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

Bilingual report — Lumina Alliance launches campaign supporting parents of school aged youth

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Lumina Alliance is launching ReDefine Parenting: An educational program focused on improving the social, emotional and physical well-being of children and pre-teen boys.

Parents are tasked with an impossible job: Raise and educate children, while navigating life and family, with no guidance or resources, in the midst of a changing and turbulent world. ReDefine Parenting aims to support parents and caregivers by providing them the tools to tackle some of the most difficult and nuanced issues facing youth today.

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

Museum of Ventura County presents Las Posadas Dec. 17 at Agriculture Museum, Santa Paula. See other events here

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Las Posadas
?Saturday, December 17th from 6-8pm
at the Agriculture Museum
Free
Las Posadas (The Inns in Spanish) is a Latinx traditional holiday that commemorates the biblical journey of Mary and Joseph from Nazareth to Bethlehem in search of lodging and a safe refuge for Mary to give birth to Jesus. After nine days of searching for lodging (Las Posadas are celebrated December 16th through 24th, representing the nine days), an Innkeeper gave Mary and Joseph shelter in a stable as there was no room at the inns.

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

Friendship Center Adult Day Services Festival of Hearts 2023 call for sponsorship

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We are excited to be holding our biggest fundraiser event of the year in person again! This year we will also be hosting a preview event online, as well as the in-person event.

Thank you for considering sponsoring our Festival of Hearts event, raising funds for low income seniors through our HEART program (Helping Elders at Risk Today)- for those who want to attend our program and are in need of financial assistance.

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

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 twelve 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, Family, Finance, Government, Local, News

Choose Ventura County Animal Services as your year-end charity!

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Many of our life-saving programs depend on donor dollars from the community. Please consider making Ventura County Animal Services your end-of-year charity. Visit www.vcas.us/donate to make an online donation to our non-profit Foundation. And make your donation before December 31, 2022 to claim the deduction on your 2022 Tax Return. Thank you for your support of our lifesaving mission!

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Business, Cultural, Education, Finance, Local, News, Youth

Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Conejo Valley still needs your help

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There’s still time for you to help make a difference! By supporting the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Conejo Valley this December, you’ll be increasing our ability to impact even more lives in 2023. Your continued generosity this holiday season can bring LEAP programming to any youth who needs it in the New Year.

Please visit our website to give and don’t forget to share our goals and programs on social media!

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Business, Cultural, Events, Family, Local, News, Religion, Youth

20th Annual Chanukah Festival Celebrates Sculpting & Lighting of Six-Foot Ice Menorah, Snow, Treats & More At Ventura Harbor Village on Dec. 25

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Gather together with the entire family to celebrate the eighth night of Chanukah at the 20th Annual Chanukah Festival on Sunday, December 25, 2022, from 2:30-4:30pm at the Ventura Harbor Village presented by Chabad of Oxnard, Camarillo, Ojai, and Ventura. Kids of all ages can bring their hats, gloves, and scarves and enjoy tons of snow and warm up with sizzling hot latkes. Plus, the festival features a live demonstration ice sculpting a six-foot ice Menorah, with the “coolest” lighting at 4:00pm.  Visitors to the Chanukah Festival can also enjoy a Judaica Boutique and musical entertainment all while spending time by the seashore at Ventura Harbor Village.

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Education, Local, News

CSUCI professor part of a $85,884 research project to help the state of California manage coastal resource erosion

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 CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI) Professor of Environmental Science & Resource Management (ESRM) Sean Anderson, Ph.D., is among four CSU faculty members to receive part of a research grant for $865,884 to help the state of California effectively manage its ever-changing coastline.  

The California State University Council on Ocean Affairs, Science and Technology (COAST) has awarded $765,884 through its State Science Information Needs Program (SSINP) to four CSU faculty members and over 26 students at three different CSU campuses as well as collaborators at three institutions outside the CSU. All will be conducting research projects aimed at restoring, preserving, or minimizing nature and humankind’s impact on the state’s coasts, wetlands, and other aquatic resources. 

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Business, Cultural, Education, Entertainment, Family, Local, News, Youth

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Ventura County (BBSVC) celebrated 13th annual Bags, Bling & Bubbly champagne luncheon

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… During the lunch program, BBSVC CEO Danica Selvaggio shared the importance of youth mentoring in Ventura County, and the impact the agency has had on the community. Big & Little Sisters of The Year 2022 for Ventura County and California Statewide, Karyn and Marcie, shared their story of their long and happy mentoring relationship while sharing photos from the lifetime of their match.

All proceeds from the Bags, Bling & Bubbly champagne luncheon went towards providing the financial support BBSVC needs to help serve youth in Ventura County schools and the greater community.

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Business, Educación, Finance, Local, News

Economic Development Collaborative (EDC) free webinar schedule

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VENTURA COUNTY SCORE: HOW TO INFLUENCE, PERSUADE AND SELL ANYONE

December 14 @ 10:30 am

Have you ever struggled to get someone to accept your ideas or buy your product or service? Well, help is finally on the way, with this breakthrough webinar! In less than an hour you will learn how to convince and sell almost anyone. Suddenly, you’ll have an incredible power to persuade all the people in your life, unlike anything you’ve ever been able to do before. From friends and family members to prospects and clients, you will suddenly be able to enjoy more stress-free, predictable and FUN ways to get people on your side and buying from you… whether it be face-to-face, from your website, from your ads and emails and more! In this webinar for small business owners, top behavioral management specialist James I. Bond will share secrets that will help you grow your business and simplify your life almost immediately.

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

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Business, Local, News

Retail Theft Surging to Nearly $100 Billion A Year; Security Guards Added To Help Stem The Tide

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Retailers lost nearly $100 billion from shoplifting and organized retail crime (ORC) activity. According to a National Retail Foundation (NRF) survey, the “shrink” rate in 2021 was 1.4% representing $94.5 billion in losses. ORC crime was up 26.5 percent from 2020. Retailers are adding more security guards in stores to help reduce crime.

“We’ve been asked to post guards at store entrances and in other strategic store locations, especially in cities where retail crime is running rampant,” says Fahim Abid, security director for Access Patrol Services (APS), a security guard company serving California and Arizona. “We’ve never seen such a high demand for retail security services.” Thirty-two percent of NRF survey respondents said they are increasing their budget for guards.

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Cultural, Entertainment, Events, Family, Local, News, Youth

Clinicas del Camino Real, Inc. Spreading Holiday Cheer with Annual Toy Distribution

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Clinicas del Camino Real, Inc. will continue its annual holiday tradition to distribute toys to its pediatric patients during this year’s holiday season. This year Clinicas plans on distributing approximately 4,500 toys for its patients.

The holidays can be an especially difficult time for families in need and Clinicas is happy to help support the community. This annual tradition is very meaningful to Clinicas because it offers staff an opportunity to not only thank patients but also help create joy and contributes to patients’ health and well-being.

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

Bilingual commentary — Restroom Blues on Our Public Transportation

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The past few months, I took it upon myself to become “greener.” I wanted to experience and learn about the public transportation system in our Ventura County region. The system we have is quite good. However, of course, it does not afford the innumerable and frequent options available in the massive systems of metropolises such as Los Angeles, New York, Mexico City, or Tokyo.

One of the great deficiencies of our bus system that I discovered is the lamentable lack of restrooms for passengers and for the bus drivers themselves. The transportation authorities seem to think that we don’t need them. Or possibly they think that our bladders are larger than they are. In any case, passengers are left to “make do,” so to speak, with whatever restroom facilities they can find and access.

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Business, Cultural, Education, Entertainment, Events, familia, Family, Local, Locales, News, Noticias, Public Safety

Bilingual report — Metrolink’s Tips for Holiday Train Travel with Kids

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Traveling with children is an adventure in itself, so this holiday season Metrolink is sharing a few tips for smooth travel with children on our trains.

Plan where you’ll go in advance. There are many holiday event destinations accessible by Metrolink trains. The EXPLORE page on our website shares many of this season’s best. Pro tip: Metrolink has free and convenient connections to many transit agencies throughout our service area, including L.A. Metro, making it easy to travel car-free.
Purchase tickets with ease. Download the Metrolink mobile app to a smart phone to easily access routes, schedules, fares and stress-free purchases all in the palm of your hand. Pro tip: up to three kids ride free on weekends with a paying adult, and with the Weekend Day Pass, the adult fare is just $10 all day, anywhere we go.

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Business, Education, Local, News, Youth

American Veterinary Medical Association Gives Prestigious Stamp of Approval to Ventura College’s Veterinary Technology Program

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Ventura College’s veterinary technology program is less than two years old and already has been granted initial accreditation by the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). This recognition signifies the success and rigor of the young program, as graduates will now be qualified to sit for the Veterinary Technician National Exam to become Registered Veterinary Technicians.  

The accreditation process involves detailed evaluations by the AVMA’s Committee on Veterinary Technician Education and Activities (CVTEA) and is designed to ensure veterinary technology programs produce practice-ready graduates. Students are required to demonstrate competency in over 300 essential skills that span all sectors of veterinary medicine and involve hands-on skills working with over 10 species of domestic animals.   

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

Simi Valley Will Soon Become a Quiet Zone

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Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin (D-Thousand Oaks) announced this morning at the Metrolink Station in Simi Valley that $4.5 million in funding was secured in the 2022/2023 State Budget for local improvements. The funding will allow completion of safety enhancements at the one remaining rail crossing that was not part of a previously approved and funded Southern California Optimized Rail Expansion (SCORE) Project.

“With this funding, trains passing through Simi Valley will no longer have to blow their horns creating a “Quiet Zone” while also improving safety,” said Assemblymember Irwin. “I am glad I was able to secure this funding for our community that will ensure that the safety of the public is prioritized and businesses and residents living adjacent to the tracks will no longer be disturbed by the sounding of train horns.”

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Local

Ventura County Animal Services — $40 dog, and $55 cat adoptions this weekend only!

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December 9-11, 2022 is National Adoption Weekend and Best Friends Animal Society is celebrating by sponsoring a part of all dog and cat adoption fees with Network Partners! Adopt a dog or cat during this promotion and pay only a $40 fee for a dog adoption, and $55 for a cat adoption. View all of our pets online at www.vcas.us/pets and learn more about our adoption process at www.vcas.us/adopt.

Thank you and we hope to see you at the shelter!

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Cultural, Education, Family, Local, News, Youth

Santa Paula Art Museum — Meet John Galan + Creative Gift Ideas

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MEET THE ARTIST

Artist Talk: John Galan

Saturday, December 10, 2022, at 2 PM
Included with regular admission (free for SPAM members)

Meet artist John Galan at the Santa Paula Art Museum on Saturday, December 10. Galan will lead a 45-minute talk and tour of his popular exhibition, Remedios (Remedies), starting at 2:00 PM. Galan will share the stories behind his deeply personal works, which are on exhibit now through January 8, 2023. Plus, one lucky attendee will take home a print of one of Galan’s artworks! Reservations are not required.

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Elections, En español, Government, Local, Locales, News, Noticias

Bilingual report — Ventura County Official Final Results and Certification Announced for November 8, 2022 General Election

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Ventura County Clerk-Recorder, Registrar of Voters Mark Lunn today announced the official election results certification for the November 8, 2022 General Election with 100% of Ventura County’s 1,640 precincts reporting. A total of 284,013 ballots were cast in this General Election: 89% of the ballots were cast by Vote-By-Mail ballots and 11% were cast in person at County Vote Centers. Ventura County had an overall voter turnout of 56.2%. This Election plus the June 7, 2022 Statewide Direct Primary Election complete the first full Voter’s Choice Act (“VCA”) Election cycle for Ventura County. 

Full election results from Ventura County are available on the VenturaVote.org website. Statewide contest results are on the Secretary of State website: https://electionresults.sos.ca.gov/ 

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Business, Education, Government, Local, News, Youth

SBCC begins search for next Superintendent/President

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The Santa Barbara Community College District Board of Trustees has opened the application process for hiring the next Santa Barbara City College (SBCC) Superintendent/President. Recruitment will be open through January 20 with a goal of having a new president start in summer 2023. SBCC has been led by Interim Superintendent/President Kindred Murillo, Ed.D. since September 2021.

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Business, Cultural, Education, Family, Finance, Home, Local, News

People’s Self-Help Housing — Your support is needed!

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At one of our ten Learning Centers, 62% of students began the academic year two or more grade levels behind their peers. By the end of the year, only 5% of students were still two or more grade levels behind.

Also greatly improved was the number of students reading at or above grade level: increasing from 10 to 42%.

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Business, Commentary, Cultural, Education, Government, Health, Local, News

Santa Barbara County First District Supervisor Das Williams — Rec Master Plan, Point in Time Count, Vaccinations and more

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The County of Santa Barbara Rec Masterplan Workshop
All are welcome to join a Virtual Public Workshop for Parks, Recreation, and Trails Planning for the County of Santa Barbara
Thursday, December 8 at 5:00 PM

The Comprehensive Plan provides goals and policies to guide land use and development, and the Land Use Development Code (LUDC) regulates development consistent with the Comprehensive Plan. This existing recreation policy framework is outdated and no longer reflects current and future parks, recreation, and trails needs.
The County is developing potential amendments to its recreation policy framework to guide the long-term provision of parks, recreation, and trails in unincorporated areas. These amendments will provide goals and policies for park and recreation projects and support for the implementation of the Countywide Recreation Master Plan, which is currently under development.

The County is seeking public participation in the development of new goals and policies for parks, recreation, and trails, including:
Parks serving local neighborhoods and communities
Sports fields and courts
Community centers and recreational facilities, including pools and aquatic centers
Trails for hiking, biking, and equestrians
Coastal access and beaches
Camping and low-cost overnight accommodations
Rural and agricultural recreation and agritourism
Equitable access & recreation for all
Sustainable recreation
Community health and active living
Public-private partnerships to support public recreation projects

We invite everyone receiving this notice to spread the word about this important opportunity to participate in recreation planning for the unincorporated areas of Santa Barbara County.

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Business, Finance, Government, Health, Local, News, Technology

Historic $10.4 Million to Electrify Auto Terminal Will Make the Port of Hueneme the First West Coast Port to Offer All-Electric Plug-in Capable Wharfs

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The Port of Hueneme received $10.4 million in funding from Ventura County Transportation Commission (VCTC) to help build shoreside power plug-in infrastructure on its North Terminal. The Port also recently received state and federal funding from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Volkswagen Environmental Mitigation Trust to implement innovative technologies to increase electrification efforts, track air quality progress, and further reduce particulate matter. These environmental wins benefit the Port and its surrounding community.

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Cultural, Education, Local, News, Sports

Oxnard College Men’s Soccer Wins California State Championship

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The Oxnard College Men’s soccer team won the California State Championship Title in a match against defending champions Mt. San Antonio College (Mt. SAC) on Sunday, Dec. 4, with a final score of 2-1. The competition was held by the California Community College Athletic Association (CCCAA) and hosted by American River College in Sacramento. Oxnard College last appeared in the state championship in 2015 when its Condors defeated Evergreen Valley College to claim the title.

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