LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

What’s 1998 going to bring for Ventura County? While that remains to be seen, we’d like to start it off with our best wishes to all of you for the best of times in the coming months.

We also want to let you know that we are adding something new of our own to mark the New Year: a monthly essay contest open to all high school students in the county.

The purpose is to encourage good writing and logical thought by our county’s future leaders.

We’ll award a prize of $100 each month to the winning essayist and many of the winners will be published on our editorial pages.

We’re going to call this new feature “The Essay Corner,” and we hope that every English teacher in the county will see the benefit of encouraging participation.

This month’s topic: “In an effort to keep young people out of trouble, Ventura County cities have passed curfew laws that require minors to be off the streets late at night. Law enforcement officials say curfews cut crime--but are they fair?”

On Monday we will publish more details about the essay contest on our Education Page. That is also where we will announce each month’s topics and report on the winning entries.

Please take a close look at the contest rules Monday. And please encourage any young people you know to put their thoughts down on paper. If this can become a meaningful forum for promoting good writing and clear thinking, we will all wind up in the winner’s circle.

BILL OVEREND

Times Ventura County

Editor