COKED UP: Hospitals in Ventura and Santa...

COKED UP: Hospitals in Ventura and Santa Barbara counties are seeing more emergency patients with cocaine-related illnesses, according to a new study that shows a resurgence of coke problems statewide as of 1994. (B11). . . . The good news, though, is that the local counties--combined in the study--were far below statewide numbers, with about 15 admissions per 100,000 residents. The state rate was 42 admissions. . . . And the new county numbers aren’t as high as during the late 1980s.

NO REFUGE: Even Ojai, valley of exclusive boarding schools and turquoise-bedecked artists, is not safe from underage thugs with overage appetites for mayhem. . . . Detailed crime statistics released this week show juvenile arrests are way up--from 163 in 1994 to 201 last year. Twice that many adults were arrested, a slight drop. . . . “We’ve seen a little bit more aggressive activities by juveniles,” said Sheriff’s Lt. Jim Barrett, who supervises deputies in Ojai. “It’s consistent with what we see throughout California.”

COTTON, NOT ASBESTOS: It’s not really an event until they come out with a T-shirt. . . . In which case, the Grand fire has already arrived. With flames barely averted from Santa Paula and Fillmore (B1), commemorative T-shirts have been selling like (sorry about this) wildfire around the command center. . . . They’re even marketed by a firefighter. Jason S. Faulkner says he is donating part of the proceeds from sale of the $10 shirts to his own squad, the Fillmore Volunteer Fire Department.

EXCHANGE RATE: Work is only slightly behind schedule for the big, new Navy Exchange at the Port Hueneme Seabee base. . . . Two weeks ago, the site near the Sunkist Street gate was a flat, muddy field. Now, concrete walls are up. . . . Rain delays have pushed back the Dec. 9 completion date to Dec. 30. But with other military bases shrinking or even shutting, Port Hueneme officials won’t be impatient for a deluxe new facility featuring an exchange, a commissary, a food court, fine jewelry store, garden shop and more.