WEDDING BELLS: In the tradition of flowers...

WEDDING BELLS: In the tradition of flowers and romance, Valentine’s Day marks the beginning of the spring marriage season. “It’s funny; the office gets really busy all of a sudden,” said Yvonne Knepper, owner of the Victorian Rose Historical Wedding Chapel in Ventura. . . . Marriage licenses have declined in recent years as Baby Boomers grow older and more settled. But that’s changed since July when Los Angeles lovebirds started flocking here for licenses rather than endure the three-day wait imposed by budget-strapped clerks in L. A.

OPEN WIDE: The local Dental Society has its own Valentine’s Day treat planned for low-income kids. . . . More than 160 society members have joined the “Dentist With a Heart” program to treat children at no charge. Some dentists acknowledge that a box of Valentine’s candy might appeal to more kids than sitting still in their chair. . . . “If they think their parents are scared of dentists, they will be scared,” said Vanna Master, a Thousand Oaks dentist. “It is very important that we take our time with them.”

RAPID DEFLATION: Thousand Oaks city staff members last week proposed charging the city’s Redevelopment Agency $1.1 million for office space in the Civic Arts Plaza for two housing administrators. The idea was rejected because it diverted money from creating affordable housing. . . . Meanwhile, the city has agreed to lease Civic Arts Plaza space to the two-person office of the Alliance for the Arts. Rent: $1 a year.

DISASTROUS PLANS: The Northridge quake left Moorpark City Hall without power. All of the city’s cellular phones were dead. And some city staff had no idea where to go or what to do. . . . Though Moorpark suffered little damage compared to neighboring Simi Valley, city leaders want to re-examine all of the city’s emergency response plans and take stock of its equipment (B5).

Nuptial Bliss

Marriage licenses issued in Ventura County: 1988: 4,916 1989: 5,042 1990: 5,203 1991: 4,906 1992: 4,615 1993: 4,892 Source: Ventura County Clerk