Plenty of FightHis detractors thought they should...

Plenty of Fight

His detractors thought they should party when environmentally conscious Ventura City Councilman Steve Bennett announced he would not run for reelection. The celebration was short-lived (B1). . . . Rather than step down quietly, Bennett has stepped up his involvement in other council campaigns, as well as a movement for a countywide slow-growth law, as well as pushing for a campaign contribution initiative on the November 1998 ballot.

Cobra Keeper

You can find a cobra, a coatimundi, a tiger and many other exotic creatures at Karl Anderson’s Natural History Museum in Fillmore. What isn’t so strikingly clear is whether Anderson will be allowed to keep running the operation (B1). . . . State officials say he doesn’t have the proper permits, but city officials defend him as a legitimate educator.

Sweet Sound

Michael Deutsch, a junior at Nordhoff High School in Ojai, is not alone in his love of music. High school students in Ventura County and around the state are flocking to such classes as marching band, jazz, choir, chorale, rock ‘n’ roll, mariachi and strings (B2). . . . Some teachers and musicians think the boom, which has been swelling for a few years, is attributable to a new recognition of music as a way to teach teenagers the discipline and hard work necessary to succeed in many areas.

Machine Age

What sets humankind apart from the animals (aside from its inexplicable love for bad television) is its ability to make tools and machinery. Some machines are designed expressly to prevent us from hurting ourselves on the freeways. But Street Smart (B1) points out that even the best machines are no cure for stupidity.

Weather

Mostly clear to partly cloudy. Highs to 100. B8