Open SeasonDon’t let the green grass fool...

Open Season

Don’t let the green grass fool you. The right combination of dry winds and low moisture levels this time of year greatly increases the chances for wild land fires. . . . This is a reminder from U.S. Forest Service officials, who declared Monday the official start of the fire season. . . . More than 10,000 acres have already burned in Ventura County this year, compared to a total of 2,000 last year.

Beginners’ Biology

Teachers at Meadows Elementary School in Thousand Oaks wanted to educate students about plant and animal life, so they had children build their own garden and pond (B1). . . . As part of the pilot project, students have gotten a chance to observe firsthand how tadpoles turn into frogs. . . . “It’s the children learning through direct experience,” teacher Trish Doerr said. “That makes it work.”

Cyber Fight

Thousand Oaks-based 25th Century Internet Services wants to be known on the Internet as juris.com. . . . But Juris Inc., a software manufacturer, has legally blocked the company from using its name (D7C). . . . 25th Century officials vow to fight back. “The position we’ve taken is that there is no confusion because ‘juris’ is a generic term,” said Lyn Woodward, an attorney for the company.

Big Payoff

Most homeowners have recovered from paying their property taxes, but for those a wee bit tardy--say about five years delinquent--the day of reckoning is near. Harold S. Pittman, county tax collector, has set a Wednesday real estate auction to dispose of properties with long-overdue taxes. “By far the majority will be paid off” before the auction, he says.