Latest news with #vcstar.com
Yahoo
02-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Authorities name slain Ojai-area woman but keep mum about suspect
An Ojai-area woman was identified on June 2 as the victim of a homicide in the Upper Ojai area days earlier, authorities said. Carolyn Nino De Rivera, 26, was found dead May 31 at a residence in the 12000 block of Sisar Road in unincorporated Santa Paula, often referred to as Upper Ojai, according to a Ventura County Sheriff's Office news release. Her body was discovered around 9:10 p.m., and evidence suggested that De Rivera was the victim of homicide., the sheriff's office previously reported. No arrests were made as of the afternoon of June 2, but the suspect is known to the sheriff's office, authorities said. Sgt. Monica Smith, a spokesperson for the sheriff's office, refused to provide any additional information about the suspect, saying detectives would release it. Two messages left with detectives were not returned. Social media sites are circulating the name and image of a man associated with De Rivera. Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Michael Marco at 805-384-4739. Ernesto Centeno Araujo covers breaking news for the Ventura County Star. He can be reached at ecentenoaraujo@ This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: Authorities name slain Ojai-area woman; keep mum on suspect
Yahoo
19-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Ventura County home prices flat in March, but sales volume up
The price of a home in Ventura County stayed about flat over the past year, while the number of sales climbed dramatically, a positive sign for a real estate market that has been characterized for years by high prices and sluggish sales activity. The median price of all existing single-family homes sold in Ventura County in March was $940,000, according to the latest data released by the California Association of Realtors. The median is the point at which half of the homes sold for more and half for less. March's median price was 2.4% higher than a year earlier, which is about the same as the rate of inflation over that period. Prices were down 3% from the previous month. There were 297 sales of single-family homes in March, a 24% increase in a year and a 35% increase from the previous month. Because the real estate business is seasonal, with more sales and higher prices in the summer than the winter, year-to-year comparisons are the standard. Still, the 35% month-to-month increase was the biggest gain in sales volume in two years. Sales volume in Ventura County has trended downward for most of the past four years as rising mortgage interest rates have discouraged both sellers and buyers. The most expensive homes in Ventura County in March were in Ojai, which had a median sale price of $1.44 million. Oxnard had the lowest median price at $755,000. Tony Biasotti is an investigative and watchdog reporter for the Ventura County Star. Reach him at tbiasotti@ This story was made possible by a grant from the Ventura County Community Foundation's Fund to Support Local Journalism. This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: Ventura County home prices flat in March, but sales volume up
Yahoo
01-03-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Muslims begin Ramadan. Here's what to know about holy month of fasting, faith
Ramadan, considered the holiest month in the Islamic calendar, kicks off Saturday. Muslims worldwide will wake up to start a month of fasting from dawn to dusk. Much like the Lenten season for Catholics, it calls on those practicing religion to strengthen their connection to God. Muslims strengthen their faith by fasting, prayer, spending extra time reading the Qur'an and abstaining from ill behavior, according to the Islamic Network Group. This year, Ramadan falls on March 1-29. It shifts 10 -11 days earlier every year, following a lunar calendar instead of the solar calendar used in the U.S. It is the ninth month in the Islamic calendar and is believed to be the time that the first verses of the Qur'an were revealed to the Prophet Muhammed. Religious leaders, known as Imams, will lead the Taraweeh, in which they recite parts of the Qua'ran until they have completed the book by the end of the month. The holy month is capped off with a three-day festival known as Eid ul-Fitr, or the Festival of Breaking the Fast. This festival is celebrated with food, games, and presents for children. Believers who have reached puberty and are physically capable are expected to fast. Children, the sick, pregnant or nursing women, and the elderly are exempt. Mosques often hold nightly dinners called Iftars to break the fast. These dinners are a way for friends and family to gather and build community. More: Ramadan will soon be over. Here's why I'll miss it, despite the challenges of fasting. Ernesto Centeno Araujo covers breaking news for the Ventura County Star. He can be reached at ecentenoaraujo@ This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: What is Ramadan and what you need to know about it
Yahoo
01-03-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Muslims begin Ramadan. Here's what to know about holy month of fasting, faith
Ramadan, considered the holiest month in the Islamic calendar, kicks off Saturday. Muslims worldwide will wake up to start a month of fasting from dawn to dusk. Much like the Lenten season for Catholics, it calls on those practicing religion to strengthen their connection to God. Muslims strengthen their faith by fasting, prayer, spending extra time reading the Qur'an and abstaining from ill behavior, according to the Islamic Network Group. This year, Ramadan falls on March 1-29. It shifts 10 -11 days earlier every year, following a lunar calendar instead of the solar calendar used in the U.S. It is the ninth month in the Islamic calendar and is believed to be the time that the first verses of the Qur'an were revealed to the Prophet Muhammed. Religious leaders, known as Imams, will lead the Taraweeh, in which they recite parts of the Qua'ran until they have completed the book by the end of the month. The holy month is capped off with a three-day festival known as Eid ul-Fitr, or the Festival of Breaking the Fast. This festival is celebrated with food, games, and presents for children. Believers who have reached puberty and are physically capable are expected to fast. Children, the sick, pregnant or nursing women, and the elderly are exempt. Mosques often hold nightly dinners called Iftars to break the fast. These dinners are a way for friends and family to gather and build community. More: Ramadan will soon be over. Here's why I'll miss it, despite the challenges of fasting. Ernesto Centeno Araujo covers breaking news for the Ventura County Star. He can be reached at ecentenoaraujo@ This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: What is Ramadan and what you need to know about it
Yahoo
28-02-2025
- Yahoo
Newbury Park High vandalized with swastika, profanities
Newbury Park High School was vandalized Thursday night with graffiti that included a swastika, authorities said. The vandalism was reported around 8 p.m. on a wall near the administration building on North Reino Road campus, said Ventura County Sheriff's Capt. Cyrus Zadeh. He did not know who reported the incident. Deputies with the Thousand Oaks station responded and found racial slurs, profanity and swastikas spray painted, he said. Deputies documented the graffiti as a hate crime and vandalism. The city of Thousand Oaks, which covers portions of Newbury Park, contracts its police services with the sheriff's office. Zadeh said the report has since been handed over to investigators. Reports of hateful graffiti have happened across Ventura County in recent years. In June 2022, a Thousand Oaks elementary school was targeted with what Mark McLaughlin, superintendent of the Conejo Valley Unified School District, described at the time as "hateful speech." In January 2019, a Jewish synagogue in Ventura was vandalized with a swastika. In August of the same year, a truck parked at an overflow lot of a Thousand Oaks car dealership was spray painted with a backward swastika and a the words "white power." A spokeswoman for Conejo Valley Unified took questions about the incident Friday morning. This story may be updated. Stacie N. Galang is news director of the Ventura County Star. She can be reached at or 805-437-0222. This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: Newbury Park High vandalized with swastika, profanities
