By Boyd Lemon / Guest contributor I recently returned from living in Paris for about a year. Of course, everyone raves about French food, but we have great chefs here in the United States. Is it really true that French…
Commentary: On Becoming An “Old Guy”
By David Magallanes/ Guest contributor The Fourth of July was a glorious summer day in Ventura, as are many summer days in our coastal county region. But the Fourth was particularly joyful for me because I was able to spend the…
Amigos805.com video calendar for July
Welcome to the Amigos805.com video calendar for July 2011. Please click on image above to get a full-screen version and then click on the icons on the collage to get additional information on events during the coming month. — Mariana…
Vons launches ‘Help Us End Hunger’ food drive to benefit FOOD Share
Vons supermarkets in Ventura County on Wednesday launched the “Help Us End Hunger” food drive to benefit FOOD Share. Over the summer months, food donations to FOOD Share tend to drop dramatically, despite the fact that demand for food assistance…
Día de las Comidas set for July 8 in Santa Barbara
Día de las Comidas, a benefit for Hospice of Santa Barbara’s Hispanic Family Services, will be held at various times and restaurants in Santa Barbara. Locations are Carlitos Café y Cantina, 1324 State St. in Santa Barbara, 805.962.7117; Cava Restaurant &…
CSUCI’s Lacayo Institute receives $25,000 grant from AT&T
The Henry L. “Hank” Lacayo Institute for Workforce & Community Studies (HLI) at California State University, Channel Islands, recently received a grant for $25,000 from AT&T, the university reported Wednesday in a media release. The grant will fund a Telecommunications/Technology Literacy/Workforce…
Limited tickets available for Jefferson Starship pre-concert reception
Limited tickets are available for the Jefferson Starship private pre-concert reception and “Open Borders Tour with Larry Janss” at 5 p.m. Friday, July 8 at Open Borders gallery in Thousand Oaks. Presented by the Social Justice Fund for Ventura County,…
Commentary: An 805 treasure
By Boyd Lemon / Guest contributor I am surprised to learn that many people who live in the 805 have never visited one of its greatest treasures —the Channel Islands. They are relatively unspoiled, and uninhabited, except by a few…
Museum of Ventura County open Independence Day
Reduced admission with active military and families free The Museum of Ventura County will be open 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Independence Day, Monday, July 4, with reduced admission. Enjoy the summer exhibition Splash!, featuring large-scale installations of ocean-inspired…
Commentary: Hey, let’s blame the President!
By David Magallanes/ Guest contributor This is my first foray into anything remotely political. I know that writing political articles is like touching that third rail: I’m asking to be “fried.” That’s not a typo; I don’t think I’m going to…
A weekend filled with art
Events coming up on July 1 in Oxnard, San Luis Obispo From the artists of tomorrow to established artists in the north 805 region, this Fourth of July weekend will offer visitors a wide variety of works to examine. El Concilio…
CSUCI Alumni & Friends to present ‘Through the Grapevine’ on June 30
CSU Channel Islands Alumni & Friends Association invites alumni, friends and the public to join Provost Dawn Neuman, Hank and Leah Lacayo, Wayne and Barbara Davey and Carl and Nancy Wesely for their annual wine event, ‘Through the Grapevine’ from…
Commentary: What’s “The Big Deal?”
By Mona AlvaradoFrazier/ Guest contributor Michele Serros fans, mark your calendars. Lulu y Mucha present a Lucy Rodriguez film based on a short story from Serros’ book “How to Be a Chicana Role Model.” It debuts at the Ventura Film Festival,…
Das Williams states case for approved state budget
While not liking the recently-approved California state budget because of its deep levels of cuts, Assemblymember Das Williams said it is the only solution that “mathematically works” given early refusal by Republicans to let voters extend tax revenues. Democrats on…
Supporters attend Zaragoza reelection breakfast
A group of more than 500 supporters, including local business owners, elected officials, labor representatives and community leaders joined together at Casa Lopez in Oxnard to celebrate the opening event to re-elect John Zaragoza to the Ventura County Board of…
El Concilio Family Services ‘Youth Art Exhibit’ on July 1
El Concilio Family Services will present a “Youth Art Exhibit” from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Friday, July 1 at the Downtown Center for the Arts, 329 N. 5th St., Oxnard. Artwork is from the third session of the Youth Painters…
Bilingual update: Teatro concludes its ‘Readers’ Theater’ series June 24-26
Teatro de las Américas concludes its Readers’ Theater series with its third production, “The Immigrant Experience.” Written and produced by Ángela Cruz and the Actors’ Workshop, the one-act play is based on stories collected by the Actors’ Workshop about the…
Commentary: Reminiscences and wisdom
By Boyd Lemon / Guest contributor Ever since I read “The Old Man and the Sea” for high school English, I have been an ardent fan of Ernest Hemingway, but I was disappointed when I read “The Moveable Feast” at the…
Commentary: Staying healthy in an unhealthy nation
By David Magallanes / Guest contributor Summer is at last arriving! Here on the coast, the sun manages to finally break through the clouds every day and bestows upon us a tempered warmth that invites us all to head for the…
Commentary: Staycations
By Mona AlvaradoFrazier / Guest contributor School is out, summer is officially here, and the kids want to go on vacation. What do you do when you have limited resources and time? You ‘staycation.’ “What’s that?” the kids said when I…
Film screening of ‘Memories of a Mexican’ on June 23
The Santa Barbara Trust for Historic Preservation will present the film screening for “Memories of a Mexican” at 7 p.m. Thursday, June 23 at Presido Chapel at El Presido de Santa Bárbara State Historic Park, 123 E. Canon Perdido…
Tortilla art dinner/dance fundraiser set for June 24
A dinner/dance fundraiser and exhibition of the tortilla art of Gloria Hidrogo will be held at 6 p.m. Friday, June 24 at Sugar Beets Restaurant & Bar, 455 So A St., Oxnard. “Gloria was invited to exhibit her tortilla art…
Commentary: New in downtown Ventura
By Boyd Lemon / Guest contributor I lived in Ventura from 2003 to 2007 and after living in Boston and then Paris for four years, moved back to Ventura three months ago. I wouldn’t give up my adventures in Boston…
Mente sana/cuerpo sano talleres 18, 25 de junio
La Casa de la Raza en Santa Barbara te invita a una serie de talleres enfocados en la salud familiar. Cuidado de ninos y comida! sabado 18 de junio – 11-1 pm Derechos de los inmigrantes y como apoyar a la…
Commentary: It’s not easy being a pescetarian
By David Magallanes/ Guest contributor Wikipedia, the online free (but very informative) encyclopedia, defines what I practice: Pescetarianism is the practice of a diet that includes seafood, and excludes other animals. In addition to fish and/or shellfish, a pescetarian diet typically…
MICOP to hold monthly meeting on June 18
The Mixteco/Indigena Community Organizing Project presents its monthly community meeting from 4 to 5:30 p.m. Saturday, June 18 at Harrington Elementary School, 2501 Gisler St., Oxnard. English-speaking volunteers needed for literacy program. Call Donna Foster at 805.483.1166, send an email…
Commentary: Toes in the sand. Nose in a book
By Mona AlvaradoFrazier /Guest contributor This catchy headline is the title for Border’s summer book list. Now if we could just find the time to read the entire list and have the money to buy all the books. Since that’s…
Ventura County Contractors Association announces 2011 scholarship recipients
Twelve students receive scholarships to continue education in the construction industry Francisco Cancinco of California Polytechnic at Pomona; Eric Pinuelas, Adolfo Camarillo High School and John Lopez of California Polytechnic at San Luis Obispo were among the 12 Ventura County students…
Capps reports new potential funding for region’s military bases
Key federal funding for the construction of a new education center at Vandenberg Air Force Base and a training facility at Naval Base Ventura County was included in H.R. 2055, the Fiscal Year 2012 Military Construction-VA Appropriations bill that…
Commentary: Das Williams says no to Ormond Beach project
Dear Friends, A proposed 1,500-unit housing project adjacent to Ormond Beach in South Oxnard will be before the City Council on Tuesday, June 14. I have strongly opposed this project and continue to do so, joining the Environmental Defense Center (EDC),…