Ventura County Star

Colbie Caillat , the former Thousand Oaks High School student who recorded a platinum-selling debut album after performing at such local venues as Zoey’s Cafe in Ventura, has been nominated for four Grammy Awards.Two of those nominations are shared with Taylor Swift for the album “Fearless.” The disc is up for album of the year, while one of its tracks, “Breathe,” garnered a best-pop ... Full Story »

Add grocery store recycling centers to the list of victims of the California budget crisis.Money the state had set aside from the deposits on bottles and cans to fund the recycling centers has been stripped away to help balance the budget. Now some recycling centers around the state are closing.“They have got to repay the funds that are being raided from the bottle bill program,” said Adrian ... Full Story »

Four days of public mourning for legendary Oxnard businessman and politician Nao Takasugi started Thursday, with a public viewing downtown at Garcia Mortuary.A steady stream of mourners and well-wishers filed into the mortuary’s chapel, starting at 10 a.m. By 4 p.m., 40 people had signed the guest book.Takasugi’s widow, Judy, said she was pleasantly surprised at the turnout.“People have just ... Full Story »

OXNARD — To accommodate the crowds expected for the annual Oxnard Christmas Parade on Saturday, downtown traffic will be diverted.Oxnard Police Department officers will handle traffic control at the event, which begins at 10 a.m. and goes until noon. Starting at 9 a.m., all intersections on C Street from Second Street to Fifth Street and on A Street from Fifth to Wooley Road will be closed to ... Full Story »

An Oxnard teen suspected of theft and prowling was arrested early Thursday after being caught in the backyard of a Ventura home and detained by a resident and off-duty highway patrolman, police said.A resident of a home in the 10100 block of Jamestown Street spotted the 17-year-old boy in his backyard after he was awakened by his barking dogs about 4:39 a.m., Ventura police said. The resident ... Full Story »

Workers at upscale clothing retailer Ruehl in Thousand Oaks will lose their jobs when the store in The Oaks mall closes its doors on Christmas Eve.The outlet, which sells Bohemian-style casual clothing targeted at young adults, is one of 29 Ruehl stores across the nation that are being shut down by parent company Abercrombie & Fitch.A manager at the store confirmed Wednesday that the last day ... Full Story »

For the past month, Oxnard High School junior Stephanie Gutierrez has canvassed local malls and shops in search of one thing: a job.With a down economy and competition from peers and others with more sales experience, Gutierrez said the search has been particularly hard, even with holiday shopping and the need for seasonal retail help.“A lot of stores said they are done hiring for the season and ... Full Story »

OXNARD — El Concilio and the Viejitos Car Club are sponsoring a Toys for the Kids Car Show on Sunday at Plaza Park in downtown Oxnard.Yvonne Gutierrez, executive director of El Concilio, said all Ventura County car clubs are welcome to participate in the toy-collection drive that benefits needy children in the Oxnard community.“Anyone who wants to enter can, although we’re looking at a maximum ... Full Story »

A toy drive will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at the big Santa Claus along the frontage road next to Highway 101 and the Del Norte Boulevard exit in Oxnard.The California Highway Patrol and Oxnard Fire Department will be there assisting. People who donate a toy will receive a coupon for a free sandwich from Chic-fil-A in Oxnard.The toys are being collected for underprivileged children ... Full Story »

Joe Hart of Charlotte, N.C., feels he has been unfairly accused of wanting more than the $5,000 that US Airways gave each passenger as compensation for any items that were lost when flight 1549 ditched in the Hudson River after striking a flock of birds during takeoff on Jan. 15.In a USA Today story, Hart was quoted as saying he “would like to be made whole for the incident,” noting he left more ... Full Story »

Gary “Krusher” Key, who is 6-foot-4 and weighs 300 pounds, could probably pick up “Stickboy” and break him over his knee.But the retired pro wrestler, who now does maintenance at the county jail, is in a forgiving mood and just throws Jedediah Johnson, the KVTA radio personality known as “Stickboy,” through the ropes.“Learning how to fall is a big part of it; otherwise you could really get hurt ... Full Story »

An inmate who was convicted in Ventura County and escaped from a prison in San Luis Obispo on Monday was caught on today in Fresno.Special agents tracked Bryan Sims, 34, to a home in Fresno where they saw him in a car that was pulling away from the house, officials said. They followed the car and when they stopped it, Sims ran off but was quickly apprehended just before 1 p.m.Sims, who had been ... Full Story »

Simi Valley police are warning residents about thieves who have been stealing packages left on front porches.Police suspect the thieves are following UPS, FedEx and Postal Service trucks during their routes, then stealing packages after they are delivered.In the past two months, five package thefts have been reported in Simi Valley, police spokesman Sgt. Adam Darough said.To prevent such thefts ... Full Story »

Stalled by the slow economy and regulatory problems, a trust fund initiated three years ago to kick-start affordable housing has been unable to produce any units in high-cost Ventura County.“There is interest in it,” said Dawn Dyer, a Ventura real estate consultant who heads the steering committee working on the fund. “It’s just that the timing couldn’t have been worse.”So organizers of the ... Full Story »

State corrections officials Thursday officially announced what has been apparent for months: The Ventura Youth Correctional Facility near Camarillo is no longer being considered for conversion into a medical prison for adults.“Today is really the formality of it,” said Bernard Warner, chief deputy secretary for the Juvenile Justice division in the state Department of Corrections and ... Full Story »

The official grand opening celebration for the new Moorpark post office was held Wednesday, but the facility is already receiving mixed reviews from customers.The 5,200-square-foot post office is on about one acre of city-owned land on the southwest corner of Moorpark Avenue and High Street. It replaced an existing 4,995-square-foot facility sandwiched between stores at the Town Plaza Shopping ... Full Story »

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger will attend Friday morning’s dedication of the new veterans home in east Ventura, his office announced today.Schwarzenegger is scheduled to make opening remarks at the 10 a.m. ceremony, which will mark the end of a decade-long effort to bring a state-run veterans home to Ventura County. The public is invited to the dedication, as well as an open house that will take ... Full Story »

Ruben Castro, a prominent leader of Moorpark known for helping the needy, died Wednesday after a long illness. He was 80.Castro was a lifelong resident of Moorpark and is best known for his work with Catholic Charities, which he turned from a simple food pantry to a thriving social services agency. Friends and family said his generosity and advocacy for the poor will not soon be forgotten.“He ... Full Story »

Gold Coast Transit bus fares will climb by 10 cents on Jan. 1 and another 15 cents in 2011 under a fare increase approved by the agency’s board of directors.The increase was introduced last month and approved Wednesday by the board. It will take bus fares from $1.25 today to $1.50 in July 2011.Before the second increase takes effect, however, the board will revisit the issue and decide whether ... Full Story »

Senior citizens and first responders were added on Thursday to the list of people in Ventura County who can receive swine flu vaccinations and there may come a time before year’s end when eligibility is open to everyone, said the county’s public health officer.The expansion includes anyone 65 and older, all law enforcement and fire personnel and anyone else in the first-responder system, said ... Full Story »

A co-defendant in the slaying of a Thousand Oaks gang member pleaded guilty Thursday to accessory to murder in connection with the 2007 ambush shooting.Prosecutors struck a plea-agreement deal with gang member Luis Fernando Chaclan, 21, who was initially charged with first-degree murder along with Luis Lima and Luis Fernando Ortega.The three were charged in the death of Juan Nabte, 21, who was ... Full Story »

Zachary Quinto , who played young Spock in this summer’s “ Star Trek ” movie, will be there. So will Dana Delany of TV’s “ Desperate Housewives ” and Noah Wyle of “ ER ” fame.But the true star of “Hearts on Fire,” an Ojai Playwrights Conference benefit taking place Jan. 30 in the Matilija Auditorium, will be someone whom audiences may have seen without realizing it: Terrence McNally.The four ... Full Story »

A Simi Valley teenager missing for about two weeks has returned home safely, police said today.Ariel Beck, 14, left her home Nov. 18 after being grounded by her parents, authorities said. Her family told Simi Valley police Wednesday night that she had returned home unharmed.Police, who had distributed a flier statewide trying to find the girl, determined there was no abduction or foul play after ... Full Story »

A second suspect has been arrested in the burglary of a Simi Valley home this week, police said.Rudolfo Avina, 24 , of Palmdale was arrested in his home city by Los Angeles County Sheriff’s deputies after a traffic stop Wednesday afternoon, Simi Valley police said. Simi Valley police contacted the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department about Avina earlier Wednesday. Investigators determined Avina was ... Full Story »

An elderly woman was critically injured Wednesday when she was hit by a car while crossing a Simi Valley street a few blocks from her home, police said.Mary Hutchins, 86, was crossing Yosemite Avenue near Nutwood Circle about 4 p.m. Wednesday after shopping at a nearby store when she was struck by a northbound car, Simi police Lt. Paul Fitzpatrick said. She was thrown a short distance ... Full Story »