Ventura County Public School officials say the county's graduation rate for schools and districts is 5.3% higher than the statewide baseline rate. They also say that all student subgroups, except students with disabilities, are either at or above the statewide rate. The latest data, released for the first time this week, is part of a goal established by the federal No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 which will require a graduation rate for all students and schools in the nation to be at least 90% by the yeard 2019. In Ventura County, the graduation rate for all students in the baseline 2009-2010 school year was 82.4%. The statewide rate was 77.1%. It means that local schools and district will need to grow by .9% a year for all students in order to reach the 90% goal by 2019. For English learners however, that annual growth rate will need to be 3.4%, and for students with disabilities it will need to be 3.5% a year in order to reach the goal.
Oxnard Police are investigating a shooting. It happened around 5:50 PM Wednesday evening in the 1900 block of Lantana Street. The victim, a 25-year-old Oxnard man, told police he had words with another young man and the suspect shot him in the leg. The suspect then fled west in the alley. The victim was driven to Saint John's Medical Center in Oxnard by private vehicle. That's when police were called. Police say they're still looking for a suspect and a motive for the shooting. The victim is recovering from his wound.
Authorities Say Incident In Thousand Oaks Not A Meth Lab
KVTA News Wednesday February 22, 2012
Ventura County Fire officials now say the incident in Thousand Oaks which apparently injured or contaminated 3 individuals was not a meth lab explosion. Fire spokesman Bill Nash tells KVTA News they now believe what happened was that three young persons were playing around with some sort of homemade explosive device in a vehicle Wednesday afternoon when it went off. Two of the individuals took themselves to Los Robles Medical Center while the third went to a home in the 1600 block of Marian Avenue to "shower off" whatever got on them in the explosion. Nash says that triggered the concern that they might have been injured in a meth lab explosion. But Nash says further investigation at the hospital and at home on Marian revealed that the three young persons were playing with a homemade explosive device and that it was not a meth lab. All three victims were expected to recover and the hazmat incident is over. However, the sheriff's department is investigating exactly what happened.
Charges Filed Against Camarillo Man Shot By Deputy
KVTA News Tuesday February 21, 2012
A Camarillo man shot by a Ventura County Sheriff's deputy earlier this month has pleaded not guilty to charges he ran over the deputy's leg. The incident happened February 3rd when the deputy tried to pull over the vehicle being driven by 46-year-old Darrell Walkley in a residential neighborhood in Camarillo. The Sheriff's Department says Walkley failed to yield but finally stopped in the area of Kino Street and Murray Avenue. The deputy as he appproached Walkley's vehicle on foot, Walkley put the vehicle into reverse and ran over the deputy's leg. That's when the deputy shot at Walkley, injuring him. A female passenger in the vehicle was also slightly injured by gunfire. Walkley was more seriously injured and was hospitalized for more than a week. The DA's office has charged Walkley with felony assault on a peace officer. Court records show Walkley has two prior convictions for resisting arrest. The deputy suffered non life threatening injuries to his leg. Walkley remains in jail on $55,000 bail.
Oxnard Apartment Fire Displaces 15
KVTA News Tuesday February 21, 2012
A fire in a two story Oxnard apartment building Tuesday afternoon displaced 15 people in four units. The blaze was reported shortly after 3 PM in the structure located in the 600 block of west Vineyard Avenue at Heather Street. When the first firefighters arrived on scene it looked as if locals had made good progress in knocking the fire down. But as fire crews worked to extinguish the blaze they found it had moved into a wall and spread upstairs. It took fire crews another 30 minutes or so to knock the fire down. A dog was rescued during the fire. There were no reports of injuries. Between fire and smoke damage, plus water damage from fighting the fire and opening up walls, 15 people were displaced and the Red Cross was helping them out. Cause of the fire remains under investigation.
VPD Seeks Public Help In Vehicle Vandalism
KVTA News Tuesday February 21, 2012
Ventura Police are seeking public help in connection with the weekend vandalism of at least 18 vehicles in some of the neighborhoods around Ventura College. What they want is any video surveillance footage. They're hoping that someone at a home or business in the area where the vandalism took place may have captured the crime on video. The vehicles were damaged by rocks that were thrown sometime between 2 AM and 7 AM Sunday morning February 19th. The streets where the vandalism took place include Dean Drive, Aurora, Bryn Mar, Tulane, Crestwood, Foothill, and other locations. Anyone who has video or any other information that could help police give Detective Corporal Patrick Lindsay a call at (805) 339-4498. You can also call Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-TIPS.
Off Duty Deputy Shoots At Thieves
KVTA News Tuesday February 21, 2012
An off duty Ventura County Sheriff's Deputy fired shots at two suspected thieves that he found on his property late Monday night. The incident happened in a rural area in the 13000 block of Broadway near Moorpark abount 10 PM. The off duty deputy confronted the suspects who were in an SUV. The suspects reportedly tried to run down the deputy, prompting him to shot at their vehicle. The suspects then fled. A search for the suspects was launched involving deputies on the ground, the K-9 unit and the sheriff's helicopter, but they did not find the suspects. No reports of any injuries.
Oxnard Police Investigate Reported Shooting
KVTA News Tuesday February 21, 2012
Oxnard Police are investigating a reported shooting. It happened late Monday afternoon in the area of Pleasant Valley Road and Beaumont Avenue. Initial reports were that someone in one vehicle fired shots at another vehicle. The victim vehicle was found on Phoenix Drive which is just around the corner from where the shooting reportedly took place. No one was hit by gunfire, but an ambulance was dispatched to the scene to treat a person who suffered cuts from broken glass. No other details were available.
Vehicle Burglar Busted In Ventura
KVTA News Tuesday February 21, 2012
Ventura Police say a suspected vehicle burglar was caught in the act and detained by the victim until officers arrived. It happened early Tuesday morning in the 400 block of Cedar Street in west Ventura. Police say that around 2:30 AM the 23-year-old male victim discovered a man burglarizing his vehicle in the carport. The victim confronted the suspect. The suspect ran but the victim caught up to him and detained him until police arrived. The suspect, 32-year-old Thomas Hiebner of Camarillo, was taken into custody and jailed for vehicle burglary and probation violation. No one was hurt. The victim's property was recovered on the suspect and returned.
Fuel Prices Continue To Climb In Ventura County
KVTA News Monday February 20, 2012
The price of fuel continues to climb in Ventura County. According to the Triple-A Fuel gauge survey, the average price for regular gasoline in the county as of this morning stood at more than $4.06 a gallon. That's up almost a penny since yesterday, 19 cents higher than a week ago, and 34 cents above what it was just a month ago. Ventura County has the 6th highest fuel prices among California counties. The average price for diesel fuel is also higher. As of today, it stands at more than $4.33 a gallon in Ventura County. That's 13 cents higher than a month ago. Analysts say the price of fuel is expected to continue to rise for a variety of reasons ranging from the situation with Iran to refineries being shut down for maintainence. They say the current increases are too soon to be blamed on the seasonal jump that's seen as we approach summer. They say if you factor that into the mix, we could see record high prices like June of 2008 when the average price of gasoline in Ventura County stood at $4.62 a gallon.
Gas Line Break In El Rio
KVTA News Sunday February 19, 2012
A street was closed and several homes evacuated after work crews severed a natural gas pipeline Sunday afternoon in El Rio. The crews were reportedly working in the 2600 block of Balboa Street near Stroube Street shortly before 3 PM repairing a broken water main when they accidentally cut the gas line. Fire crews from Ventura County responded to stand by in case the escaping gas ignited before the Gas Company could arrive and pinch off the line. Extra fire equipment and personnel were responded because with the water main having already been shut off for the original repair work, there was concern fire crews could not use the fire hydrant system in the neighborhood.
Hiker Rescued By Sheriff's Helicopter
KVTA News Sunday February 19, 2012
Ventura County firefighters and the Ventura County Sheriff's helicopter wre involved in a rescue operation above Pacific Coast Highway south of Mugu Rock Sunday. They responded around 3 PM to a report of a male and female hikers stranded on a cliff near Sycamore Canyon. While fire crews and the helicopter set up for the rescue, the male managed to make it down on his own. The Sheriff's helicopter rescued the female using its hoist and brought her to safety. There were no reports of any injuries. The incident lasted less than a half hour.
Three Arrested In Gang-Drug Sweep
KVTA News Sunday February 19, 2012
Three people have been arrested in a probation sweep conducted by the Special Enforcement Team in Thousand Oaks. Deputies say it was a crackdown on gang crimes and drug offenses. Two Thousand Oaks residents and and Oxnard resident were taken into custody during the sweep Friday evening. Their ages range from 18 to 33.
Man Robbed At Oxnard Jewlery Store
KVTA News Sunday February 19, 2012
Oxnard Police are looking for the suspect in a robbery at a jewelry store Sunday morning. They say the victim arrived at the Gold and Jewelry Emporium at 714 N. Ventura Road around 9:40 AM to open the business when he heard someone follow him into the business. Police say the victim turned around to see the suspect pointing a black semi automatic handgun at him. The suspect demanded money. The victim complied and the suspect fled with an undisclosed amount of cash and jewelry. No one was injured.