Test for the 'big one' slated for November

Mark your calendars for Nov. 12 to 16, the Great Southern California Shake Out.

No, this isn't an earthquake prediction. It's preparation for what organizers are calling "an enormous earthquake" in the future.

The week of special events will feature what is being touted as "the largest earthquake drill in U.S. history." The idea is to help Southern Californians get ready for the "big one" so that the disaster does not become a catastrophe.

For more information, visit www.shakeout.org/ events.html.

—Nancy Needham