This Valentine’s Day, nine communities are gathering at local overpasses to peacefully declare their support for their immigrant neighbors, for democracy, and for the just America our country has the potential to be.
All events start at 11:00 am. Bring your signs and flags! Meet your neighbors and make new friends.
Here are the nine locations. (This post’s listed address is just for the Ventura site, as Mobilize only allows one location per post.)
The National Weather Service is forecasting a major storm for Santa Barbara County that is expected to occur Tuesday, December 23, 2025, through Thursday, December 25, 2025. Light rain is possible on Sunday, December 21, 2025, and Monday, December 22, 2025. Flooding in low-lying areas, flash flooding, and strong winds are possible.
There are no evacuations in place at this time. If you are concerned that this storm may cause unsafe conditions at your home, leave the area before the rain starts. Do not wait for an official evacuation notification to leave.
Public safety officials are monitoring the incoming storm and will continue to assess if protective actions, such as an evacuation warning, evacuation order, or shelter in place, are necessary.
No Kings Day rallies are planned throughout the Ventura, Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties region on Saturday, Oct. 18, 2025 in protest of the policies of the Trump Administration. The rallies are being organized by Indivisible and supported by a variety of organizations.
“In America, we don’t put up with would-be kings,” Indivisible stated in a variety of posts.
“Our peaceful movement is only getting bigger and stronger. “NO KINGS” is more than just a slogan—it’s the foundation our nation was built upon. Born in the streets, carried by millions in chants and on posters, it echoes from city blocks to rural town squares, uniting people across this country to fight dictatorship together.”
Please see links to local protests, news coverage in the region.
CENTRAL COAST — The Santa Barbara County, San Luis Obispo County, and Ventura County Air Pollution Control Districts (APCD) encourage residents to prepare for potential poor air quality caused by smoke, now that the area has entered peak wildfire season.
Smoke and ash from wildfires contain very small particles known as particulate matter that can travel hundreds of miles. These particles harm the lungs and heart and can cause coughing, wheezing, breathing difficulty, chest pain, nausea and, in severe instances, premature mortality. People with heart or lung disease, older adults, kids and pregnant women are especially sensitive.
SANTA BARBARA — CenCal Health, the Medicaid managed care plan for Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties, provides health insurance to over 242,000 low-income people on the Central Coast. Recent federal proposals to reduce Medicaid funding and constrict eligibility would negatively impact local hospitals, healthcare providers, businesses, and thousands of area residents.
Looking to take action in your community? Join the Santa Barbara Transgender Advocacy Network for a countywide day of community organizing this Saturday, May 24th, from 12 to 2 PM in Santa Barbara, Goleta, and Isla Vista.
RESTAURANTS CARE RESILIENCE FUND
Restaurants Care, a nonprofit program of the California Restaurant Foundation, has awarded $7.3 million in grants to 1,603 independent restaurants across California—supporting burger joints, taquerias, bakeries and more. In 2025, Restaurants Care is offering two grant opportunities to help restaurants thrive: $10,000 grants for LA County restaurants and food trucks impacted by the 2025 LA Fires and $5,000 grants for restaurants and commercial caterers in select CA counties (including Ventura & Santa Barbara!) to build resilience. Restaurants Care was created in 2017 as a safety net for food and beverage workers. To learn more about their fund for food and beverage workers, click here.
SANTA BARBARA — The Performing Arts Scholarship Foundation (PASF), a nonprofit supporting classical music education in Santa Barbara County, has welcomed communications expert Edie DeVine to the organization’s board.
An Oxnard resident and supporter of the arts, DeVine has worked in the communications industry for over two decades. She currently serves as executive vice president leading global medical and health technology work across GCI Health, one of the most highly recognized global integrated healthcare communications agencies in the world.
View this email online EVACUATION ORDERS AND WARNINGS ARE IN EFFECT FOR AREAS OF SANTA BARBARA COUNTY DUE TO THE LAKE FIRE No Additional Protective Actions as of 6 p.m. on Wednesday, July 10, 2024 Click here to access the interactive…
SANTA BARBARA — The DignityMoves community in downtown Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara Street Village has been a proven success for both housing and supporting those who were previously homeless, and it has not gone unnoticed by local leaders. Last year, the County Board of Supervisors voted to partner with DignityMoves to build an additional 300 rooms County-wide – enough interim supportive housing to help close the “shelter gap” in the county.
The County has identified several county-owned parcels across the County based on the regional distribution of unsheltered homelessness.
SANTA BARBARA — Fri. May. 3, 2024, starting at 9 AM at the Board of Supervisors Hearing Room at 105 E. Anapamu, Santa Barbara (entrance on Anacapa St.): Board Hearings on Proposed Rezones to comply with State Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA).
The Rotary Club of Montecito has opened applications for its 2021 community grants program, which awards grants to non-profit organizations located in Santa Barbara County.
Grants range from $1,000 to $1,600 and can be used to fund future projects that help the Santa Barbara County area. The one-page, online application is available at montecitorotary.org. The deadline to apply is Friday, October 8.
The Santa Barbara County Public Health Department is beginning a phased roll-out of the My Turn scheduling platform offered by the State of California.
The My Turn tool is part of an effort by state health leaders to organize California’s broad-reach vaccination drive, consisting of public and private health systems, pharmacies, hospitals, community health clinics, pop-up sites, and mobile sites.
Beginning this week, the state has begun to use a 70/30 formula in allocating vaccine doses. 70% of our vaccine doses will go to those who are 65 and over while 30% will be going to those residents who fall under Vaccine Tier 1B: education/child care workers, food and agriculture workers, and emergency services workers.
Vaccine appointments will be made available for Emergency Services Workers, Grocery Workers, and Phase 1A Health Care workers beginning March 1st at 9am on the County’s COVID-19 Vaccine Appointment website.
The year 2020 will go down as one of the most challenging years this nation has faced. A continuing pandemic, large nationwide demonstrations for civil rights, a contentious election campaign season — all during a time when the nation was attempting to complete the 2020 Census.
Now, there is word that the Sept. 30 deadline to complete the Census may be pushed back to its original Oct. 31, 2020 pandemic-altered deadline: Please see — CNN — Federal judge orders nationwide 2020 census counting to continue through October 31.
But since the ruling is subject to appeal, and nothing else appears predictable during 2020, it would be best to continue to fill out those Census forms as quickly as possible.
I am very pleased to announce the State Department of Public Health approved Santa Barbara County’s attestation to move further into Stage 2, which allows in-dining restaurants and retail stores to open as long as they follow safety guidance provided by the state and complete a self-certification of safe practices. The Santa Barbara County Public Health Department issued this Health Officer Order, which provides local guidance.
We would like to bring to your attention that the 805 UndocuFund has been reactivated to help undocumented families affected by the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak in Ventura and Santa Barbara counties. …
The 805 UndocuFund is currently fundraising and looking for volunteers to serve our community. This upcoming week, they will start processing application to provide financial assistance. They will need our support to help thousands of families that are facing hardship right now.
Health Plan Report Accessible Via Phones, Tablets, Lap and Desktops, in both English and Spanish SANTA BARBARA — CenCal Health, the publicly-sponsored health plan for Medi-Cal in Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties, announced today the release of its 2019 Community Report. The…
June 7 5:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m. Santa Barbara Public Library – Faulkner Gallery Join us to learn more about Community Choice Energy, a method to get cleaner electricity to local homes and businesses and provide greater local control over how that…
CENTRAL COAST – CenCal Health, in partnership with the Central Coast Medical Association, The Holman Group, Santa Barbara County Behavioral Wellness and San Luis Obispo County Behavioral Health Department recently hosted three seminars in Santa Barbara, Santa Maria, and San…
SANTA BARBARA — The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Southern Santa Barbara County is inviting family members of adults living with serious mental health conditions to register for its upcoming “Family-to-Family” education program. The free, 12-session course is designed…
SAN LUIS OBISPO AND SANTA BARBARA COUNTIES — Make-A-Wish Tri-Counties currently has a critical need for 22 new Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo County Volunteer Wish Granters. 20 New Wish Granters are needed in Lompoc, Santa Barbara and Santa Maria and 2…
Binational Health Week puts spotlight on Latino health care issues in the 805 region By Frank X. Moraga / Amigos805 For Dr. Cheryl Lambing, health care and the upcoming Binational Health Week Conference (Oct. 18) offers a very personal link.…
OXNARD— Mexico Consul Rogelio A. Flores Mejía said as of April 30 he has concluded his consulate duties serving the Mexican population in Ventura, Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties. No announcement has been made as to who will replace…
Free preparation service available for low-, moderate-income earners By Frank X. Moraga / Amigos805 The hours are ticking away until midnight Monday, April 15. So where are you in the preparation of your 2012 tax return? Yes, some overly ambitious souls…
Politics, upcoming cultural events, tips on travel, food and personal finance — you can find all these in the latest print edition of Amigos805. Distributed throughout Ventura and Santa Barbara counties, the 10,000-copy November print edition can be found…
The May print edition of Amigos805 has hit the streets in Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties. Click on the image above to see a PDF of the edition.
Now there is an easier way to sign up for the Amigos805 enewsletter if you are seeking regular email updates on issues and events for and about the vibrant Latino community in Ventura, Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo Counties. Just…
