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The U.S. News And World Report’s annual rankings of colleges, and universities is out, and has high praise for four local campuses.

California Lutheran University, in Thousand Oaks got its highest ever ranking, placing 14th on the list of top regional universities in the West. CLU has an increased graduation rate, along with drops in class sizes, and faculty-student ratios.

Tiny Thomas Aquinas College, in Ventura County, ranked 82nd for liberal arts colleges, while Westmont College tied for 90th in the U.S. News and World Report rankings.

And, UC Santa Barbara made one of the biggest splashes, finishing 10th on the magazine’s list of top 30 public universities in the nation.

The report uses a number of criteria ranging from things like faculty-student ratio, and graduation rates for the rankings.

A man considered one of the pioneers of skateboarding, and snowboarding has died in Santa Barbara.

Tom Sims has been called by some the “Godfather of Board Sports”. In the 1960’s he took up skateboarding, and in 1963, in his junior high school wood shop, built what he called a “skiboard”, an early version of a snowboard.

He moved to Santa Barbara in the 1970’s, and became a world skateboarding champion, and in the 1980’s was a world snowboarding champion.

During the 1980’s, Sims helped snowboarding’s popularity boom by convincing ski resorts to allow, and promote snowboarding.

Sims went into cardiac arrest, and died at Cottage Hospital. He was 61 years old.

A legendary NFL player who played pro ball for 14 seasons, and is in the Pro Football Hall Of Fame is now one of the sport’s leading advocates for efforts to prevent, and deal with concussions.

Jack Youngblood is appearing in Santa Barbara tonight, for a lecture intended to raise awareness about the issue.

A study of more than a thousand NFL players shows that 60% of them suffered at least one concussion, and more than 25% had three or more. And, another study shows that among those who had three or more concussions, there’s a higher incidence of Alzheimer’s Disease.

KCLU’s Lance Orozco talks with Youngblood.

Click on link to listen to/download story: Jack Youngblood

A Ventura firefighter being honored at a banquet for heroism become a hero yet again, when he saved a man at the dinner from choking to death.

Ventura Fire Captain Ben Davis was one of the honorees at the Ventura County Kiwanis Fire Services and Heroes Celebration Saturday night, at the Four Points Sheraton in Ventura.

A man at the dinner began choking, and Davis stepped in, realized the man had something blocking his airway, and began conducting the Heimlich manuever. After several thrusts, the object was dislodged, and the man began to breathe normally.

Paramedics checked the man, but he was oaky, and was able to stay for the rest of the ceremony.

A Ventura firefighter being honored at a banquet for heroism become a hero yet again, when he saved a man at the dinner from choking to death.

Ventura Fire Captain Ben Davis was one of the honorees at the Ventura County Kiwanis Fire Services and Heroes Celebration Saturday night, at the Four Points Sheraton in Ventura.

A man at the dinner began choking, and Davis stepped in, realized the man had something blocking his airway, and began conducting the Heimlich manuever. After several thrusts, the object was dislodged, and the man began to breathe normally.

Paramedics checked the man, but he was okay, and was able to stay for the rest of the ceremony.

The City of Ventura has named a man who’s been one of its firefighters for more than three decades as its new Fire Chief.

Don McPherson has been named to head the department, after working his way up through the ranks.

He joined the department in 1981, becoming a captain in 1991, Battalion Chief in 2002, and eventually Assistant Chief.
McPherson has been the city’s Acting Chief since Kevin Rennie retired in June.

The man who was recently ousted as Ventura’s City Manager is making an unusual career move.

Rick Cole resigned after eight years as City Manager, after a majority of council members decided in a controversial move it was time for a management change.

Cole isn’t moving on to another government agency, though. He’s been hired as parish administrator for the San Buenaventura Mission. He was brought in to take over management functions, so the Mission’s pastor can focus more on his ministry duties.

A woman hiking in the foothills above Montecito has died.

The woman was hiking with her dogs on the Romero Trail at about noon Friday when she had chest pains, and called 911. The Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department dispatched one of its helicopters, and they spotted the woman on the ground.

A crew member was lowered to the ground, but the woman was already dead. Her name hasn’t been released, pending notification of family.

Ten people were arrested in as a series of search warrants were served at homes in the Moorpark area, as Ventura County Sheriff’s department detectives tried to solve two shootings in August in the city.

All ten arrested were Moorpark residents, and included nine men, and one woman. The charges range from possession of drugs, to child endangerment. No one was hurt in those shootings

A judge with fourteen years experience on the bench has been selected to head up the Ventura County Superior Court system.

Ventura Superior court judges chose Brian Back to be the presiding judge for 2013 and 2014. Judge Back is currently assigned to the criminal division, but has also worked in the areas of juvenile delinquency, family law and domestic violence. The presiding judge is responsible for leading the court, as well as establishing court policies.

Judge Donald Coleman was picked as the new Assistant Presiding Judge. Judge Coleman has served as a Ventura County Superior Court Judge for 15 years. Prior to his election, he worked for 18 years in Ventura County’s District Attorney’s Office.

Both men begin their new duties on January 1st.