Summer is in full swing across our food system – stone fruit, tomatoes, summer squash, fresh beans, and corn are abundantly available at farmers markets and farm stands across the County. As you’ll read in our Mid-County Community Profile, many local ranchers, fishermen, chefs, home cooks, and gardeners are preserving the harvest to cultivate food sovereignty, curb food waste, promote food access and food security, and ultimately build resilience into the food system.
With COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations continuing to rise as a result of the highly transmissible Delta variant, Ventura County Public Health officials are urging everyone that is currently eligible to get vaccinated and strongly recommending that everyone wear masks indoors in public places, regardless of vaccination status.
Poseidon, known as the ruler of the sea, is oftentimes depicted as carrying a three-pronged spear, known as a trident, for protection. It is fitting that the operational research program created to counter threats to port and maritime security and sustain the global operations of naval forces is named the Coastal Trident.
The program was established 15 years ago to support the Port of Hueneme and local response organizations in addressing the complex nature of threats to port and maritime security. Since then, Coastal Trident has grown in scope and influence and now regularly involves the participation of more than 150 federal, state, local government, academic, and private sector organizations.
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 Patricia “Patty” Herrera to its Board of Directors.
Herrera is the Manager of Community Health for Dignity Health Northern Central Coast Hospitals, coordinating community education and outreach, and serves as Master Trainer for Stanford’s Chronic Self Disease Management program Healthier Living.
At the time, it was hard to imagine that patiently spitting into a plastic tube would unlock some of the secrets of my ancestry. But such is the process that allows 23andMe, a “genetic service” that provides DNA testing, to provide ancestral information to their customers.
The results of such genetic inquiries can range from shocking to embarrassing to simply confirming what we may already know—or at least suspect—about our family background.
CenCal Health, the publicly-sponsored health plan for Medi-Cal in Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties, has received top marks among the nation’s Medicaid plans for adolescent immunizations and for adolescent weight assessment according to the 2021 results from Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set (HEDIS®). Santa Barbara County was rated in the top 5% nationally for meningococcal, Tdap and HPV immunizations of plan members ages 9-13. San Luis Obispo County was rated in the top 5% nationally for physical activity counseling of pediatric members, and in the top 10% of pediatric weight assessment ratings overall, including nutrition counseling and body mass index (BMI) percentiles. In addition, both counties covered by CenCal Health received the highest HEDIS rating – top 5% in the nation – for timeliness of women’s postpartum care.
Beginning Friday, August 6, Santa Barbara County Public Health is mandating the use of universal face coverings indoors, regardless of vaccination status due to a significant increase in cases due to the Delta variant. The current case rate for our county is 12.4 per 100,000 residents, which would put us in the Purple Tier if the tier structure was still active. The vast majority of cases are with unvaccinated people but we are seeing a slight increase in cases among vaccinated people as well (see chart below) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has confirmed in preliminary data that fully vaccinated people who do become infected with the Delta variant can be infectious and can spread the virus to others.
Climate First: Replacing Oil & Gas (CFROG) is accepting applications through Aug. 8 for its youth Environmental Voices Academy.
The academy is a14-week environmental justice training program for high school juniors and seniors residing in Ventura County. Click here to apply
Classes begin Wednesday, August 25th, 2021 and the program wraps up with a graduation ceremony on Saturday, November 20th, 2021.
The program is online over Zoom, with three required in-person Saturday sessions.
Online meetings over Zoom will take place Wednesday nights from 5:30-7:00 pm.
Two Saturdays at Cal State Channel Islands are TBD.
Graduation is Saturday, November 20th at CFROG’s Offices.
Since Monday, August 2, there have been 269 new COVID-19 cases and 6,595 new tests performed. 0 additional deaths.
73.3% of Ventura County’s population 12+ has received the first dose.
65.4% of Ventura County’s population 12+ has been fully vaccinated.
COVID-19 Cases Among Fully Vaccinated Individuals as of August 4, 2021:
Fully vaccinated: 474,932
Total cases among vaccinated individuals: 688
Rate of infection among fully vaccinated: 0.14% (688/474,932)
Total hospitalizations among fully vaccinated: 35
Hospitalization rate: 0.007% (35/477,932)
Total deaths among fully vaccinated: 3. All individuals were over the age of 65 and had comorbidities.
Veterans experiencing unemployment due to the COVID-19 pandemic are among the country’s hardest-hit populations. To help veterans who have been impacted, Ventura College’s Veterans Resource Center (VRC) is now offering the Veteran Rapid Retraining Assistance Program (VRRAP). Eligible veterans will receive up to one year of U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs-paid training for high-demand occupations and a monthly housing allowance.
To qualify for the Veteran Affairs (VA) program, veterans need to be between the ages of 22 and 66, unemployed due to COVID, not totally disabled and have no other VA benefits remaining.
Two weeks left and we need your help!
United Way of Ventura County is participating in VC Star’s A Community Thrives fundraising challenge in order to raise funds for our United to End Homelessness initiative.
From July 19 – Aug. 13, your donation goes FURTHER. The more we raise, the closer we get toward an opportunity to receive additional grant support!
UPCOMING EVENTS CURATED BY THIS YEARS’ ELA FELLOWS!
MCASB is delighted to present three unique
Independent Curatorial Projects from the 2021 ELA cohort.
As the culmination of their nine-month-long experience-based fellowship, these projects aim to support and encourage Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) within the Santa Barbara Community.
Let’s finish this challenge week strong! We’re so appreciative for the surge of support this week toward our Community Thrives fundraiser to support our United to End Homelessness initiative. Let’s keep this momentum going!
With less than two weeks to go, every donation makes a big impact. Plus, depending on how much we raise in a challenge week (like this week) … we become eligible for additional grant funding.
We’re on a mission to house Ventura County. Who’s with us?
The VCAS Bunny Brigade is offering fee-waived adoptions for those who submit a rabbit adoption application between August 1st – 8th! Visit www.vcas.us/BunnyBrigade to submit yours, today!
All house rabbits adopted out by VCAS must be indoor-only!
Domestic rabbits are family members and need your love and affection.
All rabbits leave VCAS spayed or neutered, vaccinated, and microchipped before going home.
Rabbits also live longer when living with fellow rabbits. So, consider adopting a bonded pair already in our care. Questions? Need more information? Email VCASbunnybrigade@gmail.com.
Twenty-one stunning works of art by local artists will soon be up for grabs during the Santa Paula Art Museum’s online Fine Art Auction Fundraiser. Online bidding will open Monday, August 16, 2021, and will close Sunday, August 29, 2021, at 4:00 p.m. PDT. The Museum’s annual Fine Art Auction is the nonprofit’s biggest fundraiser each year. All proceeds raised from the event will benefit the Santa Paula Art Museum and the thousands of children, families, and adults that the Museum serves through its educational programs every year.
Bid online for your chance to take home artworks by historical artists like Jessie Arms Botke, Cornelis Botke and Douglas Shively, and contemporary pieces by some of this region’s most popular artists: Linda Brown, Norman Kirk, Sherry Loehr, Susan Petty, Gail Pidduck, Anette Power, and more. Individuals must preregister to bid online at www.bidsquare.com/auction-house/santa-paula-art-museum.
With the increasing spread of the COVID-19 Delta Variant, masking recommendations are changing rapidly. Review the recommendations and regional information below to help protect your employees and customers.
Every donation goes to support our passionate staff in presenting engaging exhibitions, exciting artist talks, informative guided tours, inclusive community events, fun educational programs, and more. MCASB only exists with the support of our community. Become a member today and support MCASB’s initiatives!
Community members joined Girls Inc. of Carpinteria staff, board members, girls and alumnae for a special event on Thursday, July 29 – ‘Cocktails and Conversations’ – to commemorate Girls Inc.’s 50th anniversary. Carpinteria Mayor Wade Nomura, Councilmember Natalia Alarcon and longtime supporters of the organization, including past board members Clyde Freeman, Sharon Organista and Gail Persoon, were among the guests to help kick off the celebrations.
Este increíble equipo administró un total de 78,719 vacunas en la clínica de vacunación de Oxnard Rose Ave que cerró el sábado. MUCHAS GRACIAS a las enfermeras, los trabajadores del servicio de desastres y todos los que hicieron posible las operaciones en esta ubicación. Agradecemos a los líderes del sitio, Cheryl Fox y Kathy Mulford, de Ventura County Behavioral Health, y al personal Jessica Jimenez y Emma Armstrong del Recursos Humanos CEO del Condado de Ventura, quienes se aseguraron de que nuestra comunidad tuviera una buena experiencia en el sitio, día tras día.
“Trabajar con profesionales de su calibre ha sido un privilegio. Y en un momento en el que tantos han necesitado aislarse, ha sido una verdadera bendición apoyar los esfuerzos de vacunación que están ayudando a salvar las vidas de nuestros vecinos,” dijo Emma Armstrong, Recursos Humanos del Condado de Ventura.
En la camiseta blanca del centro aparece Erik, el último miembro de la comunidad que se vacunó en el sitio.
Aunque esta clínica de Rose Ave ha cerrado, hay varios lugares alrededor del Condado de Ventura que ofrecen vacunación, incluyendo dos clínicas del Departamento de Salud Pública.o d, Ventura, clínicas móviles, una clínica patrocinada por el estado, 77 farmacias, entre otros proveedores. Obtenga más información en wwww.serecuperavc.org/vacunas.
After merging into one organization, Lumina Alliance (formerly known as RISE and Stand Strong) is launching its initial prevention project, ReDefineSLO: A social marketing campaign focused on improving the social, emotional, and physical well-being of children and pre-teen boys.
ReDefineSLO, which launches August 2nd, is an innovative approach to preventing sexual assault and intimate partner violence in San Luis Obispo County. The campaign aims to empower parents and caregivers with the tools to engage pre-teens in tough conversations about their social and emotional health, in order to end violence before it ever takes place.
August 10 @ 10:30 am
This live, interactive webinar session is designed to help you understand the features, functions and benefits of QuickBooks Online for small business owners as well as assist you in implementing accounting best practices to manage your business finances including COVID-19 Funds and Forgiveness. Juliana Ramirez from JR Bookkeeping will live answer your questions related to the subject matter including live demonstrations. You are highly encouraged to bring your own questions and situations to be solved or used as an example during the live demonstrations.
Contents
Dusting, Polishing & Sweeping—Oh My!
Re-opening August 2
Golf Fundraiser
In Memoriam: Ruth Norris
The new exhibit, Vistas, Varmints and Vagabonds: The PAC6 Paints the Wild West, is now on view at the Santa Paula Art Museum! PAC6 is a group of six women artists from Southern California who joined forces in 2014 to travel and paint across the country. The artists are Linda Brown, Marian Fortunati, Nita Harper, Debra Holladay, Laura Wambsgans and Sharon Weaver. Meet the artists during their exhibit premiere party on Sunday, August 1. The exhibit runs through November 7, 2021, and all of the artworks are available for purchase.
The year 2020 brought several things into sharp focus about the importance of agriculture to the County of Ventura. The COVID 19 pandemic pointed out how vulnerable and extraordinarily essential the 40,000 hardworking people who faithfully kept coming to work are to not only the residents of Ventura, but to people throughout the world. They kept the food, clothing, landscaping, and agricultural systems moving despite many new challenges and changes in our society. They did all this while not only worrying about how to provide food and shelter for their families, but also keeping them safe through rapidly changing work and social conditions.
For years, the Spanish-speaking community has struggled to receive timely, culturally appropriate information related to emerging needs. A collaboration comprised of local Latino-serving organizations, Mi Vida, Mi Voz (My Life, My Voice) was developed to address this information deficit. After the Covid-19 pandemic hit, Mi Vida, Mi Voz (MVMV) pivoted to address the critical needs related to the crisis. With the pandemic’s disproportionate health and economic impact in the Latino community, this essential formation was and is more relevant than ever
Since spring of 2020, Mi Vida, Mi Voz has been collecting information about community resources in five basic categories: Health; Basic Needs (food, financial support, housing, legal); Mental Health; Children & Families; and Seniors. The emphasis has been on health and basic needs information during the COVID-19 crisis.
Since Wednesday, July 28, there have been 346 new COVID-19 cases and 7,026 new tests performed. 0 additional deaths.
72.7% of Ventura County’s population 12+ has received the first dose.
64.9% of Ventura County’s population 12+ has been fully vaccinated.
75.1% of Ventura County’s population 18+ has received the first dose.
As of July 28, 2021, there have been 359 breakthrough cases in Ventura County.
Having trouble viewing this email? Click here CA SMALL BUSINESS COVID-19 RELIEF GRANT PROGRAM ROUNDS 7 – 9 California’s Office of the Small Business Advocate (CalOSBA), part of the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz), announced today that…
There are only three days remaining to view Shana Moulton: The Invisible Seventh is the Mystic Column at MCASB! Stop by this weekend to see the exhibition in its final form. Over the last four months, The Invisible Seventh is the Mystic Column has taken on new elements, adapting and changing as Shana Moulton has explored this iteration of herWhispering Pines series. Join us for the final days of this exhibition from Thursday – Sunday, 11AM – 5PM!
We want to thank the Port of Hueneme for their 2021-2022 Sponsorship
Queremos dar las gracias al Port of Hueneme por ser nuestro Patrocinador del año 2021-2022
