British Retailer Tesco Looking at "Strategic Options" For Fresh & Easy Stores

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An update from Fresh & Easy on January 31, 2013 (excerpt from F&E email):

We wanted to reach out to you to address numerous news and online reports about the future of our stores. 

Our parent company Tesco is conducting a strategic review of Fresh & Easy - they're looking at all options to find the best outcome for the neighborhood market that you - and we - have come to love. While we don't know exactly what that outcome will be, or if Tesco will continue to own the company, we're confident that Fresh & Easy can continue to be your favorite market.

We want to assure you: we don't have plans to close stores. We're still committed to providing delicious, wholesome and affordable food every day. We're still Fresh & Easy; open for business with everything that you enjoy about our store, with even more exciting things to come. That's why we're going to keep on fighting the good food fight.

Originally posted December 8, 2012:

On December 5th, British grocery retailer Tesco announced it is conducting a "strategic review" of its Fresh & Easy stores and is likely to exit the U.S. market. Tesco plans to report on its progress in this review in April 2003.

Fresh & Easy currently operates 200 stores located in Arizona, California and Nevada, including local Ventura County and adjacent area stores in Newbury Park, Oak Park, Moorpark, Camarillo, Simi Valley, Oxnard (2 stores), Ventura (2 stores) and Santa Barbara.

Tesco decided to launch the brand new supermarket chain in the U.S. in 2006, when the economy was still on a roll, before the big recession slammed us. Tesc

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Four Seasons Hotel Westlake Village Tops Local U.S. News "Best Hotels" List

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Four Seasons Hotel Westlake Village was named as one of the Best Hotels in Los Angeles, ranking #4 out of 954 Los Angeles hotels, according to the list of "Top Hotels in the USA" released by US News & World Report magazine.

The 270-room AAA Five Diamond-rated hotel based here in our own Conejo Valley was ranked 17th in the Best Hotels in California. Overall, the Four Seasons Hotel Westlake Village was ranked #75 out of all hotels in the US and was named to the U.S. News Best Hotels in the USA for 2013.

U.S. News compiled the results based on reputation among professional travel experts, guest reviews and hotel class ratings.

Other local hotels that ranked in the Top 100 California hotels (out of 5,571 California hotels) included the following:

Four Seasons Resort The Biltmore Santa Barbara (ranked 22nd best California hotel, top ranked hotel in Santa Barbara and Best Hotels in the USA for 2013)

San Ysidro Ranch (ranked 24th in California and 2nd in Santa Barbara and Best Hotels in the USA for 2013)

Ojai Valley Inn and Spa (ranked 33rd in California)

Bacara Resort and Spa (ranked 86th in California and 3rd in Santa Barbara)

See the entire US News Best Hotels list at travel.usnews.com/Hotels.

January 2013 Thousand Oaks Police Department City Watch Update

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Here is the latest "City Watch" alert from Senior Deputy Tim Lohman of the Thousand Oaks Police Department. If you would like these updates directly from via email, click here for more information.

The month of January is rapidly coming to an end.  I am in hopes most of you have been able to maintain the New Year resolutions you set for yourself.  Although difficult, I am sure with a little push we can all accomplish what we set out to do.

In light of the recent shooting at the school in Connecticut and other schools throughout the country, the Thousand Oaks Police Department has been committed to working with the all of the schools in our community to prepare for any such incident.  Our priority has always been the safety of the community as we strive to develop a plan to ensure the residents are kept safe during a catastrophic event like a school shooting.

Community Event

Parents, do you want to know what goes on at underage parties? Straight Up Ventura County in collaboration with the Conejo Unified School District, Breakthrough, Engage Recovery and the Thousand Oaks Police Department is going to expose parents to underage binge drinking and the drug culture. 

Many adults feel drinking and partying is a rite of passage and think teen parties are the same as when they were young.  Parents need to face the current realities and learn why and how adults need to help change these dangerous norms. 

The participants will tour a local home set up to portray a teen party with youth actors. The event is open to the public (adults only) and it is FREE.  If you are interested you must register online at www.straightupvc.org/register or call 805 647-4622.

On the Crime Front:

Scams

A victim recently informed me someone claiming to be with the Social Security Office contacted her.  They had her name and address.  The caller told her they needed to send out a new Medicare card, but before they do they needed to verify the bank where her deposits go.  The victim questioned the reasons for inquiring about the banking information

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Calabasas Based Kythera Biopharmaceuticals Developing Double Chin Reduction Drug

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For anyone driving the 101 freeway through Calabasas, it's hard to miss the blue Kythera sign south of the freeway on Agoura Road.

Kythera Biopharmaceuticals was founded in 2005, with a primary focus of commercializing its development-stage product, ATX-101. Currently in late stage Phase III clinical trials in the U.S., ATX-101 is a synthetically-derived form of sodium deoxycholate, a compound that promotes the breakdown of dietary fat.

ATX-101 is being tested for the reduction of submental fat. "Submental" is the area below the chin. Yes, Kythera is developing an injectable product aimed towards reducing double chins! There is no such product in existence today; thus, Kythera aims to be the first FDA-approved drug for this purpose.

ATX-101 is an injectable that, after 4 to 6 treatments, has provided statistically significant reductions in submental fat, with over 90% of patients in a long-term clinical follow-up study maintaining positive aesthetic results after two years!

Of course, the product will not be available to the U.S. general public until Kythera completes Ph III clinical trials in mid-2013 and subsequently files for FDA approval. While Kythera has retained full rights to commercialize ATX-101 in the U.S. and Canada, it has partnered with Bayer to commercialize the product throughout the rest of the world. After positive Ph III clinical study results in Europe last year, Kythera expects that Bayer will file for marketing approval in the European Union sometime this year.

The cost of developing a drug, let alone a "first-in-class" drug, is substantial. Kythera raised $81 million in its IPO last October after raising a total of $108 million in four rounds of venture capital. But if ATX-101 is approved, Kythera believes the drug has the potential to reach long-term annual sales of over $500 million. Given Allergan's Botox sales are well over $1.5 billion per year, with roughly half used for aesthetic purposes, Kythera's estimates would seem to be achievable.

Kythera stock is traded under the symbol KYTH. The stock went public at $16 and currently has a price of $29.15, giving Kythera a market valuation of over half a billion dollars! Congratulations to the Kythera management team for what they've done over the last seven years and what a truly amazing success story this will be if this product reaches the market.

And for those fighting losing battles with dreaded submental fat, you may have a non-surgical alternative soon thanks to Kythera.

Learn more about Kythera at www.kytherabiopharma.com.

Celebrate Conejo Recreation & Park District's 50th in 2013 with the Play Conejo Challenge!

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The Conejo Recreation & Park District turns 50 in 2013! To celebrate, CRPD presents the Play Conejo Challenge! The Play Conejo Challenge entails completing activities and attending events throughout the year, accumulating at least 50 points and receiving a cool "PLAY CONEJO CHALLENGE CHAMPION - 50 FOR THE 50TH" t-shirt for your efforts!

Visit www.crpd.org/playlist to download the Play Conejo Challenge activity list, find things to do, and start accumulating points. Then either have a CRPD staff member write in the completion date or keep track yourself by writing down an observation. You have the entire year to acccumulate points!

This is about more than getting a free t-shirt! This is about having fun and celebrating along with CRPD! There are over 100 activities to choose from and as many as 151 points achievable. Activities and events on the list include the following CRPD locations and available points:

  • Conejo Valley parks (up to 5 points)
  • Borchard Community Center (up to 11 points)
  • Conejo Community Center (up to 11 points)
  • Thousand Oaks Community Center (up to 14 points)
  • Dos Vientos Community Center (up to 7 points)
  • Goebel Senior Adult Center (up to 12 points)
  • Alex Fiore Teen Center (up to 13 points)
  • Hillcrest Center for the Arts (up to 14 points)
  • Therapeutic Recreation Unit (up to 8 points)
  • Aquatics (up to 7 points)
  • Districtwide/General Activities (up to 33 points)
  • CRPD Partner Events (up to 16 points)

Have fun with the Play Conejo Challenge!

Cloudy and Cool Conejo Valley This First Sunday of 2013

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Darts Promoter L. David Irete captured this neat photo of the Conejo Valley before sundown tonight on this cool, cloudy, slightly rainy first Sunday of 2013. Irete is the biggest darts enthusiast in town, so make sure to follow his Facebook page.

It is supposed to be sunny tomorrow, but the rain is expected back later in the week. No worries...check this list of things to do around Ventura County with the kids when it is WET outside (unless of course you enjoy jumping in puddles!).

Here's how it looked around 11 a.m. this morning while I was running (literally) around town.

December 2012 Thousand Oaks Police Department City Watch Update

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Here is the latest "City Watch" alert from Senior Deputy Tim Lohman of the Thousand Oaks Police Department. If you would like these updates directly from via email, click here for more information.

December has started off with complete madness as we rush out to get those gifts and attend holiday parties. This is also the month where we set our plans and goals for the upcoming New Year and prepare our New Year resolutions.

Lets make 2013, a year where we decrease crime in our communities by sending thieves a message that we will no longer be victims or allow them to profit from our losses. Be vigilant in locking doors, setting alarms, being watchful for suspicious vehicles or persons.  By working together, we can decrease crime.

With the holiday season in full swing, many of us will be attending holiday celebrations. Family, work and school parties, in addition to other social events will be attended as we celebrate the holidays with friends and loved ones.

At many of these holiday traditions, alcohol is added to the celebration. Every year members of law enforcement have come to expect the consequences associated when people drink and drive.  Driving while under the influence (DUI) of alcohol, certain prescription medications, and illegal drugs has ruined many lives and destroyed families.  Nationally, thousands of people die or are severely injured every year as a result of someone who has decided to drive while intoxicated. 

Along with the natural consequence of having to live with the pain of having brought catastrophe on the life of another, there are other legal consequences that the dr

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