Completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)

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To apply for federal student aid, such as federal grants, work-study, and loans, you, the student, need to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

In addition, many states and colleges use your FAFSA information to determine your eligibility for state and school aid, and some private financial aid providers may use your FAFSA information to determine whether you qualify for their aid.

The FAFSA is available in October of the year prior to the year you will be starting college in the fall, so high school seniors and their parents should be prepared to fill them out then.

You can complete and submit the FAFSA at fafsa.ed.gov. While our government encourages us to complete the FAFSA forms online, they still allow you the old fashioned option of completing a form and mailing it in. See studentaid.ed.gov/sa/fafsa/filling-out for a downloadable pdf.

Technically the FAFSA form is the student’s form, but if you are a dependent student, you will need information from your parents in the form. Here are the steps you need to take, and some (but not all) of the information required to fill out the FAFSA form.

  1. Create a Federal Student Aid (FSA) ID, which is a user name and password you and your dependent student will use to complete the FAFSA form online. Both the student and the parent must create their own FSA IDs. Your FSA ID serves as your legal electronic signature, so be sure to keep it private like other passwords.

    When creating an FSA ID, keep in mind you cannot use an email address or mobile phone number with more than one FSA ID.

    Create your new FSA ID at fsaid.ed.gov/npas/index.htm.

    And just so you are aware ahead of time, your username must be 6 to 30 characters long and can be any combination of numbers and letters. The username is not case-sensitive. Your password must be 8 to 30 characters and contain at least one number, uppercase letter and lowercase letter. The password is case-sensitive.

  2. Start the FAFSA form at fafsa.gov. You can start the process on behalf of your child. Be sure not to sign in at the same time as your child. You can create a “save key,” which is a temporary password that allows you and your child to alternative editing the form.

  3. Fill in the Student Demographics section of the form, such as name, date of birth, etc. Be sure to use the same name as on the Social Security card – no nicknames.

  4. Select the schools that you want the FAFSA information sent to.

  5. Answer the dependency status questions. Answering yes to any of the questions means you will not have to provide parental information. For example, if you were born before January 1, 1999 or the 2022-2023 academic period, you are considered independent for FAFSA purposes. Or if you are married, are on active military duty, will be working on a master’s degree, etc., you are considered independent.

  6. Fill out the parent demographics section – there is a series of questions here regarding your parents’ status that drive what information is required for the form.

  7. Financial information must be provided. There is a link to the IRS Data Retrieval Tool (DRT) that allows you to import your tax information to the FAFSA form. Your child will also need to do this if he or she files taxes.

    In addition to your tax return(s), the FAFSA form will require information about untaxed income, such as child support received and interest income. You will also be asked to provide information about cash, bank balances, investments and business assets. Investments also include real estate held for sale (excluding principal residence), 529 college savings plans, etc. You do not need to include the value of 401k, IRA and other retirement plans.

  8. Sign the form.

There’s a handy FAFSA worksheet for the 2022-2023 school year at studentaid.gov/sites/default/files/2022-23-fafsa-worksheet.pdf for those looking to review what is required in advance of completing the form.

Additionally, a pdf of the 10 page form (with notes) for the 2022-2023 academic year is at studentaid.gov/sites/default/files/2022-23-fafsa.pdf.

Apply to FEMA for COVID-19 Related Funeral Expenses

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The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is accepting applications for funeral assistance and reimbursement through its COVID-19 Funeral Assistance Helpline for COVID-19-related funeral expenses incurred after January 20, 2020.

This assistance is limited to a maximum financial amount of $9,000 per funeral and a maximum of $35,500 per application. The COVID-19-related death must have occurred in the United States, including the U.S. territories and the District of Columbia.

The Helpline is 844-684-6333 and is available Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Pacific Time.

Examples of eligible expenses may include, but are not limited to:

  • Transportation for up to two individuals to identify the deceased individual

  • Transfer of remains

  • Casket or urn

  • Burial plot or cremation niche

  • Marker or headstone

  • Clergy or officiant services

  • Arrangement of the funeral ceremony

  • Use of funeral home equipment or staff

  • Cremation or interment costs

  • Costs associated with producing and certifying multiple death certificates.

  • Additional expenses mandated by and applicable local or state government laws or ordinances.

The information you will be required to provide to FEMA to apply for this assistance includes:

  • Your name, Social Security Number, date of birth, mailing address and contact phone numbers.

  • Name, Social Security Number and date of birth for each deceased individual.

  • Location or address where the individual died.

  • Copy of death certificate that indicates the death was caused by, “may have been caused by,” or “was likely a result of” COVID-19 or COVID-19-like symptoms.

    • If the death certificate was issued between January 20 and May, 2020 and does not list COVID-19 as a cause of death, you may submit the death certificate with a signed statement from the original certifier of the death that attributes the death to COVID-19..

  • Documentation and receipts for funeral assistance received from other sources, including burial or funeral insurance, donations, other government programs or non-profit organizations.

After you contact FEMA and apply, you can then submit documents either:

  • Online at DisasterAssistance.gov

  • Via fax at 855-261-3452

  • By mail at COVID-19 Funeral Assistance, P.O. Box 10001, Hyattsville, MD 20782.

Visit FEMA.gov/funeral-assistance/faq for additional information.

You cannot apply online. The call will take about 20 minutes.

If you are approved for COVID-19 Funeral Assistance, you will receive funds by direct deposit or a check by mail, depending on which option you chose when you applied for assistance.

California Minimum Wages Increased by $1 Per Hour on January 1, 2022

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If you are a minimum wage earner in California, on January 1, 2022 you received a pay increase of either 7.7% or 7.1%.

It depends on if your employer has 25 or fewer employees or 26 or more employees. If you work for a smaller employer, the California minimum wage increased from $13 to $14 per hour. If you work for a larger employer, your wage increased from $14 to $15 per hour.

California minimum wage rates have increased from $10/hour (small employers) and $10.50/hour (larger employers) in 2017 to the current day rates by law to $15 over 5 (large employers) to 6 (small employers) years. Large employers are now at the $15 target rate. Small employers are planned to escalate one more dollar to $15/hour on January 1, 2023.

The federal minimum wage for 2022 is still $7.25, a rate unchanged since it became effective on July 24, 2009.

California minimum wage rates apply to Ventura County residents. But City of Los Angeles and County of Los Angeles minimum wage rates are currently also $15/hour for all employers.

Looking for a higher minimum wage? Move to San Francisco, where the rate is currently $16.32 per hour and will be adjusted for inflation on July 1, 2022.

Looking for states with minimum wages set at the federal rate of $7.25/hour? That would be Alabama, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Hampshire, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Wisconsin and Wyoming.

California’s minimum wage rate in 2022 is 2nd only to Washington D.C., which is at $15.20. Next closest is Washington at $14.49 and Massachusetts at $14.25

Ventura County Animal Services Promotes and Protects the Welfare of Animals

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Ventura County Animal Services (VCAS) is a division of Ventura County Public Health and a department of the Ventura County Health Care Agency. Ventura County Animal Services is committed to promoting and protecting the health, safety and welfare of the people and animals living in Ventura County.

VCAS's main animal shelter and administrative offices is located near the Camarillo Airport at 600 Aviation Drive. The shelter houses up to 400 animals, including dogs, cats, rabbits, birds, livestock and exotic animals. The Simi Valley shelter at 670 West Los Angeles Avenue accepts strays from Simi Valley and Moorpark that can be reclaimed by local residents but due to space limitations are photographed and brought to Camarillo usually within 24 hours. Both shelters are currently open seven days a week. Visit www.vcas.us for operating hours.

To reach either shelter, call 805.388.4341 or 888.223.PETS, Monday through Friday 7:30 am to 5:30 pm and Saturday/Sunday 8 am to 4 pm. Field officers are on duty 24 hours a day, 365 days a year and can be reached through these numbers.

How to Adopt an Animal: Animals become available for adoption over varying periods, depending on if the animal has been given up for adoption or is a stray. All adopted animals must be spayed/neutered. In-county adoption costs $125, including certification of sterilization, preliminary vaccinations, first rabies vaccine, Ventura County license*, Trovan microchip for permanent identification, free obedience classes and a certificate for a free health exam at participating local veterinarians. You must be 18 or older with valid ID and commit to providing a "home" (not just a yard) for the animal.

*State law requires that dogs over four months of age be licensed and vaccinated against rabies. VCAS handles licensing for all of Ventura County except Thousand Oaks and Santa Paula, which have their own licensing programs. The City of Thousand Oaks contracts with the Los Angeles County Animal Shelter located at 29525 Agoura Road in Agoura Hills. The Agoura Hills shelter is open seven days a week and can be reached at 818.991.0071. Visit the Santa Paula Animal Rescue Center site at www.santapaulaarc.org for licensing information in that city.

Dog adoption fee for Ventura County residents as of January 2022 (includes license, sterilization and microchip): $115 ($90 fr out of county residents; excludes license). Cats $80, rabbits $50, birds $15.

Books, eBooks, Activities and Fun at Libraries Throughout Ventura County

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There are nearly 20 libraries in Ventura County and surrounding areas, offering hundreds of thousands of books and downloadable eBooks readable on a range of devices. And most of these local libraries host free and/or inexpensive events and activities like storytimes, classes, concerts more for kids, teens and adults of all ages!

The Ventura County Library System currently includes 12 libraries around the county.

The Camarillo Public Library is the newest library in the county.

There are 2 libraries in Thousand Oaks: The Grant R. Brimhall Library and the Newbury Park Branch Library.

The Agoura Hills Library, part of the Los Angeles County Public Library System, opened in 2001.

The City of Moorpark manages its own library.

The Simi Valley Library was the most recent library to become municipally operated on July 1, 2013.

Last but not least is the Westlake Village Library, also part of the Los Angeles County Public Library System.

Ray Miller Trail at Pt. Mugu State Park in Malibu

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Views from the Ray Miller Trail at Pt. Mugu State Park.

Views from the Ray Miller Trail at Pt. Mugu State Park.

The Ray Miller Trail is located in the La Jolla Canyon section of Pt. Mugu State Park in Malibu. The trail is named after Ray Miller, "Guardian of the Canyon," who was the first official California State Park Camp Host, having volunteered from March 1, 1979 until his death on April 28, 1989.

Monument to Ray Miller on boulder in the La Jolla Canyon Day Use parking lot.

Monument to Ray Miller on boulder in the La Jolla Canyon Day Use parking lot.

On its own, the trail is 2.7 miles each direction, taking you from the base of La Jolla Canyon to an overlook of the Pacific Ocean that provides sweeping views towards Mugu Rock on the west and Sycamore Cove on the east.

La Jolla Canyon sign in need of repair in September 2015.

La Jolla Canyon sign in need of repair in September 2015.

The trail looks harder than what it really is in my opinion. The elevation gain is close to 1,000 feet over the 2.7 miles, but none of the climbs are particularly steep.  The trail zigs and zags its way up as you take in views below. You will love this trail. Many people I know say this is their favorite trail!

Ray Miller Trail Trailhead Sign
Single track trail all the way up, but the surface is pretty good overall. Can get slippery when wet, however.

Single track trail all the way up, but the surface is pretty good overall. Can get slippery when wet, however.

After you reach the overlook, you continue on until you reach the Overlook Fire Road at the end of the trail (there's a sign). At that point, you can turn back or you can continue on the fire road going either north towards the La Jolla Valley Fire Road, or south towards Sycamore Campground.

Views are in abundance most of the way up this trail. This photo was taken in September 2015, in the midst of a four-year drought. It will green up in the winter.

Views are in abundance most of the way up this trail. This photo was taken in September 2015, in the midst of a four-year drought. It will green up in the winter.

This is the sign indicating you're reached the endpoint of the Ray Miller Trail, where it intersects with the Overlook Fire Road. Explore the road going both directions if you have time (and are carrying water), as there's plenty of views in all dir…

This is the sign indicating you're reached the endpoint of the Ray Miller Trail, where it intersects with the Overlook Fire Road. Explore the road going both directions if you have time (and are carrying water), as there's plenty of views in all directions.

At the bottom of La Jolla Canyon is a group campground.  

La Jolla Canyon is located at 9000 Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu. Take PCH south/southeast from Los Posas Road in Camarillo. Takes about 30 minutes to get there from the center of Thousand Oaks via either the 101 or via Potrero Road in Newbury Park. It is located just east of Mugu Rock and near Thornhill Broome Beach.

You can park in the La Jolla Day Use Parking Lot (as of September 2015, $8 for day use; $7 for seniors), or you can park on PCH and walk in. Dogs and bikes are not allowed on this trail, though horses are. It can get pretty hot up here in the summer, so be careful and bring plenty of water and wear sunscreen. 

The La Jolla Canyon Trail, accessed adjacent to the Ray Miller Trail, has been closed since January 2015 due to mudslides and rain damage. However, you can access the beautiful La Jolla Valley from the the La Jolla Valley Fire Road.

More information about Pt. Mugu State Park

Other local hikes and trails

New Eateries Coming Soon to the Conejo Valley and Greater Ventura County as We Enter 2022

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Here we are in mid-December 2021, 18 months into the coronavirus pandemic and looking forward to good tidings in 2022. Here’s a compilation of the some of new local eateries that opened in the Conejo Valley and surrounding areas in 2021 and eateries that are anticipated to be opening soon in the new year.

New Eateries That Opened in 2021