned in previous semesters at Ventura College count towards the unit requirement.
“We recently lowered the minimum number of credits from 12 to 6 so many part-time students now qualify to apply,” says Anne Paul King, Ventura College Foundation executive director. “Many of our students work full time and have family commitments that prevent them from taking a full class load. Our new credit policy opens eligibility to these students.”
Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin (D-Thousand Oaks) held a press conference Tuesday, Oct. 18 at Moorpark Community College to highlight the passage of AB 1705 and AB 1187, as well as $64 Million secured in the 2022-2023 State Budget for the California Community College Equitable Placement and Completion Grant Program.
“Breaking down systemic barriers to student success is never easy, but today we proved that is possible,” said Assemblymember Irwin. “I am incredibly proud and thankful for the broad coalition of support that helped me push AB 1705, AB 1187, and the $64 million budget investment across the finish line. Together we will continue to put the success of our community college students first so that every student can achieve their educational goals.”
Listen up, it’s not just hocus pocus! Ventura Harbor Village is getting into the spooky spirit by brewing up a variety of fall festivities for visitors this Halloween. There is no better place to be than seaside as it casts a magical spell.
This spook-tacular destination invites guests from near and far to stop in for some enchanting entertainment. The real treat is complimentary community events for costumed kids, pets and parents who wish to celebrate the season in costume.
Festively decorated with local pumpkins, skeletons, and a myriad of scenic marina photo ops, Ventura Harbor is pulling out all the stops for Halloween weekend, made possible by partner, Underwood Family Farms.
This month we have been reflecting on how we are doing.
A leadership retreat, and the publication of our annual Impact Report, provided us the opportunity to share the many positive outcomes and significant impacts achieved because of your partnership.
The theme of this years report is ‘Twenty Years of Services’. The production of new housing, or the renovation of existing units, are outcomes we can clearly track. Harder to measure, but equally important, are the changed lives which happen when essential supportive services are partnered with those new homes.
We’re delighted to introduce Jem Morris and Gabriel Islas as the newest additions to the Santa Paula Art Museum team! As Museum Educator, Jem Morris is leading SPAM’s ArtSPARK school tour program, monthly Free Family Days, our busy partnership with Boys & Girls Club of Santa Clara Valley, and much more.
WHEN:
8 WEDNESDAYS: 4-5:30PM
October 19 – December 14 (no class Nov 23)
WHERE:
TEATRO DE LAS AMERICAS
321 6TH ST. OXNARD
WHO:
Ages 7-15
COST:
$50
(Scholarships available)
More info:
805 341-3837
cenalio@aol.com
1 to 4 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 30 — Día de los Muertos — We are thrilled to partner with the Santa Paula Art Museum and Pierce Brothers Cemetery to present a community-wide celebration! As one of three celebratory sites located in the Santa Paula, the Agriculture Museum will host cultural dance performances, display ofrendas created by the community, provide fun craft activities, and face-painting. We will also serve horchata and pan de muerto. Click here to learn more.
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Ventura County (BBSVC), a youth mentoring nonprofit, invites the community to its 14th annual Bags, Bling & Bubbly champagne luncheon. The fundraising event takes place Wednesday, November 16th at the Sherwood Country Club in Thousand Oaks, CA. This sparkling event, benefiting BBSVC, begins at 11 a.m. with an amazing collection of designer and vintage handbags, jewelry, accessories, getaways, hotel stays and restaurant outings and more to be available for purchase or by auction.
The luncheon will also recognize Big & Little Sisters of the year, Karyn and Marcie, who will share the story of their long and happy mentoring relationship with guests
The campus leads a new initiative for low-income students pursuing careers in statistics and data science.
The Santa Barbara Community College District Board of Trustees is seeking community members to serve on a Screening Committee for the hiring of its new Santa Barbara City College (SBCC) Superintendent/President. The Board is seeking two (2) volunteers to represent the community-at-large. Volunteers should have an interest in and/or knowledge of higher education.
The Board is expected to interview community members during a special meeting on Tuesday, Nov. 8 from 4-6 p.m. and appoint them at their meeting on Nov. 10. The Screening Committee will be responsible for reviewing applications and interviewing potential candidates for the Superintendent/President position. The committee will recommend finalists to the Board for its review and final candidate selection.
CARPINTERIA — Girls Inc. of Carpinteria recently held a ceremony at its campus on Foothill Road to celebrate the groundbreaking of the Lynda Fairly Courtyard, marking the official start of construction. More than 50 community members and supporters joined Girls Inc.…
A big thanks to the Carpinteria-Summerland Fire Protection District for offering free chipping service again, starting November 7th, 2022. This is a great way to increase the defensible space around your property and your neighbors.
They will be starting the chipping in Summerland, and working East through the District. Residents are free to put piles of brush (non-fibrous, chippable material) in an easily accessible area for our contractor to chip. You can keep the chips if you would like, or we will haul them away. Please specify in your email if you would like to keep the chips. d.fawcett@csfd.net
California Lutheran University was awarded $2,967,668 in grants from the U.S. Department of Education to help students with career pathways and professional development.
A five-year grant worth $2,807,976 for the Vocational Identity and Talent in Academic Learning (VITAL) program, will help to increase retention and completion rates among Hispanic and low-income students, and help prepare them for careers. As part of the university’s mission as a federally designated Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI), the grant “will bring us nearer to closing equity gaps at Cal Lutheran,” said Maria Thayer, the school’s director of HSI and DEIJ (diversity, equity, inclusion and justice) initiatives.
The grant was funded through the Title V Developing Hispanic-Serving Institutions (DHSI) Program, which provides grants to assist HSIs to expand educational opportunities for, and improve the attainment of, Hispanic students. Cal Lutheran is one of only 171 private, four-year HSIs in the country.
A Celebration of Life event to honor Supervisor Carmen Ramirez will take place on Saturday, October 15, 2022, at 3:00 pm at Pacifica High School’s Outdoor Stadium located at 600 E. Gonzales Road, Oxnard, CA 93036. Community members are invited to attend to honor Supervisor Ramirez’s life and legacy. Doors open at 2:00 pm.
The university receives two major awards to bolster STEM programs at Hispanic Serving Institutions.
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.
If a doctor wants to get a closer look at a tumor inside of a patient, or if scientists want to get a detailed image of a plant, animal or inanimate structure, scientists and doctors frequently rely on sophisticated imaging devices.
Powering some of the most sophisticated imaging devices are ions. Working to make ion sources even more efficient, accessible, and able to handle large amounts of data are CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI) Assistant Professor of Computer Science Scott Feister, Ph.D., and Assistant Professor of Mathematics Alona Kryshchenko, Ph.D.
“If you want create a beam of radiation to take a picture of something you can’t see with the naked eye, you could use an ion source,” Feister explained. “There are instruments around the world that create and use ions in this way. The ions offer a source of ‘lighting’ for the picture, the way a flashbulb is used to offer a source of lighting for photos.”
The pandemic disrupted California students’ lives at home and at school, including their physical and mental health.
To help California teachers address the physical education and emotional support many students were unable to access during the pandemic, the University of California Office of the President has awarded CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI) Associate Professor of Education Kara Naidoo, Ph.D., with a $572,750 grant to support a project entitled “CSMP One-Time Learning Acceleration Funds.”
“The grant allows an increase in services to students and teachers throughout the state,” Naidoo said. “The project will allow for more mental health instruction and there will be more work done with physical education. We’re going to look into many areas of health education and physical education and see how to best support students and teachers. This is really to compensate for the interruption of learning that happened due to the pandemic.”
September has been a busy month for the Social Justice Fund for Ventura County (SJFVC). This year we had our largest group of applicants ever and there were many great project ideas as well as inspiring emerging leaders. Sadly, we had to make some very difficult decisions based on our limited available capacity and funds. After many interviews, meetings and presentations the SJFVC has decided to fully fund the projects of 5 fellows and to award a special leadership grant. A brief description of each of these follows.
Healthy Nyeland Acres:
Brenda Heredia (she/her)
Brenda’s project is called Healthy Nyeland Acres and it aims to raise health equity for underserved residents in Nyeland Acres by providing them with health education and basic services to promote a healthy way of living. Residents of all ages will have the opportunity to engage in physical activity by participating in a series of fun Zumba classes. Residents will be empowered to take care of their health and to stay physically active. …
On Oct. 6, 2022, the U.S. Department of State recognized Santa Barbara City College (SBCC) as one of the U.S. colleges and universities that sent the most scholars abroad through the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program during the academic year 2020-2021. The Gilman Scholarship expands access and equity in study abroad and international internship opportunities among U.S. undergraduate students with high financial need.
“In recognizing the top institutions with students studying abroad as Gilman Scholars, the United States continues to prioritize its commitment to provide access and equity to international experiences for all Americans,” said Lee Satterfield, Assistant Secretary of State for Educational and Cultural Affairs.
Saturday, October 8, 2022, at 1 PM and 2 PM
Included with regular museum admission
Free for SPAM members and students
Don’t miss this singular opportunity to experience Hiroko Yoshimoto’s New Works exhibition featuring Blue Marble Art Collective with Yoshimoto and W. Scott Miles as your gallery guides! On Saturday, October 8, the two Ventura artists will lead 45-minute tours of their shared exhibit at 1:00 PM and 2:00 PM. Reservations are not required.
California Lutheran University’s Public Price Promise program is now guaranteed for new students from California high schools and colleges who meet GPA requirements. The nearly $30,000 scholarships, which award first-year and transfer students the difference in average cost of attendance between Cal Lutheran and UC undergraduate campuses, offer a private education at a public price.
“We want to become accessible to as many California students as possible,” said Falone Serna, Cal Lutheran dean of admission and outreach. “This scholarship makes us a great option for California students and families who have budgeted for in-state tuition but want the benefits of a private education such as smaller classes and lower faculty-to-student ratios.”
On Saturday, November 5, more than 15 Ventura County farms, ranches and agricultural organizations will invite the public to experience a day of free agricultural activities and tours during the 10th Annual Ventura County Farm Day. This year’s theme is “Meet All The Hands That Feed You.”
Visitors can map out their day by selecting locations from the Farm Day Trail Map at https://venturacountyfarmday.com/map. Each site offers tours and produce and other giveaways. Tour hours are from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Some locations require reservations.
“Agriculture is Ventura County’s largest industry. Farm Day is the opportunity to see how fruits and vegetables are grown, harvested and then shipped to stores for sale,” says Mary Maranville, founder and CEO of the nonprofit Students for Eco-Education and Agriculture (SEEAG), which puts on Ventura County Farm Day each year. “You’ll come away with an appreciation of the hard work that goes into growing each piece of produce.”
Esteemed scholar and historian Daina Ramey Berry joins the campus as the new dean of humanities and fine arts.
This FREE in-person and virtual event will highlight the collective work that makes Ventura County one of the best places to live, work, and play. Join us for a presentation and discussion about this year’s accomplishments and opportunities with a discussion about top priorities to address into the future.
Enjoy a presentation by keynote speaker County of Ventura Chief Executive Officer Dr. Sevet Johnson followed by a panel discussion among community leaders on key issues facing our communities.
The Ventura College Foundation Board of Directors has added five new members.
Joining the board are Debe Bylo, Mark Dufresne, Liz Kraus and Dr. Jill Muraoka Lim. All have a strong connection with Ventura College. As the current president of the Associated Students of Ventura College (ASVC), Jessica Flores Esquibel will also serve on the board during her term.
Now retired, Debe Bylo was a middle school teacher for 23 years with the Ventura Unified School District. She took classes at Ventura College to satisfy her teaching credential requirements. Both her daughters worked as summer lifeguards and swim instructors at the college. “I love community colleges because they create a bridge to four-year universities as well as offer certificate programs and training for people reentering the job market and updating skills and preparing for future employment after high school graduation,” says Bylo.
Mark Dufresne was a standout tight end for the Ventura College Pirates which then led to a full scholarship to the University of Nebraska where he played for the legendary coach Tom Osborne. Dufresne is one of nine siblings. All went to Ventura College. He’s now a banker at Wells Fargo in Westlake Village. “I enjoyed the small class sizes and learning from experienced and professional teachers and coaches,” says Dufresne. “I’d love to work with students in the athletic department to let them know of the financial opportunities available through the foundation.”
Moorpark College is proud to announce the exhibition of “Huelga! Photographs from the Frontlines by Jorge Corralejo.” Corralejo is a civil rights activist, photographer, philanthropist and author. The free exhibition is open to students and the community in the Moorpark College Art Gallery. This event is part of the campuswide Latinx Heritage Month Celebration.
Corralejo fought tirelessly alongside labor leaders and political activists César Chávez and Dolores Huerta to establish suitable working conditions and fair treatment for farmworkers. Corralejo assisted with the recruitment and construction of Agbayani Village, a retirement community for elderly Filipino farmworkers in Delano, Calif.
The application for admission to CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI) for the Fall 2023 semester opened Saturday, Oct. 1, with a new streamlined transfer process available for community college students.
CSUCI admission counselors will be offering on-site admission decisions at several local community colleges. In addition, CSUCI will begin accepting lower-division transfer students in Spring 2023. Previously recognized as a barrier, in-progress coursework will now be considered to help transfer students meet admission requirements.
The priority application period for all applicants closes on Nov. 30, but Hung Dang, CSUCI’s Associate Vice President for Enrollment Management, recommends that prospective students apply early and then check their email regularly for additional information, deadlines and reminders from the Admission and Financial Aid offices to keep them on track.
This is particularly important for those applying to CSUCI’s impacted programs, Nursing and Mechatronics Engineering. Applicants for these programs should make sure they submit the additional documentation required. The newest of CSUCI’s 27 undergraduate majors is Dance Studies, which launched this semester.
Approximately 75,000 undocumented students are enrolled in California public and independent colleges and universities, according to the California Undocumented Higher Education Coalition. To assist these students in their journey, the Ventura County Community College District joins California Community Colleges and statewide partners for the sixth annual Undocumented Student Action Week (USAW), Oct. 17-21.
This year’s theme is “Juntos Podemos (Together, We Can): Collaborative Ecosystems that Support Undocumented Students.” During USAW, Moorpark, Oxnard and Ventura colleges will focus on advancing best practices, ensuring authentic, campuswide collaboration and advocating for policy solutions to support long-term success.
CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI) is the first college in California to earn Seal of Excelencia recertification, which is awarded for a high level of commitment and effort to serve Latino students.
CSUCI President Richard Yao this morning attended the Washington, D.C., ceremony where Excelencia in Education recognized the first nine institutions of higher education in the nation to earn recertification along with six others that earned the Seal ofExcelencia for the first time.
There are now 30 U.S. colleges that hold the Seal of Excelencia certification. Combined, they enrolled 13% and graduated 14% of all college-going Latinos in the U.S. in 2020, and they plan to continue increasing their efforts to lead the nation.
“Excelencia in Education created the Seal of Excelencia to differentiate institutions that became Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSI) because of demography and geography from those that are Hispanic-Serving because of intentionality and impact,” said Deborah Santiago, CEO of the 18-year-old Latina-led organization dedicated to accelerating Latino success in higher education.
The Cabrillo Economic Development Corporation (CEDC) announced on Sept. 29 that it has been awarded $26,246,464 from a California Housing Accelerator grant from the California Housing and Community Development Department (HCD). The funding is part of the California Housing Accelerator Comeback Plan, which is designed to assist in ending homelessness and providing affordable housing.
“The quick, strategic investments the state has made through the California Housing Accelerator brings us another step closer to the 2.5 million homes needed by 2030, as outlined in our Statewide Housing Plan,” said Gustavo Velasquez, Director of the California Department of Housing and Community Development. “Just one year after Governor Gavin Newsom announced the California Housing Accelerator, HCD has helped partners unlock the ability to construct over 5,000 quality affordable homes that were stuck waiting for funding. Roughly 80 percent of all Accelerator units will be for extremely low to very low-income households and unhoused residents.”
A Theme of “We Deserve” calls attention to the rights of all people in relationships SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY — Lumina Alliance and Cal Poly Safer are calling attention to Dating and Domestic Violence Action Month this October. The theme,…
Dear Friends,
Fall is officially here and it’s hard to believe that 2023 is just around the corner. As we celebrate 77 years of Uniting Ventura County, I am so proud of how your local United Way has responded throughout these challenging times, but our support is only possible because of the continued generosity of our community. It’s your generosity that powers the programs serving those in need and changing lives. Lives like John, a U.S. Air Force veteran. Please read his testimonial.
“With only social security, and no family to fall back on, I began a search for a place I could settle down in. The money I had on hand didn’t last long and then the pandemic hit. At this point, I didn’t have a place to call home and I started living in my car. I connected with United Way and they gave me a sense of hope in the real possibility of finding somewhere to live. They helped me find a place in a senior living apartment complex. They also helped with furniture, bedding, dishes, and utensils. The compassion and care they showed gave me confidence that things would work out. I feel fortunate because of their efforts.”
In honor of National Latinx Heritage Month, we celebrate the innumerable contributions of the heritages and cultures that daily enrich our communities.
At People’s, the majority of our staff and residents identify as Latinx. We are committed to growing in a direction that align with the needs voiced by those we serve, whose lived experience has been shaped by Latinx heritage, and to especially address past disparities and present day inequities.
To further strengthen our Latinx communities, we ask you to continue to support our mission. Your investments and partnership meaningfully impact lives each day. May all go well for you and yours, as we enter the Fall Season together!
