Business, Health, Local, News, Weddings

Cottage Ob/Gyn Clinic Welcomes New Providers to Team

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SANTA BARBARA — The Cottage Obstetrics & Gynecology (Ob/Gyn) Clinic is pleased to announce the addition of two obstetrician-gynecologists, Dr. Britta Gray and Dr. Helen Matthews, along with certified nurse midwife Maribeth Claassen. This expansion of the care team furthers the clinic’s mission to enhance access to comprehensive Ob/Gyn services for women.

Joining Medical Director Dr. Lisa Lepine, the expanded team will continue caring for patients at the Cottage Ob/Gyn Clinic, located at 2416 Castillo Street, Unit A, in Santa Barbara.

The Cottage Ob/Gyn Clinic is a practice led by women specialists offering comprehensive medical services—from routine wellness examinations to diagnosis and treatment of gynecological conditions, and complete obstetric care from pre-conception to pregnancy, childbirth and postpartum visits.

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Business, Government, Health, Local, News

Assemblymember Steve Bennett authors protecting pets from predatory practices act

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SACRAMENTO — Assemblymember Steve Bennett (D-Ventura) introduced AB 506 to increase transparency from online pet brokers on the original source of a pet. This bill is part of a legislative package aimed at stopping the puppy mill pipeline, including AB 519 (Berman) and SB 312 (Umberg). 

California has made concerted efforts to disrupt the lucrative puppy mill industry, the operations of which have been underpinned by online brokers. These anonymous sellers leverage steep nonrefundable deposits against consumers as a paywall to withhold where they’ve acquired the animal and the conditions in which it was raised.

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

Westlake, Channel Islands, and Thousand Oaks High Schools Take Top Spots in 2025 Ventura County Academic Decathlon

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VENTURA COUNTY — The Ventura County Office of Education (VCOE) is pleased to announce the winners of the 2025 Ventura County Academic Decathlon, which was held over the past few weeks. The winners were revealed at a ceremony this evening in Camarillo. The three teams with the highest overall scores this year are:

1st Place: Westlake High School
2nd Place: Channel Islands High School
3rd Place: Thousand Oaks High School

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Local

Major Storm Forecast for Santa Barbara County

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Rain is on the way, and now is the time to prepare.
The National Weather Service is forecasting the potential for a major storm in Santa Barbara County, expected to arrive as soon as Tuesday night, February 11, 2025. Flooding in low-lying areas and hazardous road conditions are expected countywide. This storm also poses a potential risk for debris flows and significant flooding to residents and businesses within and surrounding the Lake Fire burn scar.

Evacuations are NOT being issued at this time. If you live in or near the Lake Fire Burn Area and are concerned that this storm may cause unsafe conditions to your local roads and home, leave the area before rain starts. Do not wait for an official evacuation notification to leave.??

Public safety officials are keeping a close eye on the incoming storm and working with the National Weather Service. Officials will continue to work together to further assess if protective actions, such as an evacuation warning, evacuation order, or shelter in place are necessary.

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Business, Cultural, Government, Local, News

Operating Agreement Extension for the Oxnard Performing Arts & Convention Center & Meeting Rooms to Go Before City Council on Feb. 18

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OXNARD — The Oxnard Performing Arts Center Corporation (OPAC) announces that a critical agenda item concerning the future of the Oxnard Performing Arts & Convention Center (PACC) will be presented before the Oxnard City Council on February 18, 2025. This meeting will serve as a pivotal moment for the community, stakeholders, and supporters of OPAC as the City deliberates the future management of the venue.

As of March 1, 2020 the current operator for both the Auditorium and the Community Center is Sterling Venue Ventures (SVV), more widely known as The Canyon. Their two agreements – one for each side of the complex – are set to expire or be rolled over on March 1, 2025. OPAC has formally requested – and will request again on February 18, 2025 –  its own agreement with the City to operate the Community Rooms / Center, which includes two ballrooms, five classrooms and several outdoor courtyards. 

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Business, Finance, Government, Local, News

VC Taxpayers Association January Recap!

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We’re kicking off 2025 with great momentum, and we’re excited to share January’s highlights with you! Here’s a look at what’s happening at the VC Taxpayers Association.

Advocacy in Action: Our Executive Director, Ryan Grau, joined the Pacific Coast Business Times podcast Civil Dialogues, this week for an interview with Henry Dubroff. Ryan highlighted our collective efforts in advocating for transparency over the past year in the medical industry, school boards, local city budgets, bond measures, and more. We’re proud of the progress we’ve made and will continue working hard to ensure taxpayers’ voices are heard.

To watch the podcast, please visit: Spotify, Apple or Amazon.

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Business, Finance, Local, News

Danielle Brinkman, CPA, opens new office in Oxnard

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OXNARD — Brinkman and Company, AAC, an accountancy firm focused on providing expert tax planning, preparation and other accounting services for individuals, families, professionals and businesses, has opened a new office in Oxnard.

Located at 300 E Esplanade Drive, Suite #1680, Oxnard, the office is the firms’ second location in Ventura County. Another office is located at 302 N. Montgomery Street in Ojai.

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Business, Education, Finance, Government, Local, News, Youth

Gibbs Diesel Mechanics Center opens at Ventura College

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In the last 10 years, Oxnard-based Gibbs International Truck Centers has donated $1.3 million in financial and equipment to support the two-year program. Since the program began in 2015, the company has donated commercial diesel trucks, engine blocks, tools and lab space, and helped write the curriculum and hire instructors. It provides paid internships and scholarships to students in the program and has hired graduates.

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Business, Finance, Government, Health, Local, News, Public Safety, Sports, Women, Youth

Bilingual report — Gold Coast Health Plan distributes $225,000 for fire relief and preparedness efforts

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CAMARILLO — Gold Coast Health Plan (GCHP) (Feb. 5) announced the distribution of $225,000 in sponsorships to community-based and national organizations to support Ventura County and neighboring communities to provide relief to victims of the recent fires and strengthen preparedness efforts for future emergencies.

In response to the growing needs arising from the devastation of the recent fires in Camarillo and the Greater Los Angeles area, GCHP distributed $225,000 in total funding to support the following organizations:

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Commentary, Cultural, Education, Family, Government, Health, Home, Immigration, Local, News, Public Safety, Seniors, Women, Youth

Guest commentary — The Fire Bell of Students

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On Friday, Jan. 31, 2025, hundreds of angry Oxnard Union High School District and Oxnard School District students sounded the tocsin of resistance to the ICE raids unleashed by President Frump. They walked out in protest from the campuses of R.J. Frank Intermediate and the high schools of Channel Islands, Del Sol, Hueneme, Oxnard, Pacifica, and others. Some lined the streets and avenues adjacent to their campuses; others marched and drove to the City of Oxnard’s ombligo, la placita, where mi raza, in alliance with other working-class gente, historically organized similar rallies demanding immigrant rights as well as the end to police violence.

Cars and pickup trucks roamed the intersection of Fifth and C Streets to affirm the students’ cause with repeated honks, blaring banda music, and the deafening revving of V8 engines. The students responded in kind with hoots while pumping their pawky placards and Mexican colors. School administrators and teachers protectively observed the youth as did boomers like me, Gen Xers, and millennials—yes millennials you are no longer young.

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Commentary, Cultural, Education, Family, Government, Health, Local, News, Opinion, Women

Bilingual commentary — Leaving Our Mark on the World

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If we have any ambition at all, we will want to make a difference, leave our mark on the world, and know that our existence, once it’s over, meant something. But how should we approach this daunting task?

Let’s consider a few ideas about how we can go about this sacred mission.

First and foremost, we need to discover our passion, or passions. Our healthy obsessions are fundamentally unique because we are, in essence, supremely unique. Whether we pursue science, music, art, writing, creating movies or work as an acrobat in the circus, we enrich our lives according to our natural talents and interests. Likewise, we enhance the lives of others who are inspired by our dedication or who see a reflection of something profound in our passionate approach to life.

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Commentary, Cultural, Education, Government, Health, Home, Immigration, Local, News, Opinion, Women, Youth

Guest commentary — An Immigrant Tale in the Time of Trump*

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Our three-alarm opera begins very early in our house each morning. First, Lady Whiskers, our huge Coon cat, meows politely, already in front of the bedroom door telling us quite empathically that she is ready to go into the darkness of the morning and begin her early dawn hunt. Our puppy, Maximiliano (Mad Max), hearing his sister, begins crying for attention and some warm milk. Half an hour later our family alarm goes off, all the while classical music is mesmerizingly reminding us to be mindful, trucha, and cool for the battles that lay ahead. This how we had begun our morning wakeup ritual for a while, until Trump ascended to the Monarchy of the United States roughly three weeks ago, and completely highjacked, assaulted, and disrupted our world.

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Business, Education, Family, Government, Health, Home, Local, News, Public Safety, Seniors, Women, Youth

ReCoverCA Homebuyer Assistance workshop to be held Feb. 13 in Simi Valley

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At the workshop, participants will learn about financial assistance, up to $350,000 per household, to help them purchase a home in safer, lower-fire-risk areas of California. The assistance, which is forgiven after five years, is designed to help bridge the affordability gap between what applicants can afford with a First Mortgage Loan and the purchase price of an eligible property.

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Business, Cultural, Education, Family, Finance, Food, Government, Immigration, Local, News, Public Safety, Seniors, Women, Youth

Guest contribution — American Immigration Council — What happens to U.S. citizen children when an undocumented parent must leave?

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Across the country, deportation is often discussed as an absolute end. What seems to be missing in the conversation is that for the deported people and their families, it’s the beginning of a new set of legal obstacles that often require advocates on both sides of the border to resolve. It is also the beginning of a new and often hard life chapter.

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Business, Education, Health, Local, News, Women

UC Santa Barbara Gevirtz Graduate School of Education Professor Tania Israel receives award for Distinguished Career Contributions to Psychology in the Public Interest

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SANTA BARBARA — Professor Tania Israel at the UC Santa Barbara Gevirtz Graduate School of Education, has received the 2025 Award for Distinguished Senior Career Contributions to Psychology in the Public Interest  from the American Psychological Association (APA). Israel is in the Counseling, Clinical, & School Psychology Department at the Gevirtz School and is also the Associate Dean for Diversity, Equity & Inclusion. 

The APA award recognizes an individual whose single extraordinary achievement or a lifetime of outstanding contributions meet one or more of the following criteria: (a) courageous and distinctive contribution in the science or practice of psychology that significantly supports efforts toward a solution to one of the world’s intransigent social problems, (b) distinctive and innovative contribution that makes the science and/or practice of psychology more accessible to a broad and diverse population, and (c) an integration of the science and practice of psychology that serves the public interest and advances social justice and human welfare.

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

Tracy Bennett to address Growing Screen Addiction & Cyber Dangers

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“In 30 years of clinical practice, I’ve seen childhood change dramatically due to screen time. With kids spending more time in online neighborhoods than offline neighborhoods, digital injuries increasingly contribute to child distress,” said Dr. Bennet. “The key to prevention is awareness, information, and a strong parent-child connection. That’s the mission behind GetKidsInternetSafe. I’m so grateful to community leaders like Ventura Charter School for supporting their families during difficult times.”

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Business, Education, Entertainment, Events, Government, Health, Local, News, Seniors, Women, Youth

Museum of Contemporary Art Santa Barbara (MCASB) — Art and Community Healing Open House (Feb. 9) and more events

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As we recover as a community from the major fires in LA, and as we remember the Thomas Fire and the Montecito Debris Flow, MCASB in partnership with Paseo Nuevo, and many organizations and individuals, will host a free intergenerational and family-friendly event on the Arts Terrace and throughout Paseo Nuevo on Sunday, February 9th from 11 am-2 pm. There will be opportunities to come together as a community around the healing power of art, art making, and learning about how we can all participate in building our future together.

Event-goers will have the opportunity to take part in many different activities, highlights include a guided painting workshop, art kit making stations, and Collecting Art to Change Lives: Art Collecting 101 – a conversation with arts industry leaders with insights and encouragement for collecting art now to support our LA arts community as it heals and rebuilds.

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Business, Finance, Government, Health, Local, News, Public Safety

Assemblymember Steve Bennett authors legislation on water supply for wildfire response

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SACRAMENTO — Assemblymember Steve Bennett (D-Ventura) introduced AB 367 to increase the performance of fire hydrants supplying water to Ventura County firefighters in their battles against wildfires. The legislation raises baseline standards of emergency preparedness for water districts servicing homes…

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Business, Cultural, En español, Family, Government, Local, News

Bilingual report — Ventura Voices podcast tees up new golf projects 

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VENTURA — A new episode of the Ventura Voices podcast is now available, featuring an in-depth conversation with Deputy City Manager Brad “Brick” Conners on the latest updates to Ventura’s golf services. The episode explores ongoing recovery efforts, facility improvements, and plans to enhance the golfing experience at Buenaventura Golf Course and Olivas Links. 

Closed since January 2023 due to severe flood damage, Buenaventura Golf Course has undergone extensive remediation efforts. In this episode, Conners details the progress made, the challenges faced, and the City’s commitment to rebuilding the course stronger than before. While the permanent course design is still in development, the City, in partnership with Kemper Sports Management, has identified a temporary solution that will allow golfers to return to Buenaventura in spring 2025. 

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Education, Events, Family, Health, Local, News, Public Safety, Seniors, Women, Youth

Dementia Beyond Drugs & Disease Symposium to be held March 6 in Oxnard

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OXNARD — A one-day symposium, “Dementia Beyond Drugs & Disease,” will be held March 6 in Oxnard. Healthcare professionals, administrators and family caregivers will learn the latest on person-centered and non-pharmacological care for people living with dementia.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4 percent of adults aged 65 and older have dementia. “It’s important for caregivers to have the tools that emphasize dignity, well-being and meaningful engagements with individuals with dementia,” said Keith Gosselin, executive director of Long Term Care Services of Ventura County, which is organizing the symposium. “Dementia care is evolving as we better understand the disease. The symposium will present the most up-to-date methods to improve quality of life.”

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

Bilingual report — Allan Hancock College students connect with peers, faculty and resources at Bulldog Bow-WOW event

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SANTA MARIA — Allan Hancock College invited students taking spring classes to a fun and informative Bulldog Bow-WOW welcome event on Feb. 5 at the college’s Santa Maria campus. 

Students who attended the event had the opportunity to meet faculty and staff, learn about support services such as counseling and financial aid, and explore various academic and career pathways. Attendees also enjoyed free food, music, and giveaways while engaging with the college’s many student clubs and organizations. 

“This is a great way to get out and let students know about what our club does and what we are about,” said Emily Limon, a Hancock student and member of the college’s Fashion and Design Club. “For new students, joining a club can break the ice and also open them up to trying new things.” 

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Business, Commentary, Finance, Government, Local, News, Opinion

Guest contribution — VCTA Demands Accountability on VCMS

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How Ventura County Medical System is Draining Taxpayer Dollars

Ensuring efficiency and accountability in government spending is often a slow and complex process. However, the Ventura County Taxpayers Association (VCTA) is dedicated to making sure taxpayer dollars are managed responsibly and transparently in our public institutions.

This newsletter aims to inform Ventura County residents and encourage action from the Board of Supervisors and other decision-makers to adopt three steps it must take to restore public trust and ensure responsible financial management at the Ventura County Medical System (VCMS).

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Business, Education, Government, Local, News, Technology, Youth

The California State University Announces Landmark Public-Private Initiative That Will Make It The Nation’s First and Largest AI-Powered University System

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LONG BEACH — The California State University (CSU), the largest and most diverse public four-year university in the country, announced (on Feb. 5) a first-of-its-kind public-private initiative with some of the world’s leading tech companies, including Adobe, Alphabet (Google), AWS, IBM, Instructure, Intel, LinkedIn, Microsoft, NVIDIA, OpenAI, and the Office of California Governor Gavin Newsom that will leverage the power of artificial intelligence to create an AI-powered higher education system that could surpass any existing model in both scale and impact.

The CSU’s unprecedented adoption of AI technologies will make trainings, learning, and teaching tools—including ChatGPT—available across all 23 CSU universities, ensuring that the system’s more than 460,000 students and 63,000 faculty and staff have equitable access to cutting-edge tools that will prepare them to meet the rapidly changing education and workforce needs of California. The CSU expects to make these tools available within the next few weeks.

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Local

Santa Barbara International Film Festival to present ‘Roads of Fire,’ a migration documentary on Feb 11-12

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SANTA BARBARA — Filmmaker Nathaniel Lezra’s Roads of Fire, a poignant and timely documentary exploring the global migration crisis, will have its world premiere at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival.

The premiere is set for 6 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 11 at the SBIFF Film Center. Additional screenings will take place on Thursday, Feb. 13 at 2 p.m. at Auditorium #4 and Friday, Feb.14 at noon at the Riviera Theater. Gary Rubin will serve as domestic sales agent.

Roads of Fire delves into the harrowing realities of forced migration by intertwining three compelling narratives: a human smuggler navigating refugees through the treacherous Darién Gap, an asylum seeker’s journey in New York City, and the unwavering efforts of volunteers on the frontlines of this humanitarian emergency.

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

Agriculture Museum in Santa Paula to present ‘Enfoque (In Focus)’ opening reception on Feb. 6

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SANTA PAULA —  The Museum of Ventura County’s newest exhibition will celebrate and highlight the pride and resilience of the Mexican Indigenous community living in the region through photographic portraits taken by internationally acclaimed photographer Diego Huerta during his month-long 2024 Artist Residency at the Museum of Ventura County. Sixteen large-format photographs are accompanied by quotes from the individuals portrayed, revealing deep emotional connections to their cultural heritage and expressing pride, hope, and a commitment to preserving their traditions as they make Ventura County their home. For almost two decades, Mr. Huerta has been photographing Pueblos Originarios—Indigenous communities—in Mexico. This is the first time he has photographed these groups outside of Mexico.

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Business, Cultural, Family, Government, Immigration, Local, News, Public Safety, Seniors, Women, Youth

Farm Bureau of Ventura County — Updated Resources on Immigration & CBP Activity

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Confirmed ICE presence in Ventura County

Multiple ICE agents were confirmed to be stopping cars and knocking on doors in Ventura County last week. Farm Bureau of Ventura County reached out to Congresswoman Julia Brownley. January 29th, Congresswoman Julia Brownley sent a letter to Acting Homeland Security Secretary Benjamine Huffman and Acting U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Director Caleb Vitello demanding answers about recent U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations conducted in Ventura County. These operations, which took place in Oxnard and Santa Paula, have sparked widespread fear and raised serious concerns about the agency’s tactics and respect for due process. Read the full letter here.

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Business, Family, Government, Home, Local, News, Seniors, Women, Youth

Housing Trust Fund Ventura County sets record with over $316,000 in donations collected in 2024 with two surprise donations

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VENTURA COUNTY — Housing Trust Fund Ventura County (Housing Trust Fund VC) announces over $316,000 in donations received in 2024 to support the development of additional affordable homes in Ventura County. A donation of $50,000 was made on the final day of the year by PennyMac Financial Services (PennyMac) from the PennyMac Corporate Giving Fund. Another donation of $31,875 was made by the California Foundation for Stronger Communities (CFSC). Together, both end-of-the-year donations pushed the total to the highest amount received in donations by Housing Trust Fund VC in one year since the organization began in 2011. Both donations were unsolicited, a testament to the reputation and goodwill of Housing Trust Fund VC as an affordable housing leader in the region.

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