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December 29, 2011 / Front Page

Mobile homes, Hooters and new hope for downtown

T.O.’s Top Stories of 2011

By Kyle Jorrey
tonewstip@theacorn.com

The approval of a plan to transform downtown Thousand Oaks and a landmark deal between mobile home park residents and park owners may have been the most significant local headlines in 2011, but the year will always be remembered for a more “del More...

Art alliance may rent for less at city hall

By Michelle Knight
knight@theacorn.com

Donations to support the performing arts in Thousand Oaks seem to have stalled in the weak economy. More...

Health & Wellness

Good form, better fashion

SHE’S GOT GAME—Thousand Oaks resident Amanda Milbourn doesn’t let tights and a skirt stop her from making baskets on the court Dec. 22 at Rancho Tapo Community Park in Simi Valley. More...

First H2U seminar of the year nothing to sneeze at

The Health, Happiness to You group (H2U) of Los Robles Hospital and Medical Center invites the community to the first of 2012’s free meetings from 3:30 to 5 p.m. Thurs., Jan. 5 at the East Campus, 150 Via Merida, Westlake Village. More...

Hospice of Conejo training to start

Eight-week sessions prepare volunteers to help patients

Hospice of the Conejo will present the Hospice Volunteer Training Program from 1 to 4 p.m. for eight weeks on Tuesdays starting Jan. 17 in the first floor conference room, 80 E. Hillcrest Drive, Thousand Oaks. More...

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Bulletin Board

Calendar

THURS., DEC. 29 Madera Toastmasters Noon to 1 p.m. in cafeteria of Bank of America building, 450 American Way, Simi Valley. Surprise guest speaker. Contact: Linda Martins-Mann. Phone: 805.501.5229. SAT., DEC. 31 More...

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Schools

A student’s take on suspended teacher

Commentary

By Dashiell Young-Saver
Special to the Acorn

There were three types of kids at summer school: those who hated school and failed their classes, those who loved school and needed extra room to take more classes, and those who had nothing better to do. More...

La Reina freshman starts ‘Manna Mondays’

TAKING ACTION—In an effort to help stock the shelves at Manna, the Conejo Valley food bank, La Reina freshman Leila Flanagan started “Manna Mondays.” On the first Monday of every mo More...

Hi*Lights

Newbury Park PanthersFri., Dec. 30: Winter break-noschool through Mon., Jan. 2Tues., Jan. More...

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Business

Change at the top for Amgen

By Michelle Knight
knight@theacorn.com

Amgen’s top executive, Kevin Sharer, will retire next year, handing over reins of the Thousand Oaks-based biotech company to President Robert Bradway Sharer , 63, will step down as CEO on May 23 and as board of directors chair by the end of 201 More...

SBA offers assistance in applying for low-interest federal disaster loans

Low-interest federal disaster loans are available to California residents and business owners affected by high winds from Nov. 30 through Dec. 4. More...

Businesswomen hope to take off in new year

ENTREPRENEURS—Women’s Economic Ventures graduates from Thousand Oaks, from left, Julie Hoffman, Tiffany Buchanan, Connie Camorlinga, Sara Smelt and Paige Apar join instructor Lisa Champag More...

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Family

Off school, on the court

FUTURE BILLIE JEAN?—Seven-year-old Lauren Stohlton of Thousand Oaks leaps to return a shot while playing tennis with her family at Thousand Oaks Community Park on Dec. 23. More...

Workshops oer insight on children with sensory issues

Training available for working professionals

The Ventura County Special Education Local Plan Area (SELPA) will present these programs in January. All events take place at CESC, 5100 Adolfo Road, Camarillo. Registration is required for all events. More...

Pet of the Week

LOOKING FOR HOME—Zack is a male black tabby shorthair cat about 2 years old. He is good with small children and is litter box trained. He should be the only cat in the house. More...

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Editorials

What 2012 will bring

To get an idea of just how good life is in the Conejo Valley, take a peek at our picks for the Top Stories of 2011. More...

Cartoon

Full Story

FOR THE RECORD

Construction work to expand the Wendy Drive bridge and freeway ramps is expected to take 18 months to complete, not six months. More...

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Residents enjoy their canine friends as the new year comes barking

LITTLE BUDDY—Two-year-old Richard Black of Thousand Oaks tries to give a Boston terrier a hug while playing at the Thousand Oaks Dog Park on Tuesday. More...

Drive-thru Starbucks proposed for T.O. Boulevard

By Michelle Knight
knight@theacorn.com

A walk-up Starbucks with a drive-thru window in back could be the first business created under the new design guidelines for the downtown area. More...

City to bolster security at key public works sites

By Michelle Knight
knight@theacorn.com

Thousand Oaks is banking that a new security system will make it more difficult for vandals, or worse, terrorists, to tamper with the city’s water supply. More...

Community

Local milestones

• A monument to the area’s Norwegian population is dedicated at the bottom of the Norwegian Grade in January. The road that connects T. O. to Moorpark was built between 1900 and 1911. More...

Water tank repairs not for faint of heart

BIRD’S-EYE VIEW—A welder works high atop the Orbis water tank in Newbury Park on Friday. More...

County auditor appointed to advisory committee

C hristine Cohen, Ventura County auditor-controller, has been appointed by state Controller John Chiang to the Advisory Committee on County Accounting Procedures. More...

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Dining & Entertainment

Women’s choir shares joy of music

Open house for prospective members is Jan. 10

Women of all ages who enjoy singing are invited to the Agoura Hills Harmony Chorus Open House from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Tues., Jan. 10 at St. Patrick’s Episcopal Church, One Church Road, Thousand Oaks. More...

Mercato Italiano

If you’re planning to get together with loved ones for a little holiday cheer on a Saturday night, Mercato Italiano at the Four Seasons Hotel in Westlake Village is a celebration destination worth considering. More...

Pulitzer Prize-winning play will open on its 65th anniversary

‘All My Sons’ to run Jan. 6 to 22 at the Theatre on the Hill

Panic! Productions continues its inaugural season with Arthur Miller’s Pulitzer Prize-winning drama “All My Sons,” Jan. 6 through 22 at the Theatre on the Hill, Hillcrest Center for the Arts, 403 W. Hillcrest Drive, Thousand Oaks. More...

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Sports

Racquetball tournament returns for second year

The Thousand Oaks Community Center of the Conejo Recreation and Park District will sponsor the second annual racquetball tournament from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sat. and Sun., Jan. 28 and 29 at the Thousand Oaks Community Center, 2525 N. Moorpark Road. More...

Do the right thing

Why won’t the Marmonte League let Deejay Brown play basketball?

By Eliav Appelbaum
eliav@theacorn.com

Derrick “Deejay” Brown had nowhere to go. The Brooklyn, N.Y., native survived an unfathomable hell, and now he didn’t even have a place to live or food to eat. More...

Time to pick up the pace

Marmonte League boys’ soccer overview

By Eliav Appelbaum
eliav@theacorn.com

The Marmonte League for high school boys’ soccer is deep and dangerous. Every team has aspirations to advance to the postseason, but only the top four squads in the eight-school league are guaranteed a spot in the big dance. More...

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Police

Four in custody in connection with Dec. 15 home invasion in La Conchita

Four Ventura County residents were arrested and charged with kidnapping, armed robbery and burglary after a home invasion occurred Dec. 15 at a Zelzah Avenue residence in the unincorporated area of La Conchita. More...

Blotter

Newbury Park A gold coin was stolen from the 700 block of Avenida Loma Portal Nov. 2. The theft was reported Dec. 18. A petty theft occurred in the 2900 block of Diana Court between Nov. 11 and Dec. 5. More...

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Faith

Why New Year’s resolutions don’t work

“Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.” — Albert Einstein More...

The sights and sounds of Hanukkah

LIGHT THE CANDLES—Temple Etz Chaim’s Hazzan Pablo Duek, above, leads the crowd in song during the local temple’s menorah lighting on the second night of Hanukkah at Janss Marketplace More...

Giving meaning to the season

By Sylvie Belmond
belmond@theacorn.com

“You can’t put a price on helping your fellow man.” These are not mere words for George Annino who, at 70, still exerts a great deal of energy providing help to the less fortunate. More...

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