Ventura County Star (Ventura, CA) articles from June 2011

Ventura County Star (Ventura, CA) archives from June 2011

BRIEF: DUI checkpoint planned Saturday in Thousand Oaks.
June 30, 2011... June 30--Thousand Oaks police will set up a DUI and driver's license checkpoint at an undisclosed location from 6 p.m. to midnight Saturday. Officers from multiple agencies will assist Thousand Oaks police with the checkpoint. The...

BRIEF: Oxnard police make arrest in stabbing.
June 30, 2011... June 30--Oxnard police arrested a 21-year-old man on Wednesday in connection with a stabbing along the 700 block of West Channel Islands Boulevard on June 14. Police said they were told of the stabbing about 5:40 p.m. June 14. When police...

BRIEF: Cellphone provides break in Meiners Oaks school burglary case.
June 30, 2011... June 30--Ventura County Sheriff deputies arrested a 22-year-old Ojai man on Wednesday in connection with the burglary of Meiners Oaks Elementary School on Saturday. Police said they were called to the school about 3 p.m. after being told of...

BRIEF: Morning Report: Sunny, warm conditions.
June 30, 2011... June 30--Weather: Sunny and warm conditions are expected throughout Ventura County today, the National Weather Service reported. Highs will be in the lower to mid 70s at the beaches and upper 70s to lower 80s in the interior valleys. ...

State sales tax drops to 7.25% on Friday.
June 30, 2011... Byline: Stephanie Hoops June 30--The owner of the Rocket Fizz Soda Pop & Candy Shop in Camarillo only became aware this week that he needed to change his cash registers to drop the state sales tax by 1 percent on today. Ryan Morgan...

BRIEF: Santa Paula man arrested after pursuit in Ventura.
June 30, 2011... June 30--A 50-year-old Santa Paula man was arrested this afternoon on suspicion of evading police and possession of narcotics, Ventura Police Department officials said. About 12:45 p.m. Cpl. Adam Delgado stopped the suspect, John Rivera,...

Brighten your mood at fireworks shows and other Fourth of July events.
June 30, 2011... Byline: Karen Lindell June 30--Go ahead, rip that page right out of your calendar. June's done. Kaput. Outta here. So long. Ta-ta. Adios. Starting today, it's July. And as the Independence Day weekend begins, we in Ventura County...

Ventura County Star, Calif., Jim Carlisle column.(Column)
June 30, 2011... Byline: Jim Carlisle June 30--Usually, I stay away from non-sports items here, even though they might be televised on sports networks. Things like spelling bees and hot dog-eating contests may find their way onto ESPN, but that doesn't mean I...

805 Startups give tech entrepreneurs new opportunities.
June 30, 2011... Byline: Allison Bruce June 30--For local tech entrepreneurs, the chance to socialize, share ideas and make new contacts without driving into Los Angeles is a welcome change. Startup founders, programmers, attorneys, staffing companies,...

BRIEF: 2 arrested in Oxnard robberies.
June 30, 2011... June 30--Oxnard police have arrested two suspects in a pair of armed robberies from last week, officials said. Steven Rodriguez, 21, of Ventura was arrested Wednesday at his workplace in Santa Paula, and a 14-year-old boy was arrested today...

Old Creek Road gets new passage for cars and fish.
June 30, 2011... Byline: Kevin Clerici June 30--Ventura County opened its newest bridge Thursday, providing a safer passage for both people and fish. Bill Harkins, whose has lived in the area for 37 years, got the honor of being the first to drive across...

BRIEF: Takasugi freed after posting $100,000 bail.
June 30, 2011... June 30--Simi Valley attorney Russell Takasugi has been freed from custody after posting $100,000 bail in a 34-count embezzlement case. Takasugi, 56, was released from the Ventura County jail about 10 p.m. Wednesday, some 13 hours after he...

BRIEF: Cause of boy's suspicious death unclear after autopsy.
June 30, 2011... June 30--The cause of a 5-year-old boy's suspicious death in Ventura remained unclear following an autopsy today, officials said. Authorities found no injuries or congenital defects during the autopsy on the boy, said Deputy Ventura County...

Text message leads Harvey to Ojai.
June 29, 2011... Byline: Bob Buttitta June 29--It's rare but every now and then, opportunity comes knocking. Former Elkins Ranch head golf professional Chris Harvey got one of those rare knocks at the beginning of last month, when he received a text...

Housing rules changed despite growth policies.
June 29, 2011... Byline: Kathleen Wilson June 29--The Ventura County Board of Supervisors established a high-density zone on Tuesday to encourage low-income housing, a move some saw as conflicting with longstanding growth policies. Faced with state...

Filming dispute leaves Supervisor Kathy Long and community group at odds.
June 29, 2011... Byline: Kathleen Wilson June 29--Residents of rural Piru say they've been bothered for years by Hollywood film shoots that spawn parking problems and traffic delays in their town. Still, some felt repaid because their neighborhood council...

Jailhouse informant testifies Victor Meraz talked about 2007 murder.
June 29, 2011... Byline: Raul Hernandez June 29--A confidential informant who testified that he's worked many murder cases for police, told jurors Tuesday he got murder suspect Victor Meraz to talk about how he killed Albert "Payo" Avalos in 2007. The...

BRIEF: Man commits suicide in front of police officer.
June 29, 2011... June 29--An Oxnard man fatally shot himself after brandishing a gun at a police officer early Tuesday, authorities said. The 37-year-old man committed suicide about 12:43 a.m. in a cul-de-sac of Perkins Road in Oxnard, police said. The...

GOP group takes aim at Lois Capps congressional seat with TV ad attacking Medicare vote.
June 29, 2011... Byline: Michael Collins June 29--WASHINGTON -- A national Republican group that believes congressional redistricting will give the GOP a good shot at unseating Rep. Lois Capps next year went on the air Tuesday with a television ad that...

Kastor back on the run to Olympic glory.
June 29, 2011... Byline: Rhiannon Potkey June 29--Deena Kastor returns to racing, Bud Selig praises Sparky Anderson and a quasi-local player goes high in the NBA draft. Local players are making news beyond the county lines. Here's what's being said and...

BRIEF: Teen arrested after break-ins at Camarillo restaurant and minimart.
June 29, 2011... June 29--Ventura County Sheriff's Department deputies Tuesday morning arrested a burglary suspect after break-ins at a Camarillo minimart and a nearby restaurant, officials said. Deputies responded about 2 a.m. to burglary alarms at a...

BRIEF: Attorney Takasugi arrested on embezzlement charges.
June 29, 2011... Byline: Mike Harris June 29--Simi Valley attorney Russell Takasugi was arrested today on a 34-count criminal complaint alleging he embezzled more than $500,000 from an elderly client's estate. Simi Valley police arrested Takasugi about 9...

Homicide suspect shot after Ventura Police serve search warrant.
June 29, 2011... June 29--A homicide suspect out of San Diego was injured in an officer-involved shooting this morning while Ventura officers were serving a search warrant, police said. Ventura police were assisting National City police in their investigation...

BRIEF: Ventura police investigate suspicious death of boy, 5.
June 29, 2011... June 29--Ventura police are investigating the death of a 5-year-old boy in the city this morning as suspicious, officials said. The investigation began after Ventura police and firefighters responded to a report of a child not breathing in...

BRIEF: Authorities: Convicted robber found dead in jail after apparent suicide.(Obituary)
June 29, 2011... June 29--A convicted robber recently sentenced to more than 66 years in prison was found dead in his cell early this morning after he apparently committed suicide, Ventura County Sheriff's officials said in a statement. Deputies conducting...

Defendant Victor Meraz of Fillmore testifies in murder trial.
June 29, 2011... Byline: Raul Hernandez June 29--A 20-year-old murder defendant testified in court today that he panicked and fired a gun once from the back seat of a Suburban after he and two others inside the vehicle were surrounded by rival gang members on...

Fireworks go on sale in Fillmore; cops ready to crack down.
June 29, 2011... Byline: Adam Foxman June 29--The brightly colored stands line Fillmore's main drag, advertising TNT- and Phantom-brand fireworks and signaling that Independence Day is near. The only part of Ventura County where fireworks are legal to sell...

Ventura County Star, Calif., Keith Kropp column.(Column)
June 29, 2011... Byline: Keith Kropp June 29--As the 2011 Wimbledon Championships move deep into the second week, it has certainly been an eventful tournament so far for Camarillo's Mike and Bob Bryan. The 33-year-old identical twins had their first-round...

Fireworks suspected in T.O. grass fire.
June 29, 2011... June 29--Authorities suspect fireworks caused a grass fire that burned about three acres in Thousand Oaks today. Officials received reports about fireworks seen just before the blaze in the 1700 block of Rancho Conejo Boulevard, and a fire...

2 suspects arrested in Ojai Valley robbery.
June 29, 2011... June 29--Two suspects were recently arrested in an Ojai Valley robbery, authorities said. Oak View residents Rosalba Hernandez, 24, and Ismael Lopez, 28, were arrested this week on suspicion of robbing a man who they'd given a ride after...

BRIEF: Santa Paula man arrested in connection with car theft.
June 29, 2011... June 29--A 21-year-old Santa Paula man was arrested this week in connection with a car theft after fleeing police on Highway 126. An officer attempted to stop a vehicle in the 1000 block of East Main Street about 2:30 p.m. Tuesday. The...

Thurston returns as Moorpark assistant coach.
June 29, 2011... Byline: Joe Curley June 29--Will Thurston may not have been on a sideline for the past 11 years, but it didn't mean his impact wasn't being felt on a gridiron somewhere. "Will Thurston taught me more about the running back position than...

TO Council OKs purchase of historic photos.
June 29, 2011... Byline: Teresa Rochester June 29--The Thousand Oaks City Council on Tuesday approved the purchase of thousands of historic Conejo Valley photographs and negatives taken by photographer Ed Lawrence. The council's 4-0 vote also authorized a...

Rios happy with new strength trainer leading up to title fight.
June 28, 2011... Byline: Bob Buttitta June 28--Usually a few weeks before one of his bouts, Oxnard boxer Brandon Rios is no fun to be around, due mostly to the stress of trying to make weight and the pressure that goes with preparing for a championship fight....

Possible conflicts of interest affect Medi-Cal decision.
June 28, 2011... Byline: Tom Kisken June 28--Concerned about conflicts of interest, a commission governing a Medi-Cal system on the verge of delivering care to 100,000 people in Ventura County handed off a controversial decision about assigning patients to...

Attorneys question more jurors in Brandon McInerney murder case in Chatsworth.
June 28, 2011... Byline: Marjorie Hernandez June 28--CHATSWORTH -- Jury selection in the Brandon McInerney murder case continued Monday as Ventura County prosecutors and defense attorneys asked potential jurors about their feelings on issues that could be...

all-channel league teams.
June 28, 2011... June 28--Ventura High's stellar 6-foot-8 outside hitter Michael Henchy has earned honors as the Channel League's Most Valuable Player for boys volleyball. The Ohio State-bound outside hitter is joined by teammate Dustan Neary and Buena's...

BRIEF: Bryans advance to third round at Wimbledon.
June 28, 2011... Byline: Rhiannon Potkey June 28--Wimbledon was beginning to feel like Groundhog Day for Bob and Mike Bryan. The Camarillo natives would eat a big breakfast, warm up, consume a carbohydrate-laden lunch, shower, stretch and get their rackets...

More doctors going outside their specialties to offer skin treatments.
June 28, 2011... Byline: Kim Lamb Gregory June 28--Michaela Walker of Camarillo says she would never go to anyone but a board-certified dermatologist to get her regular Botox injections "because I've seen Priscilla Presley." But there is an increasing...

BRIEF: Thousand Oaks man swept down Kern River.
June 28, 2011... June 28--A Thousand Oaks man remained missing Monday afternoon after being swept down the Kern River on Sunday morning. Witnesses said Daniel Kilgore, 55, was camping with family and friends at the Sandy Flat Campground near Lake Isabella at...

BRIEF: Joshua Packer convicted of battery in VCMC altercation.
June 28, 2011... June 28--A jury this week convicted Joshua Packer of misdemeanor battery for a 2009 altercation with security guards at Ventura County Medical Center but deadlocked on a felony assault charge. Jurors returned the guilty verdict Monday...

Edison sues Oxnard for blocking a peaker power plant.
June 28, 2011... Byline: Kevin Clerici June 28--Fed up with repeated delays, Southern California Edison has turned to the courts to force the city of Oxnard to issue building permits so it can begin constructing a 45-megawatt peaker power plant near Mandalay...

Morning Report: 2 Camarillo businesses burglarized; suspect arrested.
June 28, 2011... June 28--Police and Fire: Ventura County Sheriff's deputies this morning arrested a burglary suspect after break-ins at a Camarillo minimart and a nearby restaurant, officials said. Deputies responded about 2 a.m. to burglary alarms at a...

Moorpark area man sentenced in aggravated sexual assault of child.
June 28, 2011... Byline: Raul Hernandez June 28--Ventura County Superior Court Judge Brian Back today sentenced Shawn Damon Barth to 15 years to life in prison after he pleaded guilty to raping a girl who lived with him. In May, the 48-year-old Barth...

County board OKs living-wage increase; Foy dissents.
June 28, 2011... Byline: Kathleen Wilson June 28--The minimum wage paid by Ventura County government will be increased by 50 cents, to $10 an hour plus benefits, in July. Under an ordinance passed by the Board of Supervisors in 2001, the county pays what...

Simi creates merged redevelopment zone over county objections.
June 28, 2011... Byline: Mike Harris June 28--The Simi Valley City Council has approved the merging of three redevelopment areas into one larger redevelopment zone over the objections of Ventura County, which says it stands to lose millions of dollars in...

BRIEF: Can Film Festival to benefit FOOD Share.
June 28, 2011... June 28--Can Film Festival, a series of 10 free family movie nights to benefit FOOD Share, debuts at 7 tonight at the Pacific View mall food court, 3301 E. Main St. in Ventura. The movie screenings are free, but guests are encouraged to bring...

BRIEF: 1 extricated after rollover crash.
June 27, 2011... June 27--One person was extricated from a vehicle this morning following a solo rollover crash near Mandalay State Beach, authorities said. The crash was reported at 7:51 a.m. in the area of Harbor Boulevard and Gonzales Road near the edge...

Victim of fatal motorcycle crash ID'd.
June 27, 2011... June 27--A 49-year-old Simi Valley woman was killed on Pacific Coast Highway Sunday when the motorcycle she was riding on crashed while the driver was allegedly DUI, authorities said this morning. Catherine Paxman was pronounced dead at the...

Morning Report: Shooting at Oxnard intersection investigated.
June 27, 2011... June 27--Police and Fire: Shots were fired at a vehicle at an Oxnard intersection Sunday night by someone in another car after people in the shooter's vehicle flashed gang signs, but no one was hurt, police said. The shooting was reported...

Oxnard finances in good shape; council doling out Measure O funds.
June 27, 2011... Byline: Kevin Clerici June 27--Oxnard's finances are in healthy shape, requiring only minor cuts to bring spending in line with reduced revenues and allowing union employees to receive 2 percent raises beginning in January 2012, plans show....

BRIEF: Four local schools named finalists for fitness award.
June 27, 2011... June 27--Four Ventura County schools are among 116 statewide finalists in the 2011 Governor's Challenge Competition. The contest promotes physical activity and health among students. McAuliffe and Fremont schools in the Oxnard School...

Simi Valley Town Center loses Brookstone but occupancy climbs.
June 27, 2011... Byline: Stephanie Hoops June 27--Just over a month after a new developer said it had stabilized tenant departure at the Simi Valley Town Center, big-name retailer Brookstone is gone, but the developer says occupancy has risen from 86 percent...

Colby rallies to take Ventura city golf event.
June 27, 2011... Byline: Bob Buttitta June 27--Former Westlake High standout Marshall Colby and ex-Oak Park golfer Tyler Schwanz have both trying to work through some issues with their golf games. But based on their play in Sunday's final round of the Ventura...

BRIEF: Simi Valley woman killed in motorcycle crash.
June 27, 2011... June 27--A Simi Valley woman was killed in a motorcycle accident on northbound Highway 1 in Oxnard on Sunday afternoon, the California Highway Patrol reported. The driver, also from Simi Valley, suffered a compound fracture to his left arm...

Sunscreen labeling rules clarified for consumers.
June 26, 2011... Byline: Stephanie Hoops June 26--Many people have questions before heading out for a day in the sun: How powerful does my sunscreen need to be to adequately protect me? Is SPF 50 really better than SPF 15? Do I need protection from UVA rays?...

Falk to lead Oaks Christian.
June 26, 2011... Byline: Loren Ledin June 26--If the Oaks Christian School football team didn't glean a championship from the Conejo Classic 7-on-7 passing tournament Saturday, it emerged with something more valuable. A starting quarterback. ...

De Fratus is one step away from the big leagues.
June 26, 2011... Byline: Rhiannon Potkey June 26--Reliever Justin De Fratus (Rio Mesa, Ventura College) could not have asked for a much better time to make his first appearance in big league spring training. The Philadelphia Phillies pitching staff boasts...

BRIEF: Youth soccer roundup: Real So Cal White U18 girls to play for youth soccer championship.
June 26, 2011... June 26--The Real So Cal White U18 girls will play for the Far West Regional U.S. Youth Soccer championship today in Boise, Idaho. After beating the Eagles Soccer Club 1-0 on Friday, coach Kristy Walker's team edged the So Cal Blues Dodge 2-1...

BRIEF: F.C. Hasenthal Soccer.
June 26, 2011... June 26--F.C. Hasenthal's captain and midfielder Taylor Canel scored the game-tying goal Saturday in stoppage time to salvage a 1-1 tie with the San Diego Flash at Oxnard College. Hasenthal (5-5-2) of the National Premier Soccer League...

BRIEF: Jochen Graf lead's Fusion to victory in Utah.
June 26, 2011... June 26--Jochen Graf scored a pair of goals Saturday night to lead the Ventura County Fusion to a 4-1 soccer victory at Ogden, Utah. Graf scored in the eighth minute off an assist by Jacob Hustedt. Twenty minutes later, Graf connected...

Arce leaves behind influential high school sports legacy.
June 26, 2011... Byline: Rhiannon Potkey June 26--Susana Arce never imagined the simple act of opening the door to a weight room would lead to so many other doors in her life opening. For more than 30 years, Arce has been an influential voice for Ventura...

Business briefs: Attorney given leadership award.
June 26, 2011... June 26--Attorney given leadership award VENTURA COUNTY -- The Ventura County Leadership Academy gave Marc L. Charney the inaugural VCLA Founder's Award at the annual academy luncheon on May 19. Charney, an attorney at Nordman Cormany Hair...

Signs along country roads guide you to the freshest food.
June 26, 2011... Byline: Lisa McKinnon June 26--U-pick. It isn't the most grammatical of invitations. But when painted on a roadside sign, its meaning is clear: This is where you can pull the car over and pick your own apricots, strawberries and lavender....

BRIEF: Ventura firefighters knock down blaze.
June 26, 2011... June 26--Firefighters from the city and county of Ventura extinguished a fire at a two-story home in Ventura Saturday afternoon. The blaze, which appeared to have started outside and spread into the home in the 400 block of Nevada Avenue, was...

BRIEF: Motorcyclist killed in Thousand Oaks crash.
June 26, 2011... June 26--A 66-year-old Moorpark man riding a motorcycle was killed Saturday afternoon in an accident in Thousand Oaks, Ventura County Sheriff's officials said. The single-vehicle crash occurred about 4 p.m. at the intersection of Via Andrea...

BRIEF: Motorcyclist killed in accident on PCH.
June 26, 2011... June 26--A motorcycle accident on southbound Highway 1 this afternoon has resulted in a fatality, according to the California Highway Patrol. The CHP, which has officers on scene investigating the accident, confirmed that someone died in...

Writer gets a chance for hands-on experience.
June 26, 2011... Byline: Rich Romine June 26--Cory Kruseman called me recently and asked if I could spare an hour, adding that is all it would take to experience the adrenaline rush of the Kruseman Driving School at Ventura Raceway. My drive on the 101 proved...

Taylor earns win No. 50.
June 26, 2011... Byline: Rich Romine June 26--Ventura' Greg Taylor joined the 50 win club Saturday night by winning the $5,000 purse in the All Coast Construction Challenge Sprint Car feature at Ventura Raceway. It was Taylor's third victory in the...

Local teens ride to rodeo nationals.
June 25, 2011... Byline: Rich Romine June 25--A pair of local teens will go from the seventh grade to the seventh-annual national Junior High Final Rodeo next week. Makenna Kramer of Moorpark and Tate Forsberg of Ventura will spend a week of their summer...

BRIEF: Oxnard United eliminated in regional quarterfinals.
June 25, 2011... June 25--The Oxnard United Under-19 boys' soccer team fell two goals behind and could not recover Friday morning. The Oxnard club was eliminated, 2-1, in the quarterfinals of U.S. Youth Soccer's Far West regional by Serano '92 White of...

Trial continues for suspect in alleged gang killing.
June 25, 2011... Byline: Adam Foxman June 25--On the morning he was fatally shot in May 2007, Albert "Payo" Avalos was walking down a narrow Fillmore street with three men when a vehicle pulled up, someone opened fire, and he shot back before collapsing while...

Westlake's Moore using summer tournaments to make fall transition.
June 25, 2011... Byline: Loren Ledin June 25--He's already played on two Marmonte League title teams and played in two CIF-SS championship games, including the one where he took the starring role in 2009. But here's one thing Justin Moore has yet to...

Cabral falls in final race.
June 25, 2011... June 25--Johnathan Cabral's trip to the U.S. Junior Track and Field Championships at Eugene, Ore., went from ecstacy to agony Friday. Looking to represent the United States in the Pan American Junior Championships in Miramar, Fla., the...

F.C. Hasenthal to host home finale tonight at OC.
June 25, 2011... Byline: Joe Curley June 25--Admission is free, refreshments will be provided and there will even be some t-shirts available for its youngest fans. F.C. Hasenthal, the Conejo Valley-based men's soccer team, will be celebrating its first...

Thousand Oaks mobile home park is down to its last days.
June 25, 2011... Byline: Adam Foxman June 25--Oscar Bojorquez doesn't know where he will go as the deadline to make a decision about moving nears. Bojorquez, 39, his wife, Rosalia, and daughter Ana, 2, are among a handful of remaining residents at the...

Guidelines for rent law to be revealed.
June 25, 2011... Byline: Teresa Rochester June 25--As the Conejo Mobile Home Park chapter comes to a close, a new era for the other eight mobile home parks in Thousand Oaks will likely begin. Today, an agreement reached by park owners and tenant...

BRIEF: CHP investigating fatal crash on 101 this morning.
June 25, 2011... June 25--The California Highway Patrol is investigating a crash on Highway 101 from early this morning that killed several people. The Ventura County Medical Examiner's office is looking into four fatalities and trying to gather information and...

BRIEF: Four killed in crash on 101 this morning.
June 25, 2011... June 25--Four people were killed this morning when their truck left Highway 101 near Mussel Shoals and struck a tree. The accident was reported shortly before 3:30 a.m. just north of Mussel Shoals, according to the California Highway Patrol,...

BRIEF: Ventura County firefighters knock down blaze in Ventura.
June 25, 2011... June 25--Ventura County firefighters extinguished a fire at a two-story home in Ventura this afternoon. The blaze, which appeared to have started in a room in the lower level of the home in the 300 block of Nevada Avenue, was reported at...

Ventura County Star, Calif., Lisa McKinnon column.(Column)
June 25, 2011... Byline: Lisa McKinnon June 25--You can learn a lot by watching FOX's "MasterChef,"the reality-TV competition that features Venturan Adrien Nieto among the home cooks attempting to slice and dice their respective ways to the $250,000 grand...

Fire at The Oaks mall closes several stores.
June 25, 2011... June 25--A small fire that started in the back room of an apparel store at The Oaks mall earlier today led to the temporary closure of several stores. The Ventura County Fire Department responded to the fire around noon, finding a small fire...

Field-to-fork dinners showcase Ventura County farms, causes.
June 25, 2011... Byline: Lisa McKinnon June 25--If you like the idea of eating locally grown produce but aren't into picking -- much less cooking -- it yourself, there's an event for that. It's called a field-to-fork dinner, and several are in the works in...

Audit questions Rio School District agreement with Boys & Girls Clubs.
June 24, 2011... Byline: Cheri Carlson June 24--The Rio School District's long-standing agreement with the Boys & Girls Clubs to provide after-school programs was not properly approved five years ago, according to an independent audit released Thursday...