SLOW AND STEADY: Ventura County has long...

SLOW AND STEADY: Ventura County has long prided itself on its conservative investment approach--far different, officials say, from the speculative strategy that has landed Orange County in deep trouble (B1). . . . An independent survey earlier this year ranked Ventura County first in financial standing among the state’s 14 biggest counties. . . . Then again, such surveys are often shortsighted and far from being infallible. Just a few short months ago, at least one financial service firm reported that Orange County was in very good shape.

QUICK STUDY: After only one day on the job, the future’s looking good for state Sen. Jack O’Connell (D-Carpinteria). . . . Sworn in Monday, O’Connell is the new vice chairman of the Democratic caucus and chairman of the Senate Toxics and Public Safety Management Committee. . . . He might even pick up the baton from retired state Sen. Gary K. Hart (D-Santa Barbara). O’Connell, a history teacher like Hart, has asked for a seat on the Education Committee.

SCARE TACTICS: It’s one tour that isn’t plagued by long lines of people waiting to get in. . . . But for troubled Ventura County students, just being at the California Youth Authority in Camarillo--and seeing inmates their own ages--is often enough to set them on a straight-and-narrow path (B1). . . . About 3,000 students have taken the grand tour of the 54-acre compound--surrounded by a fence topped with barbed wire. Some say it’s enough to scare them into staying in school and away from gangs. . . . Officials say such tough tactics are useful in getting young people to see the light. . . . “If we can at least reach one, we’re looking good,” CYA official Eddie Cue said.

MOMENT OF SILENCE: Prayer is a vital part of the day for thousands of students in Ventura County and across the country (E1). . . . While religious clubs on school campuses have been a tradition for years, participation in such groups is more popular than ever, some officials say. . . . “It’s just a reflection of our life,” said Norman Walker, a minister who was recently elected to Simi Valley’s school board. As a student in the 1960s, Walker said he was a member of such clubs. “Americans are a religious group of people,” he said.