SANTA BARBARA — Cottage Health has appointed Ryan Kelly, Ph.D., as its first Chief Innovation Officer, a newly established role designed to advance innovation across the health system and strengthen strategic partnerships.
OXNARD — On Sunday, May 3, 2026, OPAC (the Oxnard Performing Arts Center Nonprofit) in partnership with Raising Mami Alchemy, Inc., will host Rooted: A Wellness Summit, a first-of-its-kind immersive gathering designed to bridge indigenous culture, mental health, and somatic healing. The summit is co-led by Ana Maria Lugo, a wellness educator and holistic practitioner whose personal journey from 9/11 survivor to community healer has transformed wellness access for thousands in Ventura County.
SANTA BARBARA — The Housing Authority of the City of Santa Barbara (HACSB) recently celebrated 23 graduates who completed the organization’s Family Self-Sufficiency (FSS) program. These 23 graduates have a combined escrow of $578,608.93 and an average income increase of $43,007. Of this group, seven are no longer receiving housing assistance.
SANTA BARBARA — Knight Real Estate Group, one of Santa Barbara’s top producing real estate teams and an affiliate of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties, has announced that longtime real estate professional Mike Day has joined the firm as Director of Operations.
Day brings nearly three decades of real estate industry experience to the role, along with a strong background in technology and operational leadership. In his position with Knight Real Estate Group, he will oversee team operations, marketing systems, and business infrastructure while also working directly with buyers and sellers throughout Santa Barbara County.
VENTURA — The Parks & Recreation Summer Activity Guide is available online at www.cityofventura.ca.gov/ActivityGuide. Registration begins Tuesday, April 7, 2026, at 12:00 p.m. and will be available online, over the phone, or in person at City Hall, Room 226, 501 Poli Street. Registration information and policies are on page 7.
The Santa Barbara County Active Transportation Dashboard brings together bike and pedestrian safety data to reveal patterns, trends and hotspots for collisions and near-misses across the county.
WESTLAKE VILLAGE — Gayle Nagy, an expert mortgage lender with deep ties to the Central Coast, has joined Gem Mortgage, a division of Golden Empire Mortgage, Inc.
Nagy, who has been working in real estate since 1980, works with her clients to find the right financing solutions for them. While that includes conventional, FHA and VA loans, Nagy can also broker “niche” loan products for clients with more specialized mortgage needs.
The Museum of Ventura County’s Board of Directors and staff are proud to celebrate two remarkable women whose leadership and dedication strengthen our organization and community. Dr. Sevet Johnson, MVC Board Member, and Elena Brokaw, MVC’s Barbara Barnard Smith CEO, have each been recognized as 2026 Women of the Year.
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
Join us at Repair Cafe Santa Barbara to give your broken items a second life. This is a simple, but impactful way to take meaningful climate action that benefits you and the planet. By making small, conscious choices, we can all contribute to a more sustainable future.
VENTURA — A partnership between the County of Ventura and Naval Base Ventura County has led to the successful relocation and installation of the Military Order of the Purple Heart monument to the Veterans Memorial at the Ventura County Government Center, creating a prominent public space to honor service members wounded or killed in combat.
The monument, originally located on the golf course at Naval Base Ventura County, recognizes Purple Heart recipients, however the location of the installation provided limited visibility to the broader community. To expand public access, the Military Order of the Purple Heart offered to donate the monument to the County so it could be relocated to a more accessible location.
View in Browser Music Academy of the West announces 2026 Summer Music Festival & School American Mosaic: The 79th annual Summer Music Festival celebrates American voices, June 17–August 8 in Santa Barbara Subscriptions on sale April 9 Individual tickets…
VENTURA COUNTY — The Ventura County Probation Agency and the Ventura County Library have launched an innovative partnership to bring tailored library services directly into the County’s Juvenile Facilities through the new Next Chapter Library. This pilot initiative marks a significant step toward expanding educational access and literacy opportunities for youth under custodial supervision.
“Mo(u)rning Earth,” featuring lead artist Vanessa Morrow, is one in a series of art exhibitions addressing mental health that is part of VibeWell Ventura County, a county-wide initiative that uses art and culture to raise awareness of mental health conditions. This show’s theme invites artists to consider the/their physical environment and the idea that processing grief or loss through arts can transform “mourning” into the “morning” of a new dawn/day.
SANTA PAULA — The City of Santa Paula marked an important milestone on March 3 with a groundbreaking ceremony for the Santa Paula Creek Bridge, a project that will improve access, connectivity, and safety while establishing a connection over the Santa Paula Creek.
Mayor Carlos Juarez, Vice Mayor Jenny Crosswhite, Councilmember Pedro Chavez, City Manager Dan Singer, and Deputy City Manager Aminah Mears were in attendance to celebrate the start of construction, along with City of Santa Paula department directors, staff members, project partners, and community members.
Have you heard the buzz about Teatro De Las Americas’s spectacular production of Manifest Destinitis? (The political comedy satire) is an event you absolutely can’t miss! Secure your seat today by grabbing your tickets online. Join us for an unforgettable experience!
I used to enjoy most of my classes in college. But I also found myself sitting through some agonizingly dull 50-minute lectures on obscure topics. John von Neumann, a Hungarian and American mathematician of prodigious talent and insight, coined a name for that measure of time. He stated that the average college lecture lasted 52.6 minutes, which is a millionth of a century—that is, a “microcentury.”
No boring minutes and seconds for us (except for math and physics homework)! This comical chronometry allowed my nerdy engineering classmates and I to go around saying things such as, “I saw a movie that lasted four and a half microcenturies.” After all, we were used to doing time conversions in our head. But students in other majors who overheard us would just shake their heads and roll their eyes.
VENTURA — The County of Ventura, in partnership with Studio Channel Islands Art Center, is proud to announce the selection of the lead artist and artist team for the Moon Ditch Mural Project, a public art initiative that will transform a nearly mile-long flood control channel into one of the largest murals in Ventura County. Elisa Torres, an accomplished Oxnard-based muralist, painter, and cultural strategist has been selected to lead artistic work on the project. Visible from Highway 101 and passenger rail lines, the Moon Ditch mural will be seen by tens of thousands daily and serve as a cultural landmark for years to come.
Be the first to see our all-new exhibit on Saturday, March 14! Santa Paula artist Cornelis Botke (1887-1954) is best remembered as a master etcher whose work earned international acclaim and entered the collections of the California State Library, the Library of Congress, and the Smithsonian Institution. Yet from childhood, Botke’s greatest ambition was to be a painter.
The Ventura County Community Foundation is collaborating with over 150 community partners for our Highest-Quality Early Childhood Education initiative in Santa Paula, known as the “Isabella Project.” We invite you to learn more about the different committee members and groups dedicated to removing all barriers to accessing highest-quality early childhood education in our community.
Click here for the entire media release en español VENTURA — The City of Ventura is beginning an update to its Local Coastal Program (LCP), the long-range plan that guides land use, development, and resource protection within Ventura’s Coastal Zone.…
SANTA BARBARA — The Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital Foundation (SBCHF) held its annual Party of the Year on March 7, 2026, at the Ritz-Carlton Bacara in Goleta. With more than 500 guests in attendance, the black-tie event raised over $810,000 in support of Cottage Children’s Medical Center.
The Party of the Year recognizes healthcare professionals and celebrates donors whose generosity strengthens high?quality pediatric care across the region. The event’s program featured remarks from Heather Hambleton and Lisa Iscovich, the Party of the Year event co-chairs; Eric Seale, Chair of the Cottage Health Board of Directors; Scott Wester, President and CEO of Cottage Health; and Dr. Miriam Parsa, Chief Pediatric Medical Officer for Cottage Children’s Medical Center. Guests also enjoyed an enchanting performance by State Street Ballet.
The first comprehensive museum survey of the Vietnamese American artist brings together more than 70 works spanning 25 years of research-driven practice.
Read more about the exhibition
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.”
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?
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
