Opera is Alive and Thriving in San Jose
The Opera San José experience begins the moment the audience enters the California Theatre. This once-abandoned vaudeville and movie house was renovated in 2001 through a collaboration between the city of San Jose and the Packard Humanities Institute. “You walk into the beautiful lobby and every detail takes you back to this moment in time when people enjoyed this art deco space, from the gorgeous marquee on the outside to the hand-painted sunburst over the proscenium. It’s a real landmark in the Bay Area,” says Opera San José’s Artistic Planning Director Khori Dastoor.
Read the complete article in the digital edition of the Nob Hill Gazette or view an image of the magazine spread here.
VOAD Members Respond to Thomas Fire, December 2017
The Thomas Fire began on the morning of Monday, December 4, 2017, near Thomas Aquinas College in Santa Paula Canyon at 6:35 a.m. Half an hour later, a second fire broke out four miles away in Upper Ojai at the top of Koenigstein Road. The fire expanded into Ventura and moved west, crossing into Santa Barbara County on Saturday, December 9.
Read the complete article here.
Goleta Education Foundation Steps In to Even Out School Resources, Opportunities
This series of articles highlights the Goleta Education Foundation, an organization that raises money for a local elementary school district. The first introduces the little-known foundation, the second looks at families who have sent multiple generations of children to Goleta schools, and the third explores the future of the Goleta Education Foundation.
Read the complete series on Noozhawk.com.
Longtime Latino advocate Al Pizano shares passion for community service, the arts
Since Al Pizano and his family moved to Santa Barbara in 1978, he has made a name for himself through his involvement with a plethora of community organizations, including the Flamenco Arts Festival, the Hispanic Achievement Council, the Santa Barbara Mariachi Festival, the Public Education Foundation, the United Boys & Girls Clubs and Old Spanish Days, for which he served as El Presidente in 1987.
Read the complete article on Noozhawk.com.
Two years later, Redwood City residents prevail in campaign to slow traffic
Roughly 5,000 drivers a day in Redwood City use Valota Street as a convenient way to cut from Woodside Road to Jefferson Avenue. This one-mile stretch of roadway has a traffic lane in each direction and a speed limit that changes midway from 25 to 30 mph. While it has long been a busy street, many Valota residents believe conditions have grown unsafe in recent years. So when a developer applied to build a five-house subdivision on Valota, two neighbors saw it as an opportunity to call for a change.
Read the complete article on the Peninsula Press.
Ed Behrens excited to take the reins at San Marcos High School
San Marcos High School may have a new principal this year, but Ed Behrens is hardly the new kid on campus. Behrens spent the past 14 years as an assistant principal at San Marcos, and it is clear that he has a passion for the home of the Royals.
Read the complete article on Noozhawk.com.
Leading scientist ignites passion for education
When Lydia Villa-Komaroff was nine years old, she knew she wanted to be a scientist. What she didn’t know was that she was destined to become one of the most influential role models in the U.S. Hispanic community. Ms. Villa-Komaroff, who was only the third Mexican-American woman to gain a Ph.D. in science from an American university, has inspired thousands of Hispanic students nationwide.
Read the complete article here.
‘Where Do I Vote?’ A primer on voting locations, sample ballots and more
After a seemingly never-ending election season, voting day is almost upon us. One of the big questions people are asking is “Where am I registered to vote?” This is important information to verify, as it might be different from prior elections.
Read the complete article here.
14 U.S. Hispanics win Olympic medals
With five gold, seven silver and two bronze medalists, for a total of 14, our U.S. Hispanic athletes had a fine showing.
Read the complete article here.