HITCH HIKE: Getting hitched can be an...

HITCH HIKE: Getting hitched can be an expensive proposition. . . . And now Ventura County is proposing to hike the price of a marriage license from $40 to $57. . . . The fee increase is one of several to be considered Tuesday by the Board of Supervisors. Combined, the new fees could bring in an extra $160,000 annually for the county. . . . Supervisor Frank Schillo said he hasn’t made up his mind about increasing marriage license fees, but that it might not be a bad idea: “Maybe people will take it more seriously,” he said.

HITCHING POST: Speaking of tying the knot, couples may soon be able to exchange wedding vows in one of eastern Ventura County’s most idyllic settings--the Joel McCrea Ranch in the Santa Rosa Valley (B1). . . . A local parks district recently acquired the Thousand Oaks ranch and hopes to make its lawns available for weddings. . . . “A marriage is a special thing, and when you’re up there you feel like you’re in a special place,” said parks official Tom Sorensen. “It’s a perfect match.”

FIESTA DAY: No one is quite sure how long Fiesta Day has been part of the Ventura County Fair. . . . But one certainty is that the event, which features a wide range of Latino musical acts, is among the most popular at the fair (B1). . . . Fair spokeswoman Teri Raley attributed this in part to the large Latino population in the west county and because there are few opportunities to see so many acts in one setting. . . . “It’s usually our best-attended concert,” Raley said.

SWAN SONG: About 500 kids and parents are expected to spread blankets and break out the popcorn this evening for “Swan Princess,” the last outdoor film of the season in the amphitheater at Rancho Simi Community Park in Simi Valley. . . . The movie, just out on video, is offered by the Rancho Simi Recreation and Park District. It’s free, but organizers would love it if a few parents chipped in a $1 donation. “We pass the hat in order to be able to get the better-run movies,” said the district’s Doug Gale.