Left is Regina Stehly Nunez who always does the Flower Show Cafe and on the right is Doris Nichols who brought all her Middle School students art work for display.
Left is Regina Stehly Nunez who always does the Flower Show Cafe and on the right is Doris Nichols who brought all her Middle School students art work for display.
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August 27, 2023

By Linda Nunes

Civic Pride Volunteer Committee will resume their monthly meetings, September 20, 2023, after taking a summer break. We meet at 1:30 pm in the Council Chambers until the elevator is repaired.

And what is Civic Pride Volunteer Committee? What have they done in our Fillmore community? What do they do?
Civic Pride Volunteer Committee began in the late 1990’s, when the city cast a vision for 2020 with the formation of 9 committees that would promote: Quality Education, Civic Pride in the
Community, Volunteerism, Connecting Community Through Communication, Strengthening Public Safety, Maximizing Recreation & Social Opportunities, Preserving Agriculture in the Santa Clara River Valley, Balanced Economic Growth, and Managing Growth in the Community.

Would you be surprised to know that the only surviving committee that has continued to serve & function, would be Civic Pride Volunteer Committee?

Our group has worked over the years to beautify the downtown, Central business area, by refurbishing all the large cement pots & stucco planters, with watering systems, new soil & plants, beginning in 2012, involving many different community groups & placing a plaque with their names on each pot. We continued to fertilize, weed & prune these until the city landscape crew took over.

We refurbished the weed-filled planters in the east & west side of Central parking lots with succulents, weed barrier & watering timers on the west side.

We have encouraged homeowners to keep their yards, attractive & well maintained by awarding a “Yard of the Month” gift card provided by Otto & Sons Nursery, who have supported this project since its’ inception.
We have joined with other groups in discouraging litter & graffiti-picking up trash. We participate in the Annual Coastal Cleanup event coming each September. We planted California Poppies & Lupines along the bike paths & paid to hydro mulch these seeds at city entry points.

In the past, we put on Artwalks downtown to high light local artists & businesses with musicians playing.
And we brought back a wonderful Fillmore Flower Show that began in 1919, ended in the late 1990’s and started again in 2009. Except for Covid closure, this show has continued to involve all ages, live music, and an opportunity for youth to showcase their artwork, & poetry/essays. This event is returning April 14, 15, 2024 & remains free for the publics’ enjoyment on Saturday, Sunday from 1-4pm.

It takes many volunteers to grow & propagate plants for the boutique, handle all the publicity, gather donations for the drawings, put out signage, set up the show on Friday, & be ready at 7am with tables, Saturday morning to receive all the entries, provide treats for the Café refreshments , and then take it all down until next year.
Come to our meeting at City Hall, September 20, at 1:30pm and express your civic pride with involvement!

 


 
 


 
On Friday, August 25, 2023, from 6pm to 8pm, the City of Fillmore hosted their Summer Music Series & Movie in the Park. They had food trucks, venders, live music by DJ Danny and as the sun went down folks were able to gather and enjoy watching Super Mario Brothers. Photo courtesy https://www. facebook.com/cityoffillmore.
On Friday, August 25, 2023, from 6pm to 8pm, the City of Fillmore hosted their Summer Music Series & Movie in the Park. They had food trucks, venders, live music by DJ Danny and as the sun went down folks were able to gather and enjoy watching Super Mario Brothers. Photo courtesy https://www. facebook.com/cityoffillmore.
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In observance of the Labor Day holiday, employees of Santa Clara Valley Disposal will be taking the day off on Monday, Sept. 4. As a result, Fillmore residential customers will have their trash, recycling and yard/organic waste collected on Saturday, Sept. 9, one day later than usual. The regular Friday collection schedule will resume the following week.

Remember that Harrison’s residential customers can place all three carts curbside every week, as Harrison collects all waste weekly – including food waste, which is now recyclable. All food waste should be put into paper or plastic bags, and the bags should be closed tightly and tossed into the yard/organic waste cart.

Harrison Industries serves the cities and surrounding unincorporated areas of Ventura, Ojai and Camarillo as well as the unincorporated areas of El Rio, Somis, Ojai Valley, the Channel Islands beach communities and the city of Carpinteria as E.J. Harrison & Sons; Fillmore and surrounding unincorporated areas as Santa Clara Valley Disposal; and the unincorporated areas of Newbury Park as Newbury Disposal.

For more information, visit www.ejharrison.com.

 
Fillmore’s Ernest
(Ernie) Joseph
Morales passed
away at age 88 at
VCMC after a
brief illness on
Sunday, August
13, 2023. He
spent 16 years on
the Fillmore City
Council, started
Knights of
Columbus
Chapter at St.
Francis of Assisi
Catholic Church,
served as Fillmore
Rotary President,
and more. He
graduated from
Fillmore High in
1953 and earned
his associate degree at Ventura College. He was an Army
Veteran and for 30 years was a civilian administrator at
Point Mugu Navy base. Fillmore thanks you, Ernie.
Fillmore’s Ernest (Ernie) Joseph Morales passed away at age 88 at VCMC after a brief illness on Sunday, August 13, 2023. He spent 16 years on the Fillmore City Council, started Knights of Columbus Chapter at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church, served as Fillmore Rotary President, and more. He graduated from Fillmore High in 1953 and earned his associate degree at Ventura College. He was an Army Veteran and for 30 years was a civilian administrator at Point Mugu Navy base. Fillmore thanks you, Ernie.
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The Ventura County Transportation Commission (VCTC) and the Santa Paula Branch Line Advisory Committee held a joint meeting on Tuesday, August 15th to discuss future plans for the graffiti-covered railcars now parked on the tracks west of Fillmore. The caption referenced another meeting to be held on Friday, September 8 at 9am. That will be the regular commission meeting, not specifically related to the railcar issue.

 
 
Sespe Creek is flowing again after the weekend rains from Hurricane Hilary. The storm brought 2-inches to the valley, and 4-inches to the area mountains. The Sespe is a stream, some 61 miles long that starts at Potrero Seco in the eastern Sierra Madre Mountains, and is formed by more than 30 tributary streams of the Sierra Madre and Topatopa Mountains, before it empties into the Santa Clara River in Fillmore. The 31 miles of the creek is designated as a National Wild and Scenic River and National Scenic Waterway, and is untouched by dams or concrete channels. It is one of the last wild rivers in Southern California, and lies primarily within the southern Los Padres National Forest.
Sespe Creek is flowing again after the weekend rains from Hurricane Hilary. The storm brought 2-inches to the valley, and 4-inches to the area mountains. The Sespe is a stream, some 61 miles long that starts at Potrero Seco in the eastern Sierra Madre Mountains, and is formed by more than 30 tributary streams of the Sierra Madre and Topatopa Mountains, before it empties into the Santa Clara River in Fillmore. The 31 miles of the creek is designated as a National Wild and Scenic River and National Scenic Waterway, and is untouched by dams or concrete channels. It is one of the last wild rivers in Southern California, and lies primarily within the southern Los Padres National Forest.
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9.A RECOMMENDATION That the City Council: 1. Adopt Resolution 23-3950 to extend the declaration of a local emergency arising from the collapse of a sewer manhole which rendered the downstream pipeline unusable; 2. Adopt the Designation of Applicant’s Agency Resolution for Non-State Agencies; 3. Approve the First Amendment to the City’s contract with Toro Enterprises, Inc. (“Toro”); 4. Approve the Second Amendment to the City’s contract with Ferreira Construction Co. Inc. (“Ferreira”); and 5. Appropriate additional funds for the contract amendment with Toro in an amount not to exceed $50,000 and not to exceed $500,000 for the contract with Ferreira, as further described in the Fiscal Impact section below.

9.B APPROVAL OF THE VENTURA COUNTY STORMWATER PERMIT IMPLEMENTATION AND COST-SHARING AGREEMENT

RECOMMENDATION That the City Council approve the attached Ventura County Stormwater Permit Implementation and Cost-Sharing Agreement (Agreement) and authorize the City Manager to sign the Agreement on the City’s behalf.
All items passed 5-0

 
After completing Dental College, Parker Hubert, DDS set up a practice in Fillmore in 1926, and in 1927 married Bessie Garton. They soon built a home at 973 Central Avenue which was later renumbered to 975 Foothill Drive and was their home for 20 years while raising three children, Parker Jr., Robert and Judy. Above is the Hubert family, c. 1945. Photo courtesy Fillmore Historical Museum. See photos in color online at www.FillmoreGazette.com.
After completing Dental College, Parker Hubert, DDS set up a practice in Fillmore in 1926, and in 1927 married Bessie Garton. They soon built a home at 973 Central Avenue which was later renumbered to 975 Foothill Drive and was their home for 20 years while raising three children, Parker Jr., Robert and Judy. Above is the Hubert family, c. 1945. Photo courtesy Fillmore Historical Museum. See photos in color online at www.FillmoreGazette.com.
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Above is Parker Hubert on Lady with sheriff’s posse, May Day Parade, 1940. Photo courtesy Fillmore Historical Museum.
Above is Parker Hubert on Lady with sheriff’s posse, May Day Parade, 1940. Photo courtesy Fillmore Historical Museum.
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Courtesy Fillmore Historical Museum

We’ve used the term “polymath” before when we wrote about A. J. Lamberg, a horologist. Polymath means “a person of wide-ranging knowledge or learning.” This term might be used to refer to some of our early dentists. Ira Hinckley was not only a dentist but also a pharmacist, violinist and served as the secretary of the Masonic Temple Association. A later dentist, Dr. Jim Bliss, was not only a dentist but also a songwriter. In 1954 his song “Santa Clara Valley” was played at the May Festival with country music legend Tex Ritter sitting in.

Between Ira Hinckley and Jim Bliss, another dentist plied his trade in Fillmore, Dr. Parker Hubert.
Parker Hubert was born on December 14, 1903, in Stearns, Minnesota to Robert J. and Anna Hubert. Robert was a physician. According to the 1920 census the family was living in Downey. Parker had two older brothers, Robert and Conrad. Robert W. became a dentist and practiced in Southern California, passing away in 1973. Conrad, the oldest brother, was a physician who lived in Pasadena and died in 1949.

Parker attended Northwestern University School of Dentistry. After graduation, he set up a practice in Fillmore in 1926 and in 1927 married Bessie Garton. They soon built a home at 973 Central (later renumbered to 975 Foothill Drive). That would be their home for twenty years while raising three children, Parker Jr., Robert and Judy.
Bessie found a job at the Sespe Grammar School where she was paid $1443 for 9 ½ months. As was the custom, she resigned when she had children.

At the time they built the house there were no other homes around them. Parker was an avid equestrian, riding with the Ventura County Sheriff’s Posse. Soon his sons would have ponies of their own and home movies show them riding Sally and Minnie on the hillside behind their home.

Parker Hubert’s first dental office in Fillmore was at 334 ½ Central Avenue, just south of the theater. He later moved his office in the early 1940s to 448 Sespe Avenue, on the north side of Sespe between Central and Fillmore St. He was a family dentist and offered credit to his patients during the Depression. We have a letter written in 1932 from Lawrence Hinckley about an outstanding bill he had with Dr. Hubert, offering to settle the bill for a painting. Lawrence’s father, Ira, had retired from the practice of dentistry, so no more free dental care for Lawrence.

Besides dentistry and horses, Parker Hubert had two other interests – hunting and home movies. He got his first deer in 1928 and had the local taxidermist, Charles Law, mount the head which held pride of place in his home in San Marino.
The Museum has been given several home movies made by Dr. Hubert. Some are the expected family home movies of vacations and children’s birthday parties. Others are of community events such as the 1931 and 1936 May Festivals, the 1932 snow fall and the 1938 flood. Perhaps the most spectacular movie is of the 1937 fire which destroyed the Junior High School building. One can imagine him looking out the large, arched window down Central and seeing the smoke and flames coming from the school. Little wonder he grabbed his movie camera and captured the event. To see some clips of the films he took go to https://www.fillmorehistoricalmuseum.org/parker-hubert-dds and scroll down.

In May 1943, Parker Hubert successfully ran for a position on the Fillmore Elementary School Board. He was not to serve long as he entered the US Navy in August 1943. By May of 1944, he was serving as Senior Dental Officer at the Navy Hospital in San Diego.

Hubert soon qualified in oral surgery. Since there was limited need for an oral surgeon in Fillmore, in 1946 the family left Fillmore for Pasadena where he opened a practice in oral surgery.

Parker practiced in Pasadena until his retirement. He passed away in 1992 and Bessie died in 1994.
Why do we know so much about Parker Hubert and his family? Although Robert, the younger son, left Fillmore when he was only twelve years old, he always considered Fillmore as his hometown. He stayed in contact with many friends, especially his kindergarten teacher, Iona Ritchie.

Robert donated several family items to the Museum, most notably the home movies already mentioned but also one of his father’s saddles and his student dental cabinet from his time as a student at Northwestern University. Our most recent intern from California State University, Channel Islands, cataloged all the items in the cabinet. He had spent several years as a dental technician, so it was a natural fit. Stop by the Museum if you want to see this unique item.

 
Above is Fillmore Rotary Club President Scott Beylik presenting a Rotary mug to last week’s guest speaker, Sue Yamamoto. She is a member of Santa Paula Rotary and initially went to school to become a dental hygienist, which she did for a few years. She became interested in flying, took lessons, and became an instructor at Santa Paula Airport. Later she decided she wanted to fly large planes, so she went through extensive training and became a co-pilot and finally a Captain. Over the years she flew from Santa Barbara, Chicago, and LA and flew all of the large planes. She was the first woman to fly the 737 and worked for United Airlines. After her children were older, she also flew internationally. Photo courtesy Rotarian Martha Richardson.
Above is Fillmore Rotary Club President Scott Beylik presenting a Rotary mug to last week’s guest speaker, Sue Yamamoto. She is a member of Santa Paula Rotary and initially went to school to become a dental hygienist, which she did for a few years. She became interested in flying, took lessons, and became an instructor at Santa Paula Airport. Later she decided she wanted to fly large planes, so she went through extensive training and became a co-pilot and finally a Captain. Over the years she flew from Santa Barbara, Chicago, and LA and flew all of the large planes. She was the first woman to fly the 737 and worked for United Airlines. After her children were older, she also flew internationally. Photo courtesy Rotarian Martha Richardson.
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On Wednesday, August 2nd, 2023, the B & G Club of Greater Oxnard and Port Hueneme (BGCOP), and Food Share of Ventura County, recently accepted a $110,000 donation from SoCalGas. The donation will provide over 400 number of families in need with grocery store gift cards and healthy food boxes. This year they were able to provide 100 of the youth with backpacks and $25 grocery cards to the Fillmore Club. Above, B & G Club of Santa Clara Valley Board of Directors: Caitlin Barringer, Program Manager for Food Share, Jan Marholin, CEO of BGCSCV, and Maria Ventura, Senior Public Affairs Manager for SoCalGas. Photos courtesy Boys & Girls Club of Greater Oxnard and Port Hueneme.
On Wednesday, August 2nd, 2023, the B & G Club of Greater Oxnard and Port Hueneme (BGCOP), and Food Share of Ventura County, recently accepted a $110,000 donation from SoCalGas. The donation will provide over 400 number of families in need with grocery store gift cards and healthy food boxes. This year they were able to provide 100 of the youth with backpacks and $25 grocery cards to the Fillmore Club. Above, B & G Club of Santa Clara Valley Board of Directors: Caitlin Barringer, Program Manager for Food Share, Jan Marholin, CEO of BGCSCV, and Maria Ventura, Senior Public Affairs Manager for SoCalGas. Photos courtesy Boys & Girls Club of Greater Oxnard and Port Hueneme.
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OXNARD, CA – August 2, 2023 –

The Boys & Girls Club of Greater Oxnard and Port Hueneme (BGCOP), and Food Share of Ventura County recently accepted a $110,000 donation from SoCalGas which will provide hundreds of Ventura County youth and their families with nutritious meals.

The grant to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Oxnard and Port Hueneme and Food Share of Ventura County is one of several donations to local charities as part of the company’s Fueling Our Communities initiative to address food insecurity. This donation will enable clubs across Ventura County to host events that will provide over 22,362 meals and healthy cooking demonstrations to address hunger in our community.

“We are excited to partner with the Boys & Girls Clubs and Food Share to provide our neighbors with meals and fresh produce,” said SoCalGas Senior Public Affairs Manager Maria Ventura. “SoCalGas is proud to partner with these incredible organizations who will not only provide food to families in need but empower kids with the knowledge and skills to eat healthy.”

Community leaders, such as Ventura County Supervisor Vianey Lopez, will attend and present at the events to share their favorite healthy recipes with young people.
The donation from SoCalGas will provide 400 $25 gift cards to local grocery stores and a Food Share healthy food box that families can cook at home using one of the recipes the children learned at the event.

“We know that being active and having access to healthy meals translate directly into successful days at school,” said BGCOP CEO Erin Antrim. “We appreciate the investment that SoCalGas has made to ensure that our club members and their families start the school year on the right foot. By addressing food insecurity and investing in our community, SoCalGas is making sure that great futures start here.”

“We appreciate the commitment to our Fillmore community from both SoCal Gas Co. and Food Share,” said Boys & Girls Club of Santa Clara Valley CEO, Jan Marholin. “Being able to provide 100 of our youth with backpacks and a $25 grocery card is an investment in our local youth and community. We send a huge thank you to these companies.”
A very special thank you to everyone that will be in attendance, especially Anne Thille, Youth Nutritional Expert, & Ventura County Behavioral Health, in support of the youth of the Santa Clara Valley.

The Clubs and SoCalGas will also hold Fueling Our Communities events were held August 3rd at the Fillmore Clubhouse before moving to the Reiter Family Youth Center in Nyeland Acres on August 4th, the E.J. Harrison Center in Saticoy on August 7th. The largest event will be on August 9th at the Martin V. Smith Youth Center In Oxnard.

SoCalGas’ Fueling Our Communities initiative began in 2020 as a collaborative effort between SoCalGas and five regional nonprofits in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. During its first summer, the program successfully provided more than 140,000 meals to 40,000 individuals from underserved communities across Southern California.

SoCalGas is expanding the impact of the 2023 Fueling Our Communities initiative by allocating $4 million, the largest commitment to date, to new and existing partnerships with food banks and nonprofits throughout SoCalGas' 12-county service area. This expansion will primarily focus on serving families and seniors in need, providing vulnerable populations with food support that is so needed.

About SoCalGas
Headquartered in Los Angeles, SoCalGas® is the largest gas distribution utility in the United States. SoCalGas delivers affordable, reliable, and increasingly renewable gas service to over 21 million consumers across 24,000 square miles of Central and Southern California. Gas delivered through the company's pipelines will continue to play a key role in California's clean energy transition—providing electric grid reliability and supporting wind and solar energy deployment.

SoCalGas' mission is to build the cleanest, safest and most innovative energy infrastructure company in America. In support of that mission, SoCalGas aspires to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions in its operations and delivery of energy by 2045 and to replacing 20 percent of its traditional natural gas supply to core customers with renewable natural gas (RNG) by 2030. Renewable natural gas is made from waste created by landfills and wastewater treatment plants. SoCalGas is also committed to investing in its gas delivery infrastructure while keeping bills affordable for customers. SoCalGas is a subsidiary of Sempra (NYSE: SRE), an energy infrastructure company based in San Diego.

For more information visit socalgas.com/newsroom or connect with SoCalGas on Twitter (@SoCalGas), Instagram (@SoCalGas) and Facebook.

About the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Oxnard and Port Hueneme
Since 1954, The Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Oxnard and Port Hueneme’s mission has been to inspire and enable all young people, especially those who need us most, to reach their full potential as productive, responsible, and caring citizens. A member of the national Boys & Girls Clubs of America, The Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Oxnard and Port Hueneme (BGCOP) are an important community resource for positive development for youth ages 6-18 years old, particularly those in underserved areas. BGCOP operates 22 clubs; each provides a safe, nurturing environment where staff build strong mentoring relationships with youth to inspire them to believe in reaching ever-higher goals.

About Food Share of Ventura County

Hunger in Ventura County

1. An estimated 1 in 4 people in Ventura County experiences food insecurity, meaning that they are without reliable access to a sufficient quantity of affordable, nutritious food.

2. Since April 1, 2020, and the start of the pandemic, Food Share has held 1000+ emergency drive-thru food distributions, distributing more than half a million food boxes. These distributions are a supplement to the ongoing work of Food Share’s 160-strong pantry and agency partner network.

3. 93 cents of every dollar donated to Food Share is invested in our hunger-relief programs and services.

4. For every dollar donated, Food Share is able to provide 3 meals.
The level of need for food in Ventura County is of historic proportions. The good news is that Food Share is ready and prepared to meet that need. With the continued support from our community, NO ONE in Ventura County needs to worry about going hungry.

For all the latest information on where to find food [foodshare.com], how to volunteer [foodshare.com], and how you can support Food Share with a monetary donation [foodshare.com] visit: www.foodshare.com [foodshare.com]
Download Food Share’s new app, available for free in the App Store and Google Play by searching “Food Share of Ventura County.” Visit: foodshare.com/app/ [foodshare.com] for details.
Follow Food Share on Facebook [facebook.com], Twitter [twitter.com], Instagram [instagram.com], and YouTube [youtu.be] and tag posts #WeFeedVC

2023 Honors and Awards for Food Share

• Food Share is honored to have been named by the Pacific Coast Business Times as one of the Best Places to Work on the Central Coast [pacbiztimes.com] 2023. This is the third consecutive year that Food Share has been named.

 

The Downtown Rehabilitation Grant Program, approved by City Council from American Rescue Plan (ARPA) funds on June 14, 2022, will soon end. On August 8, 2023, the City Council voted unanimously to approve the sunsetting of this program effective September 8, 2023. Downtown businesses are encouraged to apply and take advantage of this grant. Funding will be available on a “first come, first serve basis” and allocated if funds are available. Grant requirements and application are available on our website: https://fillmoreca.gov/191/Downtown-Rehabilitation-Grant-Program.

Businesses who have received a Notice to Proceed (NTP) must complete their projects within 60-days from today or by October 9, 2023. If the application is approved, new applicants will have a 60-day deadline to complete projects from the approval date.
For questions and further information regarding this, please contact Erika Herrera-Terriquez, Assistant City Manager at 805-946-1712 or eherrera@fillmoreca.gov.

Please visit www.fillmoreca.gov and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

 
Last week’s Rotary program was presented by John Marquez. He is a member of the Santa Paula Rotary and is CEO of the Santa Paula Chamber of Commerce. John is a member of many boards in the county, which makes him aware and informed about what is happening all over. He is always looking for ways we can promote and support our end of the valley and each other. Ventura County is celebrating its 150 Anniversary this year. There will be a big celebration on October 21st, at the Ag Museum, in Santa Paula. Pictured (l-r) are Speaker John Marquez being presented with a Rotary mug from President Scott Beylik. Photo courtesy Martha Richardson.
Last week’s Rotary program was presented by John Marquez. He is a member of the Santa Paula Rotary and is CEO of the Santa Paula Chamber of Commerce. John is a member of many boards in the county, which makes him aware and informed about what is happening all over. He is always looking for ways we can promote and support our end of the valley and each other. Ventura County is celebrating its 150 Anniversary this year. There will be a big celebration on October 21st, at the Ag Museum, in Santa Paula. Pictured (l-r) are Speaker John Marquez being presented with a Rotary mug from President Scott Beylik. Photo courtesy Martha Richardson.
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County of Ventura, California. – As the summer travel season wraps up, The Ventura County Sheriff’s Office reminds drivers to stay safe and be responsible by never driving under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs.

“The community’s well-being is our top priority, so we’re asking that if you know you’ll be out drinking to have a game plan for how to get home safely,” Captain Matthew Young, Ventura County Sheriff’s Office said. “There is never a good excuse for driving after drinking or using drugs that impair.”

The Ventura County Sheriff’s Office asks residents to take the necessary precautions to protect yourself and your family by buckling up, avoiding distractions behind the wheel, following the speed limit, and not driving impaired.

To help keep our community safe, the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office will have additional deputies on patrol Aug. 16 through Labor Day (Sept. 4) looking for drivers suspected of driving under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs. The additional efforts to prevent impaired driving are part of a national enforcement campaign, Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over.

In addition to patrols, The Ventura County Sheriff’s Office will hold a DUI Checkpoint August 24, 2023 from 5:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m.at an undisclosed location in the City of Thousand Oaks.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 13,384 people were killed in drunk-driving crashes in 2021 — that’s one person every 39 minutes.

While drunk driving is a significant traffic safety problem, driving while impaired is not just from alcohol. Prescription drugs, over-the-counter medications and cannabis products may also impair. If you plan on drinking or taking medications with a driving warning label, let someone who is sober drive. If you see someone driving impaired, call 9-1-1.

Share your thoughts about impaired driving by participating in the Go Safely Movement, a call-to-action traffic safety survey from the California Office of Traffic Safety. Take the survey at gosafelyca.org.

Funding for this program is provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Prepared by: Sergeant Daniel Gonzales
Approved by: Captain Jason B. Hendren

 
Photo courtesy Rancho Camulos Museum.
Photo courtesy Rancho Camulos Museum.
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August 27th, 2023, Join Michele McKinley, local historian and Piru native as she shares more of the fascinating and diverse heritage of the Piru area. Explore local history as Ventura County celebrates its 150th birthday. Enjoy her interesting accounts and historic photographs. Bring YOUR own family stories to share.

Experience a relaxing afternoon at the Rancho Camulos Museum’s historic buildings and gardens. Engage in a docent-led tour. Bring a picnic and immerse yourself in the ambiance as you step back in time.

Guests can bring their favorite beverage and food for a picnic in the gardens. Docent - led tours are at 1:00, 2:00, and 3:00 PM. The presentation is at 4:00. The suggested donation is $10.

 
Pictured is the Cardona Family, circa 1945. Standing (l-r): Amelia, Loisa, Juana, Monica, and Pini; Front row: Marcos, Faustino, and Georgia. Photo courtesy Fillmore Historical Museum..
Pictured is the Cardona Family, circa 1945. Standing (l-r): Amelia, Loisa, Juana, Monica, and Pini; Front row: Marcos, Faustino, and Georgia. Photo courtesy Fillmore Historical Museum..
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Pictured above are Guadalupe (Lupe) and Esquipula (Pula) Dominguez. Inset, Georgia Cardona holding the author of the story, her great-grand daughter, Christine. Photo courtesy Fillmore Historical Museum.
Pictured above are Guadalupe (Lupe) and Esquipula (Pula) Dominguez. Inset, Georgia Cardona holding the author of the story, her great-grand daughter, Christine. Photo courtesy Fillmore Historical Museum.
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Courtesy Fillmore Historical Museum

The Fillmore Historical Museum is partnering with Friends of Fieldworkers to capture and preserve the stories of the farm workers who have come to our valley in the past 100 years. Christine Cardona-Threadgill is one of the people spearheading this effort and the story of her family, who came to the valley in the 1920s, is showcased below.
If you and your family have a story to share, please contact the Museum, Fillmore.Museum@gmail.com. We will take written stories or can make arrangements to record the story either in person or remotely.
We hope you enjoy the story of the Cardona family.

In the early 1920’s, Marcos Cardona, his wife Gregoria (aka Georgia) and two young daughters, Guadalupe (aka Lupe) and Juana (aka Jenny) made their way from Aguascalientes Mexico to the United States in search of a better future for their family. Two of Marcos’ brothers, Daniel and Maccimiano (Max), had already settled in Fillmore CA years before so upon arriving, Marcos and his family lived in Daniels home until finding their own residence. Marcos and Georgia would then have five more daughters, every two years or so: Eloisa (aka Elsie or Loisa), Epemenia (aka Penny or Pini), Monica, Esther (who died as an infant), and Amelia and then finally a son, Faustino.

Marcos and his family spent several years traveling throughout the state of California up to the Central Valley to towns like Hollister and Watsonville and the San Joaquin Valley where they harvested various crops so they could maintain steady work year-round.

Lupe, being the oldest child, felt the most responsibility to help her family and remembered getting up very early to join her dad in the cotton fields in the San Joaquin Valley, her mom already having breakfast ready when she got up. A full day of hard work would be spent in the fields, with a break for lunch packed by mom and then back to work, not getting home until dinner time. She was very young, having left school in the 5th grade to work in the fields full time, and although their wages were low, she said they never felt poor.

Like Lupe, the rest of the oldest daughters also worked alongside their father in the fields and eventually had to leave school to work full time as well. Loisa had really loved school and though she was proud to have worked hard for her family, she always carried a bit of sadness and regret when thinking about not graduating or moving beyond elementary school.
As the daughters grew older, they were able to stay in Fillmore year-round and went to work in the various local citrus packing houses. They worked in the MOD packing house which was located next to what today is Sespe Elementary School, the Sunkist packing house, and a third whose name was not recalled by interviewed family members, but was possibly the Sparr Packing house, based on local records and the described location on Central Avenue.

Marcos, however, continued to leave home to work in the fields, returning to Fillmore only about a week or so each month to bring home his wages and would then leave again. He continued to do this work until his death and was even away for work in Porterville when he passed away in his early 70’s. Long before this though, the Cardona family was able to put their earnings together and after much saving, they purchased a large lot on Saratoga St and by the early 1940’s their house was built on it. Several years later a larger house was also built on the same lot to accommodate the expanding family.
Around that same time Lupe relocated temporarily to Texas where her fiancé was stationed, and they were married just before he was sent overseas to fight in World War II. Juana and Monica were also married and began to start families of their own in Fillmore. Loisa and Pini continued to work and help their mother at home. Loisa discovered a talent for art and often sketched her own clothing designs, even designing a wedding dress for her niece. Pini loved and mastered baking and baked dozens and dozens of cookies and cakes for Christmas every year for her family and growing number of nieces and nephews, sometimes even creating her own new recipes.

Monica became a successful business owner in Fillmore along with her husband by first opening a bar called El Taurino Café (on Old Telegraph where La Unica market it today) in the late 1940’s. By the 1970’s they owned two additional bars including Castro’s Bar located where La Vallarta restaurant is today. Eventually Monica opened Monica’s Ceramic shop at Mountain View and Santa Clara.

The youngest daughter, Amelia, became the first and only one in her family to graduate high school in 1950, making her parents and siblings very proud.

Faustino enlisted in the US Army in the 1950’s and was stationed in West Germany. He had a talent for music at a very young age and learned how to play various instruments, with a specialty in the saxophone and bass guitar. Being out of the country didn’t stop him from making music as he even joined a band while overseas. Soon after returning to home to Fillmore with his new wife and baby daughter he joined a band and continued to play throughout Ventura County for over 50 years. Faustino played in many local bands such as the Squires, Nava Brothers, the Canela Band, Estrada Brothers, Harry Selvin Big Band, the Ojai Big Band, and Los Perdidos, to name a few.

Though most of the original Cardona’s have passed away and are buried in the Bardsdale cemetery, longevity ran strongly in their genes, with Georgia living to the age of 102 (passing away in 2004). The last three siblings are still living in Fillmore today. Juana, who never seemed to go anywhere in town without running into someone she knew and stopping to talk and catch up, recently celebrated her 103rd birthday. Amelia, who never misses a Dodgers game on TV recently welcomed a great-granddaughter. Faustino is fully retired from band life and weekend gigs but still enjoys playing different instruments at home.

From the time Marcos and Georgia settled in Fillmore to now, 6 generations have come from this family of farmworkers and with various talents and contributions to not only Ventura County, but many other parts of the state and country. Though life is very different for the current generations, we don’t take for granted the hard work and sacrifices that the Cardona’s made early on for the future generations of their family.

 

Courtesy https://www.facebook.com/cityof fillmore

Notice from Sierra Northern Railway: Two emergency railroad crossing repairs in Fillmore will be occurring next week.
The first will be on Monday 8/14 on Highway 126 (nearest cross street: Trestle Way) starting at 6:30am and lasting for approximately 6 to 7 hours. This will be affecting the Eastbound lanes and the No 1 and No. 2 lanes will be closed with traffic being diverted through the lane for Hazmat big rigs.

On Tuesday 8/15 the Northbound lane will be closed for the Mountain View Railroad crossing. Street will be blocked off at Mountain View and Santa Clara. Street will still be open to Southbound traffic. Repair will begin at 6:30am and again last up to 6 to 7 hours.

 
Pictured (l-r) are District Governor Marta Brown and Rotary President Scott Beylik presenting her with a Rotary mug. Photo Martha Richardson.
Pictured (l-r) are District Governor Marta Brown and Rotary President Scott Beylik presenting her with a Rotary mug. Photo Martha Richardson.
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John Marquez, CEO from Santa Paula Chamber and Santa Paula Rotary, introduced District Governor Marta Brown and her husband/assistant Forest. Our Rotary District spans from San Luis Obispo to Agoura Hills covering inland to China Lake. There are 72 clubs in all. Marta will visit all of the clubs during the year. She talked about the seven Avenues of Service and areas of focus: peacebuilding and conflict prevention, disease prevention and treatment, water, sanitation, and hygiene, maternal and child health, basic education and literacy, community economic development and environment and how we can expand our service projects to aid the community and the world. The Fillmore Rotary Club presented her with a gift basket of local items and a monetary gift to the Rotary Foundation in her name.

 
On Monday, August 7, 2023, Conejo Health came out and met with Fillmore Lions Club and gave a presentation on the organization, what they do and what they can do to support our community moving forward. We are looking forward to continuing work with their organization and future endeavors as well. Pictured above are Ian Anderson, Matthew Pall and Stephen McKeown. Courtesy Brandy Hollis.
On Monday, August 7, 2023, Conejo Health came out and met with Fillmore Lions Club and gave a presentation on the organization, what they do and what they can do to support our community moving forward. We are looking forward to continuing work with their organization and future endeavors as well. Pictured above are Ian Anderson, Matthew Pall and Stephen McKeown. Courtesy Brandy Hollis.
Enlarge Photo