THROUGH TRAFFIC: The westbound ramps of Kimball...

THROUGH TRAFFIC: The westbound ramps of Kimball Road to the Santa Paula Freeway are now open, ending months of delays, detours and drivers’ frustrations in Ventura. The ramps were closed as part of a road-widening project. . . . “Nobody likes being frustrated by traffic congestion, so we’re happy to have the on- and off-ramps open again,” city spokesman Stephen Hartmann said. . . . Now to pay for the roadwork: City officials estimate the widening project will cost taxpayers $6.5 million more than originally estimated.

PREPARE TO SLOW: While one traffic headache has been solved, other problems persist in Ventura County. . . . In Moorpark, a new traffic signal is causing concern. In Oak View, motorists complain about a bottleneck along California 33. And in Thousand Oaks, there is discussion about the proper technique for merging into the bike lane. . . . Street Smart (B1) considers the questions and comes up with answers.

HANDCRAFTED: You can’t find them in the phone book. Don’t look for them at art shows. Ventura County woodworkers hone their skills in small shops and tiny garages, scratching out a living in an age of manufactured cabinets (B1). . . . Most are 40-something and college-educated in disciplines they’ve abandoned to work with their hands. . . . “The nature of people who get involved in this sort of thing is that they like to paddle their own canoe,” woodworker Bruce Smith said.

GRAFFITI PATROL: Police Detective Steve Vendt has been named Oxnard’s new anti-graffiti officer, replacing Officer James E. O’Brien, who was killed in the line of duty. . . . Vendt, 39, is a 10-year department veteran who helps provide police experience to youngsters interested in law enforcement careers. . . . “Jim did such a good job and made such a dent, we weren’t about to let things revert back to the way they were,” police spokesman David Keith said. “I’m sure Steve will do a real good job.”