SEEKING SOLACE: The holidays are often a...

SEEKING SOLACE: The holidays are often a tough time of the year for the homeless, the lonely or those separated from loved ones--but they can also be memorable for the positive changes they bring to troubled lives (Voices, Page 12). . . . In Ventura County, counseling services have plenty of help on hand through New Year’s to handle calls from the distressed. Interface Children Family Services offers a 24-hour countywide referral help line. For assistance with problems from domestic violence to youth crises, call (800) 556-6607.

TAKING AIM: For gun aficionados, firearms remain a popular Christmas gift. . . . While many recipients take their guns to local shooting ranges when they want to do a little target practice, some Ventura County gun owners head to the backcountry of Los Padres National Forest to remote Cherry Canyon, where they can shoot for free (B1). . . . The popularity of the isolated area for shooters, however, has taken its toll on the environment. Forest rangers may restrict shooting in the three-mile-long canyon.

SENIOR MATES: Some are lonely. Others just want to share their living space. . . . No matter what their situation, Senior Home Sharing can help Ventura County seniors looking for roommates (B1). . . . Seniors can be matched with other seniors, younger companions or multiple roommates, depending on the needs of renter and homeowner. “It’s a safe, fairly comfortable and inexpensive option,” said Caroline Briggs, head of the Area Housing Authority, which funds the program.

NO BUTTS: Twenty-five Oxnard businesses have been honored for their efforts in creating smoke-free environments. . . . The companies--ranging from restaurants to tire stores--will receive bumper stickers and decals from the Healthy Families Coalition of Ventura County, which received a grant from El Concilio, funded by money from the 1989 statewide tobacco tax initiative. . . . Though several cities have tightened their anti-smoking laws, Oxnard’s is considered one of the most lenient in the county.