Front Page | www.simivalleyacorn.com

April 24, 2009 / Front Page

Survivors share Holocaust horror stories

DIFFICULT MEMORIES— Holocaust survivors Max Webb, left, Moshe "Mike" Talmor and Talmor's daughter Orly read from a book recounting Webb's story of survival during Holocaust at the Mount Sinai Memorial Park Holocaust Remembrance Day (Yom Hasho More...

New lane open for traffic on eastbound 118 Freeway

HALFWAY THERE— City Councilmember Steve Sojka thanks construction crews and Caltrans for enabling the first phase of the Ronald Reagan Freeway widening project to be finished "ahead of schedule and under budget" at a ceremony on Tuesday. More...

Health & Wellness

Hats Off has plenty of heart

Actress, breast cancer survivor highlights inspirational luncheon

By Sylvie Belmond belmond@theacorn.com

About 350 people attended the Simi Valley Hospital Foundation's Hats Off to Women Luncheon and Fashion Show at the Reagan Library last week to raise money for a free mammography program. More...

Free vision, hearing screenings offered

The Simi Valley Moorpark Lions and Leo clubs, in conjunction with the Lions Eye Foundation of Southern California Inc., will host a mobile vision and hearing screening from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. More...

Click here for all stories

Business

Martial arts studio gets major legroom

By Carissa Marsh cmarsh@theacorn.com

Founded 10 years ago by Simi resident Derrick Kwak, the American Martial Arts Academy had humble beginnings. First housed in a small studio on Kuehner Drive, the school had a roster of just 30 students. More...

Click here for all stories

Sports

Grace Brethren slugger provides plenty of power

Schmidt carries the load for Lancer offense

By Thomas Gase tgase@theacorn.com

At the plate, Grace Brethren junior first baseman Nick Schmidt hits like Adam Dunn—minus the strikeouts. Like the Washington Nationals outfielder, Schmidt is powerful enough to launch a baseball over the fence on any swing. More...

Local swimming champion joins CSA

Conejo Simi Aquatics has announced that one of its most accomplished alumni, Kara Denby, will join CSA as an age group coach. More...

Area high school sports teams continue to climb CIF rankings

Local high school sports teams are discovering that being second best isn't so bad at this time of year. More...

Click here for all stories

Faith

Breakfast marks National Day of Prayer

The 10th annual National Day of Prayer Breakfast will be from 7 to 8:30 a.m. Thurs., May 7 at the Gilbert Sports Center at California Lutheran University in Thousand Oaks. More...

Anniversary of Armenian genocide commemorated

The Armenian Apostolic Church of Ventura County in conjunction with St. Patrick's Episcopal Church will host an ecumenical joint prayer and commemoration of the 94th anniversary of the Armenian genocide on Sun., April 26 at St. More...

K-7 students, parents invited to celebrate birth of Israel

Students in kindergarten through seventh grade and their families are welcomed to join Congregation B'nai Emet's Religious School classes in celebrating Israel's birthday from 9 a.m. to noon, Sun., April 26. More...

Click here for all stories

Letters

Letter aimed at teachers was short on facts

In response to the April 17 letter by Aaron Starr ("Some tough love for teachers"): It was disappointing to see that Mr. Starr had put blatantly inaccurate statements in his letter. Mr. More...

Troublesome trailer catches neighbor's ire

I'm writing to you to tell you how truly disappointed I am at city government—in particular, code enforcement. I have been living in Simi for several years and was quite happy until my nightmare began. More...

Kudos to park district for making fixes to SDP

To my surprise, my biggest concern about the new Simi Dog Park was fixed in a matter of days. The new double gate entrances preventing escape were installed less than two weeks after the grand opening. More...

Click here for all stories

Neighbors

Future Naval officer hopes for a future in film

Royal High grad's music video featured in local festival

By Eliav Appelbaum eliav@theacorn.com

Thousands of miles away from his new home at a naval training facility in Newport, R.I., Aaron Van Driessche's imagination runs wild. More...

Click here for all stories

Community Notes

Simi Elks Lodge hosting Kentucky Derby potluck

The Simi Valley Elks Lodge will host a Kentucky Derby Potluck Party open to the public at 1 p.m. Sat., May 2 at the lodge, 1561 Kuehner Drive, Simi Valley. The horse race starts at 3 p.m. More...

Seniors present world music

The Simi Valley Senior Center Performing Arts Group will present a concert, "Music Around the World," from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. Thurs., April 30 in the multipur pose room at the Simi Valley Senior Center, 3900 Avenida Simi. More...

Watch a flick in the park this summer

The Rancho Simi Recreation and Park District will host "drivein movies" this summer at the Rancho Santa Susana Community Center, 5005 Los Angeles Ave., Simi Valley. More...

Click here for all stories

$1 million in recovery funds could be coming to SVUSD

Money restricted to special education, Title I programs

By Eliav Appelbaum eliav@theacorn.com

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and the U.S. Department of Education announced late last week that California public schools and universities can apply immediately for $3.1 billion in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act money. More...

Man stabbed at Duck Park after interceding in dispute

A 22-year-old Simi Valley man was hospitalized with stab wounds last Thursday after getting in the middle of a domestic dispute at Rancho Simi Community Park. Albert Ramirez was in the park around 6:30 p.m. More...

Community

Council set to determine how community development grant money will be used

By Carissa Marsh cmarsh@theacorn.com

The City Council will decide at its next meeting how to divvy up thousands of dollars in federal government money intended to help provide services and housing for moderate-to-lower income individuals. More...

Community Development Block Grant funding recommendations

Public Service Programs: 1. Long Term Care Services Ombudsman- $15,000 2. Samaritan Center, Case manager/PADS- $36,345 3. Hospice of Conjeo- $6,000 4. Boys & Girls Club- $21,600 5. FOOD Share- $8,400 6. Senior Concerns- $10,661 7. More...

Vote on RV storage facility delayed

Council unsure if neighbors are aware of potential impact

By Carissa Marsh cmarsh@theacorn.com

The City Council decided not to take a vote Monday regarding a proposal to build an RV storage facility near First Street, citing concerns that nearby residents may not be aware of the impact the project could have on their neighborhoods. More...

Click here for all stories

Schools

St. Rose of Lima school hosting farmers' markets

St. Rose of Lima, a Catholic school for first through eighthgrade students, hosts a farmers' market every Saturday morning from 8 a.m. to noon in the school parking lot. The Rev. More...

Schools getting creative to save an extra buck

When using your cellphone in class won't get you into trouble

By Eliav Appelbaum eliav@theacorn.com

Ryan Taggart flips open the laptop computer and turns on the projector. He dims the lights. "All right, class, let's review chapter 14," Taggart tells his firstperiod U.S. More...

Graduation day approaching at Moorpark College

The Moorpark College 2009 commencement will take place at 5:30 p.m. Thurs., May 21 on the Campus Center Quad, 7075 Campus Road, Moorpark. More...

Click here for all stories

Police

Police Blotter

On April 15, a 40-year-old woman was arrested and charged with possession of drug paraphernalia at Spence Street and Callahan Avenue. More...

Man allegedly threatened to 'shoot it out' with police

A Simi Valley man was arrested April 19 after a domestic dispute elevated into a short stand-off with police. Logan Merritt, 30, was arrested on charges of domestic violence and possesion of a concealed loaded firearm in public. More...

Click here for all stories

Dining & Entertainment

Beatles tribute band back at CAC

Ticket to Ride: a Tribute to The Beatles will perform at 8 p.m. Fri., May 29 at the Simi Valley Cultural Arts Center, 3050 Los Angeles Ave. More...

'Wonka' unlocks a world of imagination

Play review

By Cary Ginell soundthink@aol.com

A world of chocolate rivers and psychedelic candy gardens is the setting for the Actors' Repertory Theatre of Simi's production of "Willy Wonka," a musical version of the classic 1971 film. More...