Alliance for the Arts board chair Bob Lewis brought good news to the city council at its June 24 meeting. The alliance will help fund theater operations at the Civic Arts Plaza with a $300,000 donation. More...

Discussing my weight in a public forum such as the Acorn figures to be a challenging proposition, to say the least. But after hearing about a local program called Weight Loss Challenge 101 that could assist people like me in their ongoing battle against the bulk, I shelved my pride along with my carb-laden pasta- and I began to write. More...

Occasionally a pretty good movie comes along with so many asterisks attached that one can fill a page with a parade of marching ants and yet still enjoy the flick. Thus is the nature of "Hancock," a decent film* * * * * * * with a few problems and lapses in logic. More...

THURS., JULY 10 Who Dunnit? Calabasas High School Theater Department presents "Blue Jay," studentwritten and directed musical murder mystery dinner theater. 7 p.m. tonight and Friday, campus theater, 22855 W. Mulholland Hwy. Audience participation. $10 students, $15 adults, includes hamburger or grilled cheese sandwich catered dinner. More...

Robotics & Things will host the fourth annual Robotics camp/workshop from 9 a.m. to noon Mon. to Fri., Aug. 11 to 15 at Sophie's Education Corner, 2699 Thousand Oaks Blvd., Thousand Oaks. The camp is designed for children ages 8 to 14 and will use both California and national science standards to create robots, robotic creatures and robotic vehicles. More...

The Agoura Westlake U-12 Girls Red Rockets All Star Soccer Team won 13 tournaments this year, with a win-loss-tie record of 66-4-1, including 50 shutouts. The tournament season began with the Newbury Park Panther Shootout in November 2007 and ended in June at the Granada Hills North Valley Classic. More...

Alex Soteras of Calabasas has been appointed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to serve on the nine member Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board. Soteras has owned Soteras Mortgage since 1984 and is director of the United Chambers of Commerce of the San Fernando Valley. More...

SQUIRREL OF THE MONTH MEETS AN IMPOSTER!- Since this is the summer of "Iron Man" and "The Incredible Hulk" in movie theaters, we're going totally sensational, too, with this incredible photograph that was provided by Mindy Kirshbaum of Westlake Village. "I couldn't decide which one was cuter, so I sent you both for you to consider for a future publication," says Mindy. Both, she says, were dining on spills from a bird feeder above their heads. Normally we're prejudiced in favor of squirrels because our publication is called the Acorn, not the Carrot. Squirrels are definitely cuter, Mindy, than conejos, and we accept ONLY cute Squirrels of the Month. Send your digital images as jpg attachments to tonewstip@theacorn.com. Prints should be mailed to the address on page 4. Be famous; send a photograph today. More...

Newbury Park A female, 29, was arrested for allegedly writing rubber checks on June 30 in the 1500 block of Newbury Road. On charges of knowingly violating a restraining order, a female, 45, was cited at 9:25 p.m. June 28 in the 3400 block of Gloria Drive. More...

A team of six Calvary Community Church members is preparing a journey to carry out a humanitarian mission known as "Road to Sudan." The group will continue the work begun last year by three Calvary ambassadors to Sudan. More...

BRIDGING THEIR WAY- Members of Girl Scout Troop No. 658 of Thousand Oaks, Catherine, Alyssa, Heather, Carina, Lauren and Elizabeth, recently used proceeds from sales of their Girl Scout Cookies to participate in an event hosted by the San Francisco Council of Girl Scouts to help them advance in Scouting. "Bridging" is the term used when Scouts advance from elementary school as "juniors" to middle school as "cadettes. More...

I'm writing to you in response to a letter sent to you by Tara Kadium that was published in the June 26 Thousand Oaks Acorn . More...