BRIEFLY ACTIVIST FILES CLAIM FOR CRASH LOSSES.

THOUSAND OAKS - City activist Iqbal ``Nick'' Quidwai has filed a claim against the city for more than $10,000 on behalf of his son, Shani, for losses suffered in a traffic crash he says was the city's fault.

Shani Quidwai and three passengers were involved in the August incident on Potrero Road that left 18-year-old Matt Emole paralyzed from the chest down.

Nick Quidwai claims the city let sprinklers overflow, which caused unsafe road conditions. He is asking the city to pay for loss of a car and all the medical expenses of the four individuals.

City Attorney Mark Sellers said Friday that he will reject the claim, as he has a claim filed by Emole.

The filing, and rejection, of a claim are required before a lawsuit can be filed against a public agency.

Quidwai, a City Hall activist, ran unsuccessfully for the City Council in 1998.

- Daily News

County leads in census response

SACRAMENTO - California's response rate to the federal census is slightly above the national average so far, with Ventura County residents leading the way.

Fifty-one percent of California households had returned census forms by Thursday compared with 49 percent nationwide, officials said.

The Census Bureau is hoping 70 percent of the forms will be mailed back by late April.

Ventura had the highest return rate among California counties, 58 percent, and Mono County had the lowest, 21 percent.

Among California cities, Seal Beach and Laguna Woods in Orange County had the highest return rates, 68 percent, and Blue Lake in Humboldt County had the lowest, 12 percent.

- Associated Press

Assembly leader backs EIR request

SACRAMENTO - Assembly Speaker Antonio Villaraigosa has thrown his support behind a congressman's request for a full environmental impact study on the proposed 3,050-home Ahmanson Ranch development.

Villaraigosa, D-Los Angeles, sent a letter this week to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers voicing his support for the study proposed by Rep. Brad Sherman, D-Woodland Hills. Villaraigosa cited his environmental concerns about the development in southeast Ventura County.

Developer Washington Mutual has said it is working with regulatory agencies to find solutions for any potential negative impacts to the plant and wildlife species on site.

- Daily News

Robbers accost delivery man

VENTURA - A man making a delivery to the Sears, Roebuck and Co. store at 3295 E. Main St. was robbed of an undetermined amount of cash by two assailants who threatened to beat him up Friday, police said.

Edward Escamilla, who works for Canteen Vending in Oxnard, handed over the money in the parking lot near the loading ramps and was not harmed in the 12:18 p.m. robbery, police said.

- Daily News