FEVERISH EFFORT: A few opponents of the...

FEVERISH EFFORT: A few opponents of the Ahmanson development believe they have discovered the Achilles heel of the mini-city proposed for the Simi Hills: the deadly valley fever virus. The respiratory illness transmitted by spores kicked up from the soil has gained notoriety with a surge of cases and its first death in the county. And some Ahmanson foes smell a new vulnerability. . . . “We think that grading 53 million yards of earth could expose a lot of people to the illness,” said Bill Bell, a member of an opposing homeowner group.

LAID AN EGG: The California Condor Recovery Program has reached another milestone, with the 100th condor egg laid in captivity. Meanwhile, wildlife biologists are trying to figure out how to keep a group of free-flying condors out of Ventura County’s backcountry, their favorite haunt. . . . But even the newest condor, once it hatches and grows up, “could end up in Ventura County too,” sighs program director Robert Mesta. “Regardless of where we release them, they will be in Ventura County.”

AWARENESS: One by one, Simi Valley schoolchildren get their chance in a wheelchair. But what looks like a fun ride quickly becomes a frustrating challenge as they strain to get a drink from a faucet or open a bathroom door without getting up. . . . Every student at Garden Grove Elementary School will get a firsthand experience of living with disabilities this week (B4). . . . “This kind of training is terrific,” said Hollace Wood of the Tri-Counties Regional Center. “Once you experience it, you won’t forget it.”

IT’S A RENTAL: “Schindler’s List” has done remarkably well at the box office and promises to do well in home video rentals too. . . . (D1) Video sales and rentals generally outpace theater receipts, and “Schindler’s” is the kind of searing, three-hour drama that many viewers prefer to watch at home. “It is a very powerful movie and it might be a little much for some people,” said Jim Salzer of Salzer’s Video in Ventura. By watching at home, he said, “they can take a pause.”