It was a 'roller coaster' year

Thousand Oaks experienced many ups and downs this year.

The city may have seen its last Conejo Valley Days in 2008. Organizers canceled the 2009 event, with its carnival, games of chance and skill, shows, petting zoo and other activities. The event is known to bring the community together and raise money for local charities.

Though CVD organizers say they are just taking a year off, the Kiwanis, Rotarians, Optimists and other philanthropists in the community are working with other groups to provide opportunities for nonprofits to raise funds in the future.

Mobile home park residents fought to stop the city from allowing the park owner to sell the land out from under their homes. The city was going to rezone the area as high-density housing as a way to meet the state's housing requirement, until residents protested. Now the city has a new ordinance that protects mobile home park residents—unless the courts decide otherwise.

The Thousand Oaks Acorn turned 10 years old this year. Owners Jim and Lisa Rule gave Thousand Oaks its weekly local news source as a companion paper to The Acorn, which serves Agoura, Agoura Hills, Calabasas, Westlake and Oak Park. Now there are three sister editions, the Camarillo Acorn, Simi Valley Acorn and Moorpark Acorn.

The 23 Freeway expansion was completed, along with sound walls which block the traffic noise from nearby neighborhoods. The wider 23 Freeway has lowered traffic on main roads in the city, such as Lynn and Erbes, which drivers had used as shortcuts to avoid the backed-up freeway traffic.

The controversial Measure B traffic initiative was defeated by voters, although much money had been spent by the Doit Center in support of it.

The November election kept Councilmembers Jacqui Irwin and Tom Glancy on the council when they won reelection. Irwin was the mayor in 2008; Glancy was named mayor for 2009.

A Costco store is slated to open off Wendy Drive in Newbury Park. When it opens, the store will offer gas, food by the barrel and large hot dogs that come with big cups of soda.

Down the road, The Oaks mall has expanded. The new, multistory parking structure has a counter which shows how many parking spaces are available and where they are. Inside is new, upholstered furniture replacing old benches. The outdoor mall area includes new restaurants and the promise of a 14screen stadium-seating cinema center with stateoftheart digital technology, which is scheduled to open in February.

Janss Marketplace has been hit with the closing of Mervyns, Linens 'n Things and Shoe Pavilion. However, its Mann Theaters are almost always packed, and other shops and the food court are still going strong.

Los Robles Hospital and Medical Center added a new building. The hospital made improvements to emergency room services and expanded its neonatal unit.

T.O. resident Larry Mackey, 73, found himself homeless, but the generosity of many helped Mackey get back on his feet. He had owned a fish and tackle shop on Thousand Oaks Boulevard for 22 years. Through donations and other offers of assistance, he was able to move into an apartment in Camarillo. He qualified for government subsidized care for the elderly but said he didn't want to give up his dog to live there.

The community also responded when Manna, the local food bank, was flooded with requests for help, about 500 more than last year, with less corporate support due to the economy.

People donated turkeys and other food to give families holiday dinners.

Individuals and groups organized to keep food on the shelves throughout the year.

Irma and Ray Ziff, 92 and 95 respectively, celebrated their diamond wedding anniversary by being interviewed by comedians and talk show hosts Jay Leno and Yakov Sminoff. The Ziffs continue to hold hands and tell entertaining stories after 75 years of marriage.