The Simi Valley Education Foundation is accepting nominations for Lew Roth Awards.

Named after the foundation's founder, the annual Lew Roth Awards honor students, parents, certificated and classified staff and community members who work or volunteer in the Simi Valley Unified School District.

The award categories include management (principals, assistant principals, counselors, school psychologists or district administrators); certificated personnel (teachers, nurses, speech therapists); classified personnel (employees in accounting, clerical/secretarial, custodial/maintenance, food service, instructional aides, playground supervisors, purchasing/warehouse or transportation); volunteers; and special education teachers or aides. There also is a Lifetime Achievement Award.

A slate of nine candidates vying for three seats on the Simi Valley City Council tackled issues of growth, public safety and experience in a forum.

The three mayoral candidates went first Thursday night, followed by the six candidates vying for two council seats. The council terms are four years, and the mayor's term is for two years. There are no term limits for either the mayor or council positions.

The event was organized by the League of Women Voters of Ventura County, with league member David Maron moderating. About 50 people attended, and questions were taken from the audience.

Mayor's race

The housing market this year has been hit with significant price erosion, record defaults and a prolonged credit crunch that recently has grown more grisly.

The question is has the worst passed?

A real estate trade association tackled that issue today by predicting that 2009 will be rough, but less brutal than this year.

Assuming the financial system stabilizes within the next several months, California home sales are expected to gain momentum in 2009, while values will bottom out, according to the California Association of Realtors.