Thoughts for the day

•Seems Calabasas officials want to extinguish cigarette smoking in the city, even in public places if certain proposed laws can be passed.

Good for them. Let’s keep the momentum going.

Squeeze smokers in the pocketbook and limit their options as to where they can pursue their nasty habit and maybe more users will quit.

Can you believe that anybody in this day and age makes a conscious decision to start smoking? Unbelievable.

•The local elections are only a week away and several grumblings have been heard regarding Agoura Hills City Council challenger Todd August and the fact that he’s raised more than $20,000 to fund his campaign. In this city, that’s a princely sum.

But how else can an outsider expect to win?

Challengers don’t have the luxury of sitting on back their heels. They’ve got to go on the attack and cast themselves as a viable alternative to the status quo. That costs money.

Good for August for taking the race seriously.

•Congratulations to Lee Renger and his appointment Tuesday to the Las Virgenes Municipal Water District board of directors. Renger replaces the discombobulated Vern Padgett, who clashed frequently with the other panel members and wisely chose to step down.

Renger is a retired engineer who received a strong recommendation from Los Angeles County Planning Commissioner Hal Helsley of Calabasas. Candidate Michael Harrison, the former Calabasas mayor, applied for the vacancy and might have been more qualified in the sense that he had a strong track record on the environment, but Renger made a better overall impression on the board.

•Have you had enough of the high cost of gasoline lately? Want to kick the habit?

Here are few tips:

Don’t be a jackrabbit off the line; it’s a waste of fuel and you rarely get to your destination any faster. Don’t exceed the speed limit, which is also a waste of gas. Go slower and your chances of getting into an accident are reduced as well.

It’s the kind of smart driving we should be doing regardless of the price of gasoline.

•Halloween is Monday, a time to play it safe when it comes to your children. Know where they are and what they’re doing throughout the evening. Halloween’s a weird holiday and custom to begin with; no need to take any chances.