Over 160 Summer Camps In and Around Ventura County!!
LIFE'S A BEACH! SO GO THERE! OVER 40 LOCAL AREA BEACHES!
Rolling for Pink 5th Annual Bunko Tournament on 6/22 benefits The Breast Cancer Research Fndn. Registration begins 5/15!
Stay Cool in the Pool! Community Pools In/Around Ventura County
Wedding Reception Venues in Ventura County and Nearby Areas
Upcoming FREE Ventura County Area Events!!
Kids Eat Free in VC!
Moms Clubs in Ventura County
List Your Local Ventura County Business Here For FREE!
Tell Your Friends About Conejo Valley Guide!!
Ventura County Area Jobs!
Compilation of FREE Stuff!
Ventura County Batting Cages
Monday, May 13, 2013 at 10:01AM 
If you're looking for local Ventura County groups to meet up with other moms for playgroups, activities and socializing, look no further than this list (includes only organizations with websites...Contact Us for additions). (Last update February 2013...subject to change.)
Calvary Community Church MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers)
Conejo Valley Mothers of Multiples
Sunday, May 5, 2013 at 07:02PM 2013 Amgen Tour of California Route Announced
For the First Time, America’s Greatest Cycling Race Will Travel South to North, Beginning in Escondido and Crossing Beaches, Deserts, Mountains, Golden Gate Bridge
Changing direction for the first time in its eight-year history from south to north, America’s largest and most prestigious professional cycling stage race, the 2013 Amgen Tour of California, will bring riders and spectators first-time destinations, unprecedented climbs and demanding sprints on the approximately 750-mile course.
Amgen returns as the title sponsor for the heralded 8-stage race, set for May 12 to 19, 2013. Beginning with a circuit in Escondido, the route will run through 13 official host cities and include a first-time finish at the top of Mount Diablo, the 3,864-foot peak in the San Francisco Bay area. The race’s last stage will begin along the San Francisco Bay and continue across the Golden Gate Bridge, where a rolling traffic break will give cyclists uninterrupted access for the six-minute crossing.
Two new cities join the race route roster: Greater Palm Springs and Murrieta will host Stage 2, which will include an intense finish up the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway, one of the toughest climbs anywhere with an 1,880-foot elevation gain in the last four miles. Two other firsts: Escondido and Santa Rosa will become the first cities in race history to have hosted both an overall start and an overall finish.
As one of the most anticipated professional cycling races on the international calendar, the Amgen Tour of California draws top cyclists from the ranks of Olympic medalists, Tour de France competitors and world champions including BMC Racing Team’s current world road champion Philippe Gilbert.
The 2013 Amgen Tour of California will feature the following highlights (route and start times are subject to change):
Stage 1: Sunday, May 12, 11:15 am start – Escondido, Stage Length 104.3 miles
Stage 2: Monday, May 13, 10:20 am start – Murrieta to Greater Palm Springs (126.1 miles)
Stage 3: Tuesday, May 14 11:20 am start – Palmdale to Santa Clarita (Finishes at Magic Mountain Parkway) (111.8 miles)
Stage 4: Wednesday, May 15 12:35 pm start – Santa Clarita to Santa Barbara (84.7 miles)
Stage 4 is largely through Ventura Co
Wednesday, April 24, 2013 at 08:00AM The Ventura County Sheriff's Office services the County of Ventura and the five contract cities of Camarillo, Fillmore, Moorpark, Ojai, and Thousand Oaks, as well as unincorporated areas of Ventura County. There is a wealth of information on the VC Sheriff's website at www.vcsd.org, including the phone numbers for patrol stations.
One tool on the VC Sheriff website that I find to be quite useful is the Crime Maps. Crime maps provide approximate locations of arrests, calls for service and crimes/incidents by jurisdiction, in five-day increments going back up to 35 days.
Example Crime Map from www.vcsd.org website
As you can see from the example above, each incident is highlighted with a marker that shows, when you click it, the date and a brief description of the incident. Using the "zoom in" feature allows you to see actual street names on the map...however, as the VCSD disclaims, these represent approximate locations; actual street addresses are not included in the descriptions.
That said, I was curious one night when I passed a patrol car and sheriff's investigation van parked at a house nearby. The Crime Map showed a marking at what looked to be the exact location that I saw and indicated there was a residential burglary. Then I looked at other weeks in the 'hood and found another burglary and reported suspicious vehicle. While of course it is disturbing to hear of crime close to home, it is great information to know and share with your neighbors to be aware of what's going on.
While the crime maps can be a bit clunky to use, if you're patient, you'll find what you need. For example, if you reset the map to look at a different geographic area, time frame or incident type, once again you will need to use the arrow keys to move around, then zoom in/out to where you need to go. It would be awesome to have a feature where you can simply type in an address, but that feature is not available.
Viewing these maps will really give you a feel for how busy our local police are. For example, in the five days ended 4/11/13, there were 597 calls for service, 111 arrests and 60 reported crimes/incidents in the Thousand Oaks area alone. Calls for service include descriptions like responding to alarms, burglaries, juvenile problems, following up on a resident's well being, suspicious vehicles, shoplifting, prowlers, fights, disturbances and more.
To explore crime maps in your area (Camarillo, Fillmore, Moorpark, Ojai, and Thousand Oaks, as well as unincorporated areas of Ventura County), visit www.vcsd.org/pr-crime-map.php.
Thursday, April 11, 2013 at 08:52PM Ojai, Ventura County's smallest city with under 8,000 residents, is 40 miles from Thousand Oaks, the 2nd largest city in the county. This drive is well worth it if you're looking for a unique old town feeling right here in Ventura County.
Incorporated as a city in 1921, the Ojai valley was once inhabited by the Chumash Indians. The name Ojai is derived from the Chumash word "Awhai," meaning "moon." Glass manufacturer Edward D. Libbey helped create the layout of Ojai. After a fire destroyed much of the town in 1917, the western-style town received a new Spanish Revival look.
View of the arcade and pergola in front of Libbey Park on Ojai AvenueThe Ojai Post Office tower and portico was completed in 1917 and is a focal point for the city at the corner of Ojai Avenue and Signal Street. The tower was modeled after the Christopher Columbus Cathedral in Havana, Cuba, with additional details from Mexico. The tower complements the arcade and pergola along Ojai Avenue. You can't miss the one block arcade with its shops, eateries and art galleries.
Here's a selection of just some of the great things to do in Ojai:
The Ojai Valley Inn and Spa was ranked as the 33rd best hotel in California out of nearly 5,600 hotels by U.S. News & World Report in 2013. The Inn is a great local weekend getaway! Whether you stay there overnight or not, the Ojai Valley Inn's historic 18 hole golf course, 31,000 sq ft spa and fitness facility and four lighted tennis courts are available to local day trippers.
Libbey Bowl and Libbey Park are located in the heart of Ojai next to the downtown arcade area. Libbey Bowl, originally built in 1957 and completely renovated in 2011, is used for the annual Ojai Music Festival, Storytelling Festival, Ojai Day celebration, holiday events and much more. Libbey Park provides plenty of sitting areas, shade trees, a kids' playground in the heart of the city.
Strolling and shopping in the Ojai Arcade
Founded in 1966, the Ojai Valley Museum at 130 West Ojai Avenue maintains an extensive collection of art, Native American baskets, pioneer tools and photographs of early days in Ojai.
The Ojai Valley Trail provides cyclists, equestrians, runners and strollers a nine mile path paralleling Highway 33 from Foster Park on the north end of Ventura to Soule Park on west of downtown Ojai.
The Ojai Playhouse is a single screen theater originally built in 1914 that has been restored to its deco-style look inside and now shows first run movies in a theater that seats over 200 people. The Ojai Film Society hosts eclectic, indepen
Thursday, March 7, 2013 at 09:59AM 
The Parent Project® was created for parents with difficult or out-of-control adolescents between the ages 11 and 19. Parents learn and practice specific prevention and intervention strategies for destructive behaviors - truancy, alcohol and other drug use, gangs and other criminal behavior, running away, violence and suicide. Parents are self-referred or can be referred to Parent Project classes by officers in the field, juvenile detectives, diversion programs, court systems, mental health professionals and school officials.
This program is available locally in various Ventura County locations. Many programs are free or charge only a small fee for a Parent Project workbook.
Some upcoming local Parent Project classes as of March 2013 are below. Providers and costs vary. Click the link above to register online for most classes, or call the phone numbers below.
Sunday, December 23, 2012 at 12:14PM 
It doesn't rain nearly often enough here in Ventura County, but when it does, that's a great excuse for staying inside. You are in the right place as we have compiled this extensive list of over 200 indoor activities from Agoura to Simi Valley to Ventura and everywhere in between!
Geared Towards Little Kids
Gaming and Arcades
