Business, Cultural, Entertainment, Events, Family, Food, Local, News, Seniors, Women, Youth

‘SEA’ What’s exciting & new In 2026 at Ventura Harbor Village

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VENTURA — Ventura Harbor Village announces a wave of new visitor amenities in 2026. Situated just off scenic Highway 1 and the 101 freeway, the waterfront destination invites locals and travelers alike to take in the views and soak up the waterfront lifestyle with expanded dining, new artsy retailers and wine releases, beauty collaborations and more, making Ventura Harbor Village a must-visit coastal hotspot.

“These exciting additions reflect the spirit of Ventura Harbor Village – creative, welcoming, and deeply connected to the coastal experience,” said Brian Pendleton, Ventura Port District General Manager. “In 2026, we’re delighted to offer even more ways for guests to eat, sip, relax, and enjoy the Harbor seaside.”

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Business, Cultural, Educación, Education, En español, Events, Finance, Government, Local, News

Bilingual report — Economic Development Collaborative (EDC) — Calling all California business owners: Verizon has a $5,000 grant opportunity for you!

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To complement the hundreds of FREE resources available through Verizon Small Business Digital Ready, Verizon, in partnership with LISC, is awarding $5,000 grants to 25 small businesses based in California to help them sustain and grow their businesses. The grant will be awarded directly to selected business owners and does not need to be repaid.

Who Can Apply?

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Business, Cultural, Local, News

Guest contribution — From 1948 to Today — Flowers By Paulann Stands as one of Oxnard’s living landmarks

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OXNARD  — In the years following World War II, the city of Oxnard was experiencing a new chapter of growth. Returning veterans were building families, downtown storefronts were reopening, and small businesses were becoming the backbone of a rapidly evolving community.

Amid this moment of renewal, a new florist shop appeared on North A Street—a shop that would go on to become one of the city’s longest-standing businesses.

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Cultural, Educación, Education, En español, familia, Family, Local, Locales, News, Noticias, Youth

Ventura County Office of Education — LAST CHANCE to register for the VCOE Equity Conference

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Help increase opportunities and remove obstacles for students by attending the 6th annual Equity Conference at the Ventura County Office of Education in Camarillo on Tuesday, March 24, 2026.

Educators, families, and community members are invited to register today for this free event, which will feature a variety of speakers and workshops in English and Spanish. Food, drinks, and language interpretation will be provided.

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Business, Cultural, Finance, Government, Local, News

Bilingual report — Economic Development Collaborative (EDC) — California Competes Tax Credit Program

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The California Competes Tax Credit (CCTC) is an income tax credit available to businesses that want to locate in California or stay and grow in California. Businesses of any industry, size or location compete for over $180 million available in tax credits by applying in one of the three application periods each year. Applicants will be analyzed based on fourteen different factors of evaluation, including number of full-time jobs being created, amount of investment and strategic importance to the state or region.

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Business, Cultural, En español, familia, Family, Finance, Government, Health, Home, Local, Locales, News, Noticias, Seniors, Women, Youth

Bilingual report — County of Ventura awarded $5.6 Million through State Homeless Housing, Assistance and Prevention program

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VENTURA — The County of Ventura and the Ventura County Continuum of Care have been awarded $5.6 million through Round 6 of California’s Homeless Housing, Assistance and Prevention (HHAP) program, a statewide effort to support regional strategies that prevent and end homelessness. The award was announced on March 2 by Governor Gavin Newsom and the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD). The County of Ventura was among 20 regions statewide included in this latest round of awards.

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Business, Cultural, Education, En español, Events, Government, Local, News

Bilingual report — City of Ventura invites community input on Arts & Culture policies

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Community feedback will help inform the development of new arts and culture policies, updates to City grant programs, and a five-year plan to implement the goals of the Arts and Culture Element. Residents are encouraged to participate by attending a public meeting, joining a pop-up activity, or completing an online survey.

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Education, Events, Family, Government, Local, News, Youth

Wired for Innovation: FIRST Robotics Competition brings California talent to the Port of Hueneme

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PORT HUENEME —?It was a weekend of gears, grit, and glory as the Port of Hueneme proudly welcomed the annual?FIRST?Robotics Competition for the fifth year in a row. This exciting two-day event is held inside the FATHOMWERX lab — a dynamic space for innovation and technology transfer between the Port of Hueneme, Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA), Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command (NAVFAC), the Economic Development Collaborative, and Matter Labs. 

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Business, Entertainment, Events, Family, Local, News

Guest contribution — The PICKLR Santa Barbara announces membership pricing and grand opening dates

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GOLETA — The Picklr Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara County’s new premier indoor pickleball destination, today announced the official launch of its highly anticipated Founder Membership Sale, beginning March 18 at 10:00 a.m. exclusively through their website, along with its Grand Opening celebration on May 2nd, 2026, which will be open to the public.

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Cultural, Education, Events, Government, News, Youth

SBCC’s Science Discovery Day on March 14 calls on all budding scientists

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SANTA BARBARA — Stargazing, chemistry lab fun and so much more are waiting for community members of all ages at Santa Barbara City College’s Science Discovery Day, Saturday, March 14, from 1-4 p.m. on SBCC’s East Cliff Campus. 

Presented by the SBCC STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) Transfer Program, Science Discovery Day is a FREE family event, created by SBCC students and faculty to showcase the wonders of the world, with interactive displays and hands-on activities for the whole family.

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Business, Education, Family, Finance, Health, Local, News, Seniors

Friendship Center Adult Day Care Center in Santa Barbara — The Friendly Finch: March 2026

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Ahh… the sweet smell of almost-spring air, and fresh paint, is here!

Over the past several weeks, our spaces have had quite the makeover. New floors, refreshed walls, updated furnishings, and reimagined workspaces. It has been a major overhaul, made possible by the final funds from the Department on Aging’s Bridge to Recovery grant- resources originally designated to help organizations like ours strengthen infection control and safety in the wake of COVID (ie. removing carpet and fabric surfaces, improving airflow and spacing… yes, please!).

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Business, Family, Finance, Government, Local, News

Volunteers in Ventura County help those with low-moderate incomes file for available tax credits through VITA program

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VENTURA — Tax season is upon us and low- to moderate-income Ventura County residents are encouraged to take advantage of ways to put more money back in their pocket with the help of United Way of Ventura County’s (UWVC) Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program (VITA).

Throughout February to April 30, 2026, trained VITA volunteer tax preparers will help working families and individuals file their state and federal tax return and access the tax credits to which they are eligible. Households earning up to $69,000 are eligible to use the free services.

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Cultural, Education, Family, Finance, Local, News, Youth

Santa Barbara Education Foundation celebrates student innovation at annual student grants reception

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SANTA BARBARA  — Looking out at a crowd of students gathered with their advisors and parents, Santa Barbara Education Foundation Board Member Isis Castañeda captured the spirit of the evening in a few simple words: “It’s about the student-driven ideas.”
On Tuesday, March 3rd, high school students from across the Santa Barbara Unified School District filled the Faulkner Gallery at the Santa Barbara Public Library to celebrate the projects they designed and led through the Santa Barbara Education Foundation’s Student Grants program.

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Business, Education, Entertainment, Events, Family, Local, News, Technology, Youth

UCSB — The Current — ‘HIV patients are especially vulnerable to extreme weather events’ and more news, events

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In an approach that can be used on populations managing endemic diseases, researchers link real-life climate and weather data to a large multinational cohort of HIV patients to illustrate the effects of extreme weather on people with the infectious disease.

Read more about the findings

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Business, Cultural, Educación, Education, En español, Government, Local, Locales, News, Noticias

Bilingual report — Driving the Future: Ventura County launches ‘Workforce on Wheels’ (WOW)

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VENTURA COUNTY — Rain didn’t dampen the spirits in Camarillo this past Thursday as the Workforce Development Board of Ventura County (WDBVC) officially cut the ribbon on its most ambitious project yet: Workforce on Wheels (WOW). This state-of-the-art mobile career training lab represents a pivotal shift in how our community tackles the healthcare labor shortage—by bringing the workforce services directly to the neighborhood.

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Business, Finance, Government, Local, News

Economic Development Collaborative (EDC) free event and webinar schedule

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IN-PERSON EVENT: SMALL BUSINESS START-UP BASICS

March 25 @ 8:30 am

Join SCORE, City of Thousand Oaks, Economic Development Collaborative and Accelerate CA in this information-packed workshop that will help you assess whether starting a small business is right for you and consider the various options for starting a business, legal structures, and business plan basics. Address: City of Thousand Oaks, Oak & Park Room, 2100 Thousand Oaks Blvd, Thousand Oaks, CA 91362. The Accelerate California: Inclusive Innovation Hub (Accelerate CA Hub) is funded by the State of California and administered by CalOSBA. Price: FREE.

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

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Education, Entertainment, Events, Family, Local, News

Ventura Music Festival — March Updates from VMF

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As we prepare to announce our exciting and diverse 2026 season, Ventura Music Festival welcomes Sonia Tower to the leadership team! In community news, we’re also collaborating with our friends from the Ventura Arts Alliance to raise more support for the arts in Ventura. Discover how you can get involved below! Finally, mark your calendars for May when tickets go on sale for the VMF Summer series. Full season announcement coming soon!

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Business, Cultural, Educación, Education, Elections, En español, familia, Family, Government, Local, Locales, News, Noticias, Politics

List of elected offices in extended nomination period for June 2, 2026 Statewide Primary Election

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VENTURA — Ventura County Clerk-Recorder and Registrar of Voters Michelle Ascencion announced the extension of the nomination period for the following County offices that are scheduled to be voted on in the June 2, 2026 Statewide Primary Election.

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Business, Cultural, Education, Family, Local, News

13th Annual Ventura County Farm Day seeks sponsors for April 11 event

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“Ventura County Farm Day is a free, all-ages, one-day invitation for people to explore agricultural locations across Ventura County,” says Caitlin Paulus Case, executive director of Students for Eco-Education and Agriculture. “Farm Day helps people better understand the journey of our food from field to table while highlighting the uniqueness and abundance of our region. It celebrates the many individuals whose hard work feeds and sustains us, contributing to Ventura County’s ranking as the 11th most agriculturally productive county in the nation.”

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Business, Education, Local, News, Youth

CSUCI students gain hands-on industry experience through new biotechnology internship pilot

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CAMARILLO — Three CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI) undergraduates were selected to participate in a new biotechnology internship pilot developed in collaboration with Amgen, providing hands-on research experience at the company’s Thousand Oaks headquarters.

Part of the Amgen-CSURF (California State University Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowships) initiative, the program is designed to increase access to industry training for students from a wide range of backgrounds and experiences. The students are paired with scientists and gain exposure to real-world applications in laboratory science and drug discovery over two summers. The program kicked off at the Thousand Oaks headquarters in summer 2025 and will return in the summer of 2026.

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Business, Cultural, Government, Local, News, Women

Leadership Lived: Women’s Economic Ventures (WEV) recognizes Oxnard Harbor District Commissioner Celina Zacarias

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PORT HUENEME — Influence, inspiration, and impact took center stage on Wednesday in Camarillo as people from across the region gathered to help Women’s Economic Ventures (WEV) mark its 35th anniversary year with a special luncheon in honor of International Women’s Day. The event celebrated women whose leadership has strengthened local communities, including Oxnard Harbor District Commissioner Celina Zacaraias, who received WEV’s 2026 Trailblazer award.

“I’m so fortunate to work alongside amazing and inspiring women such as our Port CEO Kristin Decas and CSUCI President Susan Andrzejewski, who are trailblazers in their respective careers,” Zacarias said.

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Commentary, Cultural, En español, familia, Family, Local, Locales, News, Noticias, Opinion

Bilingual commentary — Passing Down the Puzzle Torch

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Seventy years ago, my father invited me to sit down with him to assemble a simple jigsaw puzzle of maybe about 50 pieces. It was the first of many. He eventually graduated me up to the 500- and then 1000-piece puzzles. The images on the boxes for these puzzles consisted of things like people, houses, skies, forests, farms, waterfalls, plants, and animals. 

He was very logical when it came to puzzles. He taught me that the first thing we had to do when starting a puzzle was to spread out the pieces and ensure that they were all face-up. Once that was accomplished, our mission was to establish the frame—that is, fit all the pieces that make up the perimeter of the puzzle. This was serious business. We finished the frame together with the gravity of two men diffusing a bomb. 

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Business, Cultural, Education, Entertainment, Events, Family, Local, News, Seniors, Women, Youth

Spirit of Japan Ventura 2026 returns (April 18-19) with authentic Japanese food, culture and family fun

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VENTURA — Spirit of Japan Ventura returns for its second year, bringing a vibrant celebration of Japanese food, culture, and community to Ventura County. The two-day outdoor festival will take place Saturday, April 18 and Sunday, April 19, 2026, welcoming…

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Business, Events, Family, Finance, Local, News, Youth

Southeast Ventura County YMCA’s 27th Annual National Day of Prayer Breakfast seeks sponsors

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THOUSAND OAKS — The Southeast Ventura County YMCA seeks sponsors for its 27th Annual National Day of Prayer Breakfast. The breakfast is on Thursday, May 7, at CLU’s Gilbert Sports Center in Thousand Oaks. The breakfast brings together all faiths to pray for friends, family, government leaders, the nation and the world. The theme this year is “Hope & Peace.”

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Business, Cultural, Educación, Education, En español, Health, Local, Locales, News, Noticias, Youth

Bilingual report — Cloverlane Foundation funds new ‘Jaws of Life’ for Allan Hancock College Fire Academy

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“This investment by the Cloverlane Foundation will make a real difference in how we prepare students for the field,” said Fire Academy Coordinator Leonard Champion. “Access to professional-grade equipment like this elevates the quality of our program and gives our students a meaningful advantage when they enter the workforce.” 

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