Education, Events, Local, News, Youth

Students Create the Future at Hackathon by the Sea

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More than 100 students from 40 different high schools throughout Ventura County stayed up all night as they competed in the annual Hackathon by the Sea last weekend in Camarillo. Participants spent an entire night creating apps and websites with the assistance of volunteer mentors.

Presented by the Ventura County Office of Education and the Hacker Fund, the Hackathon encourages students to use technology in creative ways to solve problems and engage users. At the end of the event, student teams presented their creations to judges, who awarded prizes.

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Business, Family, Health, Local, News, Seniors

Friendship Center Festival of Hearts 2023 — ONLINE PREVIEW SALE coming Thursday!

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New for 2023 :we are having a Preview Sale so that you can peek at the fantastic heart art created by local artists and purchase any must have pieces before the live event at a set price – haggle free!

Also, a chance to purchase great auction packages, even if you cannot attend the live event.

The link to the sale will be sent via email on Thursday morning at 10am and you will have 2 weeks to shop before the live event.

Please keep your eyes peeled for the link Thursday morning, and happy shopping!

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Business, Family, Government, Health, Home, Local, News, Public Safety

Santa Barbara County First District Supervisor Das Williams — Monday Storm Update

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Our County first responders held their 3rd emergency press conference Monday at 4 pm. I’ve included the video of the press conference below.

We expect heavy rain and potential thunderstorms overnight, with a high risk for flash flooding throughout Santa Barbara County and our neighboring counties. The request from our first responders is to please stay off the road unless you are evacuating or otherwise absolutely need to be. If you went to work today and must commute home, please do not attempt. Stay put for tonight. The northbound 101 freeway is closed from Highway 33 to Santa Claus Lane and again at the Gaviota tunnel, along with Highway 154 in both directions. The County has one emergency shelter open at the Wake Center located at 300 North Turnpike in the Eastern Goleta Valley between Goleta and Santa Barbara and is looking to open more. Please check the County of Santa Barbara’s social media and other news sources for updated emergency shelter information. You can also call 805-678-3073 for more Evacuation Center information.

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Business, Education, Family, Local, News, Youth

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Ventura County (BBSVC) celebrates National Mentoring Month with Starbucks

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January is National Mentoring Month, and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Ventura County (BBSVC) is celebrating by recruiting mentors through Starbucks locations across the county for the 80 Littles on their waitlist.

All month long, QR codes placed at over 15 Starbucks locations will connect patrons to a video where a waiting Little shares what they hope to do once they are matched with a Big. These QR codes are displayed with an item representing a waiting Little’s interests – like a miniature bike to represent Madeline, who wants to ride bikes with her future Big Sister.

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Cultural, Education, Entertainment, Events, Local, News

Santa Maria High School Spanish Teacher Enedina Castañeda performs two poems at the Cultural Center of Tijuana (CECUT), Mexico

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Santa Maria High School Spanish Teacher Enedina Castañeda recently joined more than 60 artists from the United States and Mexico to perform two poems at the Cultural Center of Tijuana (CECUT), Mexico.

Castañeda, who is a member of the 3rd Binational Congress for Mexican Artists Residing in the United States, was accompanied by the music of guitarist and tenor Iván Orellana.

Castañeda presented two poems on stage, Paz and La Tierra Distante. Along with her poem, Peace (Paz), she exhibited the banner of peace during the performance. The Distant Land (La Tierra Distante) is a nostalgic poem conveying the feeling of missing your country when you’re standing on a foreign land. Castañeda recited that piece holding dirt from Mother Earth.

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

Bilingual commentary — And We Think We Have Problems…

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When all four of my grandparents escaped the violence in Mexico and arrived in the U.S. in 1923, they couldn’t stop feeling gratitude for the sense of safety that they were experiencing. Despite the prejudice and spiteful attitudes of some of the people around them in Los Angeles, they felt at peace. For them, any societal problems in the city were relatively minor compared to what they had experienced at the hands of the revolutionaries in Mexico.

And yes, of course, we had, and still have, problems in our society. Lots of them.

But sometimes we have to place things in perspective.

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

Bilingual report — Economic Development Collaborative (EDC) announces 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 twelve different factors of evaluation, including number of full-time jobs being created, amount of investment, and strategic importance to the state or region.

Application Period Timeline: For the remainder of the 2022-2023, applications for the California Competes Tax Credit will be accepted during the following periods:

January 3, 2023 – January 23, 2023
March 6, 2023 – March 20, 2023

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Business, Cultural, Family, Health, Local, News

Cottage Health Appoints Dr. Miriam Parsa to Chief Pediatric Medical Officer

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Cottage Health has appointed Dr. Miriam Parsa, a board-certified pediatrician and pediatric rheumatologist, to the role of Chief Pediatric Medical Officer.

As Chief Pediatric Medical Officer, Dr. Parsa will continue to help advance the development of pediatric services and community partnerships. She will also provide leadership in maintaining Cottage’s high standards of clinical quality and patient experience.

Dr. Parsa joined the Medical Staff of Cottage Health and the Cottage Children’s Medical Center in 2013 and is a member of the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American College of Rheumatology.

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Government, Health, Home, Local, News, Public Safety

Santa Barbara County First District Supervisor Das Williams — Evacuation Issued

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An EVACUATION ORDER has been issued due to an incoming storm Wednesday, January 4, 2023, at 10 PM, with the potential to produce flooding and mud and debris flows. This EVACUATION ORDER is effective immediately and applies to the identified properties and parcels in and around the Alisal, Thomas, and Cave Fire burn scars.

Do not attempt to drive while it is dark or raining as roads may be damaged and your car may be swept away by moving water or debris.
Strong winds are also expected, which can cause debris to fall onto roadways and power outages.
BE PREPARED to sustain yourself and your household for multiple days if you choose not to evacuate, as you may not be able to leave the area and emergency responders may not be able to access your property in the event of road damage, flooding, or a debris flow.
For Evacuation Center information, contact the American Red Cross at 805-678-3073.
For animal evacuation information, call Santa Barbara County Animal Services at (805) 681-4332, Monday-Friday, from 8 am-5 pm.
If you need animal evacuation support outside those hours, please call the County Animal Services after-hours phone line at (805) 683-2724.

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Business, Family, Government, Health, Home, Local, News

Santa Barbara County First District Supervisor Das Williams — Weather Advisory

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A Weather Advisory has been issued for Montecito and the Thomas Fire burn area in preparation for another significant storm event this week. Heavy rain, strong winds, and high surf are expected in Montecito Wednesday into Thursday. The National Weather Service has issued a Flood Watch for our area through Thursday.

During a Weather Advisory, community members are urged to:
Monitor the weather.
Plan how to get out and where you might go.
Prepare and protect your home.

The Weather Advisory has been issued in light of the recent storms that have produced 8-13 inches of rain in the last 30 days, plus the forecast incoming storm that may produce 4-8+ inches of rain across Montecito and the Thomas Fire burn scar.

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Business, Education, Finance, Government, Local, News

Economic Development Collaborative (EDC) free event and webinar schedule

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The Economic Development Collaborative encourages you to sign up for our no-cost events and webinars. Space is limited. Register today!

IHUB² TIPS AND TRICKS: BOOT STRAPPING WITH PAUL SHRATER

January 18 @ 6:00 pm

Entrepreneur Paul Shrater co-founded Minimus.biz, the world leader in all things travel-sized and individual-sized. He navigated his company through all its growth stages, developing the marketing, sales, purchasing, operations, administration and accounting departments. Paul acquired extremely valuable tools, processes and strategies along the way and will share these best practices with attendees. A graduate of the acclaimed Wharton School, Paul received a Bachelor of Science in Economics with a concentration in Entrepreneurial Management. He has spoken at several conferences and guest lectured at universities on topics such as film finance, marketing, intellectual property and screenwriting. Location: 4001 Mission Oaks Blvd. Community Room Camarillo, CA 93012.

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

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Business, Health, Local, Locales, News, Noticias, Salud

Bilingual report — $7.3M Payout Rewards Physician Excellence in Healthcare on Central Coast

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On March 1 of 2022, CenCal Health launched the Quality Care Incentive Program (QCIP) to maximize the quality of care for its health plan members on the Central Coast. QCIP is a value-based incentive program that directly rewards plan providers who deliver exceptional medical care in their community. After nine months, the innovative initiative has resulted in a distribution of over $7 million in payments to participating primary care providers (PCPs). QCIP emphasizes the clinical priorities of significance to CenCal Health members, such as diabetes and asthma care, breast cancer and cervical cancer screenings, and child and adolescent well-care visits. In Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties, CenCal Health is the Medi-Cal plan that partners with over 1,500 local physicians, hospitals and other providers in delivering patient care to more than 225,000 members. Medi-Cal is the name of California’s Medicaid benefits program; the federal government administers Medicaid.

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Business, Government, Local, News, Youth

Ventura Harbor Village (Ventura Port District) Recognized With Jewel Key Award for Beautification At Ventura Chamber of Commerce 25th Annual Poinsettia Awards in Ventura

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The Ventura Port District has been honored with the prestigious Jewel Key Award by the Ventura Chamber of Commerce at the 2022 Poinsettia Awards for beautification of the Ventura Harbor Village. The Chamber selects the recipient of this significant annual award based on overall improvements over the past year. 

Accepting the award from the Ventura Chamber of Commerce was Ventura Port District General Manager Brian Pendleton and Ventura Port District Board Chairman Chris Stephens.

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Business, Cultural, Education, Family, Finance, Government, Health, Local, News, Seniors, Women, Youth

Santa Barbara County First District Supervisor Das Williams — Year’s End Review

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Throughout this year, we have witnessed modern-day war as there are continued attacks on Ukrainians and their sovereignty. We have all experienced the transition out of COVID-19 and continue to see its devastating effects on our mental, physical, and emotional health. This year we have also seen communities continuing to come together to work towards common goals, like the completion of the Randal Road Debris Basin. After two long years of a global pandemic, we finally gathered to celebrate fiestas, birthdays, and other community events. I have continued pushing and advocating for more housing and alternative transportation methods. As we enter 2023, I will continue to advocate for local community needs, help improve our infrastructure and stand up against injustice. Thank you for all your support. Best wishes and a Happy New Year from my family to yours.

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Cultural, Education, Events, Local, News, Youth

Jan. 26 — OC Live presents Matt Sedillo and David A. Romero in a multi-media spoken word performance

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Join award-winning spoken word artists Matt Sedillo and David A. Romero as they ask the important questions: what has caused the great migrations from Latin America? How do immigrants and first-generation Latinxs simultaneously embrace and reject previous trends towards assimilation and integration? How has “the Latinx Giant” already affected the outcome of the national elections? Perhaps most importantly, who in America recognizes this shift, and how are they responding: for better, or worse?

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Business, Cultural, Education, Family, Government, Health, Local, News, Youth

Feb. 16 — CLU School of Management to present ‘Conference on Economic & Social Lives of Undocumented Immigrants on the Central Coast of California’

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According to the most recent information, some 104,000 undocumented immigrants live in Ventura and Santa Barbara counties. Some 87,000 of this group have come from our neighboring country, Mexico (83%). 

This conference unveils a comprehensive study of the socioeconomic profile of undocumented immigrants and their regional and statewide economic impacts. The economic impacts will be captured through gross regional products, labor income, employment, and tax revenue at local, state, and federal levels.  

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Cultural, Education, Events, Local, News

Feb. 21 — CSUCI Broome Library presents Black educators across the nation for “Black Scholars on Black Lives” virtual presentations

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Imagine analyzing the horrors aboard the Spanish ship La Amistad which was used to transport enslaved Africans to Cuba in 1839, or touring the Underground Railroad Museum in Kentucky—without ever leaving your home or classroom.

That’s the revolutionary teaching technique used by Morehouse University Assistant Professor of History Ovell Hamilton, who uses virtual reality in his “Metaversity,” which has proven so successful, that other departments are now using virtual reality for other disciplines at Morehouse such as biology, nursing, sociology and journalism, to name a few.

Hamilton will detail his use of virtual reality to teach Black History on Tuesday, Feb. 21 from 9 to 10 a.m. with “The history of the African Diaspora in the Metaverse,” one of several online presentations in the “Black Scholars on Black Lives” lecture series, coordinated by CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI)’s John Spoor Broome Library.

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Cultural, Education, Entertainment, Events, Family, Local, News

Feb. 23 — OC LIVE: The PAB comes alive with incredible acrobatics, energizing African drumming, dancing and gravity-defying stunts!

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The PAB comes alive with incredible acrobatics, energizing African drumming, dancing and gravity-defying stunts! Celebrate Black History Month with this amazing performance of a 2000-year-old cultural tradition from East Africa. This interactive 90-minute show includes human pyramids, dish spinning, stick balance, contortion, juggling, hand to hand balance, pole acts, music, comedy, and much much more. Join us on campus Thursday night!

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Cultural, Education, Local, News

Feb. 23 — UCSB Arts & Lectures presents Dr. Ainissa Ramirez at Campbell Hall

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An award-winning scientist, science communicator and author, Ramirez promotes a love of exploration, making complex scientific processes clear and mesmerizing to just about everyone. In her recent book The Alchemy of Us, Ramirez showcases little-known inventors – particularly people of color and women – who had a significant impact but whose accomplishments have been hidden by mythmaking, bias and convention. Doing so shows us the power of telling inclusive stories about technology. She also reveals that innovation is universal – whether it’s splicing beats with two turntables and a microphone or splicing genes with two test tubes and CRISPR.

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Cultural, Entertainment, Events, Local, News

March 23 — OC LIVE — The exceptional Hermanos Herrera perform a diverse set of Mexican musical styles like Son Huasteco, Son Jarocho, and Musica Norteña

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United by blood and through music, Hermanos Herrera is a musical group consisting of five brothers and their younger sister. The group plays various styles of traditional Mexican music such as Son Huasteco, Son Jarocho, and Musica Norteña. They perform with an aggressive and energetic style that is both passionate and exhilarating.

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Business, Education, Government, Local, News

March 29 — CLU School of Management — The Latino GDP Project: Those Who Overcome

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The Latino GDP Project provides a factual view of the large and rapidly growing economic contribution of Latinos living in the United States. Using publicly available data from major U.S. agencies, it provides compelling evidence that Latinos are drivers of economic growth and a critical source of resilience for the U.S. economy. The total economic output (or GDP) of Latinos in the U.S. was $2.8 trillion in 2020, equivalent to the world’s fifth largest GDP. The hard work and persistence of Latinos bolstered the nation’s economy during the pandemic and are now driving economic recovery. Join Dr. Hayes-Bautista and Dr. Fienup as they discuss this narrative-changing research.
RSVP Here

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Cultural, Education, Entertainment, Events, Local, News

April 11 — Carsey-Wolf Center at UCSB to present ‘Listening to Cumbia’ documentaries

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The Carsey-Wolf Center at UCSB will present “Listening to Cumbia,” a program of two short documentaries that examine the vibrant culture of cumbia and cumbia sonidera in Los Angeles and Mexico City, at 7 p.m. Tuesday, April 11 at the the Pollock Theater on the UCSB campus.

We will be screening Joyce García’s Yo No Soy Guapo (US premiere), and Alvaro Parra’s “Sonidero Metropolis” (premiere). Following the films, García and Parra will join us for a discussion and Q&A about their films. This event is free to attend and open to the public, so your community of readers is warmly invited to join us. 

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Cultural, Education, Local, News

April 12 — UCSB Arts & Lectures presents Danny Trejo at Campbell Hall

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On screen, Danny Trejo is a baddie who has been killed at least a hundred times. Off screen, the actor, producer and entrepreneur is a hero beloved by recovery communities and obsessed fans alike. But the real Danny Trejo is much more complicated than the legend. With more than 400 film credits including Heat, From Dusk Till Dawnand the Spy Kids and Machete franchises, along with his burgeoning Trejo’s Tacos empire, Danny Trejo’s story is “enough to make you believe in the possibility of a Hollywood ending” (The New York Times). Discover the full, fascinating and inspirational story of his journey from prison, addiction and loss to artistic expression and personal happiness. 

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Cultural, En español, Entertainment, Events, familia, Family, Local, Locales, News, Noticias

April 14, 15, 16 — Bilingual report — ¡Viva el Arte de Santa Bárbara! Presents Three Free Performances of Tres Souls

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SANTA BARBARA — ¡Viva el Arte de Santa Bárbara! (Viva) is back with its next free community event. Relive the vintage sounds of the Golden Era of Mexican Cinema with three free performances by the musical trio, Tres Souls. Viva is a collaboration…

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