"I was the darkest one of my family. I was the only one with black hair and the only one with dark skin. All my sisters were light blondes with hazel eyes. They used to call me ugly duckling."

Temporary Workers Needed

VENTURA, CALIF. -- The Ventura County Workforce Investment Board (WIB) received a $1 million Department of Labor National Emergency Grant (NEG) to hire temporary workers to assist in the cleanup and restoration of county land affected by last year's wildfires.

Workers will restore public infrastructure by cleaning up debris and performing flood mitigation on public lands within the area affected by the Ranch Fire.

WIB provides support to eight Job and Career Centers (JCCs) located in cities throughout the county. Along with the JCCs, the Oxnard City Corps and the Tri-Counties Labor Foundation are actively involved in recruiting potential workers. The temporary jobs will pay a minimum of $11 per hour and recruits may be employed for up to six months.

Workers who have been temporarily or permanently dislocated by the wildfires will be given job priority. Unemployed workers are also eligible if they have been unemployed for at least five weeks prior to applying for the project.

"These temporary jobs can provide great experience for workers interested in developing a career in construction, forestry or other related fields," said Cheryl Moore, Executive Director of the Ventura County WIB. "Workers who take part in the program also have the opportunity to learn about the variety of services and resources offered to job seekers at the Job and Career Centers."

The eight Job and Career Centers in the county provide employment assistance, career training and education services to job seekers, and employee recruitment, customized training and business consulting to local employers. All center services are provided at no cost to job seekers and employers. Each year, more than 45,000 Ventura County residents use center services.

For more information about the temporary jobs available through the Wildfire Recovery Workforce Program, call the Tri-Counties Labor Foundation, 805-385-4487 or Oxnard City Corps, 805-385-8081. For information on Ventura County Job & Career Centers, call 800-500-8805

ARIES
An Aries loves competitive sports and working up a good sweat. Burning
calories should be no problem for this fire sign. Include plenty of whole
grains in your diet for sustained energy and lots of fresh fruits and
veggies, and try to slow down rushed eating habits. Replenish those
electrolytes with sports drinks, and always drink plenty of water to flush
out toxins.

TAURUS
Ruled by Venus, you are a sensual sign that loves to indulge in rich foods.
Easy and regular exercise is best for you. Start with a stretch and a walk
before eating a delicious breakfast of beautiful fresh fruits, yogurt, and
low-fat granola. Stay low-fat, low sugar, and low starch with wheat germ in
your smoothies, plenty of seafood, and fresh salads. Burning calories
through body-building and lifting weights adds definition to those solid
Taurean bods.

GEMINI
Weight gain is usually not a problem for most Geminis, having a fairly agile
and trim physique. Perhaps taking the time to eat the right foods is more of
a challenge to you than overindulging. Try eating or juicing plenty of raw
vegetables to keep your active nervous system balanced and your skin
glowing. Cook up some wild rice for variety, and add plenty of calcium to
your diet to keep your bones strong. Cut down on the caffeine, Gemini.

CANCER
You love your sweets! And emotional mood shifts make you want to
overindulge. Include lots of lean protein in fish and chicken as well as
steamed veggies in your diet. Swimming, skating, and skiing are your
favorite outlets for activity and losing weight. Your sign does well with
workout videos in the comfort of your own home, too. Remember to avoid too
much salt, and choose plenty of variety within the cabbage family.

LEO
Pleasure-loving Leos prefer rich food and drink. However, most of you stay
motivated to keep physically fit by joining exercise classes or going to the
gym. Becoming an exercise trainer yourself fits you to a tee. Tennis,
sports, and dancing are fun for you, too. Avoid calorie-rich fast foods, and
include plenty of wholesome foods to your daily diet. You have good
recuperative power and vitality. Keep your surroundings harmonious for top
results.

VIRGO
Saturn transiting your sign for the next few years will help you change bad
diet habits, or they will be changed for you. Use your keen, discriminating
senses to have more control. Regular exercise is generally no problem for
you, but not chewing your food thoroughly could cause intestinal distress.
Fresh garlic, herbs, yogurt, and plenty of fiber helps keep things moving
smoothly. Try not to be distracted while you eat. Full-body workouts are
best for you. You are known for being the natural healer of the Zodiac.

LIBRA
Venus-ruled Libra should have a buddy system when undertaking dieting and
regular exercise. Your physical constitution goes in cycles from expending
lots of energy to being a couch potato. A friend can encourage and motivate
you join a dance class or go hiking or bicycling. Eat a balanced selection
of foods that have natural sugars, such as yams, sweet potatoes, bananas,
apples, and berries. Include lots of fresh veggies, lean protein, and brown
rice for balance.

SCORPIO
Known for your great willpower, a Scorpio can do anything, including
sticking to your diet of choice. Mineral-rich seafood and shellfish are
greatly preferred by Scorpio as well as lean meat, asparagus, cauliflower,
eggplant, mushrooms, figs, and coconut. Keeping a well-balanced and
delicious variety of food on hand contributes to your success. Cultivate
your personal desires, and achieving your dieting goals can be yours.

SAGITTARIUS
Sagittarius rules the thighs and hips and loves both freedom and travel.
Rock climbing, running, bicycling, horse riding, bungee jumping, and sports
in general help keep you happy while burning calories. Go easy on fats,
gravies, butter, and chocolate, but do include plenty of whole grains and
oats. A general high-protein diet keeps those muscles strong.

CAPRICORN
Time is on your side, Capricorn. You have a way of getting better with age
and maturity. Capricorns love a good outdoor hike, running, jogging,
cross-country skiing, and types of activities that provide continuity for
the long haul. Free-range beef and chicken are your preferences as well as
pasta, spinach, raw leaf veggies, and barley soups. Treat yourself to some
foot reflexology and regular massage, and you'll be a happy camper!

AQUARIUS
The future-minded Aquarian likes to try unusual wellness techniques, such as
prana yoga and daily meditation, along with traditional, strenuous types of
exercise, such as swimming, running, hiking, and aerobics. It's important
for Aquarius to keep the body well-oxygenated and the blood circulating. Eat
plenty of hot peppers and lots of fresh fruit for radiant skin.

PISCES
Sensitive Pisces should surround themselves with positive vibrations for
optimum results. For better or worse, you tend to pick up vibes that can
affect your overall well-being. You pretty much like all types of foods,
sometimes too much so, Pisces. Dancing and swimming are two of your favorite
stress releasers, as well as other water sports such as sailing. Meditation
and yoga are the perfect cup of tea to soothe your highly developed
imagination

Here are some of their suggestions:

1. Exercise -- While daily exercise is ideal, the doctors agreed that the regularity of your exercise schedule is most important. "It has to be a regular process, said Dr. Ken Brigham, director of Emory University's Predictive Health Initiative. "But it doesn't require superhuman effort."

2. Expand Your Mind -- Try something new, different or interesting, suggests Dr. Gary Small, director of UCLA's Center on Aging. This could involve tasks such as taking up a musical instrument, mastering a challenging computer game, joining a book club, and learning a new skill or hobby.

3. Fruits and Vegetables -- "There is good evidence that this sort of Mediterranean-style diet not only decreases the risk of heart disease, but also of lung disease, cancer and most of the major killers," says Dr. Brigham. Also, eat in moderation, and maintain a healthy weight.

4. Social Connections -- Take small steps to connect with people on a regular basis, even if it's just through e-mail or letters.

5. Tobacco -- "This is a biggie," says Dr. Thomas Perls, co-author of Living to 100: Lessons in Living to Your Maximum Potential at Any Age. "Generally, people lose about 15 years if they smoke."

6. Emphasize the Positive -- Since optimistic people simply live longer, now's the time to shake yourself out of gloomy thoughts. If you catch yourself thinking negatively about something, stop yourself and list three other things that are positive in that area.

7. Be Proactive About Your Health -- Get all your recommended check-ups and screening tests -- and educate yourself about why these tests are important. "We firmly believe that the earlier you identify a disease process, the easier it is to intervene ... and slow down the rate of decline in a way that will significantly impact in a positive way a person's health," explains Christopher Heward, president of the Kronos Science Laboratory.

1.. Go Diego Go Animal Rescue boat, by Fisher Price. Contains lead paint.
2.. Sticky Stones, GeoCentral. Magnetized stones that, if swallowed, could "stick together across the intestines, causing serious infections and death."
3.. Jack Sparrow's Spinning Dagger, Zizzle. Viewed as eye hazard.
4.. Dora The Explorer Lamp, Funhouse. Potential for electric shocks and burns.
5.. Lil "Giddy Up" Horse - Sassy Pet Saks, Douglas. Contains fibers and small parts that could be a choking hazard.
6.. Spider Man 3 New Goblin Sword, Hasbro. Rigid plastic could cause injuries.
7.. Hip Hoppa, by Spin Master Ltd. and Vivid Imaginations, Ltd. A combination footboard and bouncing ball that children jump on has the potential for head and other injuries.
8.. B'Loonies Party Park, Ja-Ru, Inc. Children blow balloon-like toy out of substance squeezed from tube. Has potential for chemical ingestion.
9.. My Little Baby Born, Entertainment, Inc.; Zapf Creations AG. Baby doll comes attached to tiny pacifier that could be swallowed.
10.. Rubber Band Shooter, Simple Toys LLC. Shoots rubber bands and presents eye hazard.

"Farmer files lawsuit over use of his picture, he's seeking $7.5 million in damages" (right)



Harrison Ford, Calista Flockhart and family take out time for a day of fun at Disneyland. (below)

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