In 1970, when People’s Self-Help Housing was founded, our work began with a simple but powerful idea: as our name indicates, help people build their own homes. Through this mutual self-help model, we have worked alongside 1,200 amazing families who built their own homes. But as the needs of our communities evolved, so did we. In the mid-80s we moved into developing multifamily housing for rent and since then have constructed 63 vibrant neighborhoods throughout the Central Coast.
GOLETA — Local nonprofit SEE International celebrated on June 23 a $100,000 endowed gift from the Greater Goleta Santa Barbara Lions Club during a community event held at the organization’s SEE Vision Care clinic in Goleta.
The gift will support SEE Vision Care (SVC), SEE International’s local program providing free eye care services to uninsured and underinsured individuals throughout Santa Barbara and Ventura Counties. Through five clinic locations, a mobile vision clinic, and community outreach events, SVC provides vision screenings, comprehensive eye exams, prescription glasses, and sight-restoring surgeries at no cost to qualifying patients.
OXNARD — City Impact, Inc., a Ventura County–based nonprofit dedicated to serving at-promise youth and families since 1995, is proud to announce that nominations are now open for the Thrive Together Awards 2026 — the organization’s signature annual celebration of entrepreneurship, innovation and community impact, targeting small businesses and start-up organizations in Ventura County.
The Thrive Together awards ceremony will take place on Thursday, September 24, 2026 from 5:00–9:00 PM at the Museum of Ventura County in Ventura, California — fittingly timed during National Hispanic Heritage Month. Small business nominations are open now through Tuesday, July 14, 2026.
VENTURA — The County of Ventura invites the public to celebrate the completion of the Moon Ditch Mural, a landmark public art project that has transformed a flood control channel into one of the largest murals in the United States. Spanning approximately 3,400 linear feet (about two-thirds of a mile), the project was created through a partnership of local artists, volunteers, community organizations, and County agencies, demonstrating how participation in the arts can foster connection, support mental well-being, and inspire environmental stewardship.
For most Ventura County deputy sheriffs, every day is a risk, where they may experience the possibility of a serious work-related injury or illness, known in workers’ compensation terms as a “presumptive” injury or illness.
In interviews with the Ventura County Civil Grand Jury, deputy sheriffs with presumptive claims described their frustration with minimal communication, confusing delays, denials of claims that were later reversed, and long waiting periods.
Join the Community Environmental Council (CEC) for an uplifting evening of movement, creativity, reflection, and play designed to help you slow down, tune in, and experience a deeper sense of belonging. Through a series of guided, beginner-friendly exercises, you’ll explore how curiosity, imagination, and embodied awareness can open new pathways to connection and resilience.
This year, Grocery Outlet is expanding the reach of IFH through a new partnership with Feeding America, allowing customers to donate online to support hunger-relief efforts on a national scale. In-store donations will continue to benefit Feeding America network members, including local food banks and partner agencies, reinforcing Grocery Outlet’s community-driven approach to giving back. The organizations include Camarillo Community Church, Catholic Charities of Los Angeles, and Salvation Army in Ventura County.
SANTA YNEZ VALLEY — People Helping People (PHP) is giving youth a seat at the table to help lead the fight against substance misuse in the Santa Ynez Valley.
Over the years PHP has led a number of organizations to promote substance use reduction and prevention, but previously the student and adult programs were separate.
The new People Helping People Youth Coalition (PHPYC) will be led by local youth working directly with key community partners – educators, parents, businesses, healthcare providers, law enforcement, and local organizations.
“Youth voice isn’t just valuable, it’s essential. They understand what’s happening in their schools and among their peers far better than any adult can. Our role is to listen first, then build programs that actually reflect what they’re telling us”, said Selene Sandoval, PHP Director of Youth Programs.
This year, as we celebrate 50 years of service, we’ve combined our Summer Polo Soirée with our Summer Campaign to make an even greater impact. Join us in making a difference. Whether you attend the event or make a donation, your support helps ensure local seniors living with dementia and their families receive the care and support they deserve.
We’ve had so many kittens come into our care that our VCAS Foster Families are already running out of kitten food. To help keep our foster families stocked with critical food, we’re doing a quick Kitten Food Drive.
Food donated through our Kitten Food Drive – Amazon Wish List will be delivered directly to the Camarillo Shelter where our foster families will pick up from.
First clean air shelter in Ventura County opens Click here for the entire media release en español PORT HUENEME — Ray D. Prueter Library in Port Hueneme has become the first clean air shelter in Ventura County, providing residents with…
VENTURA — The County of Ventura’s Department of Agriculture/Weights and Measures presented the 2025 Crop and Livestock Report to the Ventura County Board of Supervisors during their regular meeting on Tuesday, June 23. The annual publication, which provides a snapshot of the county’s farming industry, reported the gross value of agriculture at $2,409,748,000, a 4% increase from 2024.
In addition to production statistics, the 2025 Crop and Livestock Report examines the economic realities facing Ventura County’s agricultural community. Through its theme, “Making Cents of Agricultural Production,” the report explores rising costs across six key production categories – labor, land, inputs, plant care, services, and compliance – and highlights the resilience and innovation that continue to drive Ventura County agriculture.
The findings have major implications for the California coast, including reduced habitats for plants and animals, and reduced protection against sea level rise.
CAMARILLO — Chancellor Rick MacLennan has announced that he will conclude his service with the Ventura County Community College District upon the expiration of his current contract on June 30, 2027.
Since becoming Chancellor in 2022, MacLennan has advanced a more unified districtwide approach focused on student success, workforce opportunity, institutional partnership, and regional responsiveness.
Step into the glamour of the 1920s for an unforgettable evening of fine dining, vintage-inspired cocktails, entertainment, dancing, and philanthropy as we celebrate Ventura County’s remarkable role in the early days of filmmaking.
TASTE OF HISTORY 2026
Thursday, September 10
“Our region has great subject matter experts, and we need to ensure we harness that expertise and funnel all information during an emergency,” said Port of Hueneme Director of Operations Mike Morrison. “Today’s exercise strengthened our communication and collaboration so we will be best prepared to respond if and when the unexpected occurs. I’m grateful to port staff and leadership for prioritizing safe and efficient operations, and I’m thankful to the internal operators and many partners who took part in our annual Coastal Trident exercise.”
We are so excited to share the good news with you! Every year we provide financial support and mentorship to low-income single mothers pursuing financial security through higher education. This year we had a total of 11 applications from our three area community colleges. All 11 women are single moms who are graduating from community college and have been admitted to a 4-year university or advanced professional training. We were able to support all 11 women! This support can be used for any expenses related to education or caring for their children while enrolled in classes. Over the last 10 years we have awarded 94 Women United Education Awards totaling $175,500!
What does active hope look like? It looks like learning new skills, meeting inspiring people, celebrating community, coming together around shared solutions, and discovering practical ways to create change.
This summer, the Community Environmental Council (CEC) invites you to join us for A Year of Active Hope — a series of free events offering a welcoming space for people to unite, find courage, and take meaningful steps for our planet.
VENTURA COUNTY — Cabrillo Economic Development Corporation (Cabrillo EDC) on June 5 celebrated the groundbreaking of Camino De Salud, a 49-unit supportive affordable housing development in the unincorporated Ojai Valley community of Mira Monte. Camino De Salud will reserve half of its units for residents who are experiencing homelessness and have been high health users with the remaining units serving residents earning 50 percent or less of the area median income.
“It’s truly a pleasure to be here in the beautiful Ojai Valley to celebrate the groundbreaking of Camino de Salud. A project whose very name reflects what the community stands for: health, opportunity and a pathway forward,” said Victoria Brady, Chief Executive Officer. “We’re building opportunity, we’re building a stronger, more connected community.”
SANTA BARBARA — Congressman Salud Carbajal (CA-24) was honored on June 1 by the CenCal Health Board of Directors with an official resolution recognizing his leadership and advocacy on behalf of Medi-Cal beneficiaries, providers, and communities across Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties.
The resolution was presented by Santa Barbara County Third District Supervisor Joan Hartmann, alongside Marina Owen, Chief Executive Officer of CenCal Health, and CenCal Health Board Chair Sue Andersen, President & CEO of Dignity Health on the Central Coast.
There are several hundred thousand amateur astronomers in the U.S. I was one of them during my teenage years (my daughter, a mother of three boys, has made it a point to tell me that I was not a “normal” teenager). I had one big disadvantage: I lived in Los Angeles during those years and had never seen the Milky Way due to the massive amount of illumination from one of the largest cities in the world just north of the suburb where I lived.
One summer, my father took all of us to the mountains north of Los Angeles for a few days. I took my telescope with me.
“For 35 years, the Juneteenth Freedom Day Celebration has brought together our Ventura County community to honor history, celebrate culture, and embrace the values of freedom and unity,” said Bruce Stewart, President of the Ventura County Juneteenth Celebration. “We are proud to continue this tradition and remain committed to ensuring that future generations understand the importance of Juneteenth and the contributions of African Americans to our nation and our community.”
In 2080, there will be androids to satisfy your emotional needs. Who wouldn’t want to get the “love vaccine”? An author laments not having been a prophet in her own land and orders her little bonsai tree to report an interruption in her streaming of the acceptance of a major literary award. For a writer, there’s always the possibility of “killing off” a character, but what do you do when the protagonist demands that you write a few extra pages so she can deeply feel the pain and seek healing once the story ends?
With free live music and activations down Main Street, we expect a high volume of foot traffic for MMV, and we need your help!
Join us as a volunteer for Make Music Ventura and experience the day from a backstage perspective, while helping our community make the most of this wonderful, free event. Shifts are available all day, between the hours of 8am to 8pm, and we have numerous opportunities in stage support, wayfinding, booth staffing, and more! Thank you for joining us.
On view now through July 12, 2026
Santa Paula artist Cornelis Botke (1887-1954) is best known as a master etcher and as a supporting figure in the career of his wife, artist Jessie Arms Botke (1883-1971). His etchings earned international acclaim and entered the collections of the California State Library, the Library of Congress, and the Smithsonian Institution. Yet from childhood, Cornelis’ true ambition was to be a painter.
Botke was born in Leeuwarden, Holland, in 1887. Orphaned at a young age, he was raised and educated in a Mennonite orphanage in Haarlem. Although he longed to pursue painting, his guardians worried about his livelihood and enrolled him instead at the Haarlem School of Applied Art, where students trained for professional trades such as architectural drawing, engraving, and metalwork.
“The adoption of this budget reflects our commitment to responsible stewardship of taxpayer dollars while continuing to invest in the services Ventura County residents rely on every day,” stated Chair of the Board Jeff Gorell. “This balanced budget maintains our strong fiscal foundation, supports public safety, infrastructure, health and human services, and positions our county to meet both current needs and future challenges. At a time when changes in state and federal funding are creating new challenges for counties across California, Ventura County remains focused on fiscal discipline, strategic planning, and delivering high-quality services to our residents.”
All the feels, and then some, were on display during UC Santa Barbara’s annual commencement festivities, which celebrated more than 6,700 students. Congrats, grads!
SANTA MARIA — The Allan Hancock College Board of Trustees voted unanimously June 16 to place a local facilities funding measure on the November 3, 2026, ballot, allowing voters throughout the Allan Hancock Joint Community College District to consider whether to authorize funding for repairs, upgrades and modernization projects at the college’s facilities.
If approved by voters, the measure would authorize up to $290 million in locally controlled general obligation bonds to improve and modernize projects at Allan Hancock College locations throughout the district.
OXNARD — The Oxnard City Council voted on June 16, 2026, to place the “City of Oxnard Public Safety, Financial Stability Measure (No Tax Rate Increase)” on the November 3, 2026 ballot, providing Oxnard voters the opportunity to choose whether to continue the City’s existing Measure O sales tax beyond its current expiration date in March 2029.
Measure O is a locally-controlled ½ cent sales tax that was approved by 65% of Oxnard voters in 2008. It has provided funding for a range of City services, including police and fire protection, 911 emergency response, street and alley maintenance, youth and senior programs, homelessness response, and other community programs. Measure O is currently scheduled to expire in March 2029 unless renewed by voters.
VENTURA — The Ventura County Board of Supervisors, during their regular meeting on Tuesday, June 9, approved construction of a new playground at Steckel Park, marking a major investment in recreation, accessibility, and family-friendly amenities at one of the County’s most popular parks.
