AROUND THE REGION.

ANTELOPE VALLEY

At-risk homeowners to get help at event

LANCASTER -- Local Realtors will a hold a daylong event, aimed at helping homeowners at risk of losing their homes, from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at Central Christian Church, 3131 W. Ave. J.

"Foreclosure Prevention" will be the topic discussed by specialists who can help people mitigate or resolve mortgage problems. Credit counselors, U.S. Housing and Urban Development Department officials, lending institutions, legal advisers and Spanish-language translators also will attend.

A free sack lunch will be included. To reserve a space, call 661-726-9274.

SANTA CLARITA

Authorities hunt two men in carjacking

CANYON COUNTRY -- Detectives are looking for two men involved in a Friday night carjacking in the parking lot of the Costco Store, 18649 Via Princessa, Canyon Country.

About 7:30 p.m., a woman was leaving the store and saw a red Honda Civic with its hood up and two men apparently working on the car.

One of the men asked her if she could jump-start their car. She started her car, popped the hood latch and one of the men told her he was having trouble opening her hood. When she got out of her car, she saw he was holding a shotgun at his side.

He demanded everything she had, and she told him to take her car.

The man -- described as 18 to 20 years old, roughly 5 feet, 6 inches tall, wearing a blue Dallas Cowboys jacket and blue jeans -- left in the victim's car.

The second man -- described as 20 to 25 years old and 6 feet tall -- left in the red Honda Civic.

Deputies found the victim's car after it was involved in a crash at Via Princessa and Vista Del Canon.

Anyone with information regarding this crime is asked to call the Santa Clarita Valley sheriff station's Robbery/Assault Team at 661-255-1121.

Three teens arrested in pipe-bomb case

CANYON COUNTRY -- Three teenagers were arrested over the weekend after a resident spotted them apparently making a pipe bomb in the 19000 block of Friendly Valley Parkway.

The resident held the three teens until deputies arrived.

The teens were arrested Saturday night and booked at the Santa Clarita Valley sheriff's station. An 18-year-old from Newhall was charged with three felony crimes -- possession of bomb-making material, exploding a bomb and possession of a pipe bomb. He is being held in lieu of $150,000 bail.

The other teens, ages 15 and 17, were booked on felony charges of intent to make a destructive device and one of them faces a misdemeanor charge of possession of dangerous fireworks. The Saugus residents were released to their parents.

VENTURA COUNTY

Woman, 41, arrested in death of mother

SIMI VALLEY -- A 41-year-old Simi Valley woman was arrested in the stabbing death of her mother, police said Wednesday.

Police tracked down Lauren Donohue in Santa Clarita some time after the Tuesday stabbing death of Rose Weiss, 69, of Simi Valley.

Police originally responded to a "check the welfare" call of a resident in the 5300 block of Diane Street. Patrol officers arrived and found Weiss dead of apparent stab wounds, police said.

The motive for the killing remains unknown, police said. Anyone with information can call the Simi Valley Police Department at 805-583-6984.

Moorpark High is 1st, 2nd in decathlon

MOORPARK -- Moorpark High School's Academic Decathlon teams took both first and second place in the Ventura County scholastic competition. Oxnard High's team placed third and will join Moorpark at the state competition March 7-10 in Sacramento.

The winner of the state competition will advance to the national contest April 30-May 3 in Garden Grove. This will be the 11th time Moorpark has competed in the state contest; it has won the title twice since 1999.

-- Staff and Wire Services