Ventura County Star Stories: News

'81 crash shattered Simi man's memory, but he copes

tkisken@venturacountystar.com (Tom Kisken ) — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 07:01:00 -0000

Steve Farnham reflects in and on a rearview mirror he found going to work at the Simi Valley Library. He said the broken glass symbolizes how he feels about his memory: It’s there but in broken pieces he has to put together.

Steve Farnham wakes each morning remembering, at best, blurred images of the day before: Faces without names, daily routines but not conversations, dreamlike sequences stripped of detail. The 44-year-old Simi Valley man with the constant smile has an IQ of 136. He reads Nietzsche for fun.

Eight reasons why budget's in bad shape

therdt@venturacountystar.com (Timm Herdt) — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 07:01:00 -0000

On this weekend of celebration in America, California finds itself in an uncomfortable position at the birthday party. It’s the state all the others are snickering about behind its back because it has a hole in its budget larger that most states’ entire budgets, has just about run out of cash and has been forced to start paying many of its bills with IOUs.

Cason Point: Son fights to keep America safe ... for parking tickets

ccason@venturacountystar.com (Colleen Cason) — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 07:01:00 -0000

This Independence Day weekend, Christopher Kay is fighting for his country in Iraq. In the spirit of ’76 — with his son 7,660 miles from home — his dad is fighting City Hall on his behalf.

Asian adoptee, now CLU grad student, researches ties

jcmoore@venturacountystar.com (Jean Cowden Moore) — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 07:01:00 -0000

It took an identity crisis for Joy Hoffman to fully realize she’s Korean. Hoffman, a graduate student at California Lutheran University in Thousand Oaks, was adopted by white, conservative, Lutheran parents as a baby and grew up in Orange County, immersed in white culture. It wasn’t until she was in her 30s that she came to terms with her Korean identity.

Camarillo man heads California American Legion

Sun, 05 Jul 2009 07:01:00 -0000

A war veteran from Camarillo has achieved his goal of becoming the top American Legion official in California. Dennis Fercho, 64, was elected state commander of the organization at the 91st annual state convention in Riverside on June 21.

Camarillo man heads California American Legion

Sun, 05 Jul 2009 07:01:00 -0000

Simi resident collects Americana

Sat, 04 Jul 2009 07:00:00 -0000

Working as an engineer keeps Don Stalker focused. The 54-year old Simi Valley resident works for Communications and Power Industries Inc. in Camarillo. But he’s been sidetracked recently by a newfound hobby that has become something of a time consumer.

Passengers can ride in a B-25 Mitchell bomber for $425

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 07:00:00 -0000

The public will have a chance on Saturday to fly in a World War II bomber, courtesy of local aircraft enthusiasts at Camarillo Airport.

Neurologist testifies in murder trial

rhernandez@venturacountystar.com (Raul Hernandez) — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 07:00:00 -0000

A defense witness testified Thursday that murder defendant Lester Eugene Varnum was in a state of mind similar to sleepwalking on the night he got into his pickup truck and killed a man in Camarillo.

Kids medical care project scrapped as cuts loom

kwilson@VenturaCountyStar.com (Kathleen Wilson) — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 07:00:00 -0000

A Camarillo charity is closing a program connecting Ventura County children to donated medical care, is cutting back on mental health counseling and has laid off 10 percent of its staff.

Asian adoptee, now CLU grad student, researches ties

jcmoore@venturacountystar.com (Jean Cowden Moore) — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 07:01:00 -0000

Illness, injuries befall hiking trio

kgregory@venturacountystar.com (Kim Lamb Gregory) — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 07:00:00 -0000

Eight hundred miles down, 1,600 to go.

KCLU-FM wins 7 'Mark Twain' news awards

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 07:00:00 -0000

Ventura County public radio station KCLU-FM (88.3) has won another host of awards for its news coverage, this time from The Associated Press Broadcasters Association.

Health center offers classes for charity donations

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 07:01:00 -0000

Mary Froba hopeful, grateful, happy at age 100

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 07:00:00 -0000

Mary Feldman was 9 when she celebrated the end of World War I with her aunts on Main Street in Louisville, Ky.

Firefighters to burn brush in Fillmore training exercise

Sat, 04 Jul 2009 07:00:00 -0000

Ventura County firefighters will conduct a training burn together with firefighters from the city of Fillmore beginning Monday.

Fireworks in Fillmore heating up for holiday

Mon, 29 Jun 2009 07:01:00 -0000

From all the signs in town warning that illegal fireworks are punishable by a $1,000 fine, one might not know that Fillmore is the only city in the county where it is legal to sell and use “safe and sane” fireworks the week of July Fourth.

Fillmore won't meet deadline for adopting budget

Fri, 26 Jun 2009 07:00:00 -0000

For the first time in years, the Fillmore City Council has had to pass a resolution to allow the city to continue spending money into the next fiscal year, which begins July 1, because it will not have its budget adopted by then.

3 suspected of illegal drug use in Fillmore

Thu, 25 Jun 2009 07:00:00 -0000

Ventura County Sheriff’s deputies arrested three people in Fillmore this week on suspicion of being under the influence of a controlled substance.

Fillmore will examine mobile-home initiative

Wed, 24 Jun 2009 17:36:00 -0000

Coverage of the Fillmore City Council on Tuesday night. Angle tk.