The Conejo Valley Guide "Welcome" blog covers a wide range of topics, local information, highlights of local things to do, compilations and other items. Focus is on information relevant to Ventura County and surrounding areas, including Thousand Oaks, Westlake Village, Newbury Park, Agoura Hills, Calabasas, Malibu, Simi Valley, Camarillo, Moorpark, Somis, Fillmore, Santa Paula, Ojai, Oxnard, Port Hueneme, Santa Barbara and Moorpark.
The Conejo Valley Guide® "Welcome" blog covers a wide range of topics, local information, local things to do, holiday event compilations, announcements and more.
CBS Sunday Morning covers the Secret Santa of Kansas City, Missouri and how he teamed up with the Jackson County Sheriff's Department to the surprise and delight of local residents. Great story!
Beginning September 16, 2014, a new law takes effect that requires motorists that are passing a bicycle on a highway to have at least 3 feet of clearance from the bicycle. Violations of this new Three Feet for Safety Act (AB 1371) can result in a $35 fine. The fine increases to $220 if the driver collides with the bicyclist while in violation of the law (which if you think about it how would they not be violating the law if they collided...hmm).
This law basically clarifies the existing law, which says cars must pass bicyclists at a "safe distance."
Now let's say you're driving on a two-lane highway like Potrero Road in Thousand Oaks where there's no bike lane and cars are coming the opposite direction as you approach a group of cyclists. What should you do? Obviously slow down so that you can pass with at least 3 feet of clearance after cars coming the other way have passed. Just make sure you're not crossing a double yellow line.
Two lane Potrero Road in Hidden Valley
According to the California Bicycle Coalition, this law does not prohibit a bicyclist from passing a car by less than 3 feet. But that's because bicyclists present much less risk to car drivers than vice versa.
One may think, how in the world will anyone know if it is 3 feet vs 2 1/2 feet, etc. Short of attaching a yardstick to the side of your car, I guess we'll have to use our best judgment.
Speaking of bicycles...click here for some fun bike paths in and around Ventura County.
According to an entry on Wikipedia, Cheese is a food derived from milk that is produced in a wide range of flavors, textures, and forms by coagulation of the milk protein casein. It comprises proteins and fat from milk, usually the milk of cows, buffalo, goats, or sheep. During production, the milk is usually acidified, and adding the enzyme rennet causes coagulation. The solids are separated and pressed into final form. Some cheeses have molds on the rind or throughout. Uh, sounds delicious, eh?
In a recent drawing on the Conejo Valley Guide Facebook Page for a gift certificate to The Melting Pot in Thousand Oaks, entrants were asked to mention their favorite cheese. I discovered that 1) people are not shy about their love for cheese, as there were over 850 responses in just eight hours; and 2) there are a lot of cheeses I've never heard of.
So here is a tabulation of responses to this drawing that may strike a fancy with some of you. I am certainly tempted to try out some new cheeses this weekend!
The Top 15 Cheeses (as surveyed):
*Includes all types - sharp, mild, white, smoked, English, etc.
Cheddar, Gouda and Brie were the clear top three most popular cheeses named in this survey. Havarti, Gruyere and Swiss duked it out for the next three spots. Pepper Jack had quite a strong showing also.
Other notable cheeses receiving 3 or more votes included Monterey Jack (7 votes), Fontina (7), Parmesan (7), Jalapeno/Habanero Jack (7), Asiago (6), Port Wine (6),
The U.S. Social Security Administration publishes an annual list of the 1,000 most popular baby names going back to year 1880. 134 years worth of interesting data, searchable by year, decade, state and more at www.ssa.gov/OACT/babynames.
After a 14 year run as the most popular baby boy name, Jacob was overtaken by Noah in 2013. Noah's triumph has been a gradual one. In 2003, it was the 31st most popular name, gaining popularity over time to break into the top 10 in 2009, then down to #4 in 2012 and #1 last year.
Source: Social Security Administration Popular Baby Names Database
If history is any indication, Noah could continue to be the most popular name for years to come. Prior to Jacob's 14 year win streak, Michael had been the most popular boys' name from 1961 to 1998, an amazing 38 year streak, stumbling only in 1960 when David made a brief appearance, following Michael's initial 6 year streak from 1954 to 1959.
Prior to 1954, from 1880 to 1953, the names James, Robert and John populated the #1 baby boy name spot for 74 years. Robert was there from 1924 to 1939 and 1953. James was #1 from 1940 to 1952. And John holds the American record for most years as most popular boy name, topping the list from 1880 to 1923; 44 years.
Going back 100 years ago, the most consistently popular boys names populating the t
If this video does not bring a smile to your face, let alone a good laugh, I don't know what will!
Click this link for over 70 activities geared towards little ones and for birthday party options in and around Ventura County check out this popular compilation.
I was at a kids track meet at Oxnard High School the other day when I stopped to admire the school track and field records reflected on the large sign shown above. In admiring my way through the impressive array, I did a double take when I saw the boys' shot put record. Bud Houser has the record of 56' 3" that was set in 1922. This record is 92 years old!!
That's not something you see every day. So I took a look at the Oxnard High School website alumni section, which indicated that 1922 graduate Clarence "Bud" Houser went on to compete at the 1924 Olympics in Paris and won the gold medal in both the shot put and the discus throw! No one ever since has won gold medals in both of these events at the same Olympics.
He returned to the 1928 Olympics in Amsterdam and earned another gold medal in his only event that year, the discus throw. Competing in the Olympics three times and earning the gold medal each time is pretty darn epic if you ask me. Bud Houser is a legend. I'm not the only one to observe that as the Oxnard High School stadium is named after him!
Houser was a three time national champion in the discus and two time champion in the shot put (including 1921, while he was still in high school). He held the world record of 158 feet, 1 3/4 inches in the discus throw from 1926 to 1929.
In 1979, at the age of 78, Bud was inducted into the USA Track & Field Hall of Fame. He later enrolled in the dentistry program at USC and opened a dentistry practice in Palm Springs. He died in 1994 at the age of 93.
Here is an uplifting video featuring a "Prank it Forward" at the Ascencia Shelter in Glendale. Director and prankster Greg Benson worked with his team to transform the shelter for one night into a fancy restaurant, complete with classical music and filet mignon, to the delight of 50 attendees. Learn more about Prank it Forward at sites.break.com/prank-it-fwd.
Conejo Valley Guide covers events, activities and things to do throughout Ventura County and surrounding areas.
Conejo Valley Guide® covers thousands of events, activities and things to do throughout Ventura County, California and surrounding areas.
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