Business, Cultural, En español, familia, Family, Government, Local, News, Noticias, Politics

Bilingual report — Ventura County Opening 51 Vote Centers for June 7, 2022 Primary Election

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The next milestone of Ventura County’s June 7 Primary Election is being reached with 10 Vote Centers opening Saturday, May 28, 2022, followed by 41 additional Vote Centers opening Saturday, June 4, 2022. Ventura County registered voters will have a total of 51 Vote Centers and 11 possible days of in-person voting available.

For voters that prefer to vote in person, the California Voter’s Choice Act is structured to give voters more time to vote than ever before. For ten days prior to the Election there must be at least one Vote Center for every 50,000 registered voters. For three days prior to the Election there must be one Vote Center for every 10,000 registered voters. All Vote Centers are open Election Day and voters can vote at any Vote Center throughout the County.

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Cultural, Educación, Education, En español, familia, Family, Government, Health, Local, Locales, News, Noticias, Public Safety, Youth

Bilingual report — Ventura County Public Health Shares Guidance to Navigate the U.S.’ Infant Formula Shortage

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There continues to be a shortage of infant formula nationwide due to supply chain issues and a recall of infant formula due to bacterial contamination in the Abbott manufacturing plant in Michigan. The federal government is currently working on strategies to increase production of formula and help families access existing stock.

Compared to other states California is faring better, but the shortages are still of concern.

Babies need the right balance of nutrients- not too much or too little of anything-to grow and be healthy. It is important for your baby’s health to use products that meet federal standards to ensure the formula is safe and free of harmful bacteria.

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

First District Supervisor Das Williams — Gun Violence, Broadband, Bunnies and more

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In the wake of such recent tragedies, Supervisor Gregg Hart and I have co-sponsored a resolution for Wear Orange 2022. We will be presenting the resolution to Moms Demand Action at a press conference in honor of recent tragedies and we will be honoring survivors. Details below.

Tuesday, May 31 · 10 am
On the Front Steps of the Santa Barbara
County Administration Building
105 E. Anapamu Street

This week in Uvalde, Texas, a gunman shot and killed 19 children and one educator at an elementary school. In the United States, going to school has become more deadly than serving in the active military. Here, gun violence is the leading cause of death for children and teens.

Not drownings. Not car accidents. Guns.

On Tuesday, May 31 at 10 am, volunteers with the Santa Barbara Chapter of Moms Demand Action will gather at the front steps of the County Administration Building to accept the resolution. Joining us will be a spokesperson from Congressman Salud Carbajal’s office and Senator Monique Limon’s office. Press and the public are welcome to join us as we honor the lives of those senselessly taken from us, and offer data-driven solutions for preventing further tragedies from occurring.

ABOUT WEAR ORANGE Wear Orange began on June 2, 2015 – what would have been Hadiya Pendleton’s 18th birthday. Her friends honored her by wearing orange after she was shot and killed. Today, Wear Orange honors Hadiya and the more than 100 Americans shot and killed every day.
Learn more at https://wearorange.org/

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

Bilingual report — CenCal Health to Provide $200K in Funding for Adolescent Family Life Planning

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CenCal Health, the community-accountable health plan on the Central Coast, is funding the expansion of critical resources for expectant and parenting teens in Santa Barbara County. The $200,000 contribution to CommUnify will allow its teen pregnancy support program to roughly double in size, increasing the number of unduplicated participants from 30+ to approximately 60 during the program year. This expansion will also help to open up the program’s geographic range beyond Santa Maria to serve residents across Santa Barbara County, including Lompoc and other communities in south county. 

CommUnify’s Adolescent Family Life Planning (AFLP) program provides case management  support for expectant and young parents – primarily mothers – aged 12 to 21.

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Commentary, Cultural, Educación, Education, familia, Family, Local, Locales, News, Noticias, Opinion, Politics

Bilingual commentary — “Parental Rights” and Public Education

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Beware the impending chaos in our schools.

As conservative politicians make inroads to our local governments, they will be charged with the political duty of acquiescing to parents who demand “control” over school boards and other educational entities. Ostensibly, parents on the far right of the political spectrum want to ensure that their children are taught only what are deemed to be “American” or “Christian” values. Unfortunately, this is often code for the elimination of lessons and discussions that investigate our troubled racial history. Anything that barely grazes age-appropriate matters of sexuality will also be off the table. 

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Cultural, Education, Family, Government, Health, Local, News, Politics, Public Safety, Youth

California State Assembly Advances Gun Violence Prevention Package in Wake of Uvalde, TX School Shooting Tragedy

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In the wake of another tragedy and inaction at the national level, the Assembly Wednesday advanced a package of six gun violence prevention bills to the Senate, signaling California’s commitment to doing everything possible to take action where the federal government is not.

The group of six Democratic lawmakers – Asm. Mike Gipson (D-Carson), Asm. Buffy Wicks (D-Oakland), Asm. Steve Bennett (D-Ventura), Asm. Kevin McCarty (D-Sacramento), Asm. Brian Maienschein (D-San Diego), and Asm. Jesse Gabriel (D-Woodland Hills) – together brought their bills to a vote on the Assembly Floor. The Members expressed impassioned frustration with Congress’s failure to act on the issues of gun control and gun violence prevention, and emphasized the corresponding need for California to recommit itself with urgency to the fight.

“Our number one job as legislators is to keep our communities safe — and on the issue of gun violence, our federal lawmakers are failing horrifically” saidAssemblymember Buffy Wicks. “While we have strong gun violence prevention laws here in California, there’s still so much more that can be done. We must do everything in our power under state law to strengthen protections for our communities, and be an example for other state legislatures to take action where our federal policymakers are not.”

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Business, Cultural, Education, Finance, Local, News

Ventura County Community Development Corp. — 17 years in a garage and now HOME

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It’s easy to get overwhelmed by all of the obstacles that loom ahead of a home purchase and too often we count ourselves out of the possibility of becoming homeowners one day. Yet in 2016, the Torres Family decided that they were going to try. It wasn’t an easy start. Mayra Torres, mom of three, had to resort to gathering coins from their money jar to afford a babysitter while they attended their first Homebuyer Workshop with VCCDC. They started from the very beginning; learning how to budget and starting the slow process of building up their credit score. Last month, after diligently working for almost 6 years (and many many homeownership coaching sessions later), the Torres Family moved out of the garage they had been living in for 17 years and closed on their very own home purchase.

“A week before we closed our purchase, we went to see the house [for our final inspection] and I remember I went to the yard which has fruit trees and I picked up a lemon and I brought the lemon home. When I cut the lemon, it was so emotional because this was a lemon that is mine, I don’t have to buy it at the store. It is so amazing to have a place that you can say is yours.” – Mayra

Pictured: the Torres Family in their new kitchen

The Torres Family will be sharing their journey at this year’s conference. Don’t let the mountain of obstacles stop you from starting your homeownership journey. The dream really can become your reality.

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Business, Cultural, Education, Government, Local, News

Economic Development Collaborative (EDC) — Honoring Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month

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The Economic Development Collaborative would like to recognize National Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month. Observed annually in May, AANHPI Heritage Month is a time to reflect upon and celebrate the remarkable role of the AANHPI community in our nation’s history. To commemorate AANHPI Heritage Month, the Small Business Administration highlights resources, funding, and training available to all AANHPI-owned small businesses and entrepreneurs.

The EDC is proud to support our community by providing professional technical assistance through our Small Business Development Center. Our NO-COST advising areas include:

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

Museum of Ventura County — Fascinating new events at the Museum

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VUSD Districtwide Student Art Show – Opening Reception

June 2nd from 5-8pm at the Museum of Ventura County

Free

This juried art show will highlight our incredibly talented high school, middle school and elementary school student artists. In total, over 50 works by high school students have been selected from hundreds of submitted pieces: including watercolors, photography, acrylic paintings, mixed media, and pencil drawings.

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Business, Finance, Local, News

Quinn Fiduciary Services welcomes new fiduciary associate Tamara Skov

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Tamara Skov, a former health care executive and non-profit manager has joined local estate management firm Quinn Fiduciary Services as an associate fiduciary.

Skov, a California Licensed Professional Fiduciary, has worked extensively in non-profit management and charitable gift planning, balancing the mission of the non-profit with the needs and interests of donors.

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Commentary, Cultural, Education, Family, Government, Health, Local, News, Public Safety, Youth

Statement about Texas School Shooting from Dr. César Morales, Ventura County Superintendent of Schools

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Our hearts are broken by the tragic news of today’s mass shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas. We send our sincerest sympathies to the families whose lives have been forever shattered. School shootings are a plague on our society that have been happening for far too long. I call on decision-makers at every level of government to take all necessary measures to put an end to these senseless acts of violence in our schools.

— Dr. César Morales

Ventura County Superintendent of Schools

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Cultural, Education, Family, Government, Local, News, Technology, Youth

Ventura County Teachers Honored for Innovation in the Classroom

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Teachers from throughout Ventura County are being honored with $16,000 in grants for developing innovative lessons for their students. At a ceremony tonight in Camarillo, the Ventura County Office of Education will present 11 IMPACT II grants to 16 teachers. The grants are funded by local businesses and organizations that wish to promote unique and creative teaching practices.

The winning entries cover a variety of subject matters, including history, language arts and social sciences. Detailed lesson plans prepared by each of the grant winners are available at this link for use by other teachers in Ventura County and beyond.

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

Southeast Ventura County YMCA’s “Find My Genius” Now An After-School Program

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For the past four years, the Southeast Ventura County YMCA has been offering its “Find My Genius” enrichment summer program to kids not reading at grade level. It is now conducting a five-week after-school Find My Genius pilot program at five Conejo Valley schools with the goal to expand the free program year-round.

Two hundred Title One, English language learners and foster youth at Acacia, Ladera, Madrona, Maple and Walnut elementary schools began the program on May 2. Young scholars in first through fifth grades spend three hours every school day participating in a curriculum focusing on enrichment activities, physical fitness and social and emotional learning. The children also receive homework support.

“It’s been our dream to offer Find My Genius during the school year,” says Megan Glynn, YMCA’s Chief Development Officer. “This is the first step. Imagine if children had access to assistance for a full year in a fun, nurturing environment? The main roadblock was funding.”

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Business, Commentary, Government, Health, Local, News, Opinion, Politics

Letter to the Editor — Please protect our families and our water by voting Yes on A and B!

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As a California registered Civil Engineer for the US Navy I was responsible for the execution of hundreds of Environmental Security projects.  Please join me in rejecting Big Oil’s attempt to overturn the bipartisan water protections that our Democrat and Republican Supervisors put in place. The Big Oil fliers that flood our mailboxes and ads that flood our TVs and even web sites are paid for by Chevron’s $6,000,000 campaign. The Oil campaign is funded by their price gouging which, thank God, is under US House Investigation. Chevron’s gouging got them $73 BILLION in profit in the year ending in March – a 92% increase year over year.

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

Bilingual report — COVID-19 & County Update for May 24, 2022

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Please join Ventura County Behavioral Health tonight, Tuesday, May 24 from 5:30-7:00 pm for a free “Talking About Mental health” webinar. Spanish interpretation will be available. Register at www.wellnesseveryday.org/news/community-webinars-mental-health-matters
***
It was a wonderful Saturday morning! Supervisor Linda Parks, Supervisor Carmen Ramirez, Interim County Executive Officer Sevet Johnson and many members of our County family joined community members at the 17th annual National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) walk in Port Hueneme to support individuals with mental illness and their families. NAMI is dedicated to building better lives for the millions of Americans affected by mental illness.

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Education, Government, Health, Local, News, Public Safety

VCFD Graduates 19 Firefighter Trainees & Ventura City Graduates 2 Firefighter Trainees

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The Ventura County Fire Department (VCFD) introduces 19 new firefighter trainees who have successfully completed 20 weeks of intense training at VCFD’s Regional Training Center in Camarillo. Under the leadership of VCFD’s training staff, the trainees of Academy 59 will enter the field this Sunday as they staff fire engines and ladder trucks throughout Ventura County.

Graduating firefighter trainees consistently demonstrated proficiency in all disciplines of firefighting, including structural firefighting, wildland firefighting, vehicle extrication, and emergency medical care to name a few.

Graduation ceremony will take place at 1:00 p.m. on Friday May 27, 2022, directly preceded by recruits showcasing some of the skills learned in the academy in front of an audience. Live demonstrations include a simulated three-story structure fire, ladder evolutions, patient extrication from a simulated vehicle accident and more. Live streaming will be available on our social media platforms as well as our website.

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

Museum of Ventura County — Your Museum is about to be TRANSFORMED

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VUSD Districtwide Student Art Show
Opening Reception
June 2nd from 5-8pm
On display from June 2nd-19th
at the Museum of Ventura County
Free

This juried art show will highlight talented student artists of all grades in the Ventura Unified School District. In total, over 50 works have been selected from hundreds of submitted pieces, including watercolors, photography, acrylic paintings, mixed media, and pencil drawings. Click here to learn more.?

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Cultural, Education, Local, News, Youth

CSUCI Model United Nations team wins awards at National Model UN conference

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A team of students from CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI) attended the National Model United Nations (NMUN) conference in New York for the first time, and even though they had little time to prepare, the entire team walked away with an Honorable Mention and four students took home individual awards.

“I cannot lie, I was nervous going to New York to a new conference where we’d never been before, and our preparation was rushed,” said Political Science Lecturer Chris Scholl, Ph.D., the team’s faculty mentor. “They really rose to the occasion. It was impressive!”

The 14 students on the CSUCI Model UN team were competing among 96 schools and over 1,300 students from around the world when they traveled to New York this spring semester.

“It was right in the heart of New York City, not too far from the United Nations itself,” Scholl said.

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Business, Finance, Government, Local, News

Economic Development Collaborative (EDC) — Economic 411 Labor Market Report

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The California Labor Market Information Division (LMID) released its April 2022 report on Friday, showing an extraordinary improvement in the unemployment rate, down all the way from an already unprecedented low of 3.5% in March to 3.0% in April. Though rather than being encouraged by that data, we’re more convinced than ever that the unemployment rate in the COVID recovery era is all but meaningless as an indicator of our regional economic condition.

For the April data, click here. For our commentary on it all, or on why we’ve mostly given up on the unemployment rate as a measure of recovery, please read on.

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Business, Education, Local, News

Mara Rodriguez of Moorpark College Named California Community Colleges Classified Employee of the Year

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California Community Colleges Board of Governors has selected Mara Rodriguez, zoo development coordinator at America’s Teaching Zoo at Moorpark College, as the 2022 State Classified Employee of the Year. This annual award recognizes the classified employees in the California community college system who demonstrate the highest level of commitment to student success and the mission of California Community Colleges.

“This recognition speaks to Mara’s relentless dedication to our students and the colleges they attend. She epitomizes service to others and the greater community, as she is always excited to speak on behalf of the Zoo and its mission,” said Chancellor Greg Gillespie.

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Business, Education, Finance, Government, Local, News

Economic Development Collaborative (EDC) — Free Webinar Schedule

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STARTING YOUR BUSINESS IN LOMPOC

May 26 @ 12:00 pm

Turn your 2022 business goals into a realty! Join the EDC SBDC, the Small Business Development Center serving Santa Barbara County, the City of Lompoc and the Lompoc Valley Chamber of Commerce in this FREE webinar to learn more about starting your business in Lompoc.

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

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Business, Education, Family, Home, Local, News

Ventura County Community Development Corp. — Announcing our Keynote Speaker for 10th Annual Homeownership Virtual Conference

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VCCDC is excited to announce that this year’s Keynote Speaker will be Tiena Johnson Hall, Executive Director of the California Housing Finance Agency (CalHFA).

Johnson Hall, who has been a member of CalHFA’s Board of Directors since November 2014, has served as a Senior Vice President and Manager of Community Development Finance for BBVA Compass Bancshares inc. since October 2014. Prior to that, she has held various housing positions in both the private and public sectors.

CalHFA has helped more than 201,000 low- and moderate-income homebuyers with $32.6 billion in first mortgages and used $6.1 billion in financing for the construction and preservation of more than 70,000 affordable rental housing units throughout the state.

Don’t miss the opportunity to hear her presentation and register below now!

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Business, Education, Finance, Local, News

Economic Development Collaborative (EDC) — New Retirement Savings Requirement for Small Businesses

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Did you know that any employer with at least five California-based employees, at least one of whom is age eighteen, that doesn’t already offer a workplace retirement savings vehicle will be required by state law to do so by June 30, 2022?

Businesses can either begin offering retirement savings through the private market or through CalSavers!

The CalSavers program ensures nearly all Californians have access to a workplace retirement savings program by offering employees a completely voluntary, low cost, portable retirement savings vehicle with professionally managed investments and oversight from a public, transparent board of directors, chaired by the California State Treasurer.

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Business, Education, Family, Finance, Local, News, Youth

Ventura College Foundation Distributes More Than $750,000 In Scholarships

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The Ventura College Foundation presented scholarships to 240 students for the 2022-2023 academic year during its 33rd Annual Scholarship Awards ceremony, May 13, at the Ventura College Athletic Center. There were 446 scholarships awarded, including nine new scholarships, totaling $756,908. Last year’s distribution amount was $652,758.

Scholarships ranged from an average of over $2,400 for continuing students to an average of $4,200 for students who are transferring to four-year universities in the Fall. Many students received multiple scholarships.

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

Scandinavian Festival (June 4-5) back after 3 years

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The largest Nordic festival in Southern California will return to California Lutheran University in Thousand Oaks on June 4 and 5 after a two-year absence caused by the pandemic.

“It’s been challenging to resurrect a large-scale community event like this post-pandemic, from reengaging volunteers to finding alternatives for performing groups and vendors that didn’t survive COVID-19–related challenges, but theScandinavian American Cultural and Historical Foundation has worked incredibly hard for nine months to make it happen,” said festival director Mindy Miller. “We are thrilled to be back with a mix of popular longtime activities, new offerings and extended hours.”

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

SBCC’s Cameron Black receives Cooke Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship

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When the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation announced the recipients for its highly competitive Cooke Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship on May 12, 2022, one Santa Barbara City College student appeared on the list: Cameron Black. Cameron, who majored in both psychology and communications, was also an SBCC Associated Student Government (ASG) officer committed to nurturing equity and inclusion within the SBCC community.

“Today, almost half of all college students begin their academic career at a community college,” said Seppy Basili, executive director of the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation. “We know our community colleges are full of high-achieving students, and we’re committed to playing our part to ensure those students succeed. Congratulations to a cohort of students who have persisted in the midst of such unprecedented disruptions in our lives.”

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Business, Home, Local, News

‘CBS Sunday Morning’ features historic Montecito estate listed for $39.995 million

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A historic Montecito mansion whose former guests include Albert Einstein, Winston Churchill and John F. Kennedy, was the featured backdrop to CBS Sunday Morning’s annual “By Design” edition Sunday.

The grand El Fureidis estate, famous for its appearance in the 1983 movie “Scarface,” is one of the most exceptional properties in an area renowned for its opulent homes and celebrity residents. Designed by celebrated architect Bertram Goodhue, the almost 12,000-square-foot home resembles a classic Roman villa and is set among 10 acres of Persian-style water gardens, lush landscaping, and terraces with stunning views of the Pacific Ocean.

Award-winning television host Jane Pauley anchored Sunday’s program from the estate. El Fureidis is currently on the market for $39,995 million. The listing is held by Riskin Partners Estates Group, the luxury division of Montecito-based Village Properties.

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