MR. PRESIDENT: Larry A. Calderon, interim president...

MR. PRESIDENT: Larry A. Calderon, interim president at Ventura College, has come a long way from his days as a student at the college in the late 1960s. Calderon, who is being honored at a Latino educators reception Friday along with former college President Jesus Carreon, says he never considered becoming a college administrator. In fact, Calderon, 45, transferred to UC Santa Barbara just one class short of completing his junior college associate of arts degree. “I’m often tempted to take a two-unit class to finish that [degree] for posterity.”

AFFORDABLE ART: To spread the word that original art is not just for the rich, the Thousand Oaks Community Gallery has a special deal through Sunday: artwork for less than $100. The pieces include paintings, sculptures and hand-drawn cards. “Art is a luxury, and sometimes a little gimmick like this gets people in the mind-set of thinking, ‘Wow, I can afford something really nice too,’ ” says arts Commissioner Karen LaFleur, a former school art teacher.

SUMMER IN THE CITY: Ideal beach weather has finally arrived (B1), and hundreds of sun worshipers are thankful. Laura Crombie of Moorpark took her son, Nicholis, and four other kids to the water’s edge Tuesday. “It’s gorgeous,” she said. “We’ve been coming here all summer and it’s always been cloudy. Usually it’s 3 o’clock before the sun comes through.”

K-9 HERO: He had tracked down carjackers, numerous robbers and survived a cracked skull, but in the end, it was nose cancer that ended the life of a legendary Ventura police dog (B2). Aic von Hohenhamen, a 105-pound German-born Rottweiler, was put to rest over the weekend after two years of retirement. “Aic was always there to protect me. He always kept an eye out for me,” said Aic’s partner, Officer Jack Richards. “If he had the choice of a bowl of food, a dog in heat or a chase, he’d take the chase.”