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June 8, 2025
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Simi Valley News, Food, Entertainment & Community

Simi Valley News, Food, Entertainment & Community

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Rotary Club Volunteers Turn Rainy Evening into a Celebration of Giving for Simi Valley
2 min read
  • Community

Rotary Club Volunteers Turn Rainy Evening into a Celebration of Giving for Simi Valley

Clair.ID November 27, 2024 717
(CLAIR | Simi Valley,CA) – On a rainy Tuesday evening in Simi Valley, the Monte Vista High School multipurpose room was transformed into a hub of holiday preparation. Members...
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How the Beckers Made Christmas Unforgettable in Simi Valley
3 min read
  • Community

How the Beckers Made Christmas Unforgettable in Simi Valley

Clair.ID November 26, 2024 4455
(CLAIR | Simi Valley, CA) — For over five decades, the Becker Christmas House brought light and magic to Simi Valley, becoming a treasured holiday tradition for families throughout...
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Simi Valley Doubles Down on Safety With New Security Measures Coming to Local Parks
2 min read
  • Community

Simi Valley Doubles Down on Safety With New Security Measures Coming to Local Parks

Clair.ID November 26, 2024 279
(CLAIR | Simi Valley, CA) — The Rancho Simi Recreation and Park District (RSRPD) is moving forward with new security measures to address vandalism and theft in several local...
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His Van Was His Lifeline – Join Simi Valley in Helping Travis Replace His Mobility Van
2 min read
  • Community

His Van Was His Lifeline – Join Simi Valley in Helping Travis Replace His Mobility Van

Clair.ID November 18, 2024 3441
(CLAIR | Simi Valley, CA) – For 29-year-old Travis Goldberg, freedom has always come on four wheels. But after a recent accident, that freedom was taken away. His mobility...
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All Aboard! The Holiday Express Train Returns To Simi Valley for 2024
2 min read
  • Community

All Aboard! The Holiday Express Train Returns To Simi Valley for 2024

Clair.ID November 11, 2024 2624
(CLAIR | Simi Valley, CA) — Holiday magic is rolling into Simi Valley as Metrolink’s Holiday Express Train makes its much-anticipated return. The event, features beautifully decorated train cars,...
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You Won’t Believe What Junkyard Cafe is Serving for Breakfast and why Simi Valley Can’t Get Enough!
2 min read
  • Dining

You Won’t Believe What Junkyard Cafe is Serving for Breakfast and why Simi Valley Can’t Get Enough!

Clair.ID October 30, 2024 2057
(CLAIR | Simi Valley, CA ) – If you’re looking to start your day with something unforgettable, Junkyard Cafe has launched a creative new breakfast menu that’s worth waking...
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Ventura County Real Estate Influencer Gets a Taste of Simi Valley’s Sweetest Secret
2 min read
  • Community

Ventura County Real Estate Influencer Gets a Taste of Simi Valley’s Sweetest Secret

Clair.ID October 29, 2024 780
(CLAIR | Simi Valley, CA) – We caught up with local real estate influencer Isaiah Zendejas as he left 85°C Bakery Café. He looked genuinely surprised by the experience....
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Pizza, Passion, and the World Series: Dodgers and Yankees Fans Gather for Epic Simi Valley Viewing Party!
2 min read
  • Editor's Pick

Pizza, Passion, and the World Series: Dodgers and Yankees Fans Gather for Epic Simi Valley Viewing Party!

Clair.ID October 29, 2024 1509
(CLAIR | Simi Valley, CA ) – Dodgers fans, it’s our time. Tonight, Game 4 of the World Series will bring us face-to-face with the Yankees once again, and...
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Simi Valley Residents Agree on What Matters—But Here’s Why We’re Fighting
5 min read
  • Politics

Simi Valley Residents Agree on What Matters—But Here’s Why We’re Fighting

Clair.ID October 15, 2024 320
(CLAIR | Simi Valley, CA) — You might not believe you’re being influenced by television and social media algorithms. In fact, you may even feel a slight surge of...
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Simi 85°C Bakery is Unlike Anything You’ve Ever Tasted—Here’s Why You Need to Go!
2 min read
  • Business

Simi 85°C Bakery is Unlike Anything You’ve Ever Tasted—Here’s Why You Need to Go!

Clair.ID October 14, 2024 1479
(CLAIR | Simi Valley, CA) — If you think you know bakeries, think again. Simi Valley’s 85°C Bakery Cafe is not your typical coffee-and-croissant joint. This Taiwanese bakery chain—famed...
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Your favorite Simi Valley News Stories of the 70's, 80's, 90's and today. -- Contact Us: tothemoon@celsermedia.com

20 Kittens a Day? Simi Shelter Bursting With Fluff 20 Kittens a Day? Simi Shelter Bursting With Fluff — Please Send Formula

(CLAIR | Simi Valley, CA) — Free adoptions for every pet are happening this Saturday, June 7, at Ventura County Animal Services’ Camarillo and Simi Valley shelters. As part of California Adopt a Pet Day, all adoption fees will be covered thanks to the ASPCA, CalAnimals and the SFSPCA. Dogs, cats, rabbits and more are all included, making this a perfect time to welcome a new companion.

Among the many animals waiting for a fresh start are Dewey and Louie, a pair of playful pups just under a year old. They’ve done well with people and other dogs and are available now at the Camarillo shelter. You can preview them — along with every other adoptable animal — at vcas.us/pets.

Also ready for a forever home is Moe, our Pet of the Week. Moe is a mellow, tortoiseshell house rabbit who was returned to the shelter when his family could no longer care for him. The Bunny Brigade volunteers at VCAS have been showering him with love and head pets, and they say he’s a gentle, affectionate companion who would do well in a calm home. To learn more about Moe, email vcasbunnybrigade@gmail.com or visit his profile.

While the focus is on adoption this weekend, there’s another story unfolding behind the scenes: kittens, and lots of them. Shelter staff report that up to 20 kittens are arriving each day — many too young to eat on their own. Foster volunteers are doing everything they can, but resources are stretched thin. When VCAS put out a call last week for more kitten formula, the community responded quickly and generously.

“We have an amazing community,” one supporter wrote on Facebook. “I love being able to help out directly, just like in this situation.” Shelter staff were moved by the swift outpouring of donations and said the extra supplies are already making a big difference for both the kittens and their foster families.

Kitten formula is still in high demand. The shelter uses PetAg KMR Kitten Milk Replacer — either the 12 oz canisters or 5 lb bags.

(continue reading: follow link in bio)
Hidden Tar Pits Found in Simi Valley Hills — You Hidden Tar Pits Found in Simi Valley Hills — You Won’t Believe What’s Bubbling Up

(CLAIR | Simi Valley, CA) — Not far from the strip malls and neighborhoods of Simi Valley, the land gets quiet. If you head north into Tapo Canyon and follow a dusty trail for a couple of miles, you’ll stumble onto something strange—something that doesn’t belong in the middle of a suburban hiking route.

It’s not marked with fanfare. There are no crowds. But the tar is there, black and sticky, bubbling out of the ground like it’s been doing for thousands of years.

This is the Tapo Canyon Tar Pits. Not many people in Simi Valley even know they exist. But they’ve been part of the land long before the city had a name.

The tar comes from deep underground. Millions of years ago, this whole area was under the ocean. When the sea pulled back, it left behind layers of organic muck. That muck turned into oil, and that oil still pushes its way up through cracks in the earth. What reaches the surface thickens in the sun. You can smell it before you see it—something like hot asphalt after a summer rain.

Locals who’ve found it often mistake it for a spill at first. One hiker wrote online, “That’s not a spill. That’s a natural seepage of oil.” Another said, “It’s my first time seeing one. I had no idea.”

The tar isn’t new, and it isn’t dangerous. It’s part of California’s history. In fact, oil seeps like this helped inspire the petroleum industry here. But before all that, the Chumash people used this tar to waterproof baskets and line canoes. Their village, Ta’apu, once sat near this very site.

Today, the pits sit quietly along a five-mile trail behind Tapo Canyon Regional Park. It’s a simple walk. Nothing fancy. But at the end, the land speaks—if you’re listening.

Online, people share photos and crack jokes. Some say it needs a “Prop 65 warning sign” or ask if it’s “Rocketdyne juice.” A few reference movie lines like, “I drink your milkshake,” or “Black gold. Simi tea.”

(continue reading: follow link in bio)
State of the City recap: Mayor Cavanaugh Talks Saf State of the City recap: Mayor Cavanaugh Talks Safety, Housing, and a City in Motion

(CLAIR | Simi Valley, CA) — Rooted in Community, Building Our Future.

That was the theme Mayor Dee Dee Cavanaugh carried throughout her 2025 State of the City address at the Cultural Arts Center. She opened with a brief tribute to former Mayor Fred Thomas, then moved quickly into a wide-ranging update that touched on public safety, housing, education, and long-requested amenities—like a BMX track finally moving forward at the Sinaloa Golf Course property.

Public safety remains top of mind. Despite the perception of rising crime on social media, Cavanaugh noted that crime overall continues to decline in Simi Valley. Property and drug-related crimes dropped in 2024, and response times improved. Officers handled nearly 100,000 calls, and the city’s expanded motor unit—now with four full-time motorcycle officers—tripled traffic enforcement. “They’re wonderful officers,” she said. “You just don’t want to see them in your rearview mirror.”

Launched in October, the drone program has flown over 300 missions with eight drones and 15 trained pilots. Police used them for everything from missing persons to crash investigations. The CERT program, started in 1994, has trained more than 1,600 residents to prepare for disasters.

The city’s total budget is $264 million, but the General Fund—which covers day-to-day operations—is approximately $88 million. That translates to $310 per resident for police, $144 for public works and $72 for environmental services. The Environmental Services department goes well beyond environmental programs—it handles permitting, building inspections, code enforcement and planning.

(continue reading: follow link in bio)
Plant a Boot, Grow a Garden: The Simi Valley Class Plant a Boot, Grow a Garden: The Simi Valley Class You Didn’t Know You Needed

(CLAIR | Simi Valley, CA) — Got Old Boots? Turn Them Into Living Art with Dr. P. If you’ve got an old pair of rain boots lying around, don’t toss them—plant them!

On Thursday, June 12, 2025, from 2:00 to 3:30 p.m., the Simi Valley Senior Center will host a hands-on succulent workshop that turns those forgotten boots into living planters.

Those forgotten boots are about to become the stars of a hands-on workshop all about succulents. It’s led by Dr. Stephen Pietrolungo, better known as “Dr. P.” A retired school principal with a science degree and a dry sense of humor, he now spends his time growing plants that hardly need water and teaching others how to do the same.

“I like plants that don’t panic when you forget about them,” he says.

That’s the magic of succulents. Their name comes from the Latin sucus, meaning sap. These plants store water in their thick, juicy leaves so they can survive long dry spells—perfect for our Simi Valley climate.

At this workshop, you’ll learn how to create your own succulent planter using an old rain boot (or use the one provided). You’ll also learn how to keep your succulents happy with the least amount of effort. It’s true: most succulents only need to be watered when the soil is completely dry—and they only need fertilizer once a year.

Want more weird plant facts? Here’s a few Dr. P. loves to share:

Some succulents grow tiny leaves because they’re used to high mountain air.
Many have their own built-in sunscreen (a powdery coating called farina).
You can grow new plants just by snipping a leaf and letting it sit in a sunny spot.
And yep, cactus are succulents—but not all succulents are cactus.
Best of all? These plants are tough. They don’t attract many pests and they live for years. That’s why succulents show up in wedding bouquets, cake decorations, and even jewelry. (Yes, succulent earrings are a real thing.)

(continue reading: https://clair.id/2025/06/03/plant-a-boot-grow-a-garden-the-simi-valley-class-you-didnt-know-you-needed/)
How One Simi Valley Teacher Is Turning Struggles I How One Simi Valley Teacher Is Turning Struggles Into Success Stories

(CLAIR – Simi Valley, CA) — At Atherwood Elementary School, students know they’re in good hands—whether they need extra support or just a spark to keep learning exciting.

Kelley Hess teaches third through fifth grades, where she’s known for creating a classroom that lifts up every student. She provides targeted support for kids with learning challenges while delivering high-quality instruction that engages and benefits the whole class.

This month, the Simi Valley Education Foundation named Hess the June Teacher of the Month, recognizing her ability to reach students where they are and help them grow.

It’s the final Teacher of the Month award of the 2024–25 school year, arriving just before about 1,300 SVUSD students cross the stage for graduation. It’s a fitting reminder of the teachers who helped make those milestone moments possible.

The Teacher of the Month program is a true community effort. Local businesses and civic leaders team up each month to celebrate one SVUSD educator, offering $20+ gifts and heartfelt recognition. This month’s contributors include Chick-fil-A, Grand Canyon University, Harley’s Bowl, Iverson Construction, Logix Federal Credit Union, Schools Federal Credit Union, Simi Valley Chamber of Commerce, Simi Valley Cultural Arts Center, Simi Valley YMCA, State Farm agent Eric Little and Ventura County Credit Union.

Teachers like Hess do more than follow lesson plans—they build confidence, spark curiosity, and make kids believe they can succeed. As the National Education Association puts it, educators who teach with heart and high expectations are essential to thriving schools and strong communities.

Simi Valley Unified serves about 15,900 students across 28 schools, offering a range of programs including dual-language immersion and career technical education. The district’s approach reflects a belief in meeting students’ diverse needs and preparing them for life beyond the classroom.

(continue reading: https://clair.id/2025/06/02/how-one-simi-valley-teacher-is-turning-struggles-into-success-stories/
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