Get fun summer reading ideas, activities, and more from the VCOE Library’s Summer Reading Extravaganza. Click here to check out local libraries’ summer reading programs and get online access to free full-length young adult novels. Also, find out how summer readers can earn free ride tickets for the Ventura County Fair.
THOUSAND OAKS — To further strengthen community awareness and engagement, California Lutheran University is expanding its Marketing and Communications department. On Aug. 1, Angela Fentiman will join the university as the vice president for strategic brand communications, and Amanda Savercool as the associate vice president for integrated marketing. Fentiman and Savercool have had esteemed careers in marketing and strategic communications, most recently with the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).
VENTURA — Nearly $2 million in grant funding is available to help replace heavy-duty diesel trucks based in Ventura County with equivalent battery-electric models and install charging stations.
The Ventura County Air Pollution Control District was awarded $1.97 million from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Diesel Emission Reduction Act (DERA) Program to help fund replacement projects. Recipients need to cover at least half of the project costs.
A new, UCSB-developed version of a world-leading rainfall data product guides drought early warning, disaster relief, index insurance applications and more.
Read more about “CHIRPS”
We are so excited to be doing a fundraiser with Angry Chickz in Ventura! On Tuesday, July 21, pick up some Nashville Hot Chicken for dinner! They will donate 15% of all sales to United Way of Ventura County but you must mention us when you order! You can also download this flier to your phone and show it at the register. We hope to see you there!
SANTA BARBARA — Santa Barbara Neighborhood Clinics (SBNC) is strengthening access to comprehensive Behavioral Health Services for individuals and families throughout Santa Barbara County through an integrated, whole-person care model designed to address both physical and mental health needs.
Santa Barbara County has significant community behavioral health needs that extend beyond the publicly funded specialty mental health system. Many residents experience challenges accessing timely outpatient mental health services due to insurance, cost, and provider availability. Santa Barbara Neighborhood Clinics helps address these gaps by providing integrated, community-based behavioral health services for individuals and families who might otherwise experience barriers to care.
SANTA MARIA — When Allan Hancock College Winery operations specialist Grace Wearda arrived at the college just days before its West Coast College & University Wine Festival last year, she had little time to experience the planning behind one of the college’s signature events. This year, she led months of planning for the fourth annual festival, coordinating everything from participating wineries and vendors to volunteers and event logistics.
Held June 13 on the Santa Maria campus, The West Coast College & University Wine Festival brought together college and university winemaking programs from across the region alongside local wineries, food vendors and community partners. The festival gives students an opportunity to showcase wines they’ve helped produce, receive professional feedback and connect with industry professionals while introducing the public to collegiate winemaking.
VENTURA — Ventura County Parks is excited to announce major improvements for park visitors with the launch of a new reservation management website. These updates make booking easier, offer longer advance windows for popular sites, and introduce new self-service options for Day Use and Community Center reservations. New features for our guests include online booking for Distinguished Veterans, extended 180-day windows for Rincon Parkway, and streamlined self-service for Day Use and Community Centers. These enhancements are designed to make planning visits more convenient and accessible.
CENTRAL COAST — Last week, the Trump administration announced plans to auction nearly 36,000 acres of federal public land and mineral estate in four California counties to oil companies. The parcels cover thousands of acres adjacent to Carrizo Plain National Monument in San Luis Obispo and western Kern counties.
A public comment period on the proposal closes on August 1.
“Once again, DPR is sitting on bad news instead of telling the people breathing this air,” said Angel Garcia, co-director of the statewide coalition Californians for Pesticide Reform. “The Department loves a press release when a number goes down. When a number blows past their own safety trigger, they bury it in a spreadsheet and hope nobody notices. That’s not regulation — that’s public relations for the pesticide industry.”
VENTURA — The City of Ventura has finalized an updated Short-Term Vacation Rental (STVR) Ordinance with two critical deadlines property owners need to know:
Existing Permit Holders: August 31, 2026, renewal deadline
New Applicants: July 13, 2026, application opening date
Current STVR permit holders have until August 31, 2026, to renew their permits, or their permits will be canceled. The City is guaranteeing renewal for existing permit holders under a grandfathering provision, provided they meet updated requirements and submit applications on time through Ventura Online Permit Services (OPS).
PORT OF HUENEME — The Port of Hueneme welcomed California State Transportation Agency (CalSTA) Secretary Toks Omishakin along with other local and state leaders(on July 2) for Ticket to Results, a special event designed to highlight the transformational impact of California’s Port & Freight Infrastructure Program (PFIP) investments at the Port of Hueneme.
Ticket to Results revealed the progress the Port of Hueneme has made in deploying $80 million in PFIP funding. Port staff led guests through a behind-the-scenes tour of completed and ongoing projects showing how strategic state investments are increasing capacity, improving operational efficiency, reducing emissions, strengthening workforce development, and enhancing trade across the region.
“These impressive Port of Hueneme projects funded by the Port & Freight Infrastructure Program are not just critical for California’s supply chain system, but they are also of vital importance to our communities,” said California Transportation Secretary Toks Omishakin. “Governor Newsom’s investments in transportation infrastructure are helping to move these projects from vision to reality, delivering cleaner air and better jobs to communities across California.”
VENTURA — County Assessor Keith Taylor certified and delivered the 2026–27 Annual Assessment Roll to the Auditor-Controller’s Office on June 26, 2026, ahead of the July 1 requirement, marking a key step in the preparation of annual property tax bills for Ventura County property owners. The certified roll reflects a net assessed value of $194.4 billion after exemptions are applied, which is an increase of 3.95%.
Assessor Taylor noted that the overall increase is primarily on the Secured Roll which was driven by two primary factors: reassessments resulting from changes in property ownership, and the annual inflation adjustment applied under Proposition 13. Under Proposition 13, assessed values for properties that have not changed ownership are adjusted annually by the California Consumer Price Index (CPI), capped at a maximum of 2% per year.
VENTURA — The City of Ventura is inviting community members to review and comment on its draft application for the State of California’s Prohousing Designation Program. The public comment period will be open from July 8 through August 8, 2026, providing residents and stakeholders an opportunity to review the application and share feedback before it is considered by the City Council and submitted to the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD).
Join us for an evening at the speakeasy as we enjoy champagne cocktails, absinthe-inspired libations, exceptional bites, and 1930s French swing jazz by the renowned San Lyon ensemble. Proceeds to benefit VMF’s music education and community programs.
Back by popular demand, this FREE webinar series is designed to help small business owners use AI to save time, improve marketing and grow revenue.
Attend one session or all
All sessions are practical and beginner-friendly
VENTURA — United Way of Ventura County is pleased to announce the 21st Annual Spirit Award Recipients. These awards honor our Founding members. Every year since 2005, individuals and organizations who embody the qualities of Milton M. Teague, Douglas Shively, and Roy Pinkerton are selected for this prestigious honor. This year we will also award our President’s Award, and our Women United Award. The awards and awardees are listed below:
… At VCTA, we believe it is time to declare our own independence—not from individuals, but from habits that no longer serve taxpayers, students or our community.
Bilingual stop-motion animation workshop for children. *** Taller bilingüe de animación cuadro por cuadro para niños.
I had a moment of angst three years ago as I filled out the 2020 U.S. Census form. I froze in my tracks, just as I had with employment forms in the past, when I saw a question asking me to denote my race. I am thoroughly aware that much of the U.S. population, especially in the more conservative states, would not consider me “white.”
Their assessment is based solely on my appearance. I’m not particularly dark, but neither am I of “fair skin.”
In light of recent developments in our country, I am now less willing to declare myself as of the “white” race on any form inquiring about my ancestral background. However, in the following Census question inquiring about my ethnicity (as opposed to “race”), selecting “Hispanic or Latino” was an obvious choice.
As Fourth of July celebrations approach across Southern California, families are preparing for a day filled with barbecues, pool parties and fireworks—traditions many look forward to all year.
But health experts are reminding the public that the holiday also brings a spike in preventable injuries.
“People love this holiday because it brings everyone together,” said Dr. Kimberly Petrick, a family medicine physician with Kaiser Permanente Southern California. “Still, a little caution goes a long way in keeping the day festive instead of stressful.”
“From Field to Fork” brings together farmers who produce Ventura County’s agricultural bounty, chefs who celebrate that bounty on their menus, and the farm workers whose labor makes it all possible.
Enjoy a multi-course gourmet dinner while helping promote affordable, safe, and stable housing for Ventura County farm workers and their families.
SANTA PAULA — One of the most critical decisions a locally elected body exercises as part of their governance and oversight responsibility is the selection and tenure of its City Manager. Recently, the Santa Paula City Council assessed the existing contract with the City Manager and honored its existing agreed upon terms which sunsets June 30, 2027. Mr. Singer graciously agreed to complete his remaining term and service to the community and reaffirms his commitment to projects that benefit Santa Paula.
By providing a full year to make these changes, the Council will ensure a more efficient and seamless transition period.
SANTA YNEZ VALLEY — More than 300 guests gathered at the Santa Ynez Valley Polo Club on Saturday, June 27, for a sold-out 2026 Santa Ynez Valley Polo Classic benefiting People Helping People (PHP), demonstrating how visionary leadership and philanthropy continue to strengthen the Santa Ynez Valley.
Presented by Happy Canyon Vineyard, the Polo Classic has become one of the region’s premier charitable sporting events, where exceptional polo, hospitality, and philanthropy converge to support local families.
CENTRAL COAST — Environmental organizations across California are condemning Trump’s Bureau of Land Management’s approval of oil and gas leasing and development plans for both the Bakersfield and Central Coast field office regions—a decision that critics argue was a rushed, legally deficient move that ignores California law, bypasses the public, and offers some of the state’s most beloved public lands over to the fossil fuel industry.
The BLM issued the approvals without allowing the standard 60-day Governor’s Consistency Review period required before a federal land use decision affecting California can be finalized, and without responding to formal administrative protests filed by community organizations. That review exists precisely to ensure federal actions do not conflict with state law and policy—and this decision is in direct, flagrant conflict with both.
SANTA MARIA — PCPA is proud to announce Season 63, featuring a dynamic mix of Shakespeare, family favorites, contemporary drama, and large-scale musicals, including La Comedia of Errors, The Wizard of Oz, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, 72 Miles to Go, Les Misérables, Mean Girls, and Murder on the Orient Express.
VENTURA — On June 17, ATLAS welcomed more than 150 guests to the Museum of Ventura County for its annual Scholarship Celebration, recognizing students pursuing higher education, career training, and professional development opportunities. ATLAS also revealed a new brand direction that better aligns with its mission as the nonprofit dedicated to empowering and uplifting participants of Ventura Housing programs, promoting stability and self-sufficiency. The organization received 29 scholarship applications from residents and program participants. Following a competitive review process, 16 students were selected to receive a combined $35,500 in scholarship funding to support their educational and career goals.
“Through ATLAS, we are helping families move beyond housing stability and into long-term success through education,” said Jeffrey Lambert, CEO of Ventura Housing. “When a student earns a degree, the impact reaches far beyond one person. It changes the trajectory of an entire family.”
CAMARILLO — Cal State Channel Islands’ (CSUCI) Police Department has earned accreditation from the International Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators (IACLEA), becoming one of fewer than 100 campus law enforcement agencies nationwide to receive the distinction.
IACLEA accreditation is the leading standard for excellence in campus public safety. The rigorous three-year process required the department to demonstrate compliance with nationally recognized best practices, verified by an independent team of experienced assessors. The achievement reflects the campus Police Department’s commitment to professionalism, accountability, and continuous improvement.
