FERTILE GROUND: Volunteers are gearing up for...

FERTILE GROUND: Volunteers are gearing up for the second phase of a project to restore native plant life to a fragile wetland. The Moorpark chapter of the Environmental Coalition is heading up the replanting project in the Arroyo Simi wetland. . . . “What we are trying to do is increase the native habitat to allow animals to thrive in this area,” project manager Roseann Mikos said. . . . Last year, more than 200 volunteers removed grass that had been choking native willow and mule fat plants in the freshwater habitat.

STAYING PUT: State officials have decided against relocating as many as 60 sea lions to the waters off Ventura County (B1). . . . The National Marine Fisheries Service had proposed the move to prevent the mammals from devouring steelhead trout at their Washington state spawning grounds. . . . Local fishing enthusiasts opposed the move, fearing that the ravenous sea lions would fish out county waters.

SHOW TIME: An earthquake shut down the Fillmore Theater. And community opposition has put a proposal for a Camarillo movie house on shaky ground. But in Santa Paula, plans for a seven-screen theater have quietly sailed through the approval process. . . . “Our impression is that the people of that area--Santa Paula, Fillmore and Saticoy--are anxious to have a place to go for entertainment,” said Scott C. Wallace, president of Honolulu-based Wallace Theatre Corp. . . . The theater, at Harvard Boulevard and Main Street, could open by this summer.

FANCY FELINES: Nearly 200 purebred cats from across the country are scheduled to compete this weekend in Ventura. . . . Members of the Cat Fancier’s Assn. will put their animals on display at the Ventura County Fairgrounds. But unlike show dogs, the felines aren’t expected to do tricks. “Cats don’t have to do anything but behave on the table,” show manager Becky Orlando said. . . . In addition to pedigree cats, household cats will also be on display.

Freshwater Wetlands

The acreage of freshwater wetlands in Southern California counties: Riverside: 2,300 San Bernardino: 1,000 Ventura: 800 Los Angeles: 600 San Diego: 480 Orange: 300 Source: California Dept. of Forestry