In preparation for the Jewish new year, children and their families craft their very own ram's horn instrument, known as "Shofar" in Hebrew, at Chabad of Oxnard Jewish Center.
Months of painstaking repairs, including a new wiring system and a custom ringer, culminated Thursday when the ringing of the bells was restored, continuing a 229-year tradition, at the San Buenaventura Mission.
Thousand Oaks resident Rebecca Simpson is living, and blogging about, the urban farm/homestead experience, which includes keeping chickens, growing her own produce and even, on occasion, making hats out of dog fur. Simpson is one of many who are attempting the semi-self sustaining lifestyle, as evidenced by such books as "The One-Block Feast," etc.
For Alexis Ells, who runs a horse rescue center in Ojai, a recent Friday was a big day. Volunteers from the Navy bases at Port Hueneme and Point Mugu, including some specialists in construction from the Seabees, came out to help her paint a barn and tend to her horse ranch.
Dylan McEttrick was pretty sure he would not be advancing to the semifinals of the Scripps National Spelling Bee. The 13-year-old from Ojai had stood onstage in front of a crowded ballroom Wednesday and correctly spelled two words in the second and third rounds of the 84th national competition, which is being held just outside Washington, DC.
Right of Light performs "For the Wolf" during a recent practice in at Stage One in Simi Valley in preparation for their final stage performance together.
Grace Brethren's robotics team is using their regional-winning robot design to take on all challengers at the 2011 Vex Robotics Competition World Championship.
After negotiations over how to tear down Matilija Dam reached a stalemate last year, a new proposal is being examined on how to remove the massive amount of sediment built up behind the defunct dam near Ojai.
While whale watching by boat is more commonplace in the California coast, local business Channel Islands Helicopters is offering another way to get up close with the magnificent sea creatures. The company's helicopter tour is the only one locally that provides a bird's eye view of whales as they migrate down the coast.
After four months of offering homeless individuals no-frills overnight shelter and meals, the West County Winter Warming Shelter in Oxnard has run out of money and closes on Friday morning.
