Natalie Graham
Enlarge Photo

Ventura County Ballet Company presents an international cast from Russia, Albania, and Kazakhstan, plus 90 dancers from Camarillo, Fillmore, Ojai, Santa Paula, Somis, and Ventura.

A student at Ballet Academy Ventura since the age of 4½, Fillmore resident Natalie Graham will dance the role of Clara in the Ventura County Ballet Company’s production of “The Nutcracker,” November 22-23 at the Oxnard Performing Arts Center.
“I have wanted to dance Clara for eight years, and I am thrilled and honored to play Clara and to have the opportunity to interact on stage with my father and sister who also have supporting roles,” Natalie says. “This is a dream come true for me.”
"Natalie has grown from a toddler in my pre-ballet classes to a lovely young lady and I couldn't be happier with her role as Clara,” says Kathleen Noblin, founder and executive director of the Ventura County Ballet Company. “Choreographed by Marina Fliagina, associate artistic director of the VCBC and graduate of Perm Ballet School in Moscow, Nutcracker 2008 promises to be our most outstanding yet!"
Ninety Ballet Academy Ventura company dancers from Camarillo, Ojai, Santa Paula, Somis, and Ventura also will appear on stage.
An Authentic Nutcracker – Principle Professionals have experience.
Having danced the Nutcracker in Russia as children and young ballet stars, principal dancers include Sergei Domrachev of Russia, returning for his seventh season as The Nutcracker; and Enton Hoxha from Albania in his third year as Drosselmeyer, grandfather to Clara. In her third season with Ventura County Ballet Company, Victoria Luchkina from Kazakhstan will dance Dream Clara; and Spencer Gavin of California, who is on his second term will dance the Prince.
Performances: What:Ventura County Ballet Company presents The Nutcracker. When: 2pm and 7pm, November 22, 2008 and 2 pm, November 23, 2008. Where: Oxnard Performing Arts Center, 800 Hobson Way, Oxnard CA. Tickets: Adults: $23, $15, $9; $10 children 10 and under; $15 seniors 65 and over. Group rates available upon request
Information: (805) 653-2800 or www.balletacademyventura.com.
About the Ventura County Ballet Company
Kathleen Noblin founded Ballet Ventura in 1992 and has served as executive director of the company since its inception. Ballet Academy Ventura is the official in-residence school of the Ventura County Ballet Company. Students are taught creative movement as early as 2 to 3 ½ years old and pre-ballet to the age of six, through adult courses. Classes offered include beginning ballet through pre-professional levels, modern dance, flamenco, and jazz. Information: 805-653-2800 or www.balletacademyventura.com.

Conway Spitler

It is great to be able to drive from River Street to Central Avenue! However, you really have a change in tactics! First you stop a Central Avenue and make a right turn on to Central Avenue. As you make the turn there is maintenance vehicle there tearing up the newly paved Central Avenue.
After the right turn you come to the automatic signal. You can tell Cal Trans has been there because the wait has doubled in time to cross the highway. Then you come to the pavement which dips down with a number of bumps, then a stop sign. A short distance another stop sign (which is rumored) to be a four-way stop coming soon greets you, this after you cross the railway tracks which jars the vehicle. If you still go north, you come to "rough" concaves on Central Avenue--the brick crosswalk is not "level" with the pavement, so you have another jolt! Then you can rest after that last jolt. Let us hope that Central Avenue will be the "busy" time that used to be in a short period of time!

The used book room and gift shop at the Rancho Camulos Museum will be open Saturday, Nov. 15 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. for pre-Christmas purchases. A wide selection of gently used books and gift items are available from packing house labels, tote bags, t-shirts and ranch history books to children’s books. A special area for the kids will keep them happy while you browse.
For an early start on your Christmas shopping, make a trip to the museum located 2 miles east of Piru on Highway 126. Proceeds from the book sale will go to the restoration of the courtyard fountain.

The California State Old Time Fiddlers Association, District 8, will meet Sunday, November 23, at 1:30p.m., Oak View Community Center, 18 Valley Road, Oak View. Admission is free. All ages are encourage to join the Fiddlers for an afternoon of family oriented fun, old time music, and dancing. Refreshments available. For more information call 517-1131.

In observance of Thanksgiving Day, the employees of Santa Clara Valley Disposal are taking the day off on Thursday, Nov. 27. As a result, Fillmore city residential customers will have their trash and green waste collected a day later than usual, on Saturday, Nov. 29
The regular Friday schedule will resume the following week.
For more information, call 647-1414.

Alberto Cantero Jr., Fillmore Middle School student.
Enlarge Photo

Alberto Cantero Jr. has been nominated by Rhonda Reyes-Deutsch, of Fillmore Middle School to attend a People to People World Leadership Forum in Washington D.C.. Congratulations! The Forum helps prepare the most promising young people for the opportunities and responsibilities ahead. Alberto was nominated as an outstanding student with high academic standing and promising leadership potential. He will join other highly motivated and accomplished middle school scholars from around the globe.

The costs of tuition are substantial and we are looking to community for support. By making a contribution, you will be helping Alberto gain an advantage in school, career and in this once in a lifetime opportunity.

Union Bank of California has offered Alberto a free account and your tax-deductible donations can be made directly payable to:
Alberto Cantero, Jr.
357 Market Street
Fillmore, CA 93015

For questions or direct contributions please contact Rebecca Cantero at (805) 524-2407. Contributions should be received prior to Feb. 6th, 2009. Thank you so much for your support.

Ventura, California - On Sept. 8, Community Memorial Hospital welcomed Drs. Hillel Janai and Alison Shuman on staff as pediatric hospitalists, jointly providing 24-hour consultation services. They are available for Emergency Room and pediatric inpatient consultation and coverage. They will also be responsible for all Centers for Family Health unassigned, family practice and pediatric designated admissions, as well as providing the CMH newborn rounds in the nursery.

“It’s a new service that we have been considering for a number of years,” said Adam Thunell, chief operating officer for CMHS. “It enhances pediatric coverage and quality of care in a hospital setting for our pediatric population.”

Dr. Janai, board certified in general pediatrics, has also trained in pediatric infectious diseases and pediatric pulmonary disease. His office is located at the Center for Family Health on Ashwood Avenue in Ventura, and he can be reached at 805/643-1871. Dr. Shuman, board certified in general pediatrics, has also trained in pediatric critical care. Her office is located at the Center for Family Health on Saviers Road in Oxnard, and she can be reached at 805/487- 5585.

Santa Paula, CA (November 11, 2008) Each year, the Annie E. Casey Foundation provides grants to national organizations whose local affiliates are working directly with families in their communities. These National co-sponsoring organizations, in turn, make awards to exemplary local programs with their networks whose work improves the odds for the most vulnerable children by giving them what they need most—strong, capable and economically successful families. The honorees embrace a simple but powerful principle: Children do well when their families do well, and families do better when they live in supportive communities.

The Santa Clara Valley Neighborhood for Learning (SCV NfL) in collaboration with the Boys and Girls Club of Santa Clara Valley were selected for the 2008 Boys and Girls Clubs of America/Annie E. Casey Foundation Family Strengthening Award. The amount of the award is $10,000 to continue with some of the SCV NfL’s family strengthening strategies.

One such strategy is the Motheread/Fatheread Program, which is a nationally recognized, award winning, family literacy program that builds parenting, critical thinking and literacy skills, improves family communication, and promotes reading and story sharing in the home. Multicultural children’s books are utilized to promote reading and discussion while encouraging parents to use their imaginations to connect universal themes, values, and ideas to their own lives and families. The importance of reading as a family cannot be understated as it helps build family ties, allows parents to serve as role models, and enable children to become better readers and learners.

The Santa Clara Valley Neighborhood for Learning is funded through First 5 Ventura County with the goal of helping families prepare young children for school by offering a multi-faceted, integrated system of service delivery. For more information about the Boys and Girls Club of Santa Clara Valley or the Santa Clara Valley Neighborhood for Learning, and the other services available, please contact us at 525-7910.

John Garcia was given a surprise birthday party to celebrate his 93rd birthday, Saturday, November 8th, at El Pescador. He was pleasantly surprised to see his children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews and in-laws; 45 family members total in attendance. One grandchild who attended, who is an active duty Coast Guard Chief, traveled from Corpus Christi, Texas for the event.
The medals, ribbons, Merchant Marine emblem and a replica of a plaque that is mounted on a memorial wall to honor all veterans at Mount Soledad in San Diego was arranged by his children on a beautiful wood framed with glass top case and presented to him by Dick Schuck and Bud Untiedt, both VFW members, having served in WWII.
Mr. Garcia, a Fillmore resident since 1976, served as a US Merchant Marine from 1942 - 1945, on board the SS Fort Clatsop. The case presented to Mr. Garcia had a Ribbon and Medal for the Pacific War Zone, Atlantic War Zone, Merchant Marine WWII Victory, and Merchant Marine Defense.

The Rotary Club of Fillmore hosted District Governor, Anil Garg. During his visit he welcomed new members Diane Torrence, Georgi Harden and Alex Nieto by presenting them with Rotary theme pins. Anil also presented a pin to Bill Winterstein, our eldest member and famous author, who in turn presented signed copies of his two books to Anil.

During the month of October the Club also enjoyed several informative programs. Jose Saucedo, an Explorer, with the Santa Paula Police Department related what is involved in becoming an Explorer and his plans for joining the department in the future. Bill Herrera, the newly appointed Fire Chief, presented a PowerPoint on preparedness for our safety and informed us of a Southern California Disaster Drill on November 13th. Lynn Edmonds and Hillary Carson from the One Step Center along with student volunteers Mercedes Williams, Connie Barajas and Evon Chavez informed the club of their purpose in the community and their plans for the future. The One Step Center is a drop in center for Fillmore youths and is located at the Trinity Episcopal Church on Saratoga.
For Information about Rotary call Martha Richardson 524-5099.