Heated Response

Some played hooky and drove from sweltering inland valleys to hang out all day on the beach. Others did what they could to stay in air-conditioned businesses, particularly those that served ice cream. And others just chucked the rules and jumped into a public fountain--clothes and all.

One way or another Wednesday, residents across Ventura County--from cool and breezy Ventura to sticky and stifling, 101-degree Thousand Oaks--dealt with the heat, which officials at the National Weather Service attributed to a strong high-pressure ridge hovering over Southern California and the remnants of Hurricane Lane off the coast of Mexico. Warm temperatures are expected again today and through the weekend.

In Ventura, the county government center had to make do without electricity for about an hour Wednesday afternoon, part of a power-interruption contract with Southern California Edison. The county saves about 20% on power bills in exchange for voluntarily pulling the plug when the systems get overloaded.

It’s a drill employees are getting used to, said Johnny Johnston, director of the county’s General Services Agency.

“I’m sitting here in a wool suit,” he said, “and I’m not sweating.”

Neither were Santa Clarita English teacher Bob Sinclair, his wife, Bobbi, and friend Nancy Siwula, who escaped the blazing 102-degree temperatures to enjoy a mild day at San Buenaventura State Beach.

“I took the day off to come down here, and if it’s hot again tomorrow, I just may do it again,” said Sinclair, who freely admitted he played hooky to avoid the intense valley heat. “It’s a beautiful way to spend a stress-free day.”

They sat under a colorful umbrella in the 84-degree temperatures enjoying cool ocean breezes, while in other parts of the county, residents and visitors tried to make the best of an unpleasantly hot day.

In the east county, where temperatures reached 101 in Thousand Oaks and 100 in Simi Valley, people sought shade or the comfort of central air-conditioning.

Janet Betzel, a volunteer at the Goebel Senior Adult Center in Thousand Oaks, said regulars arrived early, clamoring to get indoors.

“They came rushing in saying, ‘I got to get out of this heat,’ ” said the Camarillo resident.

At a crowded carwash on Thousand Oaks Boulevard, employees squirted each other with hoses and stood under the misting spray of the automatic washer, manager Tony Berrios said.

“I don’t really like them using the hose like that,” Berrios said. “But they’re just having fun and I got to keep them happy.”

The Thousand Oaks resident said the heat was mild compared to what he was used to in Reseda, from where he recently moved.

At a nearby British-style pub, Londoner Jeremy Marshall enjoyed a refreshing change in climate on his California vacation.

“This feels great,” said Marshall, nursing a beer under the shade of an umbrella on the restaurant’s patio. “In England, it’s normally cold and cloudy.”

Joanne and Chris Symer of Santa Barbara brought their 4-month-old baby, Gabriel, to Ojai for the day, but when they got out of the car, quickly wished they had stayed in their breezy beach community.

“He got fussy and sweaty, but we stripped him down so he’s OK now,” Joanne Symer said of her diaper-clad infant, who appeared content under the shade of a tree. “We might go back sooner than we planned.”

For those who couldn’t escape Ojai--where temperatures climbed to 95 degrees--the most popular spot was the fountain at Libbey Park. Toddlers--many fully clothed--happily splashed each other, while ice cream-eating moms watched on the sidelines.

Sitting in one of the highly coveted shady spots downtown, Gina Verrastro, 11, helped put it all in perspective: “The heat is part of what makes it Ojai.”