EARLY RISERS: More than half of Ventura...

EARLY RISERS: More than half of Ventura County commuters leave for work between 6 and 8 a.m., but not Harold Butler. With six other van-pooling early birds, Butler leaves Oxnard at 5:30 a.m., and by 7 he’s at work--in downtown Los Angeles. “If you don’t leave early, you sit on the freeway for two hours,” he said. . . . Although he has a high-paying federal job, friends say he’s crazy to commute so far. “After six years, I agree with them,” Butler said.

HOLDING COURT: Ventura County judges were astounded when 127 people applied for a court commissioner’s post. “Some didn’t make the first cut, because we thought they wouldn’t take the job once they found out what it was,” Superior Court Judge Melinda A. Johnson said. . . . David W. Long, who got the job, will hear traffic cases in Simi Valley (B6). . . . Friends hope he moves up to a judgeship, but odds aren’t good: Only two of the 26 judges are former commissioners.

GOLF DUAL: Feed the needy or arrest the greedy? Golfers can take their choice today at side-by-side charity tournaments in Camarillo. . . . Food Share, which supplies 250 Ventura County agencies, has signed up 85 players for its pro-am at Las Posas Country Club. Next door at Spanish Hills, 100 players will tee off to benefit Crime Stoppers, which pays rewards to police tipsters. . . . Crime Stoppers is trying a golf fund-raiser because corporate donations are down.

QUAKE ALERT: Earthquake prediction remains an inexact science. Remember last October, when the U.S. Geological Service predicted an imminent quake in Parkfield that never happened? . . . But just in case they get better at it, Ventura County has prepared a list of agencies to notify after a quake warning. On the list: the county law library, the public defender’s office, and the county credit union. . . . Assistant Public Defender Duane Dammeyer didn’t know why his agency was included. “Maybe it’s because our filing system is overflowing. Anybody in the file room had better get out.”

Heigh-ho, Heigh-ho

When Ventura County residents leave home for work: Midnight-5 a.m.: 8,435 5 a.m.-6 a.m.: 25,013 6 a.m.-7 a.m.: 78,206 7 a.m.-8 a.m.: 103,303 8 a.m.-9 a.m.: 50,068 9 a.m.-10 a.m.: 16,769 10 a.m.-4 p.m.: 28,057 4 p.m.-midnight: 15,197 Work at home: 10,138 Source: 1990 U.S. Census