Students of Moorpark, Oxnard and Ventura colleges rely on their libraries’ websites for their studies, conducting more than 734,245 searches a year. Now students will have streamlined and improved search options. The libraries at Moorpark, Oxnard and Ventura colleges recently launched upgraded web pages on each college’s website.

The updated interface connects the VCCCD colleges through one search bar, allowing users to search and request resources from any of the three colleges. The new system is the same type that both the UCs and CSUs currently use and is the culmination of a yearlong state-funded project to provide all California community colleges with a shared library systems solution.

“We have 225,000 print items in our libraries alone,” said Peter H. Sezzi, librarian and library department chair, Evelyn & Howard Boroughs Library, Ventura College, “so this was a large undertaking for us. It is more than worth it, as our current and future students will greatly benefit from the enhanced library resources we can provide.”

Chancellor Greg Gillespie added, “By investing in the services our colleges offer, we are investing further in students’ journeys and providing them with the necessary tools to accomplish their academic goals.”

About Ventura County Community College District
The Ventura County Community College District is a member of the 115-campus California Community College system, and serves more than 32,000 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 vcccd.edu.

To view this press release on our website or to access it in a different file format
(i.e. doc, pdf, html) please visit: https://newsroom.vcccd.edu/category/press-releases/

On Monday, Jan. 20, the Ventura County Transportation Commission (VCTC) will increase fares and make minor schedule modifications to its Intercity bus system.

The Commission approved a fare increase in October 2018 to address the rising costs of operation. The decision followed a public outreach process in the summer and fall of the same year. To minimize impact to customers, VCTC adjusted fares in phases, January 2019 and January 2020.

Reduced prices are available to seniors 65 years or older, Medicare, or ADA/Disabled riders. In addition, Ventura County college students can ride buses free with a valid students ID.

“VCTC’s Intercity bus service carries over 1,000 people every day to their jobs and schools,” said VCTC Executive Director Darren Kettle. “Our goal is that our riders have a safe, reliable, and comfortable trip. It’s a hard conversation to have to consider a fare increase but we posed the question to our riders, they understood that to keep the quality service they have come to expect a small fare increase was worth it. This fare change will allow us to maintain our current level of service to the community while keeping VCTC Intercity Transit financially sound.

See the upcoming fare changes online here https://www.goventura.org/

Bus schedule changes, which will also go into effect on Jan. 20, include minor timetable modifications to address traffic congestions and improve on-time performance. In addition, VCTC will be reinstituting two weekday shuttle routes that serve CSU Channel islands. The routes, which connect the University to Camarillo and Oxnard, were previously combined as a single line. For more information, visit goventura.org.

Route 77, formerly known as the East-West Connector, is also getting an update on Jan. 20. The new Cross County Limited provides the same one-seat service between Simi Valley, Moorpark, and West Ventura County. Many college students and faculty use Route 77 to travel between Ventura College and Moorpark College.

About the Ventura County Transportation Commission
The Ventura County Transportation Commission is the regional transportation planning agency committed to keeping Ventura County moving. Program information is available at goventura.org.

Reverend George Golden showed a video which informed the Club about Hurt to Help Orphanages in Nairobi, Kenya. Over the years he has helped with water wells, a generator, and starting a church with a recovery center, as alcoholism is a big problem there. The orphanage itself has a kitchen, two play areas, and sleeping quarters, which will be enlarged on his next visit. They established a small college where he and others will teach students to take over the facilities, for the future. George is currently raising money to buy more food and supplies for the orphans. His granddaughter, Hannah, is baking cookies to sell and they are also selling bead jewelry made by the women in Nairobi. George, his wife Dorthy, Dave, Vanessa and Hannah will be traveling to Kenya in January 2020. If anyone would like to donate to this cause checks should be made out to George Golden and sent to the First Baptist Church, 1057 First Street, Fillmore, CA 93015.

Hello Again Everyone!

Well as hard as we tried, the trees for the downtown were not to be this year. Apologies to all, and thanks to all, who have participated in the downtown Christmas trees in past years! I hope you take those homemade and recycled ornaments that you saved for this year, and go out and decorate a tree or bush in your yard- as a gift to your neighbors!

But let’s add a little more to the gifting this year- look for the lonely neighbor, the elderly neighbor, and give them a kind word and smile. Be a word of support to that youngster across the street. Make your part of the community beautiful- throw out wildflower seed where there is dirt, pick up that trash that blights your walks, and plant your front yard with love to make this spring extra special.

Finally, let’s walk with gratitude for the gift it is to live here in our beautiful community of Fillmore, and our amazing country. They are blessings that we should never forget or take for granted, and always be thankful for…

In this Christmas season and the year to come, as good Tiny Tim observed, God bless, Every One!

-- Regina Stehly Nunez

This topic is very important as California has the majority of the homeless persons in the nation. We need to solve this problem in order to alleviate the social and humanitarian problems. The contest will be held on Monday February 3 at 6:45pm at the Scout House on the eastern end of Sespe Avenue. Parents, students, educators and the general public are invited to attend. The contest is open to all Fillmore area students of high school age regardless of the school of attendance (including home taught, those attending outside of the district and foreign exchange students).

The winner will receive $100 and all participants $25 providing their speech is at least 5 minutes. The winners of each stage of competition will receive a financial award and be invited to the next level of the contest. The ultimate winner will receive a total of $21,000 for a scholarship to a school of their choice. Students Interested in participating must contact the Lion’s Club Chair Bill Edmonds at 805-524-4839 or Mrs. Mendez at Fillmore High School. Students should enter early and begin writing early as it takes time to research and prepare. Only six students can enter the contest. The first six who enter and are prepared to compete will be chosen. Those turning in the application will be notified of a required meeting to review the rules and to ask any questions that they might have.

Good luck to all the students.

Congratulations to Annette Cardona. Her lovely home is the 2019 Holiday Yard of the Year! They have been putting up their light display for about 15 years. The decorating is a family affair with traditional scenes on one side of the front yard and Disney decorations on the other side. The home is located at 79 Rio Grande Avenue. Ari Larson from Fillmore Civic Pride will present Annette and family with a $40 gift certificate courtesy of Otto & Sons Nursery (1835 E. Guiberson Rd.)

Other holiday lights around town include former Holiday Yard of the Year winners: 910 Taylor Lane, 360 C Street, 408 Robin Court and 408 Edgewood, just recently featured on the television show, The Great Christmas Light Fight on ABC.

For more information on Civic Pride please contact Ari Larson 805.794.7590 or email her at petenari55@hotmail.com

The Ventura County Transportation Commission (VCTC) has partnered with all seven Boys & Girls Clubs in Ventura County for a youth art contest. The goal of the contest was to encourage young people to think about the role of transportation in their lives and communities. Winning artwork, created by kids ages 10-13, is now proudly displayed on five VCTC Intercity buses.

Using small grants from VCTC to cover the cost of art supplies and materials, the Boys & Girls Clubs conducted the contest over the summer of 2019 with hundreds of kids creating original artwork inspired by the theme, “Oh the Places You’ll Go.” Each club then used its own process to select a winner.

“Partnering with the Boys and Girls Clubs is a great way for VCTC to connect with young people in Ventura County,” said VCTC Chair Manuel Minjares. “These talented young artists are not only our region’s future drivers and transit riders; they are also our future leaders.”

VCTC extends its appreciation to the following Clubs for their participation in the contest: Boys & Girls Club of Camarillo, Boys & Girls Club of Greater Conejo Valley, Boys & Girls Club of Greater Oxnard and Port Hueneme, Boys & Girls Club of Greater Ventura, Boys & Girls Club of Moorpark, Boys & Girls Club of Santa Clara Valley and Boys & Girls Club of Simi Valley.

Buses displaying the winning artwork will travel throughout VCTC Intercity Transit’s service area for the next few months. For more information on the contest and to see a behind-the-scenes video of the installation of the artwork visit goventura.org or call (800) 438-1112.

About the Ventura County Transportation Commission
The Ventura County Transportation Commission is the regional transportation planning agency committed to keeping Ventura County moving. Program information is available at goventura.org.