Ventura County Clerk-Recorder, Registrar of Voters Mark Lunn Announces Important Details Regarding September 14, 2021 California Gubernatorial Recall Election

The September 14, 2021 California Gubernatorial Recall Election has been declared an all Vote By Mail election by the state. County Clerk-Recorder, Registrar of Voters Lunn stated, “With the emergence of the Delta variant, I encourage all voters to use the Vote By Mail ballot they receive at home to take advantage of the health and safety measures that voting by mail provides.”

Museum of Contemporary Art Santa Barbara — Upcoming events Aug. 19, 21, 24

Artist Talk | Virtual Residency in Contemporary Craft

August 19, 2021 | 10 – 11:30 am PST
 
Join us for a virtual conversation featuring emerging artists Becca Vasquez and Sespe Miller. Moderated by ELA Fellow, Sydnie Pace, the artists will elaborate on the artwork that they produced during their five-week virtual artist residency. The residency program was hosted by Pace, and is centered around contemporary craft.

Santa Paula Art Museum — Place Your Bids!

The Santa Paula Art Museum’s biggest fundraiser of the year is happening now! Register to bid on Bidsquare.com. Then place your bids on any of 21 stunning works of art by some of our region’s most popular historic and contemporary artists. (Catch a glimpse of a few of our auction items below).

You can also purchase raffle tickets for your chance to win one of two paintings by historic Santa Paula artist Jessie Arms Botke! All proceeds from the auction and raffle benefit the Museum and the thousands of students and visitors it serves each year.

Economic Development Collaborative (EDC) — Free Webinar Schedule

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

ARE YOU READY FOR EVICTION PROTECTIONS TO END?

August 27 @ 12:00 pm

Will you be ready for eviction protections to end? Join the EDC for a free webinar that will review timeless recommendations that will help BOTH TENANTS AND LANDLORDS prepare for eviction protections to expire. EDC Small Business Development Center Legal, Financial and Strategic Advisors will provide actionable items for both parties on:
Assessing your business finances
Evaluating your business options
Planning for negotiations

VCCCD Chancellor Greg Gillespie Announces Retirement in 2022

Since joining the Ventura County Community College District, Greg Gillespie, Ph.D., has continually strived to provide students with access to high-quality, relevant educational programs and support services, first as president of Ventura College, and currently as VCCCD chancellor. After eight years of service to the District, Gillespie has announced his retirement, effective the end of June 2022.

During his tenure as chancellor, Gillespie spearheaded initiatives promoting diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) to support the varying needs of the District’s students, employees and the greater community. This includes building a culture that encourages equity and social justice.

Bilingual report — County of Ventura Santa Clara River Clean Up Effort

We have heard from many of you having concerns about encampments of individuals facing homelessness in our County. We understand these problems have become especially acute in the Santa Clara River. In this notice, we want to share our current and future efforts, in partnership with the cities of Oxnard and Ventura, to address these challenges.

Free Family-to-Family Education Program for Family Members of Adults Living with a Mental Health Disorder

Family-to-Family is a free, 8-session education program for family members of adults living with a mental health disorder that will be held from Wednesday, September 22 – Wednesday, November 10th. This course is designed to help family members understand and support their loved one while maintaining their own well-being.

The class will cover information on illnesses such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, major depression and other mental health conditions and is taught by trained teachers who are also family members that know what it is like to have a loved one struggling with a mental health disorder. 

John H. Howard named California’s top trial attorney of the year

John H. Howard, a Ventura County-based personal injury attorney with the law firm Lowthorp, Richards, McMillan, Miller & Templeman, has been named trial lawyer of the year by the California Chapter of the American Board of Trial Advocates (CAL-ABOTA).

Howard’s selection is widely regarded as the highest honor a California trial lawyer can receive. It’s also the first time a trial attorney from the Ventura, Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo-county region has received the annual award, which dates back to 1962.

Information Meetings For Southeast Ventura County YMCA’s Youth & Government

Information meetings are scheduled for the Southeast Ventura County YMCA’s three Youth & Government Model Legislature & Court delegation programs. Youth & Government is an opportunity for high school students to learn how government works and join other Youth & Government delegations from around California in a major conference in the legislative chambers at the State Capitol in Sacramento.

The Conejo Valley YMCA Youth & Government (serving Thousand Oaks and Moorpark) will host its information meeting on Wednesday, September 1 from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Email for location: conejoyandg@gmail.com.

United Way of Ventura County — Come celebrate 8 amazing women with us and more news

This Thursday evening, we will host our first in-person event in almost two years.

We will be celebrating the educational achievements of eight outstanding women at our annual Women United Education Awards. Please join us at the Camarillo Ranch for this special occasion.

It will be an inspirational evening full of passionate educators, students, and community partners.

As always, the health and safety of our guests is vitally important to us. We will be following and enforcing public health mandates at this event.

Limited tickets are still available.

Family Service Agency Names Alexander Murkison to Board of Directors

Family Service Agency (FSA) of Santa Barbara County, also known as Santa Maria Valley Youth and Family Center and Guadalupe’s Little House By The Park, is pleased to announce the appointment of Alexander Murkison to its Board of Directors.

Alexander Murkison is the Advancement Associate at Midland School in Los Olivos. A recent graduate of Allan Hancock College,Alex is particularly passionate about mental health support in schools, and is an advocate and activist in the local community.

Santa Paula Art Museum Online Art Auction Starts Monday

The Santa Paula Art Museum’s biggest fundraiser of the year starts Monday, August 16, and it’s all online! Bid on 21 stunning works of art by some of our region’s most popular historic and contemporary artists. You can preview the auction items and preregister to bid online on Bidsquare.com now. The auction artworks are also currently on display at the Museum during regular business hours.

You can even purchase raffle tickets for your chance to win one of the two paintings pictured below by historic Santa Paula artist Jessie Arms Botke! All proceeds from the auction and raffle benefit the Museum and the thousands of visitors it serves each year.

Museum of Contemporary Art Santa Barbara — BEST OF 2021 | Vote MCASB for Best Museum

Voting has opened for the Santa Barbara Independent’s Best of
Santa Barbara 2021 Readers’ Poll

2021 has not been easy, but MCASB persevered! From collaborating with local artists to record attendance for our recent exhibition, Shana Moulton: The Invisible Seventh is the Mystic Column, we have been actively working on enriching the Museum experience for everyone. But it doesn’t stop there! We look forward to sharing our plans for upcoming exhibitions, special guest talks, dinners, yoga, shopping events and more.

Ventura County Civic Alliance — Livable Communities Newsletter for Aug. 15, 2021

See the 3 articles below that address the following issues:

1. EQUITY – CAFWD (California Forward) pulled together a session on May 13 entitled: Building Equitable Economies that featured eight Inland Empire / Central Valley community leaders who are passionate about making sure that equity is a key component in the rebuilding of a post-pandemic economy. Dozens of key words, concepts, situations, and actions that are critical to understanding the task at hand were shared to help give leaders the material required to set goals and develop the necessary plans to reach those goals. 

Bilingual report — Ventura County Office of Education — Live Back to School Q&A on Monday, August 16 at 6:00 PM

From COVID-19 safety to student mental health, there are many questions about the new school year that is now getting underway in Ventura County. Dr. César Morales, Ventura County Superintendent of Schools, will address some of these pressing questions in a live virtual Q&A on Monday, August 16 at 6:00 PM.

Bilingual report — County of Ventura COVID-19 Update for Aug. 13

There are 289 new COVID-19 cases reported since Wednesday and 4,481 new tests performed. There are 123 people hospitalized, 30 in the ICU. There have been 0 additional deaths.

66.3.% of Ventura County’s community members 12+ are fully vaccinated.

California information
64.1% of California community members 12+ are fully vaccinated.

For more information visit www.vcrecovers.org

Mental Wellness Center Welcomes Alice Villarreal Redit to Board of Directors

The Mental Wellness Center (MWC) announces the addition of Alice Villarreal Redit to their Board of Directors. 

Villarreal Redit has been employed with the Housing Authority of the City of Santa Barbara since 1997. She worked for 10 years in the Authority’s Housing Management Department before joining the Resident Services team in 2007. As Resident Programs Supervisor, she is responsible for overseeing the operations of the department and ensuring the coordination and delivery of supportive services to families, seniors, youth and disabled individuals. Villarreal Redit is passionate about affordable housing and social justice. She is a former Mental Health Commissioner and is deeply involved in community efforts to promote social equity.

Clinicas del Camino Real Inc. — Survey Demonstrates Patient Motivation To Receive The COVID-19 Vaccine

To better understand why patients elected to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, Clinicas del Camino Real, Inc. (CDCR) surveyed 429 patients in Ventura County who received a vaccine to understand their motivations better. 

The survey results show that 37% of the patients reported that they received the COVID-19 vaccine as a precaution, 11.4% because a family member urged them to be vaccinated and 12.8% because of a doctor recommendation,  7% because of an employer recommendation and 6.5% because of a medical condition, 4.2% because of something they heard on the news and 0.9% because of travel.  The remaining patients had other reasons. 

Bilingual commentary — Pregnant People—What’s That About?

I was calmly reading an article in my favorite newspaper one morning when I came across the term “pregnant people.” I nearly choked on my coffee. Words get my attention, and I had never in my life seen those two words together.

I started to mumble about “liberals” (although I am one, with conservative leanings). I wondered if this was some far-left conspiracy to ignore womanhood or reduce it to “peoplehood.” Before I went off writing letters to the editor and state representatives or clamoring to appear on talk shows to rant about liberalism gone amok, I thought I had better investigate. I needed to find out what this nomenclature was all about.

Back-to-school fund drive organized by The Teacher’s Fund aims to raise $60,000 to support local educators

As kids and teachers head back to in-person school after a challenging year of online learning, the non-profit Teacher’s Fund is aiming to raise at least $60,000 to help local educators get the tools and materials they need for their classrooms. To date, $47,000 has been raised with only $13,000 needed in the next two weeks to hit the goal of $60,000.

This year’s annual “Back to School” fundraising drive launched August 1 and runs through August 31. Similar to last year, fundraising will take place entirely online, given the ongoing pandemic risks. Individuals and organizations interested in donating to the drive can do so here.

Bilingual report — August 12, 2021 – COVID-19 Update for Aug. 12, 2021

There are 166 new COVID-19 cases reported since Wednesday and 4,475 new tests performed. There are 121 people hospitalized, 27 in the ICU. There has been 1 additional death, 49 year old male. Our thoughts and sincere condolences to the loved ones of those that have passed away.

74.4% of Ventura County’s population 12+ has received the first dose.
66.2.% of Ventura County’s population 12+ has been fully vaccinated.
76.5% of Ventura County’s population 18+ has received the first dose.

For more information visit www.vcrecovers.org

Moorpark College Work-Based Learning Program Championed by Congresswoman Julia Brownley

Moorpark College’s Work-Based Learning Program, a paid internship that connects students with local employers, is one of nine programs potentially to benefit from more than $20.6 million requested by Congresswoman Julia Brownley (D-CA 26th District) for Ventura County. Before the pandemic, the program, launched in 2018, annually served 250 students. The $225,000 in funds would provide an additional 150 students with $1,500 in paid internships while they earn college credit. 

“I’m proud that so many of our community’s priorities were included in this first round of the appropriations process,” said Congresswoman Brownley. “Our work is only now beginning, and as these projects make it through the legislative process I will continue to fight for Ventura County’s priorities.” 

CSU Channel Islands pilot program aims to strengthen success for transfer students

Students who transfer to CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI) have different experiences than students who have been with the campus since their freshman year.

“Transfer students are navigating a new environment in a shortened time frame,” said Interim Dean for the Martin V. Smith (MVS) School of Business & Economics Susan Andrzejewski, Ph.D. “They know what it looks like from a social and academic standpoint, but it’s another thing to step on campus—like trying to find clubs and organizations or the tutoring center or the dining hall. Plus, they have to balance jobs and responsibilities with more challenging coursework.”

The Collection at RiverPark welcomes several new tenants

The Collection at RiverPark, a 650,000-square-foot, open-air shopping center, is growing once again, with the addition of eight new businesses that will be opening their doors throughout the rest of the year. This marks a continued trend of success for The Collection, which has celebrated several grand openings in the past year.

New tenants opening soon at The Collection include PizzaMan Dan’s, Red Door Escape Room, Bowlero (a 32,000-square-foot venue), King and Queen Cantina, Salons by JC, Keller Williams and Exer Urgent Care.