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Local Journalism & What’s New at the Montecito Journal Santa Barbara is fortunate to have many local news sources to keep us informed on everything from the pandemic and other natural disasters, to events, arts, and culture. Join AWC-SB on Wednesday October 6, 5:30PM on Zoom, to hear from one of our local media leaders. There have been a lot of changes at the Montecito Journal over the past few years since Gwyn Lurie, editor and CEO, took over the family-owned community weekly. More issue-oriented stories, the political perspectives have changed (Lurie says “it is attempting to be a paper that gives all perspectives a voice”), publication of The Giving List (which focuses on nonprofits), and more. Join this informative interview to hear Lurie talk about what prompted her to lead an effort to raise funds to buy the paper, the importance of local media, new projects or spinoffs that are on the horizon, and how to pitch stories or get coverage. Bonus: AWC-SB members will receive a tip sheet of Santa Barbara media outlets including contact information and pitch preferences for editors. Register at womcom.org. Zoom link is sent via email 24 hours in advance of the meeting.

The Museum of Ventura County and SoCalGas have partnered to present the First Annual “Hispanic Heritage Month Celebration.” The Plaza, Courtyard, Children’s Garden, and Sculpture Garden at the Museum will be free and open to the public.

Registration is not required.

Enjoy live performances by the Youth Mariachi Band from Inlakech Cultural Center, drinks, cultural activities, and booths with our community partners.

Partake in and discover Latino traditions with activities for the whole family.

Now in its ninth year, Ventura County Farm Day is back with free, in-person, open farm tours on Saturday, November 6. This year's theme is "Meet The Hands That Feed You." Visitors can use a new online Farm Day Trail Map to build a custom itinerary to travel between growers throughout Ventura County.

The public will experience a day of agricultural activities, farm tours and produce and other giveaways, plus meet the local farmers who grow the food we eat. Tour hours are from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Over 20 agricultural entities will participate including Reiter Affiliated Companies (berries), Alpacas At Windy Hills (Alpaca fleece), Blue Ridge Honey (raw honey), Good Farms Making a Difference (strawberries) and Oxnard Historic Farm Park (featuring antique farm equipment, vegetable crops and talks about the agricultural heritage of the Oxnard Plains).

Ventura County Farm Day is organized by the nonprofit Students for Eco-Education and Agriculture (SEEAG). SEEAG’s mission is to help children understand the farm origins of their food through classroom agricultural and nutrition education and free farm field trips.

For more information about Ventura County Farm Day and a list of participating farms, visit www.VenturaCountyFarmDay.com or call 805-901-0213.

After a year-long, around-the-world virtual tour, the New West Symphony has come full circle and is back on stage, ready to welcome you to a live performance near you.

As we prepare to open our new Season in December, GRAMMY winning music director Michael Christie has created a program of well-known works and delightful surprises. Please join us as we all once again experience the joy of live classical music performances at the Ventura College Performing Arts Center! THE PROGRAM Schubert – Ave Maria Grieg – Holberg Suite Op.40 Lilley and Loesser – “I’ve Got Spurs that Jingle, Jangle, Jingle” Price – “Juba” from String Quartet in A Minor Morricone – Gabriel’s Oboe Abels – Delights and Dances Tchaikovsky – “Finale” from Serenade for Strings Op.48 Copland – “Hoe-down” from Rodeo Program and schedule are subject to change. ALL TICKETS/OPEN SEATING: $40 (+$3 ticket fee) We are committed to ensuring that you have an exceptional concert experience in a safe environment. This 70-minute performance will be without intermission. Proof of vaccination and masks are required at all venues.

The British Invasion had its major groups: The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, and The Dave Clark Five, but in addition, there was a whirlwind of smaller groups and soloists that helped make the invasion complete. Artists like the Searchers, Peter & Gordon, and Billy J. Kramer only had a few hits, but the many so-called “One Hit Wonders” combined, like a small army, came to dominate the best selling record charts during the 1960s. Cary Ginell is a Grammy-nominated writer and author of 12 books on American music. After a 30-year career in radio, he has spent the last 20 years as a public speaker, talking about music in classrooms, at conferences, and on cruise ships. Cary brings a lifelong passion for the recording industry to his work and is one of the world’s foremost authorities on his specialty, western swing. Cary previously served as President of the Association for Recorded Sound Collections, an international organization of music scholars and world-renowned institutions. He holds a master’s degree in Folklore from UCLA and a bachelor’s in Radio/TV/Film from Cal State University Northridge. Fifty and Better was designed to offer university-level courses (no tests, no homework) taught by experts in the field, and to host social engagement activities for individuals age 50 and older. All are welcome to this one-time lecture.

Join this examination of the relationships that developed between Rembrandt and the Jews of Amsterdam including the myths that have encircled the Jewish community’s prominence in his paintings. We will look closely at the Biblical paintings while investigating Rembrandt’s use of his Sephardic and Ashkenazic neighbors as models, as he articulates the passages of the Hebrew Bible into the art - focusing upon the rich integration of the Jewish and Christian religions with the visual arts. Christine Maasdam holds a Master in Humanities and a B.A. in Cultural Geography. Her art studies include The Courtauld Institute of Art in London, The Smithsonian Early Enrichment Center in D.C. and Post Graduate studies in Antiquities Trafficking and Art Crime at the University of Glasgow. She is a graduate of the Art Crime Investigation Seminar led by Robert Wittman, founder of the FBI's National Art Crime Team. Christine is a member of the International Foundation for Cultural Property Protection and holds a certificate from Trident Manor on Protection of Cultural Venues. Christine received Sotheby’s certification on Determining Value: An Appraiser’s Perspective. She has spent over a decade as a LACMA docent and is an active volunteer at the City of David archaeological dig in Israel. Fifty and Better was designed to offer university-level courses (no tests, no homework) taught by experts in the field, and to host social engagement activities for individuals age 50 and older. All are welcome to this one-time lecture.

In 1521, Hernan Cortes stepped into Tenochtitlan, the Aztec capitol, conquering an empire of millions with an invading force of 630 men. It was a surprising, almost inconceivable accomplishment yielding wealth beyond imagination, as Tenochtitlan was built on a lake with towering temples, flourishing economy and floating gardens.

Sustained by a religion and polity feeding on vassel states for tribute and human sacrifice (up to 80,000 in one year alone), it was according to eye-witness Spanish accounts, as magnificent, more populous and well-ordered than the greatest cities of Europe.

Controversy rages over the character and consequences of the conquista: at one extreme is a tale of courage, daring and heroism in the name of Christian civilization; at the other, a tale of ruthless, cruel exploitation. To form your own opinion, we will explore what happened, how it happened and what consequences followed. Dr. Herbert Gooch is Professor Emeritus of Political Science at California Lutheran University. He formerly served as Director of the Masters in Public Policy and Administration program and Assistant Provost for Graduate Studies at Cal Lutheran. A graduate of U.C. Berkeley in History, he holds a M.B.A in Management and both masters and doctoral degrees in Political Science from U.C.L.A. He has written extensively and is a frequent commentator on political affairs locally and statewide. He has been at Cal Lutheran since 1987 and lives in Newbury Park with his wife. His interests include politics, film and travel. Fifty and Better was designed to offer university-level courses (no tests, no homework) taught by experts in the field, and to host social engagement activities for individuals age 50 and older. All are welcome to this one-time lecture. There are additional requirements for attending in person.

Professional communicators want to reach as wide an audience as possible, but sometimes inadvertently say or write something that derails the message. No question that it can be difficult to navigate personal and social rules, guidelines, and preferences, which seem to evolve at an ever-increasing rate. But it’s not impossible.

Join AWC-SB on Wednesday, November 3, 5:30 p.m. on Zoom, to hear from educators and diversity advocates Cheri Gurse and Anita Perez Ferguson, who will discuss best practices and ways to evaluate and elevate our language. About the presenting speakers: Cheri Gurse, PhD in Human Development, is an educator, activist, and mentor with more than 30 years professional experience in university classrooms, nonprofit organizations, and community spaces. She is an expert small-group facilitator specializing in building trust across differences; diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice facilitation; and advocacy for individuals who have experienced gender-based harm. Anita Perez Ferguson, Ph.D., is a cross-cultural educator and consultant. Her work in advocacy and promotion of under-represented communities earned her the 2014 Lacayo Lifetime Achievement Award from the United States Hispanic Leadership Institute. She is an Advisor and Former Chair for the InterAmerican Foundation and a Visiting Lecturer for the Council for Independent Colleges. Member Spotlight: Justine Sutton graduated from UCSB in 1988 and has adopted Santa Barbara as her hometown. A freelance journalist since her 1991 editorial internship at the SB Independent, she has written for a variety of local media outlets since then, including the News-Press, Independent, Noozhawk, Montecito Magazine, Seasons Magazine, Cannabis by the Sea, and the new UCSB alumni magazine. In addition, she writes fiction and memoir and is working on her first novel.

The meeting will be held via Zoom. There is no charge for AWC-SB members; there is a $10 charge for nonmembers. To register, visit https://awcsb.org/inclusive-communication/. AWC-SB Member Bonus: Receive a Local Media Contact List with details on how to submit your freelance pitches or nonprofit news.

Not an AWC-SB Member? Join now and save $50. Our AWC Membership Drive runs through the end of October. For more information and assistance, contact Carolyn Jabs, membership chair at membership@awcsb.org.

America’s Teaching Zoo at Moorpark College turns wildly spooktacular on Oct. 30 and 31 for “Boo at the Zoo,” the annual Halloween-themed event that features animal shows, costume parades, prizes and treats for kids. For the family-fun event, the Zoo will be draped in decorations, and people of all ages can closely view the more than 100 animals cared for at the Zoo. Each child wearing a costume will receive a zoo-themed bingo card upon entry. Each square of the card represents a trick-or-treat station where the child can receive candy or a treat. “Our guests look forward to our family-friendly Halloween event each year, and we have the best one around!” said Zoo Operations Assistant Kris Romero. “We have more and more local families discovering this gem of a Zoo in their own backyard, and we have new animals and new animal habitats for the community to discover.” New this year, families will be introduced to Kylo the skunk and Chloe and Bubba the baboons. Animal shows start at noon and 2:30 p.m., and animal demonstrations will be throughout the day at the Zoo, located on the Moorpark College campus, 7075 Campus Road, Moorpark. “Boo at the Zoo” attendees must follow COVID-19 safety protocols, and social distancing guidelines will be enforced. America’s Teaching Zoo is the only zoo in Ventura County and is the home of the Exotic Animal Training and Management Program, which started in 1971. The program offers preparation for those interested in entering the expanding animal care industry. The students study zoo keeping, basic medical care, wildlife education and training using positive reinforcement methods. For additional information, call Mara Rodriguez at (805) 378-1441. Follow the Zoo on Instagram at @americasteachingzoo.

Halloween in the Park Sunday, October 31, 5-8pm Community Center Park, 1605 E. Burnley Street, Camarillo, CA 93010 FREE family fun event! Trick-or-Treat Village, Costume Contest, Pumpkin Painting, Lawn Games, Food Trucks, Jolly Jumps www.pvrpd.org/halloween-in-the-park 805-482-1996