2016-11-18

Read the Latest Simi Valley Acorn!

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Enjoy the new online reading experience!

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Acorn online content now offered free

'Paywall' removed

The new millennium has been a transformative time for newspaper publishing.

Changing reader habits and the advent of new technology have placed big demands on companies in the print news business.

The Acorn and its parent company, Times Media Group, understand that their biggest responsibility is not only the delivery of credible, relevant information in a timely fashion, but making sure residents have easy access to the publication when stories become available.

That’s why we’re super excited about the news being shared today.

Following a five-year stretch in which Acorn readers were given the option of purchasing online subscriptions to the paper, that so-called “paywall” is coming down.

“Mr. Publisher, tear down this wall,” the late President Ronald Reagan might have once said.

And so we did.

Starting immediately, all online content from our five Acorn publications will be available at no charge to the reader, meaning a paid subscription is no longer required to click and read articles. The weekly Acorn has always been delivered to your driveway at no cost—that more than 40-year tradition will continue—and from now on The Acorn on the internet will be free as well.

Why the change?

The Acorn is your community newspaper, and we want to make sure it stays that way. We believe it’s important that residents feel a connection to the stories we write and also learn about the businesses that advertise in their community. The absence of a paywall is the best way to ensure this free-flow of information remains.

We also invite readers to sign up for the new, easy-to-read Acorn newspaper e-edition delivered weekly to your e-mail. Viewed on mobile, desktop or laptop, the pages are super easy to navigate and, free, just like the print paper.

Local journalism is first gear in the engine that drives America’s free press, and a free press it shall be.

Archives

Vista brings home the Blue Ribbon

Campus is third SVUSD school to win national award


When Vista Fundamental Elementary School celebrated its National Blue Ribbon School Award win with a special assembly last week, it was more than just a big score for the school. Part victory lap, part feather in SVUSD’s cap and part homecoming party for Vista Principal Julie Ellis, Superintendent Jason Peplinski and Director of Elementary Education Kathleen Roth—all freshly returned from […]

Credit union celebrates remodel with donation



Premier America Credit Union unveiled its remodeled Oxnard-Channel Islands branch at 1651 E. Channel Islands Blvd. on Nov. 2. Community leaders, Chamber of Commerce members and media representatives attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony. The renovations include a new teller line, guest WiFi access and digital channels to highlight rates and services. Premier America celebrated the new innovations with a $1,000 donation […]

Two new members join county economic development board



The Economic Development Collaborative-Ventura County has added Amy Fonzo and Ron Galaviz to its board of directors. Fonzo is the manager of external relations at California Resources Corporation. Galaviz is the founder of Lead Builders Inc., a Thousand Oaks construction company. Since joining California Resources Corporation in 2012, Fonzo has been instrumental in strengthening the company’s business and community partnerships […]

City extends business tax waiver

About 7,000 local businesses are eligible for tax break


A temporary tax waiver alleviating some of the operation costs for Simi Valley businesses has been extended for another year. The Simi Valley City Council on Monday unanimously approved a one-year extension of the city’s business tax waiver for companies that are not subject to a flat tax and have gross receipts totaling up to $300,000 annually. Samantha Argabrite, Simi’s […]

‘Little Women’ comes to local stage



Actors’ Repertory Theatre of Simi’s Literature in Action program will open its production of Louisa May Alcott’s classic “Little Women,” directed by John Dantona with adaptation by Stephen Weston and John Dantona, at 7 p.m. Tues., Nov. 22 at the Simi Valley Cultural Arts Center, 3050 Los Angeles Ave. Performances are 7 p.m. Nov. 22, 23, 28, 29 and 30 […]

Punk band thrives on fueling the fire

No Advisory releases new album


Nov. 8, of course, was Election Day. Not coincidentally, it also saw the release of No Advisory’s second album, “Everyone Is Stupid.” Front man/bassist David Dross is the remaining founding member of the punk group spawned in Simi in 2006. Yet the 26-year-old feels No Advisory now boasts its strongest lineup yet with guitarists Jake Reinig and Tom Wood and […]

Kids, teachers connect via new audio tech




Call it state-of-the-art and a sign of the times. Mountain View Elementary School has adopted a Classroom Audio Technology, or CAT, system where the teacher wears a microphone that projects his or her voice for all students to hear, even in a noisy classroom. “You put a microphone on a classroom teacher and something very positive happens,” said Ron Sams, […]

District recognized for ‘digital citizenship’

Students, staff learn about using technology safely


Simi Valley Unified School District has earned its digital wings, according to an organization specializing in online readiness. Last week, Common Sense Education, a national nonprofit founded in 2010 and dedicated to assisting kids in the virtual world, recognized SVUSD for its “digital citizenship.” “We’re honored to be recognized as a Common Sense Digital Citizenship certified school,” Superintendent Jason Peplinski […]

Birthday bash



Operation Christmas Child collecting donations



Several locations, including Simi Valley, will serve as collection sites this year for the Samaritan’s Purse project Operation Christmas Child, one of the largest Christmas projects of its kind in the world. During National Collection Week, which runs through Nov. 21, residents will donate shoeboxes filled with school supplies, hygiene items, notes of encouragement and toys. The boxes will be […]