Category Archives: Featured News

Ventura County Community College District Board of Trustees Strategic Planning Meeting open to the public, June 21

The Ventura County Community College District Board of Trustees invites the public to attend its Strategic Planning Meeting on Tuesday, June 21, at 3:00 pm. The meeting will be held at the District Administrative Center located at 255 West Stanley Avenue, Suite 150, Ventura, CA. The invitation is extended to members of the Citizens Advisory Council, students, college constituents, and the general public. All are welcome. Items to be discussed include 3.01 Board Professional Development; 5.02 2016-2019 Strategic Plan Recommendations; 5.03 Enrollment Management; and 6.01 Goals and Objectives. The complete agenda is available on the VCCCD website at www.vcccd.edu, Board of Trustees and meetings.

The Ventura County Community College District is a member of the 113-campus California Community College system, and serves more than 50,000 students annually. The District’s three colleges-Moorpark, Oxnard, and Ventura- offer programs in general education for degrees and certificates, transfer to four-year colleges and universities, career technical education, and provide opportunities to engage in co-curricular campus activities. For more information, please visit www.vcccd.edu.

Scientists, Conservation Professionals Honored on Endangered Species Day for Role in Recovery of Island Fox on Northern Channel Islands

Ventura – The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today recognized eight individuals from the National Park Service, The Nature Conservancy, and the Institute for Wildlife Studies as 2015 Recovery Champions for their exceptional efforts to conserve and protect three subspecies of fox on the northern Channel Islands, which are currently proposed for delisting under the Endangered Species Act. The Recovery Champion award honors partners for outstanding successes in recovering threatened and endangered wildlife across the nation.

“Each of these individuals, and the organizations they represent, set a vision to bring these island fox subspecies back from the brink of extinction,” said Steve Henry, field supervisor of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in Ventura. “And because of that steadfast vision, island foxes on San Miguel, Santa Rosa and Santa Cruz Islands are now proposed for delisting, marking the fastest recovery of any mammal under ESA protections.”

Among the award winners honored for their work include David Garcelon of the Institute for Wildlife Studies, Lotus Vermeer, Christina Boser, Eamon O’Byrne, and Scott Morrison of The Nature Conservancy, and Tim Coonan, Kate Faulkner, and Russell Galipeau of Channel Islands National Park.

In the late 1990s, island fox subspecies on the northern Channel Islands experienced precipitous declines as a result of predation by non-native golden eagles. Thanks to intensive multi-partner recovery efforts including captive breeding, habitat restoration, predator/prey management, vaccinating against disease, and ongoing monitoring, these island fox subspecies have recovered to self-sustaining levels.

These partners have worked together to maintain a consistent vision of what is needed to achieve recovery of these subspecies and the results of their contributions filled critical gaps in the community of scientific knowledge, helping to secure the subspecies’ long-term viability and protection.

Lunch at no charge

Each summer, Ventura Unified School District provides a nutrition program. This program provides lunch at no charge to children 1-18 years of age. Summer Nutrition is not based on income qualification. It is available for all community children regardless of their school year qualification for free and reduced price meals. Lunch will be served June 13th through August 5th.

Ventura Unified School District is committed to providing nutritious foods during the summer months so that students may return to school healthy, energized and ready to learn!

Ventura schools
Pacific High School
Ventura High School
D.A.T.A. Middle School
Anacapa Middle School
Elmhurst Elementary School
E.P. Foster

Ventura community sites
YMCA-11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
3760 Telegraph Rd.
Boys & Girls Club-11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Robert Addison
1440 N. Olive St.
E.J. Harrison
11321 Violeta
Boys & Girls Club
Bill Le Fevre
1929 Johnson Dr.
Westpark-12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.
450 Harrison
Westview Village-12:00 p.m. – 1:30 p.m.
234 W. Vince St.

Henry Schwab Violin/Viola Competition

The Ventura College Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Robert Lawson, will present the finalists of the 8th annual Henry Schwab Violin/Viola Competition on June 18. Three talented young violinists, selected March 19th, at the preliminary audition, will each perform by memory, a complete classical Violin Concerto with the Ventura College Symphony Orchestra.

The competition honors the memory of Henry Schwab, who, as a renowned violinist, concert master and violin/viola teacher tried to instill in his students the love and study of classical music

The finalists selected for this competition are Kaytlyn Becker, 14, Abigail Tsai, 17, and Arjun Pillai, 14.

Following the concert, the judges will announce the competition’s winners who will receive awards from Mrs.Miriam Schwab from $500.00 to $1,500.00.

Please attend on June 18 at 8:00p.m.at the Ventura College Performing Arts Center, 4700 Loma Vista . Tickets at box office: $15 general, $5 students, faculty and seniors. Contact information Ventura College, Music Department Office 289-6020.

Simple Steps to Good Health – June 2016, Food Tips

SimpleStepsLogo

by Elisabeth Mondragon

Start Your Day off Right

One of the best ways to start your day with energy and nutrition is with a healthy breakfast. We know it can be easy to just grab a donut on your way to work or simply skip this meal altogether, but both can grind your weight loss plan to a quick halt. Eating breakfast helps to fuel your body and brain so that you are ready to take on your day. Here are some quick and delicious choices for your mornings that will get you started on a healthy note.

oatmeal-bowlOatmeal
Oats contain beta-glucan, which is a type of soluble fiber that has been shown to help lower cholesterol when eaten on a regular basis.  Give steel-cut oats a try. They are the least processed of all oats.

It may not be instant oatmeal, but steel-cut oats only take about 15 minutes to cook, and you get more fiber with each bite. Eating healthy high-fiber foods can help you feel full, so you can resist eating more food than you need. If you can, try to avoid flavored instant oatmeal which is more processed and contains added sugars. Instead, top off your plain oatmeal with flavorful extras like fruit, a few teaspoons of honey or a few nuts. Sneak in some added protein by preparing your oats with one cup of nonfat milk.

greek-yogurt-berriesGreek yogurt
Starting your day with protein is a must. Protein helps to keep you full throughout the morning so that you’re not reaching for that sugary snack in between breakfast and lunch. Greek yogurt has a lot of bone-building calcium and nearly twice the amount of protein as regular yogurt. It’s an easy on-the-go breakfast, and you can top it off with things like your favorite high-fiber cereal, 1Tbsp sugar-free jelly, 2 tsps ground flaxseed or fruit for a tasty, satisfying meal.


smoothieProtein-packed fruit smoothie
If you don’t have time to sit down and eat breakfast, try whipping up this 250 calorie fruit smoothie. Blend together 1 cup strawberries, 1 scoop protein powder, crushed ice and 6 oz nonfat yogurt and you’ve got yourself a healthy and flavorful on-the-go breakfast. Plus, you’ve just crossed one milk and one of your daily fruit servings off of your list.

Now that you have a few ideas to get you started, try incorporating these into your morning meal on a regular basis. Think of breakfast not only as a chance to refuel your body after a night of sleep, but also a chance to take on your day in a positive way.

Candlelight vigil held in Ventura for victims of Orlando nightclub shooting

Photos by Cindy Summers

20160612_202713Over 100 people of all ages and diversities gathered at Paddy’s Bar & Lounge on Sunday night to participate in a candlelight vigil for the victims of the Orlando Pulse nightclub shooting. The group walked from Paddy’s to Ventura City Hall where various community leaders spoke out about the tragic incident which was deadliest shooting in U.S. history, claiming 50 lives and wounding 53 others.

 

Among those attending were Ventura City Councilmember Cheryl Heitmann and Mayor Eric Nasarenko, who spoke to the crowd about the senseless act, thanked the emergency response teams and medical professionals treating the wounded, and expressed condolences, sympathies, thoughts and prayers to the victims and their families.

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