Pet of the Week
      NEEDS A FRIEND— Shep, an 8-year-old male shetland/sheepdog mix, can be adopted from the Agoura Animal Shelter at 29525 Agoura Road. Ask about identification No.A3842500. Occasionally pets have already been adopted, so call (818) 991-0071 first or visit animalcare.lacounty.gov/.
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Local makes dean's list
      Anthony Carucci of Thousand Oaks made the dean's list for the spring semester at Tufts University in Massachusetts. Carucci, who expects to graduate in 2011, had a gradepoint average of 3.4 or greater.
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Shopping center offers new fun
      LIFTOFF— Dakota Zeihen lifts her brother, Austin, onto a soft-sculptured frog in the new play area at Janss Marketplace. Dakota and Austin are the grandchildren of Joyce Novak of Thousand Oaks. The marketplace hosts Kids' Zone Club craft activities the last Saturday of every month.
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New Mexican eatery opens in Newbury Park
      Mama Rita's Authentic Mexican Cantina at Paraiso Town Center in Newbury Park will open its doors for business today, July 31, and host a gala grand opening all day on Sat., Aug. 16. You're invited to join owner Laura Papenfus to celebrate and taste authentic Mexican food inspired by her grandmother's recipes.
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Simi Valley will host baseball tournament
      The Simi Valley Baseball League will host its annual End of Summer Classic Baseball Tournament over the weekends of Aug. 9, 16 and 23 at the league complex on Royal Avenue in Simi Valley.
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Wife not a fan of my habit
      My wife hates my fan. It's a little white two-speed oscillating fan that helps keep me cool at night while I sleep. My little fan also saves energy by giving the air conditioner a rest, yet my wife can't stand the thing.
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'Now if only I could turn on the siren'
      BIG WHEELS KEEP ON TURNING— Ventura County Fire Department Capt. Ed Gavirati, right in the foreground, a Simi Valley resident, keeps a watchful eye on Jack Muir, 6, a Walnut Elementary School first-grader, as he pretends to drive a fire truck from Station No. 35 during Family Day at Home Depot. The event was last Saturday in Newbury Park.
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T.O. resident named to dean's list
      Nicholas Panzica was named to the spring term 2008 dean's list at Choate Rosemary Hall in Wallingford, Conn. He is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Anthony Panzica of Thousand Oaks. Choate Rosemary Hall is an independent secondary school enrolling 848 boarding and day students from 42 states and 27 countries.
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Summer jazz/art festival calls for artists' entries
      The Santa Paula Downtown Merchants Association invites local artists to submit entries for the Hot Summer Jazz and Art event which will take place from 6 to 10 p.m. Sat., Aug. 23 in historic downtown Santa Paula. Each selected artist will be allowed a 10-foot-by-10-foot space on the closed Main Street in front of the Mupu Grill and South Paseo.
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Channel Islands Harbor presents Concerts by the Sea
      Channel Islands Harbor continues its free Concerts by the Sea series from 4 to 6 p.m. every Saturday in August at Peninsula Park at Channel Islands Harbor, next to the Casa Sirena Hotel and the Hampton Inn. Parking is free.
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