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March 7, 2008 / Front Page

Another season begins anew for Santa Su

PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE- Grant Bollier, 9, above, keeps his eye on the ball during batting practice before his team's first game of the season as part of Santa Susana Baseball's Opening Day last Saturday. More...

Closed session meetings held to discuss contractor's work

City does not feel standards were met

By Darleen Principe darleen@theacorn.com

The City Council has been meeting in closed session for almost two months regarding potential litigation by a contractor hired by the city last summer to complete a multimillion-dollar sanitation project on the west end of Simi Valley, More...

Health & Wellness

The importance of attitude

I received a birthday card this year that I wanted to frame and put on the wall of my office. Pictured on the front is a goldfish swimming in a bowl with a shark fin strapped to its back. Inside it reads: "Attitude is everything. More...

Not getting enough sleep? You're not alone

An estimated 30 million Americans suffer from insomnia

An increasing number of Americans are waking up to a need for something they may have taken for granted- sleep. More...

Be aware of the signs of oral cancer

Most people know they can screen themselves at home by performing self-breast exams or checking moles for abnormalities. However, many people are unaware that they can also examine themselves for oral cancer. More...

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Schools

Students get to step with the best

The Santa Susana High School Performing Arts and Technology Magnet dance team met and danced with some of the country's premier choreographers at "The Pulse" convention Feb. 22 to 24 at the Doubletree Hotel in Sacramento. More...

Concert, silent auction will benefit Royal High music programs

Event begins tonight at 6 p.m.

The Royal High School Instrumental Music Department and Band Boosters will host their annual Silent Auction starting at 6 p.m. and Festival Concert at 7 p.m. today, March 7, in the school's multipurpose room, 1402 Royal Ave., Simi Valley. More...

Holocaust survivor tells powerful tale

By Eliav Appelbaum eliav@theacorn.com

Charles Pierce survived the "black month of my life" in August 1942. That was when Nazis liquidated the ghetto in Pierce's hometown of Kielce, Poland, and began shuttling the city's Jews to their deaths in concentration camps. More...

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Pets

Pet of the Week

WENDY PIERRO/Acorn Newspapers GENTLE GIANT- Tremor is a 3-year-old male Labrador-German shepherd mix. He is gentle, tolerant, curious and calm. Tremor can be adopted at the Camarillo Animal Shelter; ask for ID A435536. More...

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Police

Blotter

An 18-year-old woman was arrested in the 1400 block of Simi Town Center Way on Feb. 28 and charged with commercial burglary. Two mountain bikes valued at $600 were reported stolen from a home in the 5000 block of Arroyo Lane on Feb. 28. More...

Canoga Park man robbed in Simi Valley

A 31-year-old Canoga Park resident was robbed by two men at 4:40 p.m. March 5 at Callahan and Agnew streets in Simi Valley. More...

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Family

Bad things happen

My wife and I are trying to teach our 4yearold son the difference between right and wrong. Out of nowhere came the perfect example of wrong. More...

Vista Fundamental celebrates patriotism

Photos by WENDY PIERRO/Acorn Newspapers More...

Variety of camps offered through YMCA

Sign-ups are underway for the Simi Valley Family YMCA Spring Camp on March 24 through 28. During camp, children will have the opportunity to take field trips, swim at the YMCA and participate in a variety of games. More...

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Letters

When will we learn we're all in this together

IPods. The Internet. Organ transplantation. Space travel. We certainly have come a long way since Neanderthal times, when we clubbed each other until the one still alive grunted in victory over his kill. Or have we? More...

We're becoming a plastic society

This letter is in response to last week's editorial, "Are young people becoming too obsessed with their looks?" I have a few opinions on this subject. More...

Glad there's an alternative to Gallegly

Thank you, reporter Sophia Fischer, for reminding voters about Mary Pallant's race for Congress in the Acorn newspapers of Feb. 28 and 29. More...

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Neighbors

Simi's oldest youth sports league has historic Opening Day

Home fields will get long-awaited renovations

By Eliav Appelbaum eliav@theacorn.com

The oldest youth sports league in Simi Valley is about to get a facelift. More...

Simi rancher killed in fall remembered for his heart

By Darleen Principe darleen@theacorn.com

Donald Harrington and his wife, Paula, used to get on their yellow ATV and watch their cattle graze peacefully on the pastures of the Cerro Viejo Ranch at the top of Tapo Canyon Road. More...

Let the learning begin

GIVE IT A LICK- Young Simi Valley resident Sydney Hamann, 5, takes a swing at the ball during the "BataThon" fundraiser held as a part of the festivities for the Simi Valley Girls Softball Opening Day on Sunday, March 2 at Big Sky Park. More...

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Ventura Co. school leaders bemoan budget cuts

Worst in 15 years, says superintendent

By Stephanie Bertholdo bertholdo@theacorn.com

Area school district chiefs met last week at the Ventura County Office of Education to discuss pending budget cuts in Sacramento and how to deal with a loss of funding that could severely impact the quality of education in local clas More...

Vacated day care will become firefighter training ground

Public invited to watch

The Ventura County Fire Department will conduct daylong training exercises from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. tomorrow, Saturday, March 8, at 3802 Avenida Simi, Simi Valley. More...

Park district has issues with Knolls development

By Darleen Principe darleen@theacorn.com

The Rancho Simi Recreation and Park District wants to know if potential Santa Susana Knolls developer, Colton Lee Communities, will incorporate the agency's Recreational Trails Master Plan into its proposal to build 100 manufactured homes on th More...

Community

Stabbing suspect arrested after victim found at ER

Jeffrey Jansen, 47, of Simi Valley, was arrested as a suspect in a stabbing incident that took place at 6:13 p.m. Feb. 29 in the 2600 block of Lee Street in Simi Valley. More...

Domestic dispute leads to violence

Simi Valley resident Jamie Braga, 44, was arrested for allegedly stabbing her estranged husband in the arm at 10:05 p.m. Feb. 29. Officers arrived at the husband's residence, 1134 Wilson St. More...

Military plane will bear the Simi name

BILL SPARKES/Acorn Newspapers SIMI VALLEY CJ130- The 146th Airlift Wing of the California Air National Guard hosted an official aircraft dedication ceremony last Saturday, dedicating each of its new Jmodel C130s to individual cities in Ventura County More...

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Business

Sheldon Art Academy

Sheldon's Art Academy's Portfolio Development is a new program designed to assist students in preparing portfolios for college, high school, summer programs and more. It combines classical art training with personalized attention. More...

Extreme Boot Camp

Extreme Boot Camp is an awardwinning, six-week outdoor militarybased fitness program led by a team of highly trained former military personnel and expert certified personal trainers. More...

The Window Guy

The Window Guy has been a locally owned and operated business in the Ventura County area for about five years. The owner, Jason Young, was born and raised in Ventura County and enjoys working here. More...

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Sports

Talkin' baseball

With the Marmonte League regular season just around the corner, the Simi Valley Acorn dissects all eight teams on pages 22 and 23

IRIS SMOOT/Acorn Newspapers WE HAVE LIFTOFF- Fielding a lineup littered with returning varsity talent, Jonathan Myer and the Simi Valley High baseball team are considered serious contenders for the Marmonte League crown. More...

Track and field talent converging for Royal Invite

More than 2,600 athletes expected to compete Saturday at RHS

By Thomas Gase tgase@theacorn.com

This Saturday, the track and field season will kick off for many local high schools when Royal High hosts the 13th annual Royal Twilight Invitational. More...

The Acorn's 2008 Marmonte Baseball Preview

Westlake Warriors Last season's results: 13-15, 6-8 in league (sixth in Marmonte) Biggest losses: Jason Barmasse, 2B/3B; Steven Soucy, LF/2B Notable returnees: Cutter Dykstra, SS; Christian Yelich, 1B; Shane Kroker, 3B; Graham Johns More...

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Faith

More and more Americans are staying home on Sundays

Some churches are bucking the trend

Americans are ditching church in record numbers, and those who do attend are "church hopping" at a rising rate, accord ing to the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life. More...

Time bandits

In recent weeks on numerous occasions I've caught myself eating my meals so fast that it quite literally startled me. I have also found myself driving my car faster and with far less mindfulness than normal to get to my points of destination. More...

Hadassah group hosting Bunco Night

Simi Valley's Hadassah group, L'Dor Vador, is hosting a Bunco Night from 3 to 6 p.m. Sunday, March 30 at the Forrester Community Room in Long Canyon/ Wood Ranch in Simi Valley. More...

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On The Town

"Vantage Point"

Directed by: Peter Travis Starring: Dennis Quaid, Forest Whitaker, Sigourney Weaver, William Hurt, Matthew Fox MPAA rating: PG-13 (for adult language, violence) Running time: 91 minutes Best suited for: More...

Arts center holding auditions for 'The Full Monty'

Play is based on Oscar-winning film about husbands turned strippers

Auditions for the musical "The Full Monty," with book by Terrance McNally and music and lyrics by David Yazbeck, will be held from 2 to 5:30 p.m. tomorrow, Saturday, March 8 and from 6 to 10 p.m. More...

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