Agoura High School students John "JD" Theodosiou and Brandon Patterson and their auto class teacher John Andersen may not have taken first place in the 2008 National Automotive Technology Competition in New York City, but the three still felt like winners. More...

Running laps in the hot Florida sun, being hit with a wooden spoon and living with 15 other children in a cramped 1,200-square-foot trailer are vivid childhood memories for Ashley Rhodes-Courter. However, most of the 14 foster homes she lived in by the age of 12 are a blur of forgettable faces and names for the now 22year-old. More...

THURS., APRIL 3 Welcome Newcomers Conejo Valley Newcomers Club hosts Open Membership Social for prospective members, 7 to 9 p.m., member's home. Representatives discuss club activities for all ages. Refreshments served. For directions (805) 677-2628. More...

Carrier Corp., a unit of United Technologies Corp., recently announced that Wayne G. Beck of Aladdin Air Conditioning and Heating Inc. has been awarded the Carrier 2008 President's Award, one of the highest honors for its dealers. More...

All events (subject to change) are listed by name, location and time if provided. If calendars are modified, school sources are asked to e-mail updated information to newstip@theacorn.com. Agoura Chargers Fri. More...

The 11th annual Ventura Seaside Basketball Tournament, a fundraiser for youth programs in Ventura, is scheduled from Fri. to Sun., April 18 to 20. More...

AVIAN NURSERY- Above, Ivy Dinneen watches the hummingbird babies tucked in a nest just outside the back door of her townhouse in Agoura Hills. The mother bird chattered anxiously from a nearby banana palm. Left, two tiny hummingbird babies peek out from the nest, which was built around an old ceiling hook. Dinneen said it's rare to see multiple hummingbird babies together. IRIS SMOOT/Acorn Newspapers More...

Agoura Hills Approximately $40,000 worth of jewelry and electronic goods was stolen from a home in the 5800 block of Woodglen Drive on March 20. Two people were arrested in connection with the theft. Someone stole more than $14,000 worth of property from a home in the 29600 block of Ridgeway Drive on March 20. More...

A benefit concert for Christian Associates International will be held 7 p.m. Sat., April 26 at the Scherr Theatre in the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza, 2100 E. Thousand Oaks Blvd. The concert will include vari ous styles and genres from pop to gospel to hymns. More...

Local area choir students will perform in the All District Choir Festival at the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza for the first time on April 7 and 8 due to a mutual agreement among many governing agencies. The All District Music Festival is held April through May this year at the Civic Arts Plaza. The event began as the All District Band Festival in 1983. More...

Directed by: Robert Luketic Starring: Jim Sturgess, Kevin Spacey, Laurence Fishburne, Kate Bosworth MPAA rating: PG-13 (slight violence, slight sexuality) Running time: 123 minutes Best suited for: gamblers, caper lovers, More...

Regarding the opinion piece, "Letters to the editor are important," March 27, it is the second time in the last few months that in your opinion section you are threatening to enforce the 300 words rule. Please don't- let the crazies speak loud and clear. More...

Walking along Craggs trail by the creek in Malibu Creek State Park, I heard a distinctive "plunk" and saw large concentric waves radiating from the point where an animal had entered the still water. I went through a mental checklist of all the possibilities: frog, water bird, snake, turtle? More...

Anybody who's ever received a traffic citation, please raise your hand. We thought so. Almost everyone who drives has been pulled over at least once. Traffic tickets are an everyday occurrence and even a good driver can have a lapse in concentration that leads to getting caught. More...