CUTS OR NO CUTS? The newly adopted...

CUTS OR NO CUTS? The newly adopted state budget calls for cuts in welfare and other government aid programs. But county officials said they may never be implemented (B1). . . . The reason is that the cuts would require a federal waiver, which officials said is not likely. . . . Said Barbara Fitzgerald of the county’s social services agency: “That’s certainly good news for welfare recipients.”

STREET BEAT: It’s common enough. For a cop’s-eye view of crime in their streets, city officials often hop into patrol cars for ride-alongs with police. . . . But to ride along with one specialized Simi Valley squad Friday night, Councilwoman Barbara Williamson plans to don sneakers, gloves and a helmet, hop onto a saddle, and pump for all she’s worth. . . . Said Williamson, who has been pedaling stationary bikes at her gym for 14 to 18 miles at a stretch to prepare for her ride-along with Simi’s bicycle cops: “I’m really excited.”

RUSTY PIPES? If you can sing but just haven’t found the right outlet for your talent, you might consider joining a choir (Ventura County Life, Page 6). . . . There are many and they come in all types and sizes, ranging from a small barbershop harmony group to a 100-member chorale that performs classical music. . . . Said Cricket Twichell, an eight-year veteran of the Ojai Community Chorus: “What’s great about this group is that you don’t have to have a magnificent voice; you can just love to sing.”

ON THE HOME FRONT: Black-and-white photographs, old newspaper clippings and letters are used in a new exhibit depicting life in Santa Paula during World War II (B1). . . . Some residents who contributed items to the exhibit recalled how the war brought people in the small farming community closer together. . . . Said resident Don Olivier: “When a family was notified about a loved one being killed, the entire town would mourn with them.”