Cheri Carlson

2 weeks ago | yahoo.com | Cheri Carlson

A woman out for a run in the western Santa Monica Mountains in Ventura County quickly stopped when she spotted a mountain lion ahead of her on the trail. Shannon DeVaney had run in the area for years, crossing paths with lizards, rattlesnakes, mule deer and even a very occasional bobcat. But she had never seen a mountain lion in person. That changed around noon after a rainy morning on April 26.

2 weeks ago | yahoo.com | Cheri Carlson

A humpback whale recently washed up on a Ventura beach, one of several found dead during a severe domoic acid outbreak along the California coast. A team was expected to examine the whale on April 24, a day after it was spotted near Surfers Point. The domoic acid outbreak has left rescue organizations overwhelmed, said Michael Milstein, a public affairs officer with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. "We hope to find out more later today," Milstein said.

2 weeks ago | yahoo.com | Cheri Carlson

The Surfrider Foundation spent Earth Day at a Ventura beach, one of the advocacy group's first stops on a tour to rally support for California's Coastal Act. The decades-old law helps protect coastal resources and public access, said Jennifer Savage, Surfrider's California policy associate director. Over the years, those rights have become woven into the state's identity, she said. Now, some may not think they need to be defended.

3 weeks ago | yahoo.com | Cheri Carlson

Glassy, bluish critters washed up along the California coast in recent weeks, piling up by the thousands on Ventura County beaches and along sea walls. Called velella velella or by-the-wind sailors, the jellyfish-like creatures typically are far offshore. But winds blew heaps onshore this spring. It is not a true jellyfish but a close relative, experts say. Shaped like a tiny boat a few inches long, each one has a little, glassy sail-like structure that allows it to be scooted around by the wind.

3 weeks ago | yahoo.com | Cheri Carlson

Supervisor Jeff Gorell's former chief of staff has sued the County of Ventura, seeking an unspecified amount in damages including lost earnings, emotional distress, attorneys' fees and other costs. Attorneys for Mark Perryman, Gorell's chief of staff until early October, filed the lawsuit in Ventura Superior Court in March. Among the allegations, the complaint says the county retaliated for Perryman taking family and paternity leave after his wife had complications during her pregnancy.