ON THE REBOUND: One more sign that...

ON THE REBOUND: One more sign that the Ventura County economy is continuing to improve is a recent decline in the number of welfare recipients (B1). . . . After more than doubling since 1989, the total number of recipients has dropped about 1,700 to 81,365 in the last four months. . . . This is a welcome change for Helen Reburn, deputy director of the county’s Public Social Services Agency. Reburn said, “I’m cautiously optimistic that this is the beginning of a trend.”

LOOKING BACK: Ventura County seniors are rediscovering their histories by putting them down on paper as part of a continuing education course (B1). . . . Writing about personal life experiences can be fun, enlightening, even cathartic, according to some students. . . . Florence Kaufman and her husband, Don, have been enrolled in the course for more than a year. Like most students, Kaufman doesn’t lack for things to write about. “There is a lot of drama in every life,” she said.

BLIND TEST: It’s not your typical racing event. For starters, tonight’s contest at the Ventura Raceway requires that drivers be blindfolded (C10). . . . To help the drivers maneuver around the track, a passenger on board provides directions. But at no time is the passenger allowed to grab the steering wheel. . . . Said Tracey Jewett, who has tried her hand at both driving and directing, “I’d rather be blindfolded, not knowing what I’m doing, than see when someone else doesn’t know where they’re going.”

ROAD CLOSED: Talk about driving skill. It’s been seven months since a stretch of California 150 between Carpinteria and the Ojai Valley has been closed because of rockslides, and Caltrans has yet to put up signs alerting motorists approaching the route on the Ojai Freeway (B1). . . . Ojai realtor Don Edwards, who has complained to transportation officials, said the lack of detour signs makes for a dangerous situation. “You’ve got semis doing U-turns in the middle of a state highway,” he said.