Become a part of where the history, myth and romance of Old California still linger. Lead tours or volunteer to assist with other museum activities depending on your interests and availability. Join us as we expand to meet the needs of our new Visitor Center. This is an opportunity to learn more about our local history and bring this experience alive for others. The next training starts July 12. For more information about Rancho Camulos Museum visit www.ranchocamulos.org. Call the museum (805-521-1501) to sign up or get more information.

At the last City Council meeting the council voted to support a future business item on the issue of the General Plan Safety Element. The Safety Element lists, in broad brush strokes, the risks and issues of living in Fillmore. We’re a small town surrounded by rivers, creeks and mountains. If we live in Fillmore, we have a responsibility to understand what risks we collectively share and accept. As individuals, we should be prepared for disastrous events. Living in Southern California our largest risk is possibly that of earthquakes. The effects of such events still ring true for many in town. We also know that our rivers and creeks have been known to flood, our hills burn and mudslides do occur. Yet, we all accept these risks and continue to live in our respective locations. Part of the Safety Element should be continuing education. Just as our Fire and Police Department train for events, individually we should also be trained and prepared for Mother Nature’s worst. I hope that citizens take the opportunity to engage this issue and help us revise the important aspects of the General Plan Safety Element as that process takes shape.
When I consider my family’s personal preparedness, it’s apparent that we need to do more. The following is meant to spur thought on the matter. As families do we have an emergency plan in place and do we talk about it? Does each family member know their roll in the plan? If the family is separated, do we have a designated location to meet at especially if we have to evacuate our home? Do we have a contact person we can call and check in with if we’re separated? Are we physically prepared? Do we keep our vehicles filled with gas at all times so that we can use them when the time arises? Not an easy goal to achieve if you have teenagers in the family, I know this first hand. Do we have ample supplies of food and water to sustain us until assistance arrives? Is that food and water rotated and checked on a routine basis? Do we have a “grab and go” pack in the event we have to evacuate our homes which contain food, water, medications, clothes and sundries? Are we prepared to care for our pets in times of need? Do we have small preparedness packs in each car? Think about your commute to work. What is the chance that an event happens when you are away? I realize that I have work to do. Being prepared is more of a journey than a destination.
Training is a key component to being prepared. Fillmore has a great program in place that provides training, free of charge, to any citizen, that being CERT. Citizen Emergency Response Training is a class which has directly benefited all graduates and their neighbors and families. These willing and now trained citizens will assist our professional emergency responders in the event of a disaster.
Being prepared can reduce the stress that will naturally be present in times of a disaster. Having a plan to execute is much easier than not knowing what to do and not being prepared. We all have the choice to either be prepared or to be helpless. Tough times have fallen upon us in the past and will again in the future. Choosing to take control as individuals and reaching out to help others will better prepare us as a city. Being prepared as a city is a worthy journey indeed. We can’t help others with their oxygen masks if we don’t know how to use it ourselves.
On a different topic, residents should have received a card informing them of pending fees associated with Chloride and Storm Water Treatment. The intent of the unanimous City Council in delivering this card was to educate the citizens of other pending issues facing the city. Understanding the driving force behind these pending State requirements is important. It is not the City of Fillmore that is willingly proposing these changes. We are reacting to legislative state bodies which impose rules and regulations. These rules and regulations are backed by fines to seek compliance. The root of these proposed requirements started with the Clean Water Act. We are now seeing the “devil in the details”. As a city we’ll be required to address chlorides and storm water in one manner or another in the future. Our goal is to comply, in the least costly manner possible. If you have concerns, I encourage you to attend the meetings and speak before the Regional Water Quality Board. Let them hear your concerns and the impact these far reaching requirements will have on you as a citizen.
Steve Conaway,
Mayor City of Fillmore

The 2008 Ventura County Fair Parade is scheduled to march down Main Street in downtown Ventura to celebrate the 133rd Ventura County Fair.
The Parade date is Saturday, August 2, beginning at 10 AM. The parade will march from Catalina Street past the Reviewing Stand on Ash Street and end at Palm Street.
The Ventura County Fair Parade is a great way to herald the Fair and it is also a great way for community organizations to get public recognition. This year’s parade will be broadcast on CAPS television and on Time Warner Cable.
Deadline for parade entries is July 15. Parade applications can be picked up at the Ventura County Fairgrounds and on line at www.venturacountyfair.org. Please call 805-648-3376 for more information, James Lockwood, Ventura County Fairgrounds, (805), 648-3376 X 110, FAX (805) 648-1012, www.venturacountyfair.org, "Meet me at the Fair", 2008 Ventura County Fair, July 30 - August 10, 2008.

After a prolonged series of problems and confrontations over the distribution of the Fillmore Gazette in the VONS market, the paper has decided to pull out.
Since the last strike, Safeway Markets, parent company of VONS, has made many policy and management changes which make it impractical for the Gazette to continue its 20-years association with the store.
A major reason for pulling out is the fact that the Gazette has not been paid for its distribution in more than 10 weeks. For 20 years the transaction was simple and fast. The paper was delivered and paid for at the same time. Under the new policy a host of boilerplate-type requirements must be complied with in order to have invoices paid through the corporate office. This included the procurement of insurance and filing numerous other forms. The relationship has become confused and confrontational. Management, all the way up the line to corporate, has exhibited a mixture of hostility at the local level, to complete indifference at the top. Numerous personal contacts, phone calls and emails have been a waste of time.
The Gazette is looking into placing news racks outside the store.
I very much regret the inconvenience to our readers.
Martin Farrell
Publisher

Limoneira Company will be the Title Sponsor for the Boys & Girls Club’s Fifth Annual Golf Classic. Other sponsors include Santa Clara Valley Bank, Santa Paula Chevrolet, Union Bank, Santa Barbara Bank & Trust, Santa Clara Valley Disposal, Mar-Vista Sales & Soroptimist International of Santa Paula. The tournament will be held at Moorpark Country Club on Monday, July 28th. 144 golfers filled last year’s tournament held at Sterling Hills and a great time was had by all. Slots are still available but are filling up fast so get some friends together and reserve your foursome for this day of fun and friendship. Sponsorship opportunities are still available. To become a sponsor, purchase tickets or donate a raffle item, please call 525-7910.

Conway Spitler

Did you know we really have a "jewel" when you go on-line to the Fillmore Gazette and view the more than 30 pages of the past issues of the Fillmore Gazette?
For several months information has been coming out about the pictures and articles from former issues of the Fillmore Gazette were being made so you can view them on line.
Well, this past weekend the time was taken by me to go to the Fillmore Gazette Website and take the time to go through the 37 items that have been completed. It is my understanding that this is a on-going project.
Here is, in an organized fashion, the main news articles for that particular week! There are pictures of current events for that date, some history and other items of interest!
There are biographies of our historical residents--present and past. These really mean much to us older residents and could help the younger generation to understand what "trials and tribulations" residents have gone through the years.
Many events depicted bring back good memories of that event--more than an article; however, there are so many great news articles as well.
Take the time to go the Fillmore Gazette Website and browse. It will be well worth you time. This is a great treasure for the citizens of Fillmore about the present and the past.

The Class of 2008 graduated June 12th at 6:30 PM and at 9:00 PM they boarded buses to go to the Grad Nite Live Harbor Cruise at Long Beach for a drug, alcohol and no smoking party at no cost to the students. So on behalf of Grad Nite Live we want to thank all the citizens of Fillmore for their time and money that worked so hard to save Grad Nite Live. Some of the donations even came from out of town. Within a month and a half $26,100.00 was raised by the individuals that supported the Marie Callender’s Pie sales, the Spaghetti Dinner , the Chicken Dinner and “The Passing of the Hat’ and the following; Mr. & Mrs. Stephan Larkin, Maher Ins Agency, Mr. & Mrs Steven Butts, Beverly Haase Gage, Mr. & Mrs. Don Downey, Fillmore Women’s Service Club, Mr & Mrs Drew Ferguson, Fillmore Rotary Sunrisers, Mr. & Mrs. Darryl Smith, Cecilia Cuevas, Laurie Hernandez, Virginia De La Piedra, Roger Myers, La Flor Bonita, Fillmore Western Sespe Creek Festival, Fillmore Western Railway Inc., Rock and Water Creations Inc., J.C. Morris Properties, LLC., Bill Herrera/State Farm Ins., Fillmore Search & Rescue, Ralph Hargrove, Mamma Sue’s Kitchen, Ken Tallent, Fillmore FFA Booster Club, Santa Clara Valley Bank, Bardsdale Community Council, MTS Consulting LLC, Fillmore Taco Bell, Toys and More, Ventura County Deputy Sheriff’s Assoc., Trinity Episcopal Church, Veronica Hurtado, Timothy Hagel, Yasmin Sandoval and Family, Soroptimists International of Fillmore, Steve Rowe/Fillmore Auto Dismantling, Mr. & Mrs. Bill Bartels, Fillmore Fire Dept., Mr. & Mrs. Gil Escoto, Fillmore Unified Teachers Assoc., Mr. & Mrs. Steve Villegas, Jamba Juice, Cookie Lee Jewelry, Liz Wilde, Noontime Rotary Members (pass the hat) Fillmore City Council (pass the hat), Fillmore City Council and School Board meeting (pass the hat), Senior student car wash and Annette Fox, Yard Sale organized by Nora Toledo, Balden Ranch Inc., Boyle Engineering, Bill Burnett/The Stop, Don Bell and Ken Karasiuk/Office Park, Taussig & Assoc. inc, Roger Campbell, Toby Waxman, and Michael McGinnis.

Ventura County Sheriff's Department

The County of Ventura has announced the official launch of the REVERSE 911® Interactive
Community Notification System. The system may be used to deliver alerts when there is a threat to the health or safety of residents in the cities of Camarillo, Fillmore, Moorpark, Ojai, Oxnard, Port Hueneme, Santa Paula, and the unincorporated areas of Ventura County.

REVERSE 911® is a telephonic community notification system which may be used for time-sensitive, mass distribution of emergency messages. The system is particularly effective in times of crisis when rapid communication to a targeted group of citizens or emergency responders is critical. Citizens may be given information regarding evacuation notices, hazardous material releases, community-policing activities or alerts to boil water if necessary. Therefore, when residents receive a REVERSE 911® message, it is important to listen carefully and follow all instructions provided in the alert.

It is also important for residents not to rely on REVERSE 911® notifications as their only means of emergency information. The system may be used in conjunction with information provided to the media, directions given by emergency responders, and information posted on official city, county and government websites.

The REVERSE 911® system is able to send notifications to landline telephones, TTY phones, cellular phones, Voice Over Internet Protocol phones, and e-mail / text addresses. Currently, the Ventura County REVERSE 911® database includes both listed and unlisted landline phone numbers for AT&T and Verizon customers. Residents who want to receive notifications on their cellular, TTY or VoIP phones will need to register online or call the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office of Emergency Services at (805) 648-9283.

For more information on REVERSE 911® in Ventura County or to register phone numbers online, residents can click on the “Disaster Information” link on the County of Ventura homepage
(www.countyofventura.org) and select the REVERSE 911® icon.

Ventura County Sheriff's Department

Unit Responsible: Fillmore Police Department/Ventura County Sheriff’s Department

(S)uspects, (V)ictims, (W)itnesses City of residence Age
(S) Julian Camarillo Santa Paula 18
(S) Amador Leal Santa Paula 18

On June 23, 2008, deputies assigned to the Santa Clara Valley station were extra patrolling the area of the 12th Street Bridge and the Santa Clara River in an effort to enforce the “zero tolerance” of graffiti vandalism in and around the Santa Clara Valley. The deputies happened upon Julian Camarillo and Amador Leal, both from Santa Paula, in the act of spray painting and writing their local “tagging crew’s” moniker on the Santa Clara River bridge. Both subjects were arrested for vandalism and booked at the Ventura County Jail.

Anyone with information about graffiti vandalism, or any other crime, are urged to call Crime Stoppers at (805) 524-0970 (Fillmore) or the Fillmore Police Department at (805) 524-2233.

June 23, 2008
TO: Fillmore Senior Center Board of Directors
FROM: Annette Cardona, Community Services Supervisor
City of Fillmore
SUBJECT: Change of Bylaws for the Fillmore Senior Center

BACKGROUNG: Fillmore Senior Center Board of Directors would like to elect an additional five (5) members to their board on June 23, 2008. At this time the Bylaws read – the directors shall be elected at the first regular meeting of the Board of Directors.

ARTICLE III. DIRECTORS:

Section 3.01. Number. As provided in Article IV of the Articles of Incorporation of the Corporation, the Corporation shall have seven (7) Directors.

Section 3.02. Qualification. The Directors of the Corporation shall be residents of the City of Fillmore and shall be not less than fifty-five (55) years of age at the time of nomination.

Section 3.05. Election. The Directors shall be elected within 60 days of the fiscal year of the Corporation. The candidates receiving the highest number of votes up to the number of Directors shall be eligible for reelection without limitation on the number of terms they many serve, provided they continue to meet the qualifications required by Section 3.02.

RECOMMENDATION: Staff would like to recommend to the Fillmore Senior Center Board of Directors that we change ARTICLE III. Sections 3.01, 3.02, & 3.05 of the Bylaws to elect the new Board of Directors. If the Bylaws are not voted on to be changed then the new board cannot be elected until the July 28, 2008 meeting.

FISCAL IMPACT: None at this time.

CONCUR______________________________
Tom Ristau, City Manager

Ventura - United Blood Services Central Coast has collected nearly 1600 pints of blood entering the second week of the 3400 pint challenge. Donations in early June had declined dramatically as the public’s focus shifted to graduation, vacation plans and visiting relatives. United Blood Service Central Coast issued a 3400 pint challenge to raise awareness of the summer roller coaster donation trends that can trigger blood shortages. The challenge started June 16th and will end July 3rd as United Blood Services works with a number of promotional partners to encourage and thank volunteer blood donors.

In Ventura County, The Habit Burger Grill has partnered with United Blood Services through July 3rd. If you are over age 17 and weigh at least 110 pounds, donate blood at a nearby Blood Center (in Ventura, Camarillo or Thousand Oaks) or at a nearby blood drive. Every Ventura County blood donor who donates blood will help us reach the 3400 pint challenge and walk away with a certificate for a FREE CHARBURGER, FRIES AND COKE from The Habit Burger Grill as a special thank you.

UBSCC Centers:

San Luis Obispo:
4119 S. Broad St. 543-4290. Mon & Tue: 10- 6 ; Wed & Th: 10-7 ; Fri: 8 - 3 ; Sun: 8-1

Santa Maria:
1770 S. Broadway. 928-2546. Mon & Tue: 10- 6 ; Wed & Th: 10- 7 ; Fri: 8 - 3

Santa Barbara:
902 Laguna St. 965-7037. Mon & Tue: 10- 6 ; Wed & Th: 10- 7 ; Fri: 8 - 3

Ventura:
1756 Eastman Ave. 1-800-715-3699. Mon & Tue: 10- 6 ; Wed & Th: 10- 7 ; Fri: 8 - 2

Camarillo:
2105 Pickwick Dr. 1-800-715-3699. Mon & Wed: 1- 7

Thousand Oaks:
1321 Thousand Oaks Blvd. 1-800-715-3699. Tue & Th: 1- 7

The following Farmers Insurance agents have been inducted into the Farmers' "Topper Club" of
Farmers' top sales producers.

* Christopher Bandy, Farmers Insurance District Manager in Camarillo

* Paul Maher, Farmers Insurance Agent in Fillmore

* Dale Watson, Farmers Insurance Agent in Oxnard

* Alice Basurto, Farmers Insurance Agent in Oxnard

* Raquel Gomez, Farmers Insurance Agent in Santa Paula

* Ronnette Cortez, Farmers Insurance Agent in Santa Paula

* Matt Jackson, Farmers Insurance Agent in Simi Valley

* Gloria Kilmer, Farmers Insurance Agent in Ventura

* Michelle Tamburri, Farmers Insurance Agent in Ventura

They have been recognized by Farmers for their outstanding sales achievements in 2007.

"Farmers congratulates these individuals on qualifying for this year's Topper Club. They are committed to providing quality insurance coverages and industry-leading service to Farmers' customers," noted Executive Vice president of Field Operations, Jerry Carnahan.

Farmers Group, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Zurich Financial Services Group, an insurance-based financial services provider with a global network of subsidiaries and offices in North America and Europe as well as in Asia Pacific, Latin America and other markets. Farmers(r) is the nation's third-largest Personal Lines Property & Casualty insurance group.

Headquartered in Los Angeles and doing business in 41 states, the insurers comprising the Farmers Insurance Group of Companies provide Homeowners, Auto, Business, Life insurance and financial services to more than 10 million households through 17,000 exclusive agents and district managers.. For more information about Farmers, visit our Web site at www.farmers.com.

Rotary International

The Rotary Club of Fillmore Sun Risers did its part to make sure the Wide World of Books project sets a world record for the largest book drive ever during the Rotary International convention June 15-18 at the Los Angeles Convention Center.

Club President Ken Smedley says the club gathered 200 children’s books in the weeks leading up to the Convention in preparation for the drive.

“We’re thrilled to be a part of this very special project that benefits our children by promoting literacy and cross-cultural awareness,” President Ken says.

At the invitation of the Southern California and Southern Nevada Rotary clubs hosting the convention, many of the nearly 20,000 registrants from more than 140 countries brought children’s books representing their home cultures and languages for the Wide World of Books project. This international book drive, co-sponsored by the Los Angeles Times’ Reading by 9 program, gathered 242,624 books to be donated to public school students in grades K-3 throughout the region, where studies show too many children read below grade level.

An adjudicator from Guinness World Records was present to certify that the project was the largest book drive ever completed in one week. Even Rotary members unable to make the trip to Los Angeles were involved, either by shipping books directly to the convention or by contributing through a “virtual book drive”.

During the convention, a symbolic “mountain of books” welcomed convention registrants and members of the public in the atrium of the Los Angeles Convention Center, where Rotary members read to local schoolchildren.

“It is symbolic that the mountain of books aas built atop the world map in the atrium’s floor design,” says local Rotary leader Ingo Werk, who chairs the project, noting that nearly 100 languages are spoken throughout the diverse Los Angeles Unified School District.

The book drive is just one example of the hundreds of literacy-related projects supported by Rotary clubs worldwide. “Literacy is crucial in determining a person’s overall academic, professional, and personal success,” says Werk.

The Rotary convention is the humanitarian service organization’s most important meeting of the year, giving members from around the world an opportunity to plan service projects, share success stories and renew acquaintances. It is often described as a “mini-United Nations” due to its international and cultural diversity.

The show will be noticeably different from past year’s displays, with the most obvious change being the location of the show shifting from Fillmore High School to Fillmore Middle School. The high school football field was host to the show in the past, but over the past year an all-weather track was installed on the field to replace the previous dirt lanes, making the field incompatible with fireworks.
There will be no seating for the public at Fillmore Middle School. All Fillmore city parks will be open to residents and visitors, and persons may set off Safe and Sane fireworks at those locations while fireworks are for sale in the City. As a result of no public seating, there will be no ground show as part of the fireworks display this year but an increase in the number of aerial shells.
All school grounds in Fillmore will be closed on the Fourth of July. Persons who enter school grounds will be subject to arrest or citation for trespassing.
The show will begin at approximately 9 p.m. and continue for 15 to 20 minutes. Most locations in the City should have an excellent view of the show.
For more information please call (805) 524-3701.

Conway Spitler

The 70th anniversary of graduation from Fillmore High was celebrated by the Class of 1938 with a luncheon at Mama Sue's Kitchen and attending the alumni dinner in the evening!
Besides getting to see each other and bringing all up-to-date on what has happened and is happening to each one there were a number of the next generation who came and worked like beavers assisting the "old" folk!
Mama Sue's Kitchen was a delightful place to have the reunion and we all recommend it very, very highly. The service was done with class.
The class was very sorry that the following classmates could not attend because of illness: Dora Siechert Hall, Barbara Hall Stillman, Evelyn Cozier Grove, Virginia Scott Edwards, Dr. Isabel Tavares and Jack Wilson. Greetings were received!
Special thanks go to Beverly McNair and Lisa Blackburn (daughters of Helen and Crowin McNair) for their outstanding assistance in decorating the room along with flowers of blue and white. Class members were right there assisting in getting the room to be very festive.
A quilt was made by John Couch's daughter. You must see it to believe this creation! The class photographs from the Copa de Oro were printed to cloth, along with the picture of the administration building, and then transferred to cloth. From there Fillmore High and Class of 1938 was added and it was then hand quilted. You have to see it to believe what a outstanding piece of art was made by this young lady for her father and John gave it to the class. He then decided to give it as gift by having classmates draw the one to receive this treasure. And, guess who got it legally? Conway Spitler!
It was decided this should be placed in the high school Hall of Fame. We hear rumors that the Hall of Fame has been taken over by the school store! But, will investigate.
John Couch presented each classmate with a 2008 Bald Eagle Commemorative Coin. What a beautiful coin! John has done this at each reunion we have had these past years.
John Corwin, husband of Helen Coleman Corwin, painted a beautiful painting of the administrative building. Remember the little coupe in the original picture? Well John put in his coupe into the picture! It is remarkable the talent these people have.
Luncheon was served by two very efficient young waitresses with selections made by each class member.
After luncheon the program began with a blessing by Trusten Hart. Betty Ann Kirkpatrick Hawk gave the class greetings followed by introduction of each class- mate and our two special guests Superintendent Jeff Sweeney and Bill Reaves '60 who comes each year from the State of Washington to help with the alumni dinner set up and take down.
Absent from the dinner because of illness was Dora Siechert Hall, Barbara Hall Stillman, Evelyn Cozier Grove, Jack Wilson, Virginia Scott Edwards, Virginia Ruthrauff Swaffield, and Dr. Isabel Tavares.
Classmates attending the dinner were: Priscilla Cobb Baker, Barbara Ellswroth Bates, Beverly Burke Thomas, George Stowell Burson, Helen Coleman, McNair, John Couch, Trusten Hart, Bette Kirkpatrick Hawk, Bernice LeBard Landers, Betty Pearson Tavaglione, Harry Peyton, R. Conway Spitler, Elton Wagner, and James Walker.
Remembrance of deceased class members was note by Trusten Hart.
A listing of the historical events of 1938 was given by Conway Spitler followed by the giving of the coin!
It was determined that this was would be our last reunion!