Front Page | www.simivalleyacorn.com

February 5, 2010 / Front Page

A little too close for comfort

LLAMA LOVE—Toddler Calia Schwartz of Simi Valley doesn’t seem too fond of the advances of Papa the llama during an open house she attended with her mother, Cathy, at an alpaca ranch in Thousand Oaks last Sunday. More...

Assemblywoman expected to announce candidacy for county supervisor today

By Joann Groff joann@theacorn.com

The Ventura County Republican Central Committee went public last week with its support of Assemblymember Audra Strickland’s plans to go after Linda Parks’ seat on the Board of Supervisors. More...

Give the perfect VDay gift

The Simi Valley Acorn has extended our deadline to submit personal love notes for our Feb. 12 issue until 10 p.m. Sun., Feb. 7. More...

Health & Wellness

When is it addiction?

Addicts have become enslaved to . . . a poor substitute for what is really desired

With the recent focus on Tiger Woods and the concept of sexual addiction, some are wondering about where addiction comes from and how to assess for it. A friend asked me, “Is it because he grew up with a controlling father?” More...

Give blood, get chocolate

United Blood Services Central Coast has launched its annual Heart to Heart Blood Drive to encourage donations. As a special thank-you, donors will receive a 4-ounce box of See’s chocolates. More...

Click here for all stories

Schools

Teacher helps students find the artist within

Lew Roth Awards dinner is tonight

By Joann Groff joann@theacorn.com Susan Selvaggio has goose bumps. And, she says, she’s about to cry. More...

Grace Brethren students give $1,000 to endowment

Money raised through magazine sales

Ray Blackwell, executive director of Grace Brethren Schools in Simi Valley, received a $1,000 donation last week for the school’s endowment fund from the Parent Teacher Fellowship of Grace Brethren Elementary. More...

Click here for all stories

Pets

DARLING

DARLING—Diane is a 2-year-old female short-hair rabbit. She is sweet and social. If you would like to adopt Diane, ask for ID# A486601 at the Camarillo Animal Shelter, 600 Aviation Drive. More...

Ventura County Humane Society looking for volunteers, drivers

The Humane Society of Ventura County is seeking volunteers to help with the ongoing operation of its Ojai animal shelter and to assist the private nonprofit organization with its off-site fundraising activities. More...

Audubon Society to unveil new sign

The Ventura Audubon Society will unveil an interpretive bird sign at 4 p.m. Fri., Feb. 12 at the Ventura River Estuary, next to the bike path and the beach, behind and west of the Ventura County Fairgrounds. There is parking off W. More...

Click here for all stories

Faith

The anatomy of fear

“Driven by fear, people run for security to mountains and forests, to sacred spots and shrines. But none of these can be a safe refuge, because they cannot free the mind from fear.” —The Dhammapada More...

Shepherd of the Valley awards grants to local nonprofits

The Endowment Fund Committee of Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church has been donating community grants to nonprofit agencies. More...

Click here for all stories

Dining & Entertainment

‘Andrews Brothers’ prove the show must go on

Cabrillo Music Theatre will present a new 1940s musical, “The Andrews Brothers” by Roger Bean, from Feb. 5 to 14 at the Kavli Theatre, Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza, 2100 E. Thousand Oaks Blvd. More...

Kiwanis seeks sponsors for poker tourney

Event and table sponsors are being sought for the third annual No Limit Texas Hold ’Em Poker Tournament and Casino Night from 4 to 10 p.m., Sun., April 25. It’s a fundraiser for the Kiwanis of Thousand Oaks Foundation. More...

Writer to give pitching tips

Local author Margaret Brownley will be the featured speaker for the Ventura County Writers Club at 7 p.m. Tues., Feb. 9 at Borders bookstore, 125 W. Thousand Oaks Blvd., Thousand Oaks. More...

Click here for all stories

Letters

Rate hike is residents’ reward for conserving

Let me see if I understand this correctly. More...

‘Mr. Parks and Rec’ made city a better place for families

I would like to thank the Simi Valley Acorn and staff writer Carissa Marsh for the sincere article regarding James Meredith’s (“Mr. Parks and Rec”) retirement from the park board. More...

Remember bribery goes both ways on Capitol Hill

Your letter from Mr. Rosen (“Votes shouldn’t be for sale,” Acorn , Jan. 29) on lobbying is interesting. So the Dems got one vote out of it. More...

Click here for all stories

Neighbors

Growing up with a broken heart

Cameron’s story

By Carissa Marsh cmarsh@theacorn.com

Sitting in the living room of their Simi Valley home, Mike and Sandy Nash share snapshots of their 5-month-old son, Cameron. In one photo, the infant’s fuzzy head peeks out from a bundled blanket. More...

Library celebrates Reagan’s 99th

Sen. Elizabeth Dole to speak at tomorrow’s birthday bash

The Reagan Library will host a special celebration in honor of the former president’s 99th birthday at 11 a.m. Sat., Feb. 6 at the Reagan memorial site on the library grounds, 40 Presidential Drive, Simi Valley. More...

All-you-can-eat spaghetti dinner benefits Free Clinic

The Simi Valley Key Clubs of Royal, Simi and Santa Susana high schools will host their second annual spaghetti dinner from 5:45 to 9 p.m. Fri., Feb. 19 at the Simi Valley Senior Center, 3900 Avenida Simi. More...

Click here for all stories

Council pushing for pension reform

Battle for benefits already underway

By Carissa Marsh cmarsh@theacorn.com

For the first time in its 40-year history, the city of Simi Valley is considering lowering its pension benefits for city employees. More...

Senior center tech lab installs new hardware

By Carissa Marsh cmarsh@theacorn.com

After receiving hand-medowns from city hall for years, the technology lab at the Simi Valley Senior Center is now outfitted with nearly two dozen brand new desktop computers. More...

Hill face is smiling again

By Carissa Marsh cmarsh@theacorn.com

Overgrown with weeds after two years of neglect, Happy Face Hill will soon be smiling again. More...

Community

Commission delays vote on new McDonald’s

Fast-food giant wants to open fifth Simi location

By Carissa Marsh cmarsh@theacorn.com

After hearing two hours of testimony both for and against plans for the city’s fifth McDonald’s, the Simi Valley Planning Commission couldn’t decide whether to approve or deny the project. More...

Residents warned of jury duty phone scam

The FBI recently informed local law enforcement of a new telephone scam involving jury duty. More...

Foreclosure workshop

The city of Simi Valley and Cabrillo Economic Development Corporation will host a foreclosure prevention workshop on Sat., Feb. 13 at the Simi Valley Senior Center, 3900 Avenida Simi. The program will be offered in English at 9:30 a.m. More...

Click here for all stories

Business

Waste Management boss gets his hands dirty

Waste Management Inc., with about 230 employees in Simi Valley, will be featured on “Undercover Boss,” a new hourlong reality series airing on CBS Sun., Feb. 7, immediately following the Super Bowl. More...

Realtors toast newly formed association

As 2009 ended, the Conejo Valley Association of Realtors and the Simi Valley–Moorpark Association of Realtors joined together to form Conejo Simi Moorpark Association. More...

Click here for all stories

Sports

Flair for the dramatic

Win or lose, Royal boys’ hoops team always rebounds

By Eliav Appelbaum eliav@theacorn.com

The Highlanders have been in more thrillers than a 24-hour marathon of James Bond flicks. Seven games have been decided by three or fewer points. They lost an overtime game on a buzzer-beating, half-court heave. More...

Wrestling finals at Simi High

The Marmonte League Finals for wrestling will be held Saturday at Simi Valley High. Matches begin at 9 a.m. The championship bouts are scheduled to begin around 5 p.m. More...

Miami nice: The Acorn’s Super Bowl XLIV Showdown

Sportswriters Eliav Appelbaum and Stephen Dorman debate the outcome of this year’s big game

The world is about to change. The Saints will march all over the Colts during Super Bowl XLIV, and then all hell-heaven-purgatory will break loose. Stay with me, good readers. More...

Click here for all stories