Suspect Arrested for Assault with a Deadly Weapon  2025 – Ventura County Sheriff's Office officials report that on April 29 deputies with the Moorpark Police Department responded to Simi Valley Hospital for a report of a battery Deputies contacted an adult male who reported being attacked by (S) Francisco Fernandez along the 100 block of Moorpark Avenue Fernandez struck the victim in the head with an unknown object and tried to run the victim over Deputies located the crime scene at a Moorpark apartment complex and evidence was collected Evidence was located at the scene linking Fernandez to the felony battery detectives with the Moorpark Special Enforcement Unit and Moorpark Investigations Unit located Fernandez at his place of work and arrested him for the felony battery Any person with information regarding the incident is encouraged to reach out to detectives and utilize the link or QR code provided below to download and submit any video footage of the incident https://venturasheriffca.evidence.com/axon/community-request/public/fernandez25-52511 or by scanning the following QR code: The Moorpark Police Department is asking anyone who may have witnessed this incident to please contact Detective Jacob Anderson at (805) 532-2700 Anyone wishing to remain anonymous is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) Suspect Arrested for Assault with a Deadly Weapon Moorpark Special Enforcement Unit Moorpark Investigations Unit Moorpark Patrol Services Ventura County Crime Stoppers will pay up to a $1,000 reward for information which leads to arrest and criminal complaint against the person(s) responsible for this crime Call Crime Stoppers at 800-222-TIPS (8477) A public building befitting of the public it serves was a sentiment shared at the grand opening of Moorpark's new City Hall April 30 "It's a public building," said Brian Chong Chong added he hoped that the new location could be something the citizens could be proud of. The city offered tours of the new two-story, 22,400-square-foot facility at 323 Science Drive starting at 4 p.m. The warehouse and office building on Science Drive, originally built in 1999, was purchased by the city in February 2022 for $6.6 million The renovations cost over $7.2 million but came in under its original $8.1 million estimate Members of the public were invited to walk the building ask questions of workers of departments housed there and enjoy food catered from local businesses Mini "keys to the city" were handed out to the first 100 attendees councilmembers and the people they serve gathered at the newly built City Council chambers to show off the new meeting room and share stories of the old council chambers Several speakers joked about the dilapidated state of the previous location in the multipurpose room of the senior center at 799 Moorpark Ave A wooden beam fell in the middle of the old chambers in 2018 and became a literal obstruction Many who were there at the time recalled the nine-month period the beam blocked the public from seeing some of the members during meetings Past councilmembers like Mark Van Dam, a 12-year councilmember who retired in 2018 He recited a poem he wrote also poking fun of the previous chambers and even presented a framed copy of his poem to Mayor Chris Enegren City hall employees moved into the building on Nov 4 and have been operating from there since The council chambers was the only holdout because it remained incomplete due to delays in equipment delivery The council held its first meeting in the new chambers on April 2 "This is a proper city hall," said Councilmember Renee Delgado She was not present for the beam incident but was glad to have a chamber that the public could enjoy walking into and give their opinion "I never made it out to a council meeting and from the sounds of it He has lived in Moorpark for 22 years and works up the street at Adventist Health Physicians Network Moorpark Based on what Judd saw of the new building he said he would try to make it in the future Ernesto Centeno Araujo covers breaking news for the Ventura County Star. He can be reached at ecentenoaraujo@vcstar.com Letters to the editor: Moorpark needs a plan; CLU forecast proves off againVentura County StarThoughtless planning in MoorparkThere are approximately 2.3 million people working for the federal government and Donald Trump and Elon Musk are “randomly” firing between 5% and 10% of that work force (tens of thousands of people) not understanding the consequences of doing so People are being fired across the country — IRS staff and hundreds of people in universities and colleges across the country who are working under federal government grants and contracts The governor of Arizona has set aside her staff to assist the streams of senior citizens who are being turned away from Social Security offices or those who are changing their bank routing numbers Many of these people are barely making ends meet when I went to hear a report on the state of affairs in the city of Moorpark recently by the city’s Mayor He did a good job of describing all the rose-colored things going on in Moorpark but he described no plan for helping the many people affected by the cuts being made by Trump and Musk programs to help handicapped folks and so on There is no doubt many areas I have missed — they have hinted at being able to save at least a trillion dollars — but this is the job of a thoughtful group of planners Such a group would lay out the potential scenarios that will unfold in the next few years The city manager did state that the city might have a shortfall in the next few years I don’t think he knows how dire that shortfall will be Another off-the-mark forecastRe: your April 10 story, “Oxnard’s Haas Automation could be hit hard by tariffs”: Just as they did when the recession of 2008 loomed large CLU’s economists don’t “consider a trade war-fueled recession to be the likeliest outcome this year.” These guys seem to allow their political ideology to influence their forecasts while they blame what they view as Ventura County’s “lack of economic progress” on SOAR which the voters approved by a 70-30 margin Ventura County Sheriff's officials said a caller reported seeing a mountain lion near Moorpark's east end Friday morning saying a mountain lion had been seen on a bike path behind the Villa del Arroyo mobile home park Michalec said sheriff's officials reported the sighting to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife The sheriff's Moorpark station was also informed about the call The Simi Valley Police Department issued a statement advising residents to stay alert especially in the area of the 900 block of West Los Angeles Avenue 'While mountain lions generally avoid humans they can be unpredictable if startled or approached," Simi police officials said in a news release "Please maintain awareness while walking pets or otherwise utilizing the Arroyo Simi Greenway in that area." A young male mountain lion was captured in February in a suburban Camarillo neighborhood The lion was tranquilized and returned to the wild with a GPS collar Ventura County Sheriff's authorities were investigating a death in Moorpark Tuesday evening after a man became trapped under a tractor The incident was reported in the 100 block of Wicks Road according to Ventura County Fire Department reports Firefighters' radio traffic indicated crews found an unconscious patient at the scene partially trapped under a tractor brought specialized units with rescue apparatus to the site Nick Odenath said the fire department contacted the sheriff's office shortly before 5:30 p.m The incident brought major crimes detectives which is common for an unexpected fatality as well as traffic investigators from the Moorpark station The sheriff's office is contracted to provide police services in Moorpark believed to be around 67 years old and associated with the property had been seen by neighbors on the tractor earlier in the evening working on a graded hillside area The neighbors subsequently saw the man under the tractor after it apparently rolled over onto him Based on what a sergeant at the scene observed "it looks like he may have slipped on the hillside and started to tumble down." The Ventura County Medical Examiner's Office was also called to the scene The agency will determine the cause and manner of death the tractor hadn't yet been lifted because it is so heavy A jury found a Victorville man guilty Monday for his role in the 2004 shooting death of a Moorpark man was convicted of the murder of 71-year-old Dennis Leroy Wood conspiracy to commit a crime and solicitation of Wood's murder in Ventura County Superior Court The jury also found true the special allegation that Nehme according to the Ventura County District Attorney's Office Judge Paul Baelly also found all charged aggravating factors were true including that the crime involved great violence and was carried out with planning Case quickly goes coldWood was found lying in the doorway of his Moorpark home on Mountain Trail Street with a large pool of blood near his head April 16 by Ventura County Sheriff’s Office deputies responding to a well-being check Wood had been shot twice in the head and once in the chest a suspect in an unrelated Los Angeles murder case revealed that his co-defendant that Bracamonte confessed to killing Wood in an interview providing details only the killer would know had given Nehme $28,700 in cash for an unknown business venture The two had known each other because Nehme had purchased phone cards from Wood Authorities said Nehme arranged for Wood to be killed to wipe out what he owed Already serving time for a 2006 Los Angeles murder Bracamonte was charged with Wood’s killing and pleaded guilty May 8 Nehme was arrested May 14 Bracamonte testified against his former boss "I am deeply grateful to the jury for convicting the defendant and to the Ventura County Sheriff’s detectives who never gave up on this case," said prosecutor John Barrick referring to detectives Gerardo Cruz and Erik Hernandez Bracamonte is scheduled to be sentenced for Wood’s murder on April 30 and Nehme on May 20 in Ventura County Superior Court Nehme remains in custody without bail and faces life in prison without the possibility of parole Moorpark City Manager Troy Brown will soon get a lot more time to improve his golf game He announced Thursday he will retire June 30 after a 30-year career with city governments "It's best for me and my family to step aside and enter the next phase of my life and take on some exciting new adventures," Brown which is also home to their 24-year-old daughter Ally hope to lower my golf handicap and spend more time with my family here and in other states," Brown said While he characterized it as a "full retirement," Brown said he was open to other work "I would love the opportunity to teach political science at the collegiate level and be able to give back to the next generation what I've been able to learn," he said The Moorpark City Council appointed Brown as city manager in 2018 he has worked on projects such as completion of parking lots at the Moorpark Metrolink Station and the budget and design for the new Moorpark City Library Under Brown's tenure, the city recently moved into a new interim city hall at 323 Science Drive "There's room in the building for additional staff growth that we anticipate over the next several years as the community continues to grow," he said at the time This fall, Brown spoke at a Moorpark ice cream social celebrating the completion of long-awaited improvements on Princeton Avenue Efforts to widen the street date back to the 1990s "I was in the fortunate position to push it across the finish line," Brown said at the commemoration Brown said the achievement he's most proud of is the city's adoption of its new General Plan "It shows unequivocally who Moorpark is and where we want to be over the next 30 years," he said is Moorpark's second city manager since its incorporation in 1983 the Moorpark City Council will start a process the council will select one of those firms to begin the search for candidates Mayor Chris Enegren praised Brown for boosting staff morale encouraging collaboration and leading employees as "a unified purpose-driven team." He called Brown a friend and said he was glad he will continue to see him around Moorpark Brown said Thursday his leadership style is to "figure out the best approach to help the most people that we can." The Philadelphia native graduated in 1987 from Downingtown High School in Downingtown He came out West and worked as a supervisor for United Parcel Service in the San Fernando Valley and "stumbled" onto a career in local government when he worked as a part-time recreation director for the city of Santa Clarita "It attracted me to local government and the ability to have a meaningful impact on the world around me," said Brown who earned his bachelor's of political science at CSU Northridge and his master's in public administration at CSU San Bernardino He served in various roles in Santa Clarita and at cities across the state before eventually serving as city manager of Tracy before arriving in Moorpark He is the first city manager from Ventura County to serve as president of the International City/County Management Association Brown said Thursday he plans to continue to serve on the board of MissionSquare Retirement a nonprofit helping employees in the public sector Moorpark has a population of 36,000 and a budget of $81.3 million Dave Mason covers East County for the Ventura County Star. He can be reached at dave.mason@vcstar.com or 805-437-0232 A man who jumped off the Highway 118 bridge over Princeton Avenue in Moorpark Wednesday evening survived and was flown from the scene by helicopter The incident was reported to the Ventura County Sheriff's Office and the California Highway Patrol around 5:07 p.m. The 23-year-old had parked on the side of the eastbound 118 and was seen jumping off the overpass CHP log notes indicated he had been driving a white sedan and was possibly wearing a tie-dye shirt Sheriff's deputies were already in the area and responded quickly The man was found between the arroyo and train tracks on the east side of the overpass Radio traffic indicated he was conscious and waved to deputies but wasn't able to stand on his own Ventura County Fire Department personnel provided medical aid Given the location and the brush in the area The county's Copter 9 hoisted the man from the site and flew him to Los Robles Regional Medical Center The severity of his injuries wasn't immediately known Portions of the eastbound 118 were closed for a time Wednesday evening jamming traffic along the transition from Highway 23 to the 118 The incident closed the Metrolink track for about 45 minutes Construction of a suicide prevention barrier along the overpass is expected to start this year the California Department of Transportation said in September If you're feeling despondent, the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, for both English and Spanish speakers, can be reached by calling 988 and can be found on the web at https://988lifeline.org Nick Odenath will step into the role on April 13th Moorpark contracts with the sheriff's office for police services The chief post typically changes every few years Odenath will replace Moorpark's current chief who will be promoted to a sheriff's commander role next month “I’m confident Nick will continue the tradition of providing the residents of the city of Moorpark and the surrounding unincorporated areas with outstanding police services," Sheriff Jim Fryhoff said in a statement the sheriff's office said in a news release He started his career with the agency in 2001 serving stints as a custody and patrol deputy asset forfeiture and financial crimes investigator human trafficking investigator and Technical Services supervisor Odenath earned a bachelor's degree in psychology from California Lutheran University He is an expert in human trafficking investigations and teaches on the topic around the country The captain said in a statement he was stepping into the role with respect for the leaders who preceded him and I am committed to building upon that foundation," Odenath said "Moorpark is home to some of the best-trained and dedicated peace officers in California and we are fortunate to serve a community that supports and prioritizes public safety." Ojai has also chosen its next police chief Moorpark's police station is located at 610 Spring Road A bicyclist sustained serious injuries after being struck by a vehicle on a busy street near Moorpark Wednesday morning The California Highway Patrol responded to the collision shortly before 7 a.m between a 56-year-old cyclist and a Nissan Altima near the15000 block of Tierra Rejada Road The area is just east of the northbound Highway 23 offramp and just outside city limits The driver of the Nissan was heading westbound when he slowed into the center median to turn left into the parking lot of a golf driving range The driver reportedly didn't notice the bicyclist and crashed into him when he tried to turn left The driving range is across the street from the Tierra Rejada Golf Club The cyclist wasn't wearing a helmet or reflective gear The motorist stopped to dial 911 and remained on scene The cyclist remained conscious but was said to be disoriented He was transported to a local hospital for head trauma "This is a safety message to remind bicyclists that a helmet is the first line of defense in these kinds of collisions," said Ayers The CHP's Moorpark-area office is investigating the crash Drugs and alcohol are not suspected to be a factor Rudy Garcia was excited when he learned that Moorpark College planned to offer a bachelor’s degree in cybersecurity and network operations A father of four and the only source of income for his family Garcia believed getting the degree would help him advance in his career in IT support He had come to realize that more senior jobs typically required a bachelor’s egree Getting that degree at nearby Moorpark was appealing especially because he had already finished an associate degree in cybersecurity at the college But in the two years since Moorpark first proposed the degree the college has still not received final approval It’s one of seven degrees across California that received provisional approval from the state community college chancellor’s office in 2023 but remain in limbo because California State University has flagged them as duplicative of its own programs The two sides have yet to come to a compromise A 2021 law allows the state’s community college system to approve up to 30 new bachelor’s degrees annually, so long as the degrees support a local labor need and don’t duplicate what any of CSU’s 23 campuses or the University of California’s nine undergraduate campuses offer many community colleges have successfully launched new degrees: Thirty-two new degrees are now fully approved across the state joining 15 that already existed as part of a pilot Some of the most recently approved degrees include drone and autonomous systems at Fullerton College emergency services administration at Mission College in Santa Clara and water resource management at San Bernardino Community College But due to disagreements over what constitutes duplication The seven degrees delayed since 2023 are currently being reviewed by WestEd a nonprofit research organization that was selected to serve as a neutral Its decisions could include approval of programs Colleges have been told to expect a final decision from WestEd as early as this month A spokesperson for WestEd declined an interview but confirmed that it is “a project we are working on.” Officials with the systemwide chancellor’s offices for both the community colleges and CSU also declined interview requests getting a verdict will be welcomed as they have grown increasingly annoyed that their degrees are being delayed “My frustration is on behalf of the students that are missing out on this opportunity,” said Jeannie Kim president of Santiago Canyon College in Orange County which got preliminary approval for a degree in digital infrastructure and location services “We talk a really loud game about student success and being student centered preventing these kinds of degrees from going forward is not student centered.” Although officials from CSU campuses declined to be interviewed memos obtained by EdSource through a Public Records Act request show that those campuses cited a number of reasons for objecting to proposed degrees CSU campuses objected only to a few courses where they believed there was overlap CSU San Bernardino’s objection to San Diego Mesa’s proposed physical therapy assistant degree came down to three upper-division courses focused on biomechanics nutrition and exercise physiology that would be part of the Mesa program San Bernardino staff argued those courses duplicate classes that they offer as part of a bachelor’s degree program in kinesiology San Diego Mesa officials believe they may have been able to find common ground if they had more time to negotiate Their only live interaction with San Bernardino staff was a 30-minute Zoom meeting last year “We never really had the discussion on those three courses,” Storey said “I would like to think that we could have a conversation and negotiate this.” Moorpark faces duplication claims from seven CSU campuses over its proposed cybersecurity program wrote in a memo that the proposal “substantially overlaps” with its own cybersecurity degree “Almost all cybersecurity issues are directly or indirectly related to network operation The proposed program description is a typical cybersecurity degree,” San Marcos staff wrote there are fundamental differences between its degree and what San Marcos offers Whereas degrees like the one offered at San Marcos prepare students for engineering and computer science careers Moorpark would train students to be technicians and work in cybersecurity support the college’s vice president of academic affairs “We understand we need more engineers in this world across every type of engineering and we need good computer scientists that understand coding,” Forbes said “But our labor force also needs the people that aren’t authoring and designing and engineering They need the technicians that are using this stuff.” Moorpark’s program would not be a calculus-based STEM degree The San Marcos degree does require a calculus course and other math classes as prerequisites That itself is a positive for students like Garcia If he were to attempt a CSU bachelor’s degree,he would essentially have to start over and take several lower-division courses to be eligible to transfer to a CSU campus and potentially pay more in tuition he would need only upper-division credits to get his bachelor’s degree and have to pay $130 per credit community college bachelor’s degrees in California cost $10,560 in tuition and fees over all four years much less than attending a CSU or UC campus Much of Garcia’s tuition would also get covered by financial aid The other major selling point for Garcia is that the Moorpark campus is just a short drive from his house and he can start taking classes in the fall “The college is like four exits from my house,” he said All three Ventura County community colleges have had one bachelor’s degree program approved already Some students are place bound and can’t attend colleges outside their hometown allowing CSU campuses to bring objections even if they aren’t located in the same region as the college proposing the degree has faced objections from CSU campuses other than San Marcos including Sacramento State and three San Francisco Bay Area campuses: Cal State East Bay Those campuses may be worried about losing potential students to community colleges. Sonoma State in particular has seen its enrollment plummet in recent years wrote in a memo that they are concerned the Moorpark program would “draw from the same pool of students” as their bachelor’s degree in engineering technology Forbes said he understands those worries but believes they may be misguided and we want our students to be successful there and we’re doing everything we can to help them on the transfer end these are not students who would be going to CSU,” he said Forbes and other community college officials around the state are eager for WestEd’s decisions with the smart people we have in California that rational minds can come to the table and figure out a better path forward,” Forbes said Michael Burke writes for nonprofit education news organization EdSource covering higher education A man suspected in a string of crimes over multiple days led authorities on two pursuits in Moorpark last week before he was apprehended The sequence of alleged crimes started with the theft of a purse and snowballed to include vehicle theft a hit-and-run during one of the pursuits and a search that locked down a condo complex according to the Ventura County Sheriff's Office a woman who lived in the 13000 block of Vista Levana Drive reported that her purse was stolen from her Ford Raptor truck The key fob for the victim's truck and her wallet Surveillance footage from the scene helped investigators identify the suspect the suspect returned and stole the victim's truck The woman reported it stolen around 10:30 p.m deputies located the pickup a few streets away around 7 a.m Sheriff's officials didn't immediately know how far the truck was driven while it was missing overnight Authorities said there is no indication the victim and suspect knew each other the man reportedly tried to use the victim's stolen credit cards tipping off authorities he was in the area Deputies saw him in his BMW near Spring Road and Los Angeles Avenue and tried to pull him over launching a brief pursuit before the chase was called off due to safety concerns The suspect allegedly hit two other vehicles during the pursuit deputies found the man hiding near his vehicle in the 6800 block of Simmons Way They tried to confront him but he fled on foot Authorities locked down a nearby condominium complex for about two to three hours while they looked for the man A helicopter and K-9 police dogs assisted with the manhunt a resident called to report seeing a suspicious person near Elk Run Loop and Spring Road Responding deputies realized it was the same suspect from the prior two incidents that day They found the man had the stolen credit cards and truck keys with him Investigators also found a firearm in the area and learned the man had an outstanding felony arrest warrant out of Los Angeles The suspect was arrested and subsequently charged by the Ventura County District Attorney's Office with nine felonies and three misdemeanors He pleaded not guilty to all charges Monday he remained in Ventura County's main jail with bail set at $30,000 and his next court date set for Feb A gas leak prompted evacuations at a Moorpark strip mall Wednesday morning Ventura County Fire Department crews were dispatched to the 200 block of West Los Angeles Avenue shortly before 10 a.m. Firefighters arrived to the rear of the shopping center where construction crews had ruptured a three-quarter inch gas line Fire personnel established a perimeter around the leak and evacuated 13 businesses from the strip mall About 15 firefighters in all assisted while Southern California Gas Co The line was patched up and businesses were allowed to return just before 11 a.m. Ryan Huisenga doesn’t know where he’ll be on fall weekends over the next few years It won’t be on the sidelines at Moorpark High resigned Monday after eight seasons as Moorpark High head football coach “It is with mixed emotions that I submit my resignation,” Huisenga wrote in his resignation letter “It has been an honor and dream to lead this program.” With his twin sons approaching graduation and poised to continuing playing football on college campuses to be named later Huisenga is planning on joining the rest of the family in the stands The football coach is shifting roles to football dad “They could be playing for another four or five years,” Huisenga said His twin sons Quinn and Tyler starred as a linebacker and receiver As their recruiting heated up over the past five weeks Huisenga began seriously considering his future He thought about a relative who recently played at Minot State He was able to follow his games on Saturday “I could never go and watch him,” Huisenga said “There was no way I could justify still being a head coach I don’t think it’s the right thing to do.” Moorpark was 47-34 (.580) in the eight seasons since the former Moorpark High and Cal Lutheran University quarterback took over from Tim Lins in January 2017 “He’s had a long tenure of coaching here and Cal Lutheran,” Moorpark athletic director Rob Dearborn said It’s always great when you have alumni coaching your program.” “He turned the tide for Moorpark High School,” Dearborn said Huisenga led Moorpark to a 11-4 record and a berth in the CIF-Southern Section Division 5 final That team was memorable for an explosive and acrobatic receiver named Drake London Moorpark won 17 games over the past two seasons going 9-2 with a share of the Canyon League title in 2023 and 8-3 in 2024 “I wanted to do what Tim (Lins) did for me and make sure the cupboard wasn’t bare for my successor,” Huisegna said the JV won league title and (the varsity) was a two-point play away from a league title.” The recent efforts of Huisenga and an alumni-heavy coaching staff make the Moorpark job attractive “He’s leaving the program in a really good place,” Dearborn said “I’m sure we’ll have a good pool of candidates to pick from.” Joe Curley covers high school, collegiate and professional football for The Star. He can be reached at joe.curley@vcstar.com (This story has been updated with new information from the CHP.) A teen riding an electric scooter was injured in a collision with a sheriff's patrol vehicle in Moorpark Tuesday night A deputy from the sheriff's Moorpark station had been traveling southbound on Spring The sheriff's office is contracted for police services in the city About mid-block between Second and Roberts The crash wasn't at a controlled intersection suffered injuries that did not appear life-threatening The teen was taken by ambulance to Los Robles Regional Medical Center His city of residence wasn't immediately available The accident is being investigated by the California Highway Patrol as is common when a collision involves a sheriff's patrol car CHP Officer Ryan Ayers said the agency's initial investigation found that while the deputy was driving the teen on the scooter — considered a pedestrian — rode "across Spring Road directly into the path of the deputy," causing the accident The deputy's speed at the time hasn't yet been determined The deputy stopped to render aid and requested medics The CHP didn't have an update on the teen's condition Wednesday morning The investigation will include accessing any video that may have captured the collision Ayers also said it's important for pedestrians to look both ways before crossing the street just because you see a car doesn't mean the car sees you," he said The agency has been an uptick in pedestrian-involved crashes around California since a state law, Assembly Bill 2147 Jaywalking is still a violation whenever a driver needs to change his or her driving pattern to accommodate a pedestrian in the roadway That can be as minimal as feeling the need to put on the brakes "As soon as (a pedestrian) becomes a danger to themselves" or another vehicle Anyone who saw Tuesday night's collision or who has dashcam or other video is asked to call the CHP's Moorpark office at 805-553-0800 Christian Dearborn has had many roles within the Moorpark High football program assistant coach and history teacher has been elevated to head football coach the Moorpark United School District announced Tuesday morning "Moorpark High School football has played a significant role in my life and I am excited to continue its legacy of excellence,” Dearborn said in the announcement “It is a tremendous honor to lead this program one that I have been a part of since childhood.” who stepped down in January after eight seasons “Our football program has established a foundational legacy as a well-respected and competitive program that is a cornerstone in the MHS community and throughout Moorpark,” Moorpark principal Zaid Bakoo said “We welcome Christian Dearborn as our new head coach and look forward to his leadership in continuing that tradition while supporting our student-athletes on and off the field.” the son of Moorpark athletic director Rob Dearborn The former Cal Lutheran University assistant coach was the head coach at Hillcrest Christian School in Thousand Oaks leading the Saints program to two Omega League titles and consecutive CIF-Southern Section 8-man Division 2 semifinals in 2018 and 2019 He was the head coach at Royal High in 2020 and 2021 guiding the Highlanders through the pandemic to a 5-8 record He coached the Moorpark freshman team to a 10-0 season in 2022 when his staff was honored as Freshman Staff of the Year by the Ventura County Football Coaches Association He served as varsity defensive coordinator the past two seasons when Moorpark was 17-5 under Huisenga and made consecutive playoff appearances “I understand the responsibility that comes with this job not just in building a competitive football program but in fostering an environment where our athletes succeed on the field in the classroom and in the community,” Dearborn said “Much in the same way that I benefited from the incredible support and encouragement of my coaches at MHS (This story has been updated with new information.) A man who barricaded himself in a Moorpark apartment complex Wednesday was ultimately taken into custody after Ventura County Sheriff's personnel used gas and breached a door The suspect had livestreamed from the apartment during the hourslong incident Deputies were dispatched to the Avery at Moorpark apartments in the 4700 block of Moorpark Avenue around 11:30 a.m. which is contracted to provide police services in Moorpark later advised residents to avoid the area due to the police activity Rob Yoos said deputies had gone to the apartment to serve a search warrant they were performing a legal eviction of the residents in the unit Two other adults in the residence complied and exited when told to do so The third subject barricaded himself in one of the rooms and started to livestream the incident The man was also wanted on an active felony warrant The sheriff's response included members of the SWAT team Sheriff's radio traffic from the scene indicated windows had been broken and the man had several tools on hand that could serve as potential weapons Authorities spent hours trying to coax the resident out of the unit sheriff's personnel breached a hole in one of the doors and introduced gas to the room to get the man to comply authorities made a full breach of the door the man was eventually taken into custody without further use of force Radio traffic indicated he was in custody shortly before 5 p.m Yoos expected more details to be released sometime Thusday Last week, a barricade situation at a ranch property west of Moorpark brought a large law enforcement response and last hours when a man reportedly fired shots and turned on propane tanks in the residence He was later taken into custody and charged with two counts of attempted murder This story may be updated as new information becomes available Davis Benson had already become part of the Moorpark High track and field royalty last season when he set a school record in the high jump as a freshman But the sophomore’s 6-10 clearance at the Don Green Invitational March 8 on his home track — a remarkable early season performance — made Benson not just one of the best high jumpers in Moorpark history but one of the top high jumpers in California “I blew my expectations out of the water,” Benson said It was a hectic day of competition for the sophomore Then he saw the standard raised to his personal-best mark of 6-8 “I cleared it without even touching the bar,” Benson said and I realized that 6-10 might be possible that day.” “The whole stadium knew what was going on,” said Moorpark head coach Christian Dearborn but I could see the whole stadium with their attention turned down towards the high jump.” Spectators and Benson’s fellow competitors clapped in rhythm for him as he took aim at 6-10 He made it over the bar on his third attempt securing a huge personal best and state-leading mark while defeating rival leaper Jackson Knowles of Rio Mesa — last year's ninth-place finisher at the CIF State Championships — along the way More: Tuesday's Top Prep Performers: Ventura's Nelson has dominating performance on the mound The day would only get more perfect for Benson then crossed the line in the 110-meter hurdles in 15.43 seconds Benson has improved those marks in the long jump and high hurdles to 22-9.5 and 15.03 He is ranked first in Ventura County in the long jump and second in the high hurdles in addition to his towering high jump mark Being a multi-event athlete is important to Benson who contributes key team points to the Musketeers across the jumps and hurdles obviously your skill set is going to get good in high jump,” Benson said “but when you are pushing yourself in other events it just makes you an all-around better athlete.” Even more impressive to Dearborn than Benson’s performances is his commitment to the team The day before his big day at the Don Green Invitational Benson was at the track helping Dearborn run the long jump pit for the lower-level jumpers More: ‘Why not Fillmore?’: Flashes unveil baseball stadium, prepare to build $27M athletic complex who was recently named the head coach of the Moorpark football program said he first noticed a shift in Benson’s approach during spring football shortly after he cleared 6-8 his freshman year.Going up against lockdown cornerback Jayden Gray Benson ran a solid route and scored on his first play of the practice he had this aura about him,” Dearborn said That is by far one of his biggest assets this season Benson’s sophomore year takeover began back in February He opened his season at the Arcadia Winter Championships where he tied the meet record with a jump of 6-9 Benson competed alongside teammate Dean Guzman at the meet “Iron sharpens iron,” Benson said of their partnership “They push each other,” said Moorpark high jump coach Imre Santha “This is my 38th year and I have never had a combination like those two.” Santha was a standout in the event he now coaches back in his prep years at Arcadia High Santha said he appreciates watching Benson — just 5-foot-11 — soar through the air and the taller guys hated smaller guys beating them.” Being slightly undersized doesn’t limit Benson because of his unique jumping style More: Check out who makes up the 2025 Class of the Ventura County Sports Hall of Fame Unlike many high jumpers who casually lope or bound towards the bar Benson attacks it — generating as much speed as he can on his run-up in order to explode off the ground I think it just gives me something to work harder for,” Benson said of his height “I might have a different jumping style than everyone Dominic Massimino is a staff writer for the Star He can be reached at dominic.massimino@vcstar.com follow @vcsdominic on Twitter and Instagram were arrested Tuesday after Moorpark deputies investigated a battery incident last week The Ventura County Sheriff's Office said deputies responded to an altercation on Nov The sheriff's office is contracted to provide police services in the city Patrol deputies spoke with five victims at the scene Video of the incident was booked as evidence The six male suspects allegedly conspired to commit battery of multiple victims at the site sheriff's officials said in a news release The suspects reportedly stole property from the victims and made credible threats against them a school resource officer in Moorpark identified the remaining suspects based on the video evidence patrol deputies and the school resource officer arrested the six suspects on suspicion of robbery The youths were booked into the Ventura County Juvenile Facilities complex Fire crews tackled a barn fire at the edge of Simi Valley Tuesday night that could have spread to nearby brush The Ventura County Fire Department responded to the blaze just before 10:30 p.m The street is in a residential enclave next to hillsides at the north edge of city limits Firefighters found the barn engulfed in flames and set up a perimeter to keep embers from burning the nearby brush Some crews remained on site overnight to make sure no embers ignited No surrounding buildings were damaged and there were no reported injuries The cause remained under investigation Wednesday (VVNG.com) — District Attorney Erik Nasarenko announced on March 17 has been convicted by a jury for orchestrating the 2004 murder of Dennis Wood The jury also found that Nehme ordered the killing for financial gain confirmed that all aggravating factors charged were proven true This included the determination that the crime involved great violence and was carried out with meticulous planning when deputies from the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office conducted a welfare check at Dennis Wood’s home in the 12500 block of Mountain Trail Street in Moorpark they discovered Wood’s body in the doorway An autopsy later revealed that he had been shot twice in the head and once in the chest leaving investigators searching for answers for several years had given Nehme $28,700 in cash for an undisclosed business venture Nehme owned a gas station in Ojai where he had purchased phone cards from Wood Nehme decided to have Wood killed to eliminate the financial obligation A breakthrough came in February 2010 when a suspect in an unrelated Los Angeles murder case revealed that his co-defendant had been the one to kill Wood on Nehme’s orders who had worked for Nehme at the Ojai gas station later confessed to the murder during a 2023 interview with Ventura County deputies Bracamonte provided key details of the crime that only the killer would know Bracamonte was already serving a sentence for a 2006 Los Angeles murder He was charged with Wood’s killing and pled guilty on May 8 Bracamonte’s testimony against Nehme was instrumental in securing the conviction He is scheduled to be sentenced for his involvement in Wood’s murder on April 30 Senior Deputy District Attorney John Barrick a member of the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office Major Crimes Homicides Unit Barrick expressed his gratitude for the hard work of the jury and the detectives involved especially lead detectives Gerardo Cruz and Erik Hernandez “I am deeply grateful to the jury for convicting the defendant and to the Ventura County Sheriff’s detectives who never gave up on this case,” Barrick said they secured the evidence needed to prove this case beyond a reasonable doubt bringing justice to Dennis Wood’s family after two decades.” Nehme is scheduled to be sentenced on May 20 in courtroom 26 of the Ventura County Superior Court He remains in custody without bail and faces a sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole 📢 Stay connected with the High Desert’s largest news community 🔗 For more local news, visit VVNG.com Related Article: Victorville Man Arrested for 2004 Cold Case Murder in Moorpark CA we’re dedicated to keeping the Victor Valley informed with essential Our newsroom works tirelessly to bring you the latest stories that matter—news that fosters awareness If you value our reporting and want to see it continue local news accessible to everyone—because an informed community is a stronger community Amy Gallagher2025-05-05T07:41:43-07:00May 5 Dominick Beaudine2025-05-02T09:39:58-07:00May 2 Dominick Beaudine2025-05-02T08:40:53-07:00May 2 Ted Hwang2025-05-04T09:32:06-07:00April 30 Ted Hwang2025-04-30T17:06:48-07:00April 30 This story was updated with new information from sheriff's officials Wednesday Ventura County Sheriff's deputies responded to a rural ranch property west of Moorpark Tuesday when an armed man who had reportedly fired weapons barricaded himself in a residence for more than nine hours which started in the late morning and lasted past nightfall when 61-year-old William Boer was taken into custody after hours of negotiations with sheriff's personnel He was arrested on suspicion of two counts of attempted murder The large law enforcement response was prompted by concerns about the armed suspect and worries over reports Boer had turned on propane tanks at the home At least nine people were evacuated from the site in armored vehicles Emergency responders were called to the 4200 block of Ventavo Road shortly after 10:20 a.m The incident slowed traffic on the 118 near Hitch Boulevard much of the day The woman had gone to Boer's residence to speak with him Worthy said Wednesday when more details were released She found her estranged husband had turned on the gas stove and had several propane tanks inside the home Boer had rifles and pistols registered to him Gunfire heardArriving deputies heard additional gunshots coming from inside the residence A sergeant briefly made contact with Boer by telephone but he soon ended the call and barricaded himself in the home both due to the weapons threat and because of concerns about gas coming from the propane tanks The activity closed Hitch Boulevard at the 118 The large response included at least two armored Bearcat vehicles including the CHP and SWAT teams from the Simi Valley and Oxnard police departments "We want this incident to end peacefully," Worthy said early Tuesday afternoon deputies reported having turned off several propane tanks after reporting a strong gas smell in the area Sheriff's negotiators were unable to reach Boer for several hours after the sergeant's initial contact in the morning he was seen placing propane tanks outside the front door Negotiators made contact with him after that Boer allegedly "deliberately" fired rounds outside his residence at law enforcement officers positioned nearby sheriff's officials said in Wednesday's update Investigators later found a long rifle and pistol in the residence Tactical negotiators continued speaking with Boer until he ultimately surrendered shortly before 8 p.m crying at least once and reportedly laughing in other instances Ventura County Superior Court records show a divorce case was filed by Boer's estranged wife on Aug workers evacuatedA shelter-in-place alert was sent to nearby residents shortly after 11 a.m. according to the sheriff's Office of Emergency Services Moorpark officials opened the emergency access driveway at Dalaway Drive/Shady Ridge Road so residents of Moorpark Home Acres could leave Tuesday afternoon Sheriff's personnel evacuated a half-dozen workers said to be in a shop on the property as well as three others at a nearby address An armored vehicle transported them off the site was part of a crew working in a building on the property “We got a call that there was a shooter situation," he said The workers learned of the situation around 11:15 a.m. Blankenship was part of the crew of six evacuated by sheriff's personnel in the armored Bearcat The group was sheltered in a Ventura County Emergency Medical Services bus Three other farmworkers who remained on the property were evacuated around 12:50 p.m forensics investigators were still at the scene The suspect had reportedly fired shots while inside the residence Authorities were still trying to determine which weapons were fired Boer was housed at Ventura County's main jail Wednesday with total bail set at $6.2 million He had not yet been formally charged by prosecutors as of Wednesday evening Sheriff's officials said the arrests concerned the attempted murder of the suspect's estranged wife and the attempted murder of a law enforcement officer An arraignment was scheduled for Thursday afternoon in room 13 at Ventura County Superior Court A single-story commercial building north of the Los Angeles River in Studio City is set to make way for affordable housing via the Mayor's Executive Directive 1, according to a new application to the Planning Department The proposed development by Thomas Beadel calls for the construction of a new five-story building featuring 102 two-bedroom apartments without on-site parking Findings included with the project's entitlement application indicate that the proposed apartments would be restricted to rent by moderate-, low-, and very low-income households the project would be eligible for density bonus incentives permitting a larger structure than allowed by zoning rules Stockton Architects is designing the contemporary low-rise structure Beadel and Stockton Architects are working on ED1 projects in neighborhoods across Los Angeles, including projects in North Hollywood, Sawtelle, and Mar Vista Twitter / Facebook / LinkedIn / Threads / Instagram / Bluesky Looking for affordable housing? Visit lahousing.lacity.org/aahr and housing.lacounty.gov California's 2024 state income limits Click here for additional affordable housing resources on Friday at Moorpark College Beach Volleyball Complex in Moorpark The Huskers improved their record to 19-3 with their 19th win in a row The Huskers won all 10 flights in straight sets on Friday Nebraska wraps up the beach volleyball season on Saturday with three matches: Santa Barbara (11:30 a.m Samantha Harvey/Sophia Vandenberg (SMCC) 21-10 Two of the biggest fans of the Moorpark College Raiders football team are Bengal tigers love to watch games at the stadium below them from their new They can watch the athletic field from the $4.5 million Rajah's Retreat the first enclosure that visitors see on their left after entering the Teaching Zoo at Moorpark College but the fence's ceiling stands about 27 feet high giving the tigers a clear view of the campus "What they get into is watching the movements watching the athletes run and fall," Rodriguez said the tigers lounge or swim in a pool and play with big balls and beer kegs in a two-habitat enclosure connected by a fenced bridge over two buildings that house indoor rooms The tigers like to walk up a plank to the building roof then go across the bridge and look at the humans below The roof in the habitat closest to the stadium provides a great vantage for the tigers to watch football and baseball the tigers sleep together on heated rocky shelves each room has wall-size windows that allow visitors to peer in and the tigers to look out and watch the humans who previously lived in an 800-square-foot enclosure in the former carnivores area are enjoying the 8,000-square-foot retreat Visitors have commented they're surprised by how active the tigers are in their new home noting the exercise is keeping Neil slimmer at 330 pounds He previously weighed as much as 400 pounds “It appears this new home has brought out the best in their personalities They have a lot of energy and a lot of curiosity,” Rodriguez said Construction of the retreat started in November 2021 and finished in August when Neil and Karma moved into their new quarters They got a chance to get used to their new home before a grand opening party that drew 500 people Sept The habitat's exteriors and interiors are designed to be as natural as possible the ceilings are painted blue to resemble the sky which was designed by Agoura Hills-based Amador Whittle Architects Fundraising included a Concert for the Cats in 2021 at the college Neil and Karma's storyThe two tigers have been with the zoo since 2017 Neil, a victim of the illegal pet trade, was rescued from a Hollywood Hills home and brought to the Moorpark zoo when he was 15 weeks old Karma was 10 weeks old when she arrived from an East Coast zoo that donated her to provide Neil with a companion Karma is spayed and Neil is neutered because there isn't a need to breed more tigers at zoos all part of a normal wildlife relationship to provide animals with the most normal experience," Rodriguez said Rajah’s Retreat and a previously built habitat for Ira the lion have set the stage for additional spaces The zoo has removed the carnivores from their enclosures which will be demolished and replaced by six new habitats that will emphasize more natural surroundings and interactive features The area for carnivores and other animals could feature wildlife such as a coyote There will also be a space for events and food service for visitors with construction starting as early as 2026 with completion two years later The zoo is open for visitors 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. For more information, see www.moorparkcollege.edu. City of Moorpark employees moved into new quarters at an interim City Hall facility Thursday and Friday The building at 323 Science Drive will open to the public Monday The city's main phone number remains the same at 805-517-6200 The city remodeled the 1999 warehouse and office building, which it purchased in February 2022 for $6.6 million The renovation included a new roof and a new heating The two-story facility totals more than 22,400 square feet The new building will be bigger and more energy-efficient than the old 13,645-square-foot facility at 799 Moorpark Ave. growth that we anticipate over the next several years as the community continues to grow," he said Moorpark City Council members will have their own offices “We hope the public comes to the building and has an opportunity to see it," Brown said "I hope they feel proud of their new City Hall." The interim facility will house the city manager’s office and the Community Development There will be a one-stop front counter for permits Council chambers at the Science Drive site won't be used until an audiovisual system is acquired and installed to broadcast meetings The chambers won't be complete until early 2025 meetings of the council and various city commissions will continue to be held in chambers on the Moorpark Avenue campus The Science Drive facility will allow city staff to work more efficiently resulting in more support for the community and businesses Ventura County built the old City Hall and Civic Center complex on Moorpark Avenue in 1980 before Moorpark was incorporated three years later The main city administration building was constructed in 1987 followed by the addition of three trailers in the late 1990s and mid-2000s The trailers are at the end of their useful life and have proven to be costly to maintain because of roof repairs and other problems The old main administration building will remain and be used to store documents and computer servers The city plans to eventually build a permanent City Hall at the site of the current Moorpark Library on the Moorpark Avenue campus Construction of a new, bigger library on the same property is expected to begin next year One of several homes that have burned as a result of the 8,885-acre Mountain Fire that has spread from Balcom Canyon to Camarillo on Nov Evacuation map at vcemergency.com The current evacuation zones for the Mountain Fire as of 4:30 p.m Photo via Alert California | UC San Diego Fire Camera  The 1,000-acre wildfire in Balcom Canyon is visible on the South Mountain Alert California camera at 10:24 a.m The fire has crossed Highway 118 and is now impacting the Camarillo Heights area VCFD is urging residents to follow these orders for their safety Several individuals have been injured and transported to local hospitals A press conference has been scheduled for 4 p.m in Camarillo to provide updates on the situation The wildfire in Balcom Canyon is visible on the South Mountain Alert California camera at 9:10 a.m on Nov A 14,159-acre vegetation fire started in Moorpark around 8:55 a.m the flames jumped from Balcom Canyon over the 118 Highway and sped towards Camarillo with hundreds of evacuations ordered at Level 3 Fox 11 reported Mountain Fire crews in Camarillo were 'out of water' and the fire hydrants have run dry NOTE: This article is provided free. Please subscribe to the Ojai Valley News | Ventura County Sun to help provide this important news reporting. SUBSCRIBE HERE Orange areas are evacuation warning areas.  Specific locations can be found here: https://vcoes.maps.arcgis.com/apps/dashboards/e15ca0d2737d43cea6514043e61f1a7c  The fire is moving down the north side of South Mountain towards the Santa Clara River and additional resources are being sent to the area from 12th Street Bridge to Todd Road the evacuation warning was lifted for the neighborhoods west of Wells Road north of the Santa Clara River and south of Foothill Road But residents are warned to stay prepared in case conditions change all resources were focused on life safety and evacuating Camarillo Heights A shelter has been opened for residents at: According to the Ventura County Fire Department several individuals have been injured and transported to local hospitals for spoke inhalation Several dozen homes in Camarillo have already been burned to the ground as of 3:12 p.m. and an official count will be provided tomorrow More information from VCFD can be found at: https://x.com/VCFD_PIO  The following schools will be closed Thursday For information on school closures visit: www.vcoe.org The multi-agency effort includes support from surrounding county fire departments as well as the Ventura County Sheriff's Office and other county agencies Additional units are being sent for structure protection and additional mutual aid aircraft are being requested from LA County and LA City due to structural threats but were not be able to operate on Wednesday due to the high winds Two helicopters have been requested from LA County due to an imminent life threats incident command requested four large air tankers California American Water is urging all customers to voluntarily restrict all non-essential water use and is encouraging customers to refrain from outdoor watering until further notice Limiting water usage during this important time helps firefighters by ensuring a readily available water supply for their fire suppression efforts according to the California American Water alert A press conference in Camarillo has been scheduled for 4 p.m. and will be streamed here: https://www.youtube.com/live/5QIUgGrdh8c An update from that conference can be viewed here: https://www.ojaivalleynews.com/news/county/several-homes-lost-to-mountain-fire/article_e694c588-9c80-11ef-a7e8-77b2afa41cd8.html Updates on the evacuation zone can be viewed here: https://vcoes.maps.arcgis.com/apps/dashboards/e15ca0d2737d43cea6514043e61f1a7c  To sign up for direct alerts on the fire and evacuation orders, visit: https://www.readyventuracounty.org/vc-alert/ More information from VC Emergency can be viewed at: https://www.vcemergency.com/  An information hotline is also available for information from Ventura County Emergency at: 805-465-6650 but that quickly jumped to 1,000 acres within an hour The fire now exceeds 10,000 acres as of 6:25 p.m Units first responded on scene at around 9:08 a.m and reported a large scale brush fire pushed by strong east winds which are estimated at 50 mph as of 2:42 p.m The 50 mph winds are expected to continue well into Thursday with gusts expected to be between 60-80 mph the fire was upgraded to a second alarm fire the fire reportedly crossed Bradley Road and shortly after jumped the 118 freeway with multiple structures threatened the fire was well established on the west side of Valley Vista Drive and is moving towards Sterling Hills the fire was established in the Santa Clara Riverbed with the industrial area off of Mission Rock Road being threatened units were working on possible threats in the Todd Road Jail area and were continuing to work flareups within the fire footprint A request was also made to close Bradley Road with structure protection requested between Balcom Canyon Road and Solano Verde Smoke was visible on the South Mountain Alert California | UC San Diego Fire Camera and California Highway Patrol was requested for road control More updates will be added throughout the night Email notifications are only sent once a day or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to read or post comments One subscription gets you full access to the Ojai Valley News | Ventura County Sun coverage daily online Subscribe today for as little as $1.12 per week Thank you for supporting local independent accurate View archived e-Editions of Ojai Valley News Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.We recommend switching to one of the following browsers: Account processing issue - the email address may already exist Subscriber digital copy of Friday's newspaper Invalid password or account does not exist Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the email address listed on your account (This story was updated to add more information.) Crews battled a fire in a battery pack at a Moorpark drone company forcing the occupants to evacuate Monday morning Firefighters from the Ventura County Fire Department responded to a call of smoke around 10:30 a.m Responding firefighters found a battery pack on fire producing smoke that was spreading through the building Crews were able to isolate the 25-pound battery outside the structure until hazardous materials crews could arrive to help extinguish the pack Fire crews evacuated the occupants of the building and one person had reported minor smoke inhalation but was not transported to the the hospital No damage was reported to the building and people were expected to return to work pending assessment of any smoke issues by the fire department vice president for marketing and communication at AeroVironment Hazardous materials crew members remained on scene to help decontaminate both the building and the firefighters before letting workers return to the building The fire department is investigating the incident Top Prep Performers from April 14: Duo powers Moorpark softball to win over Simi ValleyVentura County StarHighlights from Monday More: Saturday's Top Prep Performers: Oaks Christian relay team sprints to second-fastest time More: Friday's Top Prep Performers: Simi Valley's Goshorn throws his second no-hitter of season Leading Family-Style Pizza Chain Grows Presence in Southern California IRVINE, Calif. (Jan. 30, 2025) – Mountain Mike’s Pizza a leading family-style pizza chain for over 45 years massive 20-inch Mountain-sized pizzas and dough made fresh daily marking the brand’s second location in Ventura County The Moorpark location is owned and operated by longtime multi-unit franchisees Aamir and Bashir Khan who will bring two forthcoming locations to Ventura County The franchisees own and operate four existing Northern California locations in Eureka The new Mountain Mike’s Pizza is the ideal destination for Ventura County locals to enjoy the brand’s signature experience of “Pizza the Way it Oughta Be!®” whether dining in the restaurant carrying out or having it delivered directly to their door “As a proud owner of several Mountain Mike’s Pizza locations across California I always look forward to introducing new communities to ‘Pizza the Way it Oughta Be®’,” said Aamir love the quality and flavor Mountain Mike’s delivers and our commitment to serving our communities remains steadfast as we aim to establish our new location as a family-friendly pizza destination in Ventura County.” The spacious 3,050-square-foot Mountain Mike’s Pizza in Moorpark features the welcoming family-friendly atmosphere for which the brand is known the restaurant is bound to be a go-to destination for sports fans The Moorpark restaurant also includes a weekday all-you-can-eat pizza and salad bar lunch buffet free Wi-Fi and a 500-square-foot patio for al fresco dining There is something for everyone at Mountain Mike’s in Moorpark making it an ideal spot for guests of all ages office gatherings and group fundraising events alike novia@powerhouseandco.com a leading family-style pizza chain known for its legendary crispy curly pepperonis and Mountain-sized pizzas has been quietly building one of the largest regional pizza franchises in the West Today we're developing coast-to-coast with 300+ restaurants and we're primed for explosive growth nationwide Get the latest news and resources from Pizza Marketplace 2025Steven HardestyAssistant Scouting Director The 2025 California high school baseball season is quickly approaching and Players and coaches have been working in preparation for the upcoming season and there are some very talented players and teams across California Teams across the state have goals and aspirations to finish their seasons in their respective CIF Section Championship Game but there is plenty of work to be done before that becomes reality We hope to familiarize our readers with many of the teams across the state as we preview these individual programs across California We will take you right up to first pitch this season with these team previews eventually releasing our Preseason Power 25 rankings Please keep checking back throughout the season as we will be your one-stop shop for everything related to high school baseball across California Each week we will be releasing our Power 25 Our 2025 preseason coverage continues today with a preview of the Moorpark Musketeers. High School: Moorpark MusketeersHead Coach: Aaron GarciaCIF Section: Southern SectionDivision: Division 22024 Record (Playoff Finish):  21-12-1 (CIF-SS D2 runner up / CIF-South Regional D2 runner up)Key Players Lost: Jacob Shannon-Wilkerson Returning Pitchers: 10+ Team Strengths: Returning experience + '25 SS/2B Taylor Busch + '25 OF/RHP Connor Tutino Pacific Lutheran Commit + '25 RHP/OF Derek Nickels + '26 LHP/OF Carson Cerny USD Commit + '26 SS/2B AJ Mai + '26 RHP Tanner Stotts + Projected Starters: Carson Cerny with the rest of rotation still up for competition+ Projected Relievers: Still to be determined + '27 INF Diego Magana  We suffered two heartbreaking losses to close out both the CIF-SS D2 final and the CIF-Southern Regional championships but that experience can hopefully be a very positive for the 2025 club to try and put together another strong season Lead by Cerny on the mound with plenty of solid depth behind him the pitching staff should be strong again The infield is deep with both defensive talent and offensive potential We have to replace some key production in the OF and behind the dish but there are solid players in each area ready for their turn on varsity Moorpark may have suffered two of the most difficult losses to handle in a pair of CIF Championship game contests between the controversial ending to the SS-D2 final and an extra innings defeat in the Southern Regional final with several key pieces back for the Musketeers from ace Carson Cerny the USD commit on the mound who just continues to get better to the up the middle duo of Busch and Mai who were stalwarts for the 2024 squad fronting the returners with plenty of depth behind them in solid players like Cameron Johnson Derek Nickels and more there is plenty of reason to see another strong 2025 campaign for the Aaron Garcia lead Musketeers program - Assistant Scouting Director Steven Hardesty + Follow Moorpark on Instagram: @moorparkbsbl+ Find more team previews on the Prep Baseball California Season Previews homepage + Prep Baseball California on X+ Prep Baseball California on Instagram+ Prep Baseball California on Facebook+ Prep Baseball California on YouTube           Moorpark College in California piloted an initiative that alerts students of their eligibility for academic renewal Students who utilized renewal were more likely to take more challenging courses and more credits compared to their peers who weren’t made aware of the option You have /5 articles left.Sign up for a free account or log in A two-way texting initiative at Moorpark College helps make students aware of their eligibility for academic renewal Academic renewal programs are one way to improve students’ grade point averages, removing poor marks after a student proves they can achieve at higher levels. Many colleges part of the Ventura Community College District in Southern California but students are often unaware of the option Moorpark leaders conducted a pilot to see how the college could better communicate eligibility for grade renewal and found counselors were able to reach students who then took advantage of the initiative Those who utilized the renewal also had higher retention rates took more credits and were more likely to enroll in difficult gateway courses What’s the need: Academic renewals are one way to motivate students who have struggled academically by removing their lowest grades from their cumulative GPA “It’s like if you owed years of taxes to the IRS ‘How do I get myself out of this hole?’” says Jodi Dickey students are eligible for an academic renewal if they achieved a below-C grade more than 12 months ago for up to 24 credits of work and if their current GPA is higher The one exception—academic renewal can’t be applied to any course that is used to satisfy a degree The policy has existed for more than a decade but very few students are aware of the option chair of academic counseling at the college Some savvy students will navigate the college’s website and apply for the reset but college leaders wanted to expand the opportunity delivering timely and relevant information for students to improve their academic success How it works: The college launched a two-way texting campaign in spring 2024 to contact students who qualified for academic renewal Moorpark has seen success in reaching students via text for other services Using data from the institutional research office a counselor reaches out to a batch of eight to 10 students using a standardized text that alerts students they’re eligible for academic renewal and then responds to each student individually The software Moorpark uses allows counselors to have a split screen displaying all active messages so the counselor can engage multiple students at once Academic counselors are responsible for filing the paperwork to kick-start the renewal process If a student confirms permission via text for a counselor to file the paperwork the process can take place entirely online the counselor sends the paperwork to admissions and it takes about two days for the grade to update reflected on the student’s transcript as an E for “exempt.” it doesn’t always work out or make sense for them to do academic renewal because there are limitations in terms of how many courses and terms,” Lajoie explains counselors are able to provide personalized advice and support to guide the student through other ways to improve their academic standing such as retaking a course or changing their degree path Lajoie sends a text to all students who received a changed grade through the process Moorpark used $3,500 of grant funding to compensate staff who worked on the project The impact: To gauge the initiative’s effectiveness Moorpark leaders compared data between a control group (eligible students who did not receive texts) and a treatment group (eligible students who did receive texts) 50 percent of whom engaged in some capacity via text and 25 percent of whom completed the academic renewal process The anecdotal impact was immediate and powerful you can have these grades exempted from your GPA without repeating [the class],’ there’s this beacon of light that explodes,” Lajoie says which impacts their enrollment and progress.” Some students were hesitant to engage via text Counselors tried to use more personal language and utilize emojis to sound less robotic and not AI-generated As Moorpark expands texting services to students administrators hope to see less of this concern because students will be familiar communicating with institutional stakeholders this way Hispanic students who received texts about academic renewal had a higher retention rate into fall 2024 compared to their peers who did not receive texts (57 percent versus 47 percent) The treatment group also enrolled in more units for fall 2024 (9.81 units) compared to the control group (9.5 units) and were more likely to enroll in an English or math class which highlighted the relationship between a student’s confidence in their academic ability and their GPA Hispanic students saw larger gains in these areas “suggesting the initiative also helps to close equity gaps,” says Oleg Bespalov Another benefit of the initiative is how many students that counselors can reach quickly “If every one of those was done in an appointment you’re looking at 250 hours’ worth of time and you’re lucky that that student got to you in the first place.” campus leaders plan to scale the initiative to include all students who are eligible for academic renewal hopefully seeing even more benefit from the opportunity One future change is closing the loop of communication with students sooner following up on students’ GPAs changes earlier than at the end of the term Counselors also plan to use text-based conversations to connect students to other services and resources such as steps for making an appointment online or how to make an educational plan Do you have an academic intervention that might help others improve student success? Tell us about it. Inside Higher Ed’s annual survey of campus technology leaders reveals fractured policies and other disconnec part of the State University of New York system A new analysis of Inside Higher Ed’s annual Student Voice survey underscores the significance of belonging a Texas State University provides personalized support to help students bounce back from academic probation Learn high-impact ways to re-engage students drive enrollment and support your team’s well-being Subscribe for free to Inside Higher Ed’s newsletters opinion and great new careers in higher education — delivered to your inbox View Newsletters Copyright © 2025 Inside Higher Ed All rights reserved. | Website designed by nclud Prosecutors have charged a man with attempted murder and other crimes in the wake of a barricade incident Tuesday that brought a massive law enforcement response to a ranch west of Moorpark appeared in Ventura County Superior Court Thursday afternoon and Friday morning for arraignment proceedings after prosecutors filed a complaint with two counts of attempted murder one count of possessing explosives and one count of attempting to set fire to a structure Boer’s estranged wife and a sheriff’s detective are listed as victims in the charging document The attempted murder charge concerning Boer’s estranged wife notes the alleged crime was committed “willfully deliberately and with premeditation,” according to the complaint Prosecutors also filed multiple special allegations that can bring heavier sentences if a defendant is convicted including that he used a rifle during the incident involving the detective and that the crimes required planning and sophistication Boer was represented by the Ventura County Public Defender’s Office Tuesday’s hourslong standoff unfolded shortly after 10:20 a.m. when Boer’s estranged wife reportedly returned to their shared ranch home in the 4200 block of Ventavo Road Boer had turned on the gas stove and several propane tanks in the home according to the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office The woman fled when he allegedly tried to ignite a lighter She thought she heard several gunshots as she left who had rifles and pistols registered to him subsequently barricaded himself in the home Several workers in other buildings on the property were evacuated in armored vehicles over concerns about the firearms and flammable gas Simi Valley and Oxnard police department SWAT teams assisted and the California Highway Patrol shut down portions of Hitch Boulevard and Ventavo Road County firefighters also staged at the scene The Ventura Police Department sent a K-9 unit the next day to help search for weapons Sheriff’s tactical negotiators spent hours Tuesday communicating with Boer he allegedly fired rounds deliberately at law enforcement officers positioned outside his residence He surrendered without further incident shortly before 8 p.m A long rifle and a pistol were later recovered from the home a protective order was served barring the defendant from having contact with his estranged wife Court records show she had filed divorce papers on Aug The criminal case against Boer was marked as domestic violence the arraignment was continued a second time Boer was returned to county jail custody and was not eligible for bail 19 stabbing of a 15-year-old victim in El Rio The incident took place shortly before 6 p.m. that evening in a parking lot in the 2800 block of East Vineyard Avenue which patrols the unincorporated community outside Oxnard Multiple suspects physically attacked and stabbed the victim sheriff's officials said in a news release Wednesday The victim was treated for wounds that weren't life-threatening Sheriff's officials worked with Oxnard Police Department detectives who identified the suspects as Oxnard residents known to be members of a street gang Over a two-week period in late August and early September sheriff's detectives obtained arrest and search warrants Prosecutors subsequently filed felony assault conspiracy and street terrorism charges against the adult suspects Multiple felonies were filed against the minor in juvenile court Anyone with information is asked to call sheriff's Detective Steve Bibian at 805-677-8733 Ventura Fire Department crews rescued a man from the ocean off the Ventura Pier early Thursday involved what authorities believe was a suicide attempt Battalion Chief Jeremy Henderson said two rescue swimmers pulled an adult male from the water with what looked like a stab wound to the neck The wound was believed to be self-inflicted Two other firefighters accompanied the man Other agencies assisted with the rescue operation including state lifeguards and the Ventura Harbor Patrol Mike Brown said the agency didn't send major crimes detectives because the wounds Because the man was still in the hospital Thursday morning a mental health hold couldn't immediately be placed on him Moorpark has more choices for savory and sweet foods after the recent openings of two eateries Habit Burger & GrillThe wait is over for Moorpark residents hungry for a Charburger in their city held a grand opening for one of its largest outlets Wednesday at 146 Los Angeles Ave with the drive-through window staying open until 10 p.m Moorpark customers driving to the two Simi Valley outlets have long asked for a restaurant closer to home after a ribbon cutting with Moorpark city and Chamber of Commerce officials which also recently opened a location in Ojai is popular for its flame-boiled Charburgers with toasted buns Habit has other locations around the county The company recently added an ampersand before the word grill in its name but not in time for the sign at the Moorpark location to include the character The Moorpark restaurant pays tribute to its roots in the Santa Barbara area with a wall-size interior photo of Stearns Wharf and signs promoting its Santa Barbara Char A burger named after Moorpark is possible if Habit gets enough requests "Maybe we can create that with our marketing team," he said For more information, see www.habitburger.com/locations/moorpark or call 805-991-5733 The new business serves Italian gelatos and sorbets Che Gelato's entire staff consists of the two owners who have relatives in Italy and grew up loving gelato in South America They traveled to Bologna, Italy in September 2023 to take a master class in gelato, which is similar to ice cream. Food Network says one difference is gelato uses more milk and less cream The owners of Che Gelato learned the importance of using real fruit and are careful to make everything from scratch a 47-year-old Woodland Hills resident who also owns Buenos Aires Grill an Argentinian restaurant in that community Zena said she and Loioco stress local ingredients at Che Gelato they buy fruit from East County farmers markets Flavors vary from strawberry, chocolate and vanilla to pistachio, cappuccino, cinnamon and banana, according to the shop's menu at chegelato.com Che Gelato also sells dairy-free sorbets that vary from mango to pineapple The owners like their location in Moorpark which is near pizza and hamburger restaurants and a coffee shop Their space was vacant for 13 years after its former occupant For more information, contact Che Gelato at 805-222-6162 or chegelatousa@gmail.com