California Law Has Required Gas Stations to Provide Free Water, Air and Air Pressure Gauge For Customers Since January 2000

There’s a law that was passed in 1999, that made it a requirement for service stations in California to provide free water, compressed air and an air pressure gauge to customers who purchase fuel.

A service station is defined as an establishment that offers gasoline or other motor vehicle to the public.

I’m slightly embarrassed to admit that I was not aware of this law until just recently, when a few folks shamed me for paying $1.00 to fill the air in my tires. (That said, I was not a paid customer at the time. So technically I was not legally entitled to free compressed air.)

Section 13651 of the California Business and Professions Code further indicates “Every service station in this state shall display, at a conspicuous place on, at, or near the dispensing apparatus, at least one clearly visible sign which shall read as follows: CALIFORNIA LAW REQUIRES THIS STATION TO PROVIDE FREE AIR AND WATER FOR AUTOMOTIVE PURPOSES TO ITS CUSTOMERS WHO PURCHASE MOTOR VEHICLE FUEL. IF YOU HAVE A COMPLAINT NOTIFY THE STATION ATTENDANT AND/OR CALL THIS TOLL-FREE TELEPHONE NUMBER: 1 (800) ___ ____. “

So perhaps this post will save someone from unnecessarily paying 75 cents to $1.50 to fill up their tires.

There is no requirement to provide the air for free to non-paying customers.

Medi-Cal is California's Medicaid Healthcare Program

Medi-Cal is California’s Medicaid healthcare program that provides comprehensive health coverage for people with low or no income. In Ventura County, Medi-Cal is administered by the Human Services Agency. To qualify for Medi-Cal, you have to live in California and meet program eligibility rules.

Medi-Cal primarily serves low-income individuals, including families with children, seniors, persons with disabilities, children in foster care, pregnant women, and low-income people with specific diseases such as tuberculosis, breast cancer, or HIV/AIDS. CalWORKs participants and Foster Care are automatically eligible for Medi-Cal.

Learn more and apply for Medi-Cal in Ventura County at www.ventura.org/human-services-agency/medi-cal.

Gold Coast Health Plan was created by the Ventura County Medi-Cal Managed Care Commission in 2010 to administer healthcare benefits to the 200,000 Medi-Cal beneficiaries who live in Ventura County.

How do you qualify for Medi-Cal benefits?

• If your income is below 138% poverty level, which in 2023 is $20,121 for one person, $27,214 for a family of two and $41,400 for a family of four, and

• If you are 65+, blind, disabled, under 21, pregnant, in a skilled nursing facility, a parent or caretaker relative of an age eligible child or have screened for breast or cervical cancer. A new law gives full scope Medi-Cal to adults 50 years of age or older access to Medi-Cal.

• If you are enrolled in CalFresh, SSI/SSP, CalWorks, Refugee Assistance or Foster Care.

If your income is too high to qualify for Medi-Cal, you may qualify for partially subsidized health insurance premiums through Covered California.

Elvis Presley "Wheels on My Heels" from "Roustabout" Filmed in Hidden Valley, Thousand Oaks, 1964

The 1964 musical film “Roustabout,” starring Elvis Presley, was filmed at Paramount Studios, with carnival scenes in Thousand Oaks. And there was this scene of Elvis on his Honda 305 Superhawk motorcycle in Hidden Valley, singing “Wheels on my Hills.”

It is remarkable how little has changed in Hidden Valley, 55 years after the Elvis film was shot.

Throwback Moment: Price-Costco Store Opened in Westlake Village in August 1996

Costco Westlake Village seen from the North Ranch Open Space

Let’s face it…the Westlake Village Costco is one of the most popular places to go in the Conejo Valley. Always teeming with shoppers and sample hunters, it seems the local community would be lost without this store.

Let’s go back in time to when it opened…

The store opened its doors as PriceCostco on Thursday, August 8, 1996 at 5700 Lindero Canyon Road. Price-Costco was formed in 1993 with the merger of Price Club (which opened its first location on July 12, 1976 in San Diego) and Costco (which opened its first warehouse in Seattle on September 15, 1983).

One of my guilty pleasures…the $1.50 Costco Hot Dog and Soda deal.

Who remembers PriceCostco? The merger between the two companies took place in 1993. Price Club was being pursued by Walmart to merge with the Sam’s Club warehouse store chain. Price opted to merge with Costco instead. And wallah…PriceCostco was created. At the time, there were 206 locations. As of August 2022, there are 838 Costco locations worldwide.

The prior management team from Price Club, the Price brothers, left the company in 1994 and in 1997, “Price” was dropped from the name and it became Costco.

According to a 1/4/96 VC Star article, PriceCostco purchased the 30 acre site at Lindero Canyon Road and Westlake Boulevard in Westlake Village for $9.3 million, with plans for a 136,000 sq ft Price Club.

Local residents were against the addition of the warehouse club to the community. City Council approved the project as it was allowed as part of a long-term commercial development agreement in place with owners of the property. However, the city stipulated approval was required for specifics like exterior color scheme, roofing materials in earth tone colors, etc.

Flashback to 2009: There were high hopes for a 2nd Conejo Valley Costco location in Newbury Park at the corner of Grande Vista Drive and Academy Drive. But according to a T.O. Acorn article on 1/29/09, Costco could not make the project economically feasible as it was “unable to finalize a lease for the site.”

It is clear that Costco prefers to own its land and buildings, not lease them. In Costco’s annual Form 10-K filing for the fiscal year ended August 29, 2021, fully 79% of its 815 warehouses around the world were owned; the remaining 19% were leased.

Lowe’s and LA Fitness were able to work a deal with owners of the property in Newbury Park and the City of Thousand Oaks Planning Commission approved the project to build locations there at a meeting on 12/13/10. Lowe’s Newbury Park opened on July 4, 2019.

Conejo Valley Guide Social Media Followers Say What They Enjoy the Most About the Conejo Valley

As part of a drawing for passes to the upcoming Conejo Valley Days event in Thousand Oaks, we asked Conejo Valley Guide Facebook and Instagram followers to tell us what they enjoy the most about living here in the Conejo Valley. Here’s a compilation of just a small sampling of their responses. Recurring themes - our open space and trails and sense of community.

I enjoy most the variety of places to eat and places to be outside in nature!

I love our beautiful hillsides and the wonderful local dining spots we’ve got.

I love the openness (when compared with the density of much of LA), the ease of parking almost anywhere, and all of the beautiful hiking trails!

The beautiful trees and rolling hills! So great for hiking and walking

Open space to enjoy year round thanks to always perfect weather & the overall safe feeling of the community.

The beautiful hiking trails and amazing school district.

I love the different types on nature we get to enjoy. Hiking through the hills, the beach, the (occasionally snow capped) mountains, visiting farms and seeing beautiful sunsets. So much beauty.

I love the wonderful people that live here, and all of the beauty that surrounds us!

We love the Conejo valley for its family atmosphere and beautiful open spaces. Also a bonus is that we are not too far from the ocean or LA.

Love the sense of commitment that exists here! Great place to raise families!

We have amazing community events and beautiful hiking trails.

Love all the nature around, it’s been preserved so well and still have so many fun things to do. Love the hikes and beautiful parks!

I love how close to nature we are here, how beautiful our town is.

I love how family friendly this town is!

The thing myself and my family loves most about the Conejo valley is how beautiful, safe and close knit it is. We wouldn’t want to live anywhere else!

Look around us! It's beautiful here!! Clean and peaceful.

The view of Boney! We’re so lucky to live in this gorgeous town.

I love the parks, the scenery, the amazing people, the kind neighbors, the rich sense of community and support for each other, so family friendly and dog friendly, and it feels safe.

The sense of community.

Hiking and making memories with my family at all the wonderful spots CV has to offer.

So many parks to choose from for my kids and the trails are great for hiking and running!

It’s a great dog friendly community!

One thing I love most about the Conejo Valley, is all the backroads that can be taken instead of the 23 or 101. And when it’s really quiet out, going for drives that go through hillsides where there isn’t a lot of traffic and noise, being able to look at everything from above. It really calms me down even when I’m just commuting.

We love the weather, the strong sense of community and how safe it is!

Love still having a small town feel with a lot of local owned business to support!

The parks for the kids.

I love that Conejo Valley is full of beautiful, relaxing scenery and outdoor activities like hiking, rock climbing, horseback riding, and more!

¡Me gusta los conejos!

Too many things to list!! Oak trees, hills, trails, parks, restaurants!! They are all my favorites.

I love the natural beauty that surrounds us, as well as the kind, wonderful community of people!

I love the clean air and beautiful people.

I love all the access to trails for hiking and running.

We just moved out here about a year ago and I still just get can’t over how beautiful it is. I love all the pretty flowers, trees, and Boney Mountain!

I love the Conejo Valley mostly because of its location, close proximity to beaches, city, and of course its natural beauty.

Kind neighbors.

The Conejo Valley has the best concerts in the park, hiking trails, breweries and so much more! I love it here!

How we are in a sweet spot where we can enjoy both the peacefulness but also enjoy knowing we're not far from the beach or LA.

What I enjoy the most are the beautiful sunsets, watching the baby bunnies that munch grass in my front yard and the parade of quails running across the trail in front of me.

My kids and I love the parks, hiking trails, beautiful oak trees, and a sense of feeling safe.

I enjoy the beautiful hiking trails and the awesome local events.

The bunnies!

Video Footage From the 1967 Conejo Valley Days Parade and Miss Conejo Pageant

This is a treat...video footage from the 1967 Conejo Valley Days Parade and Miss Conejo 1967 Beauty Pageant.

Speaking of Conejo Valley Days, the 2024 event is planned for June 20-30. Conejo Valley Days has been an annual community tradition since 1956. www.conejovalleydays.us

You may recognize scenes from Thousand Oaks Boulevard, though the Conejo Lodge and Sizzler are certainly long gone.

The Miss Conejo Pageant featured Miss Sally Shop, Miss Conejo Music Center, Miss A&W Root Beer, Miss Conejo Muffler, Miss Service Master, Miss Sizzler and others.

The Beach Boys 1991 "Crocodile Rock" Music Video Filmed at Golf N' Stuff Ventura

"Crocodile Rock" was written by Elton John and Bernie Taupin and become Elton John's first U.S. number one single in February 1973. Eighteen years later, the Beach Boys recorded the song. Funny thing is that our own Golf N' Stuff in Ventura is featured in this kind of silly music video released in 1991.

Roughly half the video features familiar scenes from Golf N' Stuff, including several of the more prominent holes and structures as well as the bumper boats. Yes, the Beach Boys are featured on the bumper boats in their fedoras at Golf N' Stuff, along an offbeat display of scenes featuring a crocodile on the piano admired by a woman in a pink bikini, brief glimpses of Randy's Donuts and a cameo appearance by John Stamos.

Golf N' Stuff is often part of our family outings in Ventura County. Sign up for their email club and receive periodic special offers. Golf N' Stuff is among over 100 venues on this compilation of birthday party options in and around Ventura County.