Robert Murray

More than 30 government employees and business people have submitted resumes in hopes of becoming Thousand Oaks' next city manager, but the woman who holds that title on an interim basis won't divulge if her curriculum vitae is among them. More than half the applicants are from California and most have strong credentials in city or county government, said Robert Murray, vice president of DMG Maximus executive search firm in Sacramento, which is receiving $20,000 to seek and evaluate talent.

Although the influenza outbreak in Ventura County has been mild so far this year, health officials say a late season flare-up could still leave residents coughing and sneezing. "We've had reports that we might see some late activity," said Robert Murray, an epidemiologist with the state Department of Health Services. "Stay tuned in. The season isn't over until the last game is through."

The Orange County North-South All-Star wrestling match, featuring the county's top high school senior wrestlers, will be Saturday night at 7:30 at Anaheim's Canyon High School. Highlights will include the 154-pound match between Loara's Brian Malavar and Capistrano Valley's David Hynan, and the heavyweight match between Savanna's Tom Osendorf and Pacifica's Steve Palczewski. Both are rematches of Southern Section Masters Meet championship matches.

A big rig pulls out of a central warehouse in Irwindale, carrying a load destined for an Ace Hardware store. It looks like an ordinary truck. But a quick inspection of the exhaust pipe shows how different it really is. No black puffs of smoke, no smelly fumes. Instead of diesel, it burns liquefied natural gas. Built for Ace Hardware two years ago, it was the first heavy-duty natural-gas truck in California, and among the first in the nation.

A Laguna Beach woman has contracted Lyme disease, becoming the first case in Southern California since reporting of the disease began this spring, state and local health officials said Tuesday. But officials called the case unusual. Although the disease has become widespread on the East Coast and has been reported in coastal areas of Northern California, they said Lyme--which is spread through bites from very small ticks--is not a significant threat in Southern California.

The family of a San Diego fisherman who drowned last winter under mysterious circumstances off San Clemente Island filed a $10.8-million lawsuit Friday against the Navy, contending the man died after stray Navy explosives struck his boat. The suit, filed in federal court in San Diego, alleged that Boyd Reber of San Diego and crewman Frank Germano of Ventura died Feb. 25 in an explosion of either a missile or live ordnance fired by sailors in target practice off San Clemente Island.

So how bad will this year's influenza season be? And how long will it last? Acknowledging that such forecasts are risky business, public health officials predict a mild but perhaps longer-than-usual season--unless an "outlaw" virus comes calling. In the Los Angeles area, the 1997-98 flu season "probably won't be a wing-ding season" partly because it looks like the prevalent virus detected here, at least so far, is identical to or a "close relative" of last year's, says Dr.

Foreign Film: "Amores Perros," Mexico; "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon," Taiwan; "Divided We Fall," Czech Republic; "Everybody Famous," Belgium; "The Taste of Others," France. Art Direction: Tim Yip, "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon"; Michael Corenblith (art direction), Merideth Boswell (set decoration), "Dr.

Robert Murray has learned one sure thing from his 26 years in the Conejo Valley: A wisp of smoke in the Santa Monica Mountains means trouble. "We know that's serious," said Murray, 73. The retired Army officer from Thousand Oaks is one of four golfers who witnessed the birth of Tuesday's inferno. The blaze, which began near the 16th green of Los Robles Golf Course, has ravaged more than 37,500 acres of brush and cost more than $2 million to battle. Authorities have ruled the fire arson.

At the first public meeting of her new citizens group, Thousand Oaks City Councilwoman Elois Zeanah answered critics who have accused her of creating the group to further her minority council positions. "This has no partisan agenda. Anyone who wants to can take part," Zeanah said at the meeting of the Citizens Q of L Action Alliance. Zeanah frequently is a lone dissenter on the council, often at the losing end of 4-1 votes.