CITY LIMITS: If attaining cityhood were as...

CITY LIMITS: If attaining cityhood were as simple as declaring independence and electing a few pols, Ventura County would have more than just 10 cities by now. . . . But unincorporated areas aren’t clamoring to become cities--the county Planning Department has no applications and none on the horizon. . . . While cityhood gives local citizens control over land use and police and fire services, it also creates financial responsibilities. . . . “If you don’t balance your budget, you have the agonizing task of downsizing,” said planner Bruce Smith.

Not Quite Cities

Population of Ventura County’s largest unincorporated communities: Mira Monte: 7,744 El Rio: 6,419 Oak View: 3,606 Channel Is. Beach: 3,341 Meiners Oaks: 3,329 Casa Conejo: 3,286 Oak Park: 2,468 Piru: 1,148

Source: U.S. Census

OPEN SEASON: Since October, about 100 coots have been shot to death by city workers at Oxnard’s River Ridge Golf Course to eradicate the migratory birds from greens and fairways. Over the weekend, the victims of an oil spill at McGrath State Beach (A1) included more coots either killed or injured. . . . But as volunteers struggle to save the oil-drenched birds, coots are still being shot on the golf course. . . . “That’s the irony of ironies,” said Craig Faanes of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

OH CHRISTMAS TREE: You did the environmentally correct thing this year and bought a live Christmas tree. But now what? . . . A conifer usually won’t survive in a pot, so if you don’t have room to plant it in your back yard, a Simi Valley company will adopt your tree and give it a good home on its 16-acre spread at 1450 Tierra Rejada Road. . . . The Worm Concern, one of a few county outfits that mulches dead Christmas trees (B1), received about a dozen live pines last year.

POWER PLAY: Getting a Mighty Morphin Power Ranger for Christmas probably had nothing to do with being naughty or nice but whether or not your parents were quick enough to grab one off the shelf. . . . The action figurines were the hottest toys in the country this season (Valley Business, Page 3), and Ventura County mirrored the national trend. . . . “We couldn’t keep them in stock,” said Diana London, toy department manager at Wal-Mart. “People were asking us to hide one for them.”