Business, Commentary, Cultural, Finance, Government, Immigration, Local, News, Opinion, Public Safety

Guest commentary — Ventura County Taxpayers Association (VCTA) — Ventura County Supervisors prioritize fiscal prudence, reject costly immigration initiative

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In a decisive move that prioritizes taxpayer dollars and essential services, the Ventura County Board of Supervisors rejected key elements of Item 43 on August 26, 2025. This proposal sought to allocate millions in public funds for immigration-related initiatives, including a $250,000 Immigration Legal Defense Fund, seven new positions in the Public Defender’s Office Immigrant Defense Unit at an annual cost of about $1.3 million, and up to $1.9 million over three years for a migrant education program.

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Business, Commentary, Cultural, Entertainment, Events, Family, Local, News, Seniors, Women, Youth

Museum of Ventura County — Thank You for Joining Us at Tractor Fair. See What’s Next!

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The Agriculture Museum thanks everyone who joined us for the 10th Annual Labor Day Tractor Fair. Together, we celebrated Santa Paula’s rich agricultural heritage with a day filled with family-friendly activities, lively music, fascinating presentations, and a true spirit of community.

This year’s fair honored farming’s past, present, and future, showcasing the innovation and dedication that continue to shape Ventura County’s agricultural legacy. We are grateful for the opportunity to bring our community together, promote sustainable farming practices, and inspire the next generation to explore rewarding careers in agriculture.

A special thank you to our community partners, vendors, volunteers and staff. We couldn’t have done it without you!

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Business, Education, Family, Health, Local, News, Seniors, Women, Youth

Community Environmental Council (CEC) — Last chance to register for CEC’s Climate Stewards Course!

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From organizing restoration projects to hosting educational podcasts, CEC Climate Stewards are sparking a wave of climate action across California’s Central Coast. If you’re ready to make a real difference in your community, the Climate Stewards certification program is your chance to start.

Register today and get ready to gain the knowledge, tools, confidence, and network to drive impactful change where it matters most.

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Business, Family, Health, Local, News, Seniors

Friendship Center — The Friendly Finch: September Newsletter

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As this newsletter reaches you, I’ll be away on a little vacation- surely missing my friends and coworkers here at Friendship Center! But I also know how important it is to take time to recharge and fill my cup so that I can be able to best support my team and our beloved organization.

In a way, family caregivers are essentially running a full-time business themselves, however they are (most often) without employees, a clearly defined handbook of operations, or nights and weekends off

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Business, Cultural, Education, En español, Events, Government, Local, News

Bilingual report — New small business workshop series coming to Ventura City Hall on Oct. 1, 9 and 16

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ENTURA — The City of Ventura is partnering with the Economic Development Collaborative (EDC) and the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) to launch Ready • Set • Grow, a free three-part workshop series held at Ventura City Hall located at 501 Poli Street in the Community Meeting Room on Thursdays, Oct. 2, 9, and 16, 2025, from 8:30 to 10:00 a.m.

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Business, Cultural, Finance, Immigration, Local, News, Seniors, Women, Youth

El Concilio Family Services receives $75,000 surprise donation from Ventura County Credit Union in honor of VCCU 75th anniversary

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CAMARILLO — El Concilio Family Services is thrilled to announce a transformational surprise gift of $75,000 from Ventura County Credit Union (VCCU). The generous donation was unveiled during VCCU’s ribbon-cutting ceremony for its new Camarillo branch, creating a powerful moment of celebration and partnership.

“We are deeply grateful to Ventura County Credit Union for their extraordinary generosity and their belief in our mission,” said Yvonne R. Gutierrez, Executive Director of El Concilio Family Services. “With so many outstanding organizations doing important and inspiring work, it means so much that VCCU chose to invest in us. This gift will allow us to stretch our resources further, expand our services, and bring even more support and hope to the communities we serve.”

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Business, Commentary, Cultural, Family, Finance, Government, Local, Locales, Opinion

Bilingual commentary — The Presidential Doctrine of Unpredictability and Chaos

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“I may do it. I may not do it. Nobody knows what I’m going to do.” These words sum up the leadership style of President Trump. He appears to delight in keeping everyone guessing what his next move will be. 

When Trump spoke these words last June, he was responding to a question regarding his intentions to collaborate with Israel to attack Iran. 

Granted, a rational level of uncertainty can be beneficial when an enemy of the United States is being kept on its toes, not sure what the next move of our military might be, for example. 

But when our nation’s citizens, as well as the world’s governments and businesses, are subjected to continual unpredictability and uncertainty from our country’s president, the inevitable result will be more chaos than we’ve already witnessed and future economic stagnation.

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Cultural, Family, Finance, Government, Local, News, Seniors, Women, Youth

Labor Day Protest: Santa Barbara joins nationwide resistance against billionaire exploitation

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SANTA BARBARA — On Labor Day, Monday, September 1, at 11:00 a.m., community members will gather at De La Guerra Plaza in Santa Barbara as part of a nationwide day of protest to honor working people and stand strong against billionaire exploitation and corporate domination.

Across the country, workers, students, parents, and neighbors are rising up to demand dignity, justice, and investment in people — not billionaire empires.

The Santa Barbara event will include protest songs, chants, stories from the community, and opportunities for students and others to share how economic injustice impacts their families and communities. Participants are encouraged to bring signs, water, and their voices. Limited seating and sign-making supplies will be available.

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Business, Cultural, Educación, Education, En español, Events, familia, Family, Immigration, Local, Locales, News, Noticias, Seniors, Women, Youth

Bilingual report — Mixteco/Indigena Community Organizing Project — Wine Country Convening on Aug. 30 for Farmworker Justice

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LOS OLIVOS — This Labor Day weekend, community members, in solidarity with farmworkers, will flood the streets of Los Olivos in a unified and powerful march to demand justice, dignity, and most of all, a living wage for farmworkers. Farmworkers are the backbone of Santa Barbara County’s wine industry, fueling Santa Barbara County’s economy once again not only through agricultural production but through lucrative wine tasting and tourism. Yet, they continue to face low wages, unsafe working conditions, and the constant threat of detention and deportation. Earlier this year,  Santa Barbara County Supervisors voted to raise their own salaries, boldly maintaining that hard work deserves higher pay. We agree. The time is now. A living wage for farmworkers today.

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Cultural, Educación, Education, En español, familia, Family, Local, Locales, News, Noticias, Seniors, Women, Youth

Bilingual report — Anonymous Heroes / Héroes Anónimos opens at the Mexican Consulate in Oxnard

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OXNARD — The Oxnard Performing Arts Center Corporation (OPAC) is proud to announce the opening of Anonymous Heroes / Héroes Anónimos, a special exhibition presented in partnership with the Santa Paula Art Museum and the Consulate of Mexico in Oxnard and curated by Rafael Perea de la Cabada. The exhibition will be on view at the Mexican Consulate, at 3151 W. 5th Street in Oxnard, from September 12 thru January 16, 2026.

Anonymous Heroes / Héroes Anónimos highlights 29 selections from the Santa Paula Art Museum’s permanent collection, paying tribute to the resilience, creativity, and essential contributions of our farmworkers. These “everyday heroes,” often unrecognized in history books, have shaped the cultural and economic fabric of Ventura County and beyond.

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

Bilingual report — You’re Never a Bother: Ventura County Marks National ‘988 Day’ with Action

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OXNARD — Ventura County Behavioral Health (VCBH), a department of the Ventura County Health Care Agency (HCA), will join communities nationwide in recognizing the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA) second annual “988 Day” on Monday, September 8, 2025. This year’s theme is Compassionate Help. Anytime.

988 Day raises awareness about the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, emphasizing that suicide is preventable and that compassionate support is available anytime, anywhere. The Lifeline provides free, 24/7 access to skilled, caring, and trained counselors by text, chat, or phone call.

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Business, Commentary, Cultural, Educación, Education, familia, Family, Government, Home, Immigration, Local, News, Seniors, Women, Youth

Central Coast Alliance for a Sustainable Economy (CAUSE) — When tenants organize, we win stronger protections!

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We know it’s hard right now. The federal government is harming our communities in so many ways. Housing costs are out of control, immigrant families are still under attack, and it can feel like no one in power is listening.

But this is exactly why we organize.

Organized immigrant tenants and workers are more important than ever. Unethical landlords and bosses can exploit the fear caused by ICE raids to pad their profits, hoping no one will speak out. But when we unite, we build trust, leadership, and courage – we win transformational change.

Especially in times like these, we have to celebrate our wins. This year across the Central Coast, tenants organizing with CAUSE have won historic victories!

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Business, Commentary, Education, Family, Government, Health, Local, News

Patagonia, Toad&Co join Blue Whales & Blue Skies

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VENTURA — Protecting Blue Whales and Blue Skies (BWBS) is proud to welcome two California-based brands known for challenging the status quo of corporate responsibility to its Ambassador program — Patagonia and Toad&Co.

BWBS encourages and verifies shipping companies’ cooperation with voluntary Vessel Speed Reduction (VSR) requests along California’s coast to reduce fatal ship strikes to endangered whales, underwater radiated noise, air pollution and regional greenhouse gas emissions. The majority of international shipping traffic transiting to California ports cooperate in the program.

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

Bilingual report — The Ventura Police Department announces DUI checkpoint planned for Aug. 29

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VENTURA — The Ventura Police Department Traffic Unit will conduct a DUI checkpoint at an undisclosed location within the city limits on Friday, August 29, 2025, from 7:00 p.m. to 2:00 a.m. 

DUI checkpoint locations are chosen based on data showing incidents of impaired driving-related crashes. The primary purpose of checkpoints is not to make arrests, but to promote public safety by deterring residents from driving impaired.  

During the checkpoint, officers will look for signs that drivers are under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs. 

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Business, Commentary, Cultural, Education, Local, News, Seniors, Women, Youth

University-level courses & lectures offered to the community by California Lutheran University’s Fifty and Better (FAB) program

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THOUSAND OAKS — California Lutheran University’s Fifty and Better (FAB) program is pleased to announce its fall course session, early fall lectures and early fall chair yoga, Qigong and Tai Chi for fall prevention classes.

Amid tensions in the United States and questions about our democracy, FAB has worked to provide educational opportunities that delve into topics related to authoritarianism and our democracy, as well as offer lighter educational fair to provide a chance to escape the daily news cycle.   

The fall course series, beginning September 2nd, offers four-week courses on a wide range of topics.  

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Business, Commentary, Education, Family, Government, Local, Public Safety

County of Ventura District 2 Supervisor Jeff Gorell — Community Update – Crime Prevention Tips

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In response to recent burglaries in the Santa Rosa Valley area, the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office partnered with Rosemary Allison, the Santa Rosa Valley CERT and Neighborhood Watch Coordinator, to provide residents with key safety information and practical tips to help secure their homes and property.

Representatives from the Moorpark Sheriff’s Station shared crime prevention strategies and encouraged residents to remain vigilant. These tips are an important reminder for all community members in communities throughout the area.

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Business, Commentary, Cultural, Education, Entertainment, Events, Local, News, Seniors, Women, Youth

The Museum of Contemporary Art Santa Barbara, — Ry Rocklen & Labor Day Flash Sale

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We’re delighted to share “Torch Cafe”, an art award and edition produced by Ry Rocklen for the Museum of Contemporary Art Santa Barbara. This ceramic object uses a photograph from the Metropolitan Museum of Art of an ancient “torch holder” that has been glazed to one side. Its back has become a carrier of a form from our modern times, a stack of disposable coffee cups. “Torch Cafe” is a synthesis of ancient and contemporary objects that plays with the tropes of trophies and awards. It’s is a vehicle for remembering, recognition, and celebration.

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Cultural, En español, Government, Local, Locales, News, Noticias, Politics

Bilingual report — Ventura County Elections Office gears up for Nov. 4, 2025 statewide special election

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“It’s relatively short notice, but we are hitting the ground running,” said Michelle Ascencion, Ventura County Clerk-Recorder and Registrar of Voters, who oversees county elections.

“We’ve been here before – the Gubernatorial Recall in 2021 was called with only 75 days’ notice, and when I was the elected City Clerk in Oxnard, we had just under 100 days to prepare for the City Council recall election in 2018. Elections are more complicated than people realize, and it takes several months to implement all the logistics for a full Primary or General election. In comparison, this election has a very compressed timeline.”

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Business, Cultural, En español, familia, Family, Government, Health, Local, Locales, News, Noticias

Bilingual report — Lawn & Garden Equipment Trade-In event slated for Sept. 13

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NEWBURY PARK — Ventura County residents can turn in working gasoline- and diesel-powered lawn and garden equipment and receive vouchers toward new cordless electric replacements at an event in Newbury Park on Saturday, Sept. 13.

The City of Thousand Oaks and the Ventura County Air Pollution Control District (VCAPCD) are hosting the Lawn & Garden Equipment Trade-In Event from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Household Hazardous Waste Facility at 2010 Conejo Center Drive. (The facility will be closed for regular collection during the event.)

Residents can bring in their old equipment to demonstrate that it starts, turn it in to be destroyed, complete an application for the VCAPCD Lawn & Garden Equipment Exchange Program and receive a voucher toward battery-electric replacement of the same type. In most cases, the vouchers will cover most of the cost of new equipment, one charger and additional batteries.

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Business, Education, Health, Local, News, Youth

Community Environmental Council (CEC) introduces the Central Coast Resilience Hubs Accelerator

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The California Central Coast is on the frontlines of climate change — from extreme heat to wildfires to flooding, natural disasters are becoming part of our new reality. We may not be able to control when they strike, but we do hold the power to transform risk into readiness and build more resilient communities that continue to thrive in the wake of climate challenges.

To help residents who are most vulnerable, the Community Environmental Council (CEC) is partnering with the Central Coast Climate Collaborative (4C), County of Santa Barbara, Tri-County Regional Energy Network (3C-REN), and several area nonprofits to introduce the Central Coast Community Resilience Hubs Accelerator.

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Business, Finance, Government, Local, News

Bilingual report — City of Ventura breaks ground on Olivas Park Drive Extension and Levee Project

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VENTURA — The City of Ventura broke ground this week on the long-anticipated Olivas Park Drive Extension and Levee Project, a transformative $51 million capital improvement that will improve traffic circulation, strengthen flood protection, and expand commercial development opportunities in East Ventura. Construction is expected to continue through summer 2027.

“This isn’t just a road or a levee. It is an investment in Ventura’s future,” said Mayor Dr. Jeannette Sanchez-Palacios. “This project reduces flood risks, eases congestion, and improves access to the Auto Center while activating over 90 acres of undeveloped land and creating the conditions for new businesses and innovation to thrive.”

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Business, Events, Local, News

West Ventura County Business Alliance seeking nominations for inaugural WVCBA Business Awards

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“Throughout the year, we’ve focused on bridging the communities we serve through thoughtfully curated events and panel discussions,” says WVCBA President & CEO Andy Conli. “We’re very excited for 2025 to culminate with a fun, heart-warming awards show to celebrate businesses, organizations, and individuals who are having a positive impact in our business community!”

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Cultural, Education, Events, Family, Local, News, Seniors, Women, Youth

Museum of Ventura County unveils its exciting September events lineup

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VENTURA COUNTY — The Museum of Ventura County is thrilled to present a series of engaging, educational, and family friendly events throughout September across our Ventura and Agriculture Museum (Santa Paula) locations. From a nostalgic agricultural celebration to deep dives into local history, our lineup fosters community connection and celebrates our region’s cultural heritage.

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Business, Educación, Finance, Government, Local, News

Economic Development Collaborative (EDC) free event and webinar schedule

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SCORE: FIVE COMMUNICATION MISTAKES TO AVOID WHEN LEADING HIGH-PERFORMANCE GLOBAL TEAMS

August 27 @ 10:00 am

In this engaging, practical 75-minute workshop, you’ll learn the most critical communication mistakes that undermine trust and efficiency in your global teams — and how to avoid them, how to adapt to different communication styles to ensure every team member feels understood and empowered and proven techniques for ensuring you are an effective communicator—both as a speaker and as a listener. In today’s fast-paced, interconnected workplace, successful leaders must communicate clearly and inspire teams to work together toward common goals. Yet even experienced leaders can unintentionally create misunderstandings that slow progress, erode trust and impact performance. 

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

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Business, Family, Health, Local, News

Santa Barbara Neighborhood Clinics hopes to acquire popular Integrated Medical Records System

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SANTA BARBARA — Many of us, in our own medical care in Santa Barbara, have come to rely on “MyChart by Epic” to keep track of appointments, view test results, and ask questions of our doctors.  However, that is not an option for the thousands of patients who visit Santa Barbara Neighborhood Clinics (SBNC). Adopting the MyChart system would benefit the patients and families who come to SBNC, allowing them to take charge of their healthcare information in English and in Spanish. It will also allow the Clinics to seamlessly and easily share vital information with Cottage Hospital, UCLA, and other providers.  It’s a critical and overdue improvement.  

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Business, Family, Government, Home, Local, News, Public Safety, Technology

Unite to Light to deploy innovative solar powerpoles in eight Santa Barbara Community resilience projects

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SANTA BARBARA — From powering tsunami warning systems to supporting 24/7 food pantries,  Unite To Light is pleased to announce eight new PowerPole installations which are set to transform how Santa Barbara County communities access reliable, renewable energy. Through a unique partnership with the James S. Bower Foundation and local battery tech startup Dragon Q Energy, the PowerPole is a compact, solar-integrated, off-grid solution providing electricity, battery storage, and internet connectivity, even in the harshest conditions.

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