Ventura County Star

A recently announced plan by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service proposes to eradicate all the cats with the hope that populations of endangered birds and reptiles on the island will flourish without the introduced predator.

Animal rights groups around the country have pounced on Fish and Wildlife over the idea of killing the cats, using dogs to sniff them out and padded leg traps to capture them.

They call the plan "misguided and inhumane" as well as "irresponsible, cruel and simply unacceptable."

Firefighters were keeping a 6,660-acre wildfire north of Santa Barbara in check Friday evening, despite the return of the "sundowner" winds for which the region is well known.

At the Push 'em-Pull 'em Parade and Street Fair in Ventura, parents carted children waving American flags in decorated wagons while David Howard pushed for world peace.

Two people were killed in separate mid-afternoon Fourth of July roadway accidents that happened within minutes of each other in Ventura County.

Families across Ventura County celebrated the July Fourth holiday with pride, patriotism, even pancakes.

Eight former and current educators will be honored in October as this year's inductees to Ventura County Educators' Hall of Fame.

I visited an elementary school stamp club last month and wish I'd had a tape recorder when I was talking to the teacher-adviser because she gave a perfect description of the value of stamp collecting and stamp clubs.

On June 17, President Bush signed into law the Heroes Earnings Assistance Act of 2008, which made a much needed change to eligibility for Qualified Veterans Mortgage Bonds under the state's long-standing CalVet Home Loan Program.

For more than 20 years, the members of the Santa Paula VFW post have proudly held the title of Mercer-Prieto, paying tribute to brothers Isabel and Ramon Prieto, and brother and sister Herbert and Henrietta Mercer.

Pet of the Week featuring Muneco and Goliath.

Community briefs.

Bravos.

He brought it into restaurants when the family went out for pizza. It occupied a seat in the car during trips to visit relatives. His parents discovered it by his side whenever they tucked him into bed.

Local officials will visit participating neighborhoods during the third annual National Night Out Against Crime, according to members of the Oak Park Municipal Advisory Council.

The Pleasant Valley School District in Camarillo has announced that two new principals will help lead middle schools in the fall.

Five matches remain in the Premier Development League season and the Ventura County Fusion remain in striking distance.

Adam Cristman scored two goals in a 4-minute span to give the New England Revolution a 2-1 victory over the Los Angeles Galaxy on Friday night in Carson.

Firefighters were keeping a 6,660-acre wildfire north of Santa Barbara in check Friday evening, despite the return of the "sundowner" winds for which the region is well known.

Residents of the hard-luck beachside community of La Conchita call it the "great railroad robbery."

Nineteen months in Vietnam with the Navy Seabees left Camarillo resident Dan Thaxton with a lot of memories. Most of all, however, the experience left him with a desire for service.