Because of a flood of submissions to the Simi Valley Acorn' s "Fiction in a Nutshell" contest, the paper has decided to extend the deadline for entries to Friday, Aug. 31. Here's how it works: In 100 words or less, write a short fiction story and e-mail it to simi@theacorn.com. More...

Active people are twice as likely to prevent coronary heart disease than someone who is inactive. These tips will help one get started on a shape-up routine that centers on cardio. Remember, in order to capitalize on cardio, one should incorporate stretching and resistance trainin... More...

FRI., AUG. 24 Luau Fun Simi Valley Council on Aging hosts luau dance, 7:30 to 10:30 p.m., Simi Valley Senior Center, 3900 Avenida Simi. Dance lessons 7 p.m. Music by Aristicats. Door prizes, refreshments. Proceeds fund senior programs. (805) 583-6041. More...

READY FOR BUSINESS- Linda Taix, center, owner of Extreme Boot Camp, employees and dignitaries from the local community celebrate the grand opening of the facility with a ribboncutting ceremony last Monday. Extreme Boot Camp, 2482 Erringer Road, offers personal training based on outdoor, military-bas... More...

Last year, when the cool older kids told Orencio Robles how to succeed in middle school, he listened to what they said: Do your homework, be on time and dress for P.E. The advice Orencio took to heart brought him immediate success. He enjoyed school right from the start of his seventh-grade y... More...

Although they've lost their top runner from last season, the Simi Valley High girls' cross country team is out to prove this year's squad won't miss a beat. Last year the Pioneers had success on the track by placing second in the Marmonte League and 10th at the CIF Division II State Champio... More...

ORPHAN ANNIE- Annie is a 6-year-old, spayed, female calico. Her devoted guardian has passed away, and Annie is in need of a home where she can be the only cat. She is a very loving, purring girl, who would love to spend her days in the lap of a new mom. She doesn't feel comfortable around men or chi... More...

On Aug. 13, a 46-year-old man was arrested and charged with battery and resisting a peace officer on the corner of Sycamore Road and Cochran Street. A 25-year-old woman was arrested Aug. 15 in the 700 block of Los Angeles Avenue and charged with grand theft auto. More...

Many of today's teens are preoccupied with video games and shopping. But for 13-year-old Anne Frank during the Holocaust, her priority was survival. Camarillo Community Theatre bravely tackles "The Diary of Anne Frank," an adaptation by Wendy Kesselman that adds new material to the 1... More...

WENDY PIERRO/Acorn Newspapers PLEASE, MOM- Michelle Almanza, 4, of Simi Valley holds up a dress she found at a garage sale that was part of a Bridle Path neighborhood yard sale in Simi Valley on Saturday. Residents of more than 40 homes sold items such as saddles, furniture and clothes. More...

This weekend, the Theater League will offer the inaugural Festival of New Musicals. The festival is in association with the Academy of New Musical Theatre and Cabrillo Music Theatre. More...

The trouble with dogs are their owners. I walk my dog to the park at Simi Hills Golf Course every now and then, and on my way there my dog and I encounter numerous dog droppings on the horse trail and even on the cement and in the bushes, which I'm sure the gardeners ... More...

Hardly a moment goes by that you don't see someone toting a water bottle for a cool drink. Bottled water is a $15-billion industry in America with more than 8 billion gallons of the stuff consumed annually. Millions of people swear by bottled water and happily choose from dozens of different ... More...

PILGRIMAGE- Members of Simi Covenant Church pose in front of the Temple of Apollo in Corinth, Greece, during a seven-day tour of the country. More...

Along with the management and staff of Prudential California Realty, broker/ owner Bob Majorino welcomes real estate professional Julio Gomez to the Oxnard/Channel Islands branch. More...