From the Los Angeles Times:<P><B>Ventura Couple's Arts Passion Takes Root <BR> Planning: Their vision of a village for artists downtown has sparked interest from city and cultural leaders.</B> <P><BR>By GINGER ORR, Special to The Times<P> <BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Jordan and Sandra Laby bought their first weekend home in Ventura 28 years ago, when a night out at the theater usually meant an hourlong drive. <BR> "When we moved to Ventura, one of the things we didn't have was theater or music," said Jordan Laby, an inventor of products ranging from swimming-pool cleaners to anesthesia equipment. "If you wanted to have cultural entertainment, you had to drive somewhere else." <BR> Now permanent residents of Ventura, the couple have carried their passion for theater and music into the community. They have been in on the ground floor of numerous arts groups that have taken root in Ventura, and sit on the boards of several cultural organizations. <BR> Three years ago, they decided the city desperately needed another arts venue. As cultural groups continued to grow, there was an increasing lack of space for rehearsals and performances.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE> <P><BR><A HREF="http://www.latimes.com/editions/orange/calendar/20010704/t000055184.html" TARGET=_blank><B>MORE...</B></A><P>(if someone thinks this belongs in another forum, please feel free to move it)<BR> <BR>