BANKRUPTCY FALLOUT: As Orange County reels from...

BANKRUPTCY FALLOUT: As Orange County reels from the repercussions of bankruptcy, Ventura County officials are concerned that brokers across the country will cast doubtful eyes on the portfolios of other California municipalities--including ours (B1). . . . With building projects still on the drawing board at stake, such a domino effect could cost the state untold millions.

BIG-SCREEN DEBUT: Witnessing Camarillo’s grandiose new movie theater spring from a vacant field was like a bit of Hollywood magic close to home. . . . Workers toiled day and night to speed construction of Edwards Cinemas’ 12-screen Camarillo Movie Palace. A select crowd will get a first peek tonight at the building’s interior, which boasts Italian marble floors and a soaring ceiling (B1). . . . Crews were still hustling to put on the final touches in time for this weekend’s big opening.

FOR ART’S SAKE: The observant Ventura County gadabout has doubtless seen it around--public art, adorning everything from shopping centers to business parks (Ventura County Life, Page 10). . . . Three local cities--Oxnard, Thousand Oaks and Ventura--have programs in place to encourage developers to incorporate art in their projects. In Ventura, the high-profile “Wavespout,” an undulating copper creation, serves as a focal point for the renovated pier. . . . But the success of some of the county’s public artwork seems to be up for debate.

TO THE CORE: He’s not a punk rocker in the vein of Johnny Rotten--despite the name. . . . Dr. Rot has loftier intentions--teaching students about the environment. In reality, Rot is an environmental educator who this week will cart worms to Santa Paula’s Bedell School to teach students in a magnet program on environmental studies about the creatures’ talent for converting trash to humus. . . . Like a rock star, Rot is in demand on the local school touring circuit. “We were lucky to get him,” Bedell Principal Glenn Deines said.