December 23, 2010 RSS feed / Front Page

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Hours changing at T.O. city hall, libraries

Decision made after closed session meeting
By Michelle Knight
knight@theacorn.com
The city of Thousand Oaks is reducing hours at city hall and the city’s two libraries. Hours for Thousand Oaks City Hall will change beginning tomorrow. As it did last year, city hall will close for one week, from Dec. 24 through Jan. 2. More...

District won’t change policy to force diversity at EARTHS

By Darleen Principe
darleen@theacorn.com

Despite some concern over a decline in student diversity at the district’s only stand-alone magnet school, the Conejo Valley school board has decided not change the admissions process at EARTHS. More...

‘Bad Elf Bandit’ hits T.O. bank

Local authorities and the FBI are seeking the public’s help to identify a man who robbed a Thousand Oaks bank this week. More...

Health & Wellness

Amgen drug may aid in treatment of prostate cancer

By Michelle Knight
knight@theacorn.com

An Amgen drug recently approved to treat osteoporosis and reduce bone complications for cancer patients could offer hope to patients with prostate cancer. More...

Family keeping the faith in the face of rare illness

14-year-old is battling bone cancer
By Michelle Knight
knight@theacorn.com

It’s been the support of friends, family and the community that’s helped the Knickman family cope with pediatric cancer. More...

THE OTHER Side of 50

When living alone is no longer an option

Many of us live in Never Never Land: We’re never going to get old and we’re never going to need help. More...

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Bulletin Board

Datebook

FRI., DEC. 31 New Year’s Eve Party More...

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Schools

Art guild sponsoring contest

Competition is for high school juniors and seniors

Westlake Village Art Guild is seeking entries for the Junior Fine Art Competition that will take place in conjunction with the guild’s annual Open Juried Show opening at 11 a.m. More...

Job center offers career workshops

The East County Job and Career Center at 980 Enchanted Way, Simi Valley, offers free oneday career shops for job seekers starting Mon., Jan. 3. Topics include computer basics and resume writing. More...

Guest opinion

Do something selfish this year
By Mike Soules
Special to the Acorn

The story of how my wife and I got to Thousand Oaks is unique and screams out to be writ large here in the pages of the Acorn. We came to the Conejo on a windy day nearly 14 years ago. More...

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Business

Executives plead not guilty to securities fraud

By Daniel Wolowicz
camarillo@theacorn.com

The founder and former executive vice president of Vitesse, a Camarillo-based semiconductor manufacturer, pleaded not guilty to multiple securities fraud charges on Dec. 10 in a New York federal court. More...

T.O.-based bank will be bought out

Shareholders approved last week the acquisition of California Oaks Bank in Thousand Oaks by Encino-based California United Bank in a cash and stock deal valued at approximately $17.3 million. If the deal closes Dec. More...

Free seminar on racehorse ownership

Learn ups, downs of owning a thoroughbred

Thoroughbred Owners of California is offering a free seminar, “Ownership 101: An Introduction to Racehorse Ownership” at 8:30 a.m. Sat., Jan. 22 at Top O’ The Stretch just past Clockers’ Corner at Santa Anita Park, 285 W. More...

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Police

Stolen women’s undergarments lead to arrest

A Thousand Oaks resident has been arrested on suspicion of committing sexual acts with stolen women’s underwear. More...

Sheriff's Blotter

Newbury Park A man, 27, was arrested for burglary of a business Dec. 10 in the 2700 block of Teller Road. Police arrested a 32-year-old man for public intoxication Dec. More...

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Family

Chance encounter with tractor sparks splendid Christmas tale

By Joan Shayer
Special to the Acorn

You might expect to see one in the cornfields of Iowa or certainly in the wheat fields of Washington and most definitely in the sunflower fields of North Dakota, but adorned with Christmas lights, a Santa waving cheers to all who drive by in a sleepy More...

Brownilympics needs volunteers

Girl Scouts of California’s Central Coast is searching for volunteers to help on the Brownilympics committee. The event is for Daisy Scouts, ages 5 and 6, and Brownie Girl Scouts, ages 7 and 8. More...

FAMILY MEN Don't Wear Name Brands

Healthy holidays

My son has toys, but he plays with cardboard boxes, scrap paper, wrapping paper tubes and recycled Christmas bows. If he were a toddler, I’d understand, but he’s 7. More...

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Editorials

This holiday season, put your gadgets down and pick your heads up

As the holiday season begins to wind down, many of us are giddy over the prospect of receiving the latest, coolest electronic gadget underneath the tree. The lucky ones have already received their high-tech gifts for Hanukkah. More...

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The thrill of the find

ALL FOR CHARITY—Cindy Goldberg, left, with the Conejo Schools Foundation and Justine Fischer with The Children’s Auxiliary/ Giving Tree compete to see who can find the most gift cards in a pile of 50 wrapped packages during a special even More...

Rain, rain go away

‘WHERE ARE WE, SEATTLE?’—Christine Socha takes cover as she rolls down Westlake Boulevard on her way to get coffee last weekend. More...

Community

Heavy rains raise risk of flooding

Red Cross says be prepared

The American Red Cross, Ventura County Chapter would like to offer tips to keep everyone in the community safe during this flood season. •Be prepared to evacuate at a moment’s notice. More...

Bike lane on Wendy is wide

What’s up with that?

“Would anyone know who is responsible for the new traffic lanes on Wendy Drive between Borchard and Kimber in Newbury Park? I guess they meant well but the bike lane is as big as the vehicle lane! More...

City Council awards $45,000 in grants to 13 community groups

Money will go toward special projects
By Michelle Knight
knight@theacorn.com

A 12-year-old city program is alive and well and continuing its goal of beautifying Thousand Oaks. The City Council at its Dec. More...

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Dining & Entertainment

V.C. Writers Club is leaving T.O.

Bookstore closure forces club to move

After many years of hosting meetings at Borders Books in Thousand Oaks, the Ventura County Writers Club has found a new home in Oxnard. The change in location is due to the closing of the Thousand Oaks store. More...

Concert review

Conejo Players come ‘Home for the Holidays’
By Cary Ginell
originjazz@aol.com

With a flurry of musical holiday events being staged at this time of year, leave it to the Conejo Players to come up with a different way of presenting Christmas songs onstage. More...

The MOVIE Nut

“Black Swan” Directed by: Darren Aronofsky Starring: Natalie Portman, Mila Kunis, Vincent Cassel, Barbara Hershey Rated: R (for disturbing images, drug use, brief violence, adult language) Running time: 108 minutes More...

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Sports

Local youth champions

Send photos of first-place teams only to tonewstip@theacorn.com

VICTORY!—Team Victory, an under-12 club baseball team based in Thousand Oaks, won Simi Valley’s 2010 Youth Winter Classic Tournament by going undefeated. More...

Six teams are playing for second place

Marmonte League winter overview: Girls’ water polo
By Eliav Appelbaum
eliav@theacorn.com

There’s no mystery. One school is favored to run away with the Marmonte League girls’ water polo championship. Everything else is up in the air. More...

Thrashers destroy tournament field

DIAMOND DANDIES—The Thrashers, a U-10 travel baseball team, won the Conejo Valley December Invitational Tournament at Colina Middle School in Thousand Oaks. More...

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Faith

Activist, author devotes life’s work to enabling those who are disabled

By Sylvie Belmond
belmond@theacorn.com

“I believe that God works everything out for my good and his glory, even that diving accident so many, many years ago” says Joni Eareckson Tada, leader of the Joni and Friends International Disability Center in Agoura Hills, as she dictat More...

Santa’s helpers sing joys of season

‘DECK THE HALLS’—A group of 20 carolers from Unity of the Oaks Church in Thousand Oaks, including youngsters Julian Ros, Damon Quintard and Finley Quintard, spent a recent Saturday More...

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Letters

The people score victory over sign

In these days of hard-boiled politics it is unusual and refreshing for a government to accede to the clear wishes of the governed, rather than arrogantly pressing its own agenda. More...

Speak up about SCE rate increase

Attention to everyone who receives SoCal Edison electricity: Time is running out. Those who are concerned need to make their opinions clear to the California Public Utilities Commission regarding a large proposed rate increase. More...

Being mayor not such a big deal

This is in regard to the article, “Fox is next mayor of T.O” (Dec. 16, Acorn). More...

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Columns

Eye on the Conejo

Where are the cards?

Is it just me, or are people sending fewer Christmas cards? According to the Internet, I’m right; people aren’t sending as many holiday cards. My problem is that I don’t trust the Internet. More...

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