HELP WANTED: In an era of cutbacks,...

HELP WANTED: In an era of cutbacks, it’s no wonder Stan Trom has been deluged with applications since the district attorney’s office proposed adding 101 employees to the child-support unit he heads. Now that supervisors have approved the hires (B4), “we’re really going to get hit,” Trom said. . . . The workers will track down people who flout court orders.

BREAKING UP: That proposal to split California into three states (B1) had input from Assemblyman Jack O’Connell. The original plan called for Santa Barbara County, as well as Ventura County, to be lumped with Los Angeles. Then O’Connell stepped in, saying Santa Barbarans wouldn’t stand for that. . . . On Tuesday, the Carpinteria Democrat offered hope to Ventura County residents leery of an L.A. link. If the breakup idea gains steam, he’ll try to split the county as well. The east county would go with L.A., while west of Conejo Grade would join the central state.

IMAGINATIONS SOAR: Long before the “Jurassic Park” hype monster lumbered across the pop-culture landscape, dinosaurs were replacing teddy bears as the creature of choice for many children (E1). . . . The dino craze may explain those goofy calls Linda Ritterbush keeps getting. “People call and say they’ve found a dinosaur bone,” said the Cal Lutheran geology professor. “Invariably, they say it’s a tyrannosaurus rex.” Fat chance, she says. Most of Ventura County was under water when the dinosaurs roamed. So what did the callers find? “Usually a whale bone.”

Where They Work

Even with cutbacks in recent years, Ventura County has 6,792 full-time employee positions. The largest departments: Health Care Agency: 1,944 Sheriff: 954 Fire Department: 460 Public Works: 385 District Attorney: 371* General Services: 336 Corrections Services: 317 * does not include 101 part-time positions approved Tuesday.

Source: County Personnel Department.