A Renewed Focus
A water purification collaboration involving UC Santa Barbara researchers receives a $12 million grant from the Department of Energy.
UCSB — The Current — ‘A Renewed Focus’ and more news, events
Museum of Ventura County — What’s New in November
Ivor Davis: Up Close and Personal with Joe Sohm, Thur., November 3rd from 6:30-8pm
Joe Sohm (“America’s Photo-Historian”) has been published more than 500,000 times in publications that include the National Geographic, Time, Newsweek, New York and L.A. Times, Washington Post and featured on CNN, ABC, PBS, and the History Channel. He served as President Clinton’s photographer for the D.N.C and his work is featured in Ronald Reagan’s book The Great Communicator. Join host Ivor Davis for a riveting discussion with Sohm about his work as one of the nation’s greatest political photographers of our time.
Ventura County Fire Department Provides Matching Funds for Localized Fire Hazard Mapping Project
The Ventura County Fire Department will provide $125,000 in matching funds to the Ojai Valley Fire Safe Council to support a localized fire hazard mapping project.
The county Board of Supervisors approved the funding Tuesday, Nov. 1, on a unanimous vote.
“The Ojai area is among the highest wildfire risk areas in the entire state,” said Board Chair Matt LaVere, who represents the Ojai area. “The 2017 Thomas fire and the many even larger wildfires throughout the state that have occurred since that time has shown us the significant role burning embers play in the astonishing speed at which these fires spread and threaten our communities.”
Veteran-focused photography course at SBCC plans to expand to include first responders with support of Canon U.S.A., Inc.
Santa Barbara City College’s School of Extended Learning is known throughout the region for its wide variety of programs, many designed to help create a sense of community among students while also providing opportunities for personal or professional growth. Since 2019, one particular community has been served through a unique photography course taught by veterans, for veterans. Now, the college is inviting first responders or retired first responders to enroll in the free course beginning in January 2023. The community and anyone interested in learning more about the class are invited to a photography showcase and open house at the college’s Wake Campus on Thursday, November 10, to view work from this semester’s students and talk with instructors about the experience.
UCSB — The Current — ‘Audiovisual Avant-Garde’ and more news, events
National Family Caregivers Month: A Time to Honor Those Caring for a Loved One
National Family Caregivers Month – celebrated each November – is a time to recognize and honor family caregivers across the country. It’s an opportunity to raise awareness of caregiving issues, educate communities, and increase support for caregivers. If you are caring for an elderly or disabled loved one, know that you are not alone. Caring Together Santa Barbara County is a network of organizations here to support you.
Caring for family members affects persons from all walks of life. It is estimated that 80-85% of care provided is by family members. Whether the person receiving care is in the final stages of Alzheimer’s Disease or has another physical or cognitive impairment, the role of the caregiver is a challenge.
Economic Development Collaborative (EDC) Free Webinar Schedule
SBA: VETERAN ENTREPRENEUR TRAINING
October 31 @ 11:00 am
Like all successful missions, small business ownership and growth starts with training. This workshop will empower service members, veterans, National Guard and Reserve members and military spouses with entrepreneurial trainings and resources right in their local community. Specialized training programs for women veterans, service-disabled veterans and veterans interested in federal procurement will also be discussed.
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER
Social Justice Fund for Ventura County Saticoy event update
A heartfelt thank you to everyone who came to our Annual Fundraiser in Saticoy on October 16th. We are grateful for our speakers, who all brought an invaluable perspective and offered attendees a thorough look at the challenges and community efforts in Saticoy.
Boys & Girls Club of Greater Conejo Valley — Our Biggest Gala Yet
Our success is only made possible by YOU. Because of your support, whether you donated, volunteered, attended, or spread the word about our 2022 Gala, we were able to host our most successful event ever. Together we raised $684,000 for our community’s youth! As you know, putting this event together is no small feat, and we’ve already begun planning next year’s… and we have a date! The 21st Annual Stand Up For Kids Gala will be held on
Saturday, September 9th 2023.
Clinicas del Camino Real, Inc. Invites Job Seekers to Fall Career Fair on Nov. 2
The Clinicas del Camino Real, Inc. Human Resources Department will host a Fall Career Fair on November 2nd from 2 pm to 6 pm. The Fall Career Fair will offer on- site interviews and conditional offers to qualified candidates.
The Job and Career Fair will take place outside in the parking lot of the Clinicas del Camino, Real, Inc.-El Rio Health Center: 2600 E. Vineyard Ave. Oxnard, CA 93036.
We have job opportunities in a variety of career areas in many of our 16 locations and departments: Patient Services Representatives, Medical Assistants, Dental Assistants, Licensed Vocational Nurses, Health Education Specialists, Mental Health Clinicians, Health Center Managers, X-Ray Tech & more!
Bilingual commentary — Is the U.S. Headed toward “Taliban Lite”?
Like the distant sound of thunder that precedes a turbulent storm, we are hearing disturbing rumblings that warn us of the political chaos that could precede the death of democracy in our country. We would be wise to heed the warnings and take note (better yet, go vote) rather than brush them off as mere “nonsense” with a shrug that says, “It can’t happen here.”
Unfortunately, it can happen here.
Teacher’s Fund Celebrates a Milestone: $2 Million in 20 Years Raised for Local Schools
SANTA BARBARA — The Teacher’s Fund celebrated its 20th year by hitting a significant milestone thanks to strong community support during its annual Back-to-School Drive: the non-profit serving Santa Barbara-area educators surpassed the $2 million mark. The Teacher’s Fund set an…
UCSB — The Current — ‘Captured in Time’ and more news, events
The library launches the Community Archives Project for Santa Barbara’s Latinx neighborhoods.
Santa Barbara County First District Supervisor Das Williams — Join me for Halloween, Randall Road Ribbon Cutting, Sleep Safe Awareness Month, and More
Join me for Halloween!
Our team will be at the following locations on October 31st:
Harvest Fair & Trunk o Treat at Franklin Elementary:
Located at 1111 E Mason St, Santa Barbara, CA 93103. The event will go from 4 pm-7 pm
Trunk or Treat at Girls Inc Carpinteria:
Located at 5315 Foothill Rd, Carpinteria, CA 93013. This event will go from 3:30p pm- 5 pm
Ghost Village Road in Montecito:
On Coast Village Road in Montecito. This event will go from 3 pm to 6 pm
Be sure to do your part to help make this a safe Halloween for everyone. Here are a few easy things parents and kids can do to stay safe on the spookiest of holidays.
Top Tips for Halloween Safety?
Carry glow sticks or flashlights, use reflective tape or stickers on costumes and bags, and wear light colors to help kids see and be seen by drivers.
Join kids under age 12 for trick-or-treating.
Slow down and be alert! Kids are excited about Halloween and may dart into the street. Turn on headlights early in the day to spot kids from further away.
Remind kids to cross the street at corners or crosswalks.
When selecting a costume, make sure it is the right size to prevent trips and falls. Choose face paint over masks when possible. Masks can limit children’s vision.
For more information on Halloween Safety, visit https://www.safekids.org/halloween
Livingston Memorial presenting Survivors of Suicide Loss Grief Support Group
If you have experienced the loss of a loved one due to suicide, do not hesitate to join our Survivors of Suicide Loss grief support group. Livingston’s Grief and Bereavement Program are committed to maintaining an open, accepting, confidential atmosphere. All are free of charge.
Triunfo Water & Sanitation District Moves Offices to Westlake Village
— The Triunfo Water & Sanitation District (TWSD) recently moved its administrative and customer service offices to Westlake Village. The move coincides with TWSD’s official transition into an independent water agency. Its new location is at 370 North Westlake Blvd., Suite…
Santa Barbara County Food Action Network Fall Newsletter
Fall is in the air across Santa Barbara County. Winter squash’s orange and yellow hues abound at farmers’ markets, farm stands, and local food retailers. Farmers are milling locally-grown grains harvested in the summer, and local ranchers are raising turkeys for the holidays. Fishermen recently showcased the abundance of sustainably harvested, high-quality seafood at the 19th Annual Harbor and Seafood Festival.
From the mobile farmers’ market to shared agricultural equipment, food system changemakers across the Lompoc Valley are addressing critical needs by fostering community and developing food system infrastructure. As you’ll read in our latest regional highlight on the Lompoc Valley, farmers, ranchers, farmers’ market managers, food business owners, and educators alike are accelerating community-led solutions to build a more equitable, closed-loop food system.
As the seasons change, there are a number of opportunities to get involved in the Santa Barbara County food system. See below for more updates on how our region is building resilience, upcoming events to make new connections, and funding for your next project.
Teatro de las Américas — FAITH, obra de un acto VIDEO | Jimmie… ¡Último fin de semana!
Bilingual report — Oxnard Receives 5th S&P Credit Rating Upgrade in Past Year
As a testament to Oxnard’s strong financial footing, Standard and Poor’s Global Ratings (S&P) upgraded the City’s Issuer Credit Rating from “A” to “A+” on October 26, 2022. The report also revised its long-term rating on the City’s lease revenue bonds from “A-” to “A”, the City’s Gas Tax Bond from “A+” to “AA-” and assigned a “stable” outlook to all three.
The City has made steady progress improving its ratings in recent years. The new S&P ratings mark Oxnard’s 5th upgrade by S&P in just the last 12 months. As shown in the table below, ratings were also increased by one notch on the wastewater fund earlier this year, and the outlook on the water bonds was moved to “positive” from “stable.”
CSUCI Biology faculty member will join a NSF-funded project studying organisms that can survive extreme water loss
Meet the tardigrade. Resembling a nearly microscopic balloon animal with eight clawed feet, this aquatic organism can lose almost all of the water in its body and survive, once it is rehydrated.
Often called one of the toughest animals on earth, the tardigrade has been around for 600 million years, preceding the dinosaur by about 400 million years. It can survive the most extreme heat, cold, desiccation — even the vacuum of outer space.
This resilient creature, as well as plants and other organisms that can survive extreme conditions — especially the lack of water — are at the center of a $12.5 million research institute known as WALII, which is short for the Water and Life Interface Institute. WALII includes scientists from eight different institutions, including CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI) Assistant Professor of Biology Hugo Tapia, Ph.D.
Bilingual report — Economic Development Collaborative (EDC) Honoring National Women’s Small Business Month
The Economic Development Collaborative would like to recognize National Women’s Small Business Month. The EDC has supported over 300 Women owned small businesses this year alone and has helped generate over 100 jobs. The EDC is dedicated in supporting women with achieving their business goals.
The EDC is proud to support the community by providing professional technical assistance in English and Spanish through our Small Business Development Center. Our NO-COST advising areas include:
Start-up Guidance
Marketing & Branding
International Trade
The Housing Authority of the City of Santa Barbara to Host Visit and Tour with HUD Region IX Administrator
The Housing Authority of the City of Santa Barbara (HACSB) will host a visit and tour with HUD Region IX Administrator, Jason Pu on October 26th from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Former San Gabriel City Councilmember Jason Pu was appointed by President Joe Biden to serve as Regional Administrator for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Region IX, covering the areas of Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada, Guam, American Samoa and the Mariana Islands. He plays a key role in leading a distribution of housing assistance funds and will oversee field offices to ensure that local communities benefit directly from HUD programs and funding.
Bilingual report — Economic Development Collaborative (EDC) — 411 Labor Market Report
Labor Market Report for September 2022
The California Labor Market Information Division (LMID) released its September 2022 report on Friday, the overall data showing some positive change, including a net gain of 2,100 industry jobs and an improvement in the unemployment rate, from 3.5% in August to 3.3% in September.
Most encouragingly, the improvement in the unemployment rate came as a result of a gain by 3,100 more workers reporting employment and, happily, by a decline of 900 workers reported as unemployed.
Or put another way, our unemployment rate improved not because workers were dropping entirely out of the labor market (as has been the case for several recent months), rather, as we so strongly prefer, because more workers were taking jobs. This is good both for workers and their earnings as well as for employers who have been struggling to find workers to take their jobs. That noted, the gains varied widely across the key industry sectors. We’ll share more on how that played out by industry in our comments below. For the official September data, click here.
Ventura Land Trust Hosts Community Meeting Nov. 9 on Future Mariano Rancho Preserve Trails
Ventura Land Trust (VLT) will host the second in its series of community meetings for the newly-conserved Mariano Rancho Preserve on Wednesday, November 9th at DeAnza (DATA) Middle School at 6:30 pm. VLT staff will present plans for trails and recreation for the 1,645-acre preserve in the hills north of Ventura, and community members will have the opportunity to ask questions and offer feedback.
VLT Executive Director Melissa Baffa and Preserve Director Dan Hulst will present parts of a conceptual trail plan developed for Mariano Rancho Preserve. The plan allows VLT to identify existing trail resources on the preserve and understand what trails can be used for public recreation, what trails require restoration, and where future trails could be developed.
Housing Trust Fund Ventura County to receive $5 million from Prop 1 Local Housing Trust Fund program
Housing Trust Fund Ventura County has been notified by the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) that it has been awarded $5,000,000 from the Local Housing Trust Fund (LHTF) program. This is a result of the nonprofit’s ability to raise $5M in local funding to receive this 100% match from the California State Prop 1 matching grant program. This brings the total funding for Housing Trust Fund VC in this program round to $10M, which through the development of safe and affordable housing will positively impact the lives of farmworkers, veterans, low-income seniors, cognitively impaired individuals, houseless persons, transitional age foster youth, and extremely-low and low-income individuals and families.
UCSB — The Current — ‘The Environmental Footprint of Food’ and more news
Researchers map the environmental pressures of global production for all foods on land and ocean.
Eight more Clean Power Alliance Communities Choose 100% Green Power as their primary energy option to create a healthier and more sustainable future
Seven cities and one county within Clean Power Alliance’s (CPA) service territory have chosen 100% Green Power as their default energy option this fall, making their communities and Southern California cleaner, healthier, and more resilient. CPA leads the nation in serving the most customers with 100% renewable energy.
Beginning this October, Beverly Hills, Camarillo, Claremont, Hawthorne, Redondo Beach, unincorporated Los Angeles County, and businesses in Rolling Hills Estates and South Pasadena are joining other CPA communities that have already established themselves as environmental champions by selecting 100% Green Power. CPA residential customers in Rolling Hills Estates and South Pasadena have been on the default option since 2019.
As a not-for-profit clean energy provider, CPA offers three default energy options to the many communities it serves: 100% Green (100% renewable energy), Clean (50% clean energy) and Lean (40% clean energy). With the addition of this year’s communities, 21 of the 32 communities CPA serves are now on 100% Green Power.
Jonathan Grunzweig Joins Santa Ynez Valley Cottage Hospital Foundation Board
Santa Ynez Valley Cottage Hospital Foundation (SYVCHF) has elected a new member, Jonathan Grunzweig, to join the Board of Directors for 2022 and serve on its Finance & Investment Committee.
A resident of the Santa Ynez Valley since 2005, Mr. Grunzweig previously served as the Chief Investment Officer of DigitalBridge. He received a Bachelor of Arts from Cornell University and a Juris Doctor from Harvard Law School. Prior to his time at DigitalBridge, he was a partner at the Skadden Arps law firm in Los Angeles. A native of Cleveland, Ohio, he resides in Ballard with his family.
Pierre Claeyssens Veterans Foundation 25th Annual Military Ball on Nov. 5 will Include One-of-a-Kind Art Exhibition
The event will be held Saturday, November 5th at 5 PM at the Hilton Santa Barbara Beachfront Resort and will feature an art auction, former Navy SEALs lead by Marc Brakebill of Beyond the Teams and live music by The…
Economic Development Collaborative (EDC) Free Webinar Schedule
SBA: HOW TO START A BUSINESS
October 25 @ 10:00 am
Are you interested in starting a business? If you are please join the Small Business Administration (SBA) Los Angeles District Office for a virtual workshop to learn about SBA’s 10 Step Guide on How to Start a Business. This virtual workshop targeted to new entrepreneurs. Topics covered from creating a business plan, finding capital, registering your business, getting necessary permits and/or licenses and getting a business bank account. This is a great opportunity to get any questions you may have answered and find out about the multiple resources available to help you.
Ventura County Office of Education — State Student Test Scores Released
New student test score data released today by the California Department of Education will help Ventura County educators provide support and interventions where they are needed the most. The test results show student performance in math and English Language Arts on the 2021-22 California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP). The 2021-22 school year was the first that CAASPP was fully administered since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2020-21, only about half of Ventura County students took the test, and the year before that it was not administered at all. As a result, these new results can’t be meaningfully compared to prior years and are being used as a new baseline.
Cherie Nedderman Collection of California Art goes on display for the first time at CSUCI
The California art collection of beloved Camarillo nurse Cherie Nedderman will be on display for the first time beginning with a reception on Oct. 27 from 1 to 5 p.m. in the John Spoor Broome Library Art Gallery at CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI).
“The Cherie Nedderman Collection of California Art at CSUCI: Impressions and Dialogues” consists of 20 paintings from a 58-piece collection of “en plein air” or “outdoor” paintings of Southern California done between 1890 and the late 1960s. The paintings, which covered the walls of Nedderman’s hillside Camarillo home, featured frame after frame of sycamore trees, tumbling waves and rolling green hills.
Business, Educación, Education, En español, familia, Family, Finance, Government, Local, Locales, News, Noticias
Bilingual report — Economic Development Collaborative (EDC) — Uplift Central Coast Coalition Secures $5 Million Planning Grant for Six-County Region
The Uplift Central Coast Coalition is excited to announce that we have been awarded the $5 million grant through California’s Community Economic Resilience Fund (CERF). We are excited for the opportunity to drive a 2-year planning process to create an inclusive economic development plan for the six Central Coast counties of Santa Cruz, San Benito, Monterey, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara and Ventura, with a focus on equity, sustainability, job quality, economic competitiveness and resilience.
Bilingual report — Ventura County Parks To Complete Rincon Seawall Beautification Project
VENTURA — Ventura County Parks has launched the Rincon Seawall Beautification project located south of Solimar Beach. This pilot project is being funded by County Parks in an effort to introduce art into parks and inspire community beautification. The 285’ stretch of seawall will take approximately 5 weeks to complete and will depict an ocean scene with the sea life found off the Ventura County Coast. Successful completion of this project will provide an upgraded look to the day-use parking area.
For more information on County parks and trails, please visit www.ventura.org/parks-department or call (805) 654-3951.
Museum of Ventura County — Tribute Donations
The Museum deeply appreciates these thoughtful gifts of tribute
that sustain the legacy of the Museum’s mission.
The following names in bold are those being honored or memorialized,
while the names underneath them are the generous donors giving to
the Museum of Ventura County in their name.
Cal Lutheran welcomes new spiritual leader
California Lutheran University welcomes the Rev. Scott Hamilton Adams as its new university pastor, a significant campus leader who provides spiritual support, care and counseling to students, faculty, staff and administrators. Adams, the university’s first Black pastor, is passionate about social justice, diversity, openness, and an interfaith, multicultural approach to ministry.
“I want to create spaces of belonging and safety for people to be who they are, whatever their faith tradition, as well as for nonbelievers and those with individual and group identities who are marginalized in society,” Adams said.
Bilingual commentary — Together We Can Support Undocumented Students During Action Week
Walking around the campuses of the Ventura County community colleges, you’ll notice that our student body is diverse. Students represent a wide range of ethnicities, socioeconomic backgrounds, ages and immigration statuses. Moorpark College, Oxnard College and Ventura College provide a welcoming, safe environment to all.
We believe that students, regardless of their citizenship status, should have access to higher education in this culturally rich environment as they pursue their career and professional goals.
As we participate in California Community Colleges Undocumented Student Action Week (USAW), Oct. 17-21, our colleges reaffirm their commitment to building greater awareness of and support for policies that lead to undocumented student success. This year’s theme is “Juntos Podemos (Together We Can): Collaborative Ecosystems that Support Undocumented Students,” which recognizes that we must continue to advance best practices, ensure campuswide collaboration and advocate for policy solutions to support long-term success.
Bilingual commentary — The Power of “La Bamba”
Many of us of Latino/Chicano heritage grew up listening to rock ‘n’ roll radio in the late 1950s. We were delighted, along with the rest of the country, when the song “La Bamba” hit the airwaves. The singer with the euphonic, captivating voice was Richard Valenzuela, but the world knew him as Ritchie Valens.
Ritchie, a child of Mexican immigrants, was born and raised in the San Fernando Valley area of Los Angeles. He grew up listening to mariachi and Mexican folk music, along with “jump blues” (a precursor to rock ‘n’ roll) and the rhythm and blues associated with the African American community. He accomplished an enormous feat during his transitory journey through our musical landscape. He blended purely traditional Mexican music with the iconic American rock music whose star was rising just as Ritchie was growing into what appeared to be a promising career.
SBCC celebrates grand opening of Dream Center during Community Colleges’ Undocumented Student Week of Action
Santa Barbara City College celebrated the grand opening celebration of the SBCC Dream Center in the Campus Center on its main campus (721 Cliff Dr.), Wednesday, Oct. 19. The Dream Center is a space where undocumented students can receive legal assistance, academic assistance, financial assistance, access to community resources and more.
As part of SBCC’s Office of Equity, Diversity and Cultural Competency, the Dream Center hosted a number of activities and events in recognition of the California Community Colleges system-wide Undocumented Student Week of Action, Oct. 17-20. On Tuesday, Oct. 18, Rafael Agustín was on hand for an in-person keynote speech and book signing. An award-winning television writer (“Jane the Virgin”), Agustín is also the author of “Illegally Yours: A Memoir,” a funny and poignant book about how as a teenager, he accidentally discovered he was undocumented and how that revelation turned everything he thought he knew about himself and his family upside down.
Guest commentary — On Power, Pendejismo, Race and Throwing the Proverbial Crumbs to the Mongrel Dogs
… “We black men have a hard enough time in our own struggle for justice, and already have enough enemies as it is, to make the drastic mistake of attacking each other and adding more weight to an already unbearable load.”… Malcom X
… Racism as American as Apple Pie
But, pathetically, we do attack one another. Always, it seems, fighting for the proverbial crumbs that the oppressor throws at our feet. Latino and Black folk in this country have had a troubled and checkered history when it comes to, as Rodney King implored, “to just get along”. American racism is complex, insidious, multi-layered and has been “as American as apple pie” and an evil and shameful scourge on this nation for 250 years. Racism permeates and infects every aspect of American life. No one is totally inoculated and immune from this highly infectious American pathology, Latinos and Blacks are no exception.