Mark Boos Benhard

Mark Boos Benhard, who plans to announce his candidacy for the congressional seat representing Thousand Oaks next week, will hold a voter open-house meeting on Wednesday. Residents are invited to attend the 8 p.m. meeting at the home of Dr. Paul and Teri Reisser at 1885 Montgomery Road. Those interested should call (805) 379-4520 or (818) 707-0264. Benhard, 29, of Agoura, is one of three Republicans expected to battle for the nomination to oppose Democratic Rep. Anthony C.

The Valley Industry and Commerce Assn. is sponsoring a candidates' forum today for Democratic gubernatorial candidate John Garamendi and 25 others running for state and federal office in the June 7 primary. Candidates will respond to questions from a panel of VICA members and will make themselves available to the public at informational booths.

Today: Democrats United will sponsor a "light-hearted roast" to honor state Sen. Gary K. Hart (D-Santa Barbara) as he completes the first year of his current term in the state Senate. The Oxnard High School jazz band will entertain and Bob Guillen, executive secretary of the Ventura County Building and Construction Trades Council, will supervise the cooking. Assemblyman Jack O'Connell (D-Carpinteria) will emcee the $25-a-plate event, which starts at 6 p.m.

Republican Mark Boos Benhard of Oak Park kicked off his campaign to unseat Rep. Anthony C. Beilenson at a rally Thursday, where he urged a $500 tax credit for working families and a get-tough policy against illegal immigrants. Benhard, 28, for three years an aide to former Rep. William Dannemeyer, said he supports using the armed forces to patrol the U. S.-Mexican border and eliminating all benefits for illegal immigrants, including automatic citizenship, education and welfare.

A political challenger on Thursday filed a libel lawsuit against Rep. Anthony C. Beilenson, firing the first salvo in what promises to be a bitter and cantankerous election campaign. Republican Richard Sybert filed the suit in Ventura County Superior Court accusing Beilenson, a Woodland Hills Democrat, of making libelous statements in two campaign mailers during the 1994 elections. Sybert narrowly lost to Beilenson in last year's race for the 24th District seat, and is challenging him again.

Relying heavily on his own funds, businessman Richard Sybert is financially overwhelming his opponents in the race for the Republican nomination to oppose Rep. Anthony C. Beilenson (D-Woodland Hills) in a congressional district that includes Malibu. Sybert, a former aide to Gov. Pete Wilson who moved to Woodland Hills last year, has loaned his campaign $430,000 of the $473,080 that he has raised for the June 7 primary, according to campaign reports filed with the Federal Election Commission.