Bank of America "Museums on Us" Program Offers Free Admission to Over 225 Museums Nationwide

If you are a Bank of America or Merrill Lynch customer, your bank credit or debit card and photo ID will gain you one free admission to over 225 cultural institutions across the country on the first full weekend of each month. Visit the "Museums on Us" program website at museums.bankofamerica.com for details.

And while there are no Ventura County museums on the list, there are a number of other choices within driving range:

• Autry National Center of the American West

• Los Angeles County Museum of Art

• Skirball Cultural Center

• Museum of Latin American Art in Long Beach (Saturdays only)

• Discovery Science Center, DiscoveryCube Orange County (Sundays only)

• Santa Barbara Museum of Art

• MOXI, The Wolf Museum of Exploration + Innovation in Santa Barbara

Free admission is limited to individual cardholder at participating institutions.

California Has Billions of Dollars of Unclaimed Property - Claim Yours Now!

The State of California maintains billions of dollars in unclaimed property belonging to individuals and organizations.

California's Unclaimed Property Law requires "holders" such as corporations, business associations, financial institutions, and insurance companies to report and deliver property to the Controller's Office after there has been no customer contact for three (3) years. Often the owner forgets that the account exists, or moves and does not leave a forwarding address or the forwarding order expires. In some cases, the owner dies and the heirs have no knowledge of the property.

The most common types of unclaimed property are bank accounts and safe deposit box contents, stocks, mutual funds, bonds, and dividends, uncashed cashier's checks or money orders, certificates of deposit, matured or terminated insurance policies, estates, and mineral interests and royalty payments, trust funds and escrow accounts. You may also find things like unused balances in prepaid cards and refunds due.

Find out more at www.ClaimIt.ca.gov.

Search the California Unclaimed Property database at ucpi.sco.ca.gov/en/Property/SearchIndex.

Search by name, address, city, property number or any combination.

Digitally Preview Your Mail Each Morning with USPS Informed Delivery

Informed Delivery by USPS allows you to preview your mail each morning with a digital copy of each letter-sized item to be delivered to you via email. You can also log in anytime and see images of previous week’s mail. Additionally, you can see the delivery status of any packages coming your way.

If you’ve ever had your mail stolen, this gives you the ability to at least see what mail was stolen from you. Or you can see first thing in the morning what mail is being delivered, alerting you to anything of particular importance.

You will see the address side of mail delivered. You of course will not be seeing contents of that mail.

Learn more and sign up at informeddelivery.usps.com.

Mugu Rock Then and Now

Mugu Rock is a large rock formation formed when a 200 foot deep cut was made into the rocky ridge from October 1937 to February 1940. Prior to the modern day PCH at Mugu Rock (at the time called U.S. 101 Alternate (State Route 60), drivers went around a 275 foot radius curve that is now fenced off.

The photos in the video above from the October 1940 edition of California Highways and Public Works show what it looked like before, during and after the cut was made, compared to what it looks like today.

Hillcrest Brush Fire Historical Landmark Markers in the Conejo Open Space in Thousand Oaks

There are five historical landmark markers in the Hillcrest Open Space in Thousand Oaks in tribute to firefighter Angel Castro. On December 10, 1978, Castro was severely burned while fighting the Hillcrest Fire, which burned 100 acres in two hours on a windy day with erratic gusts up to 40 MPH. He was working as a "Dozer Swamper," hauling and unloading heavy equipment. As a result of his injuries, he recommended several modifications to operating procedures that VCFD implemented. Further down this path are four other markers with questions to help challenge and educate firefighters and civilians.

The Hillcrest Open Space Preserve trailhead is located on Hillcrest Drive, just west of Blue Mesa Street, about half a mile west of Westlake Boulevard.

LOCAL AREA TRAILS AND HIKES THROUGHOUT VENTURA COUNTY

Hike to the Teepee, Paradise Falls and Little Cave at Wildwood Park in Thousand Oaks

One hiking experience that everyone in the Conejo Valley and neighboring areas has to experience is Wildwood Park. With 14 trails covering 17 miles in the nearly 1,800 acre park managed by the Conejo Open Space Conservation Agency, there is plenty to see and do in Wildwood Park.

One particularly fun and fairly easy family hike at Wildwood takes you from the main parking lot at the west end of Avenida de los Arboles to the Teepee, Paradise Falls and Little Cave (formerly Indian Cave**). Take the Mesa Trail about a 3rd of a mile until you see the sign below, then take a left.

Another third of a mile and you're at the teepee, where you'll find another clearly marked sign pointing you in the direction of Paradise Falls.

Hike down some switchbacks and stairs and you'll see be at the beautiful Paradise Falls. Always a fun place to take the kids, though we're warned not to go into the water, which is largely urban runoff.

But it is sure popular and enjoyable to sit back and enjoy this year-round waterfall that is so nicely hidden yet so close to hustle and bustle of suburban Thousand Oaks.

The Little Cave is roughly half a mile east of Paradise Falls and can be accessed from the trail directly above the falls or by hiking back up to the teepee and going the other direction.

Trail adjacent to Paradise Falls that takes you towards little Cave.

A quarter of a mile or so and you'll see the sign below.

Little Cave (Formerly Indian Cave) sign

Formerly called indian cave

Another 100 yards or so and you've reached the staircase that will take you up to the Cave.

Large enough to actually hang out in, though the last time we walked in there were signs of rodents.

You can literally climb through the cave to an exit at the top and hike your way up to a connector trail that will lead you back towards the parking lot. My kids love this and so do I!

** The change in name was approved by the Conejo Open Space Conservation Agency (COSCA) in May 2022. COSCA received a request to change the Indian Creek Trail name earlier that year. On its own, the work "Indian" refers to individuals from India, rather than Native Americans, and thus did not accurately reflect the origin of the people to whom it refers.

The Indian Cave and Indian Cave Trail were renamed Little Cave as it was unclear if the cave was naturally formed and/or historically used by Native Americans.

The Indian Creek Trail in Wildwood Park was renamed Two Springs Trail as two natural springs contribute to the stream flow in this portion of the channel.

Koi Ponds In and Around Ventura County and Surrounding Areas

On a recent visit to The Commons at Calabasas we were treated to a beautiful pond full of koi and turtles cohabitating. Koi comes from the Japanese word nishikigoi, which means "brocaded carp." Koi is basically domesticated, ornamental carp. In Japanese, the word koi sounds like another word that mean affection or love.

Where to find koi in Ventura County and surrounding areas? Here's what we know:

There is a koi pond at The Promenade at Westlake, next to Marmalade Cafe.

Friendly looking koi looking for handouts at The Lakes at Thousand Oaks.

The bottom level pond at The Lakes at Thousand Oaks has lots of koi, frolicking around with the ducks, even during the winter when the Holiday Ice Rink is in use.

Green Thumb Nursery on Victoria Avenue in Ventura has a small koi pond container in the back that is fun to observe with the kids.

The pristine Gardens of the World on Thousand Oaks Boulevard has a Japanese Garden that contains a beautiful koi pond.

Koi pond at The Gardens of the World in Thousand Oaks

The Santa Barbara Zoo has a large koi pond area with some very healthy looking koi, swimming among the lily pads.

Last I checked there were a lot of koi amongst the hundreds of ducks at Conejo Creek Park in Thousand Oaks.

The Simi Valley Town Center has a koi pond on the west side of the mall where you can get up close and personal with them.

Koi pond at west end near Studio Movie Grill.

As noted at the beginning of the article The Commons at Calabasas has quite a lovely koi and turtle pond.

The turtles are quite prominent at The Commons at Calabasas. Don't touch them!

When in Santa Barbara, be sure to stop by Alice Keck Park Memorial Gardens, a beautiful botanic garden with over 75 tree and plant species, a large koi pond also home to ducks and turtles, picnic areas and more. Quite a serene place.

Only 25 miles from the Conejo Valley is the Lake Shrine Meditation Gardens in Pacific Palisades. This 10 acre spiritual sanctuary hosts a spring-fed lake lined with gardens and home to koi, ducks and beautiful swans.