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Last week FFA members were busy tidying the School Farm in anticipation for our Showmanship Day and Barn Dance. The Fillmore FFA hosted the Showmanship Day for swine, steers, heifers, lambs, and goats. In attendance were FFA Chapters from Fillmore, Ventura, Carpentaria, Santa Paula, and Camarillo. We even had members from Sespe and Bardsdale 4-H and local Grange Clubs that joined us. Mr. Justin Clark judged all steer and heifer classes. Mr. Alex Jimenez judged the swine, lambs, and goat classes. Class winners are as follows: Swine advanced, Marc Zavala. Swine novice Jennifer Martin. Heifer advanced Jenna Kelton. Heifer junior Macie Wokal. Steer advanced Jeremy Welch. Steer junior Breanna Berrington. Steer novice, Jordon Sawyer. Lamb advanced Kiana Hope. It was a great opportunity for the students to gain experience in the show ring. Thanks to everyone who worked hard to make the day a success. Good job to all who participated!

Later that evening, The FFA had our first Dinner and Barn Dance. Guests enjoyed a delicious dinner of tri-tip and BBQ chicken with root beer floats for dessert. We then danced to the talents of our DJ Vince Franco who even taught us the Cupid Shuffle. Although we left exhausted from dancing the Electric Slide and the Watermelon Crawl, the evening was enjoyed by all who attended. The Fillmore FFA would like to thank the local business for their generous donations of door prizes.

Brooke Aguirre is the Fillmore FFA Chapter Reporter

Community Memorial Health System is offering free heart screenings at its nine Centers for Family Health offices monthly beginning in August.

The free screenings will take place Saturdays, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., on the following dates and Centers for Family Health locations:

 Aug. 28 in Santa Paula at 242 East Harvard Blvd, Suite 2;
 Sept. 25 in Fillmore at 852 Ventura Street;
 Oct. 30 in Oak View at 655 N. Ventura Ave;
 Nov. 20 in Camarillo at 422 B Arneill Road;
 Dec. 11 in Oxnard at 3641 West Fifth Street;
 Jan. 29, 2011, in Ventura at 138 West Main Street, Suite E;
 Feb. 26, 2011, in Ventura at 120 North Ashwood Ave;
 March 26, 2011, in Oxnard at 250 Citrus Grove Lane, Suite 150;
 April 30, 2011, in Oxnard at 2921 South Saviers Road.

Heart disease continues to be the number one killer of American men and women. Last year 750,000 American died from heart disease and almost half had no symptoms prior to their first event, which was death. Community Memorial Health System’s goal is to help prevent this from happening to you.

The HeartAware screening is CONTINUED »

(Ventura, California) Community Memorial Health System will hold a free seminar on Tuesday, Aug. 24, focusing on robotic surgery for urologic disorders.

Urologists Marc Beaghler, M.D., and Seyed Khoddami, M.D, will lead the seminar that will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. in the eighth-floor Nichols Auditorium at Community Memorial Hospital, 147 Brent St. in Ventura. They will discuss the application of CMHS’s da Vinci Robotics device, a less invasive surgical option to traditional procedures for prostate, bladder and kidney cancers and other urologic disorders.

Dr. Beaghler received his medical degree from Creighton University School of Medicine in Omaha, Neb., and completed a urology residency at Loma Linda University School of Medicine. He is a member of the American Urological Association and is on staff at both Community Memorial Hospital and Ojai Valley Community Hospital.

Dr. Khoddami received his medical degree from the University of Tehran School of Medicine in Iran. He completed his residency in urology from the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha. Dr. Khoddami is on staff at CMH.

Admission is free but space is limited, so reservations are suggested. Call 805/652-5436, or visit www.cmhshealth.org/rsvp.

Community Memorial Health System is a not-for-profit health system, which is comprised of Community Memorial Hospital, Ojai Valley Community Hospital, and nine family-practice health centers entitled Centers for Family Health. The health system is located in Ventura County, California.

Foreign high school students are scheduled to arrive soon for academic semester and year homestay programs, and the sponsoring organization needs a few more local host families. The students are anxiously awaiting news of their new families. This is the last chance for these young ambassadors to fulfill their life-long dreams, and their placement deadlines are rapidly approaching.

According to Pacific Intercultural Exchange (P.I.E.) President, John Doty, the students are all between the ages of 15 and 18 years, are English-speaking, have their own spending money, carry accident and health insurance, and are anxious to share their cultural experiences with their new American families. P.I.E. currently has programs to match almost every family's needs, ranging in length from one semester to a full academic year, where the students attend local public and private high schools.

P.I.E. area representatives match students with host families by finding common interests and lifestyles through an informal in-home meeting. Prospective host families are able to review student applications and select the perfect match. As there are no "typical" host families, P.I.E. can fit a student into just about any situation, whether it is a single parent, a childless couple, a retired couple or a large family.

Families who host for P.I.E. are also eligible to claim a monthly charitable contribution deduction on their itemized tax returns for each month they host a sponsored student.

For the upcoming programs, P.I.E. has students from Germany, the Former Soviet Union, Venezuela, Argentina, Norway, Belgium, The Netherlands,Brazil, Hungary, Korea, Mexico, Australia, China, and many other countries. P.I.E. is also participating in two special government-funded programs to bring scholarship students from the Newly Independent States of the former Soviet Union as well as predominantly Islamic countries such as Yemen, Syria, Jordan, Morocco, Kuwait, Iraq and Qatar to the United States.

P.I.E. is a non-profit educational organization that has sponsored more than 25,000 students from 45 countries since its founding in 1975. The organization is designated by the United States Department of State and is listed by the Council on Standards for International Educational Travel (CSIET), certifying that the organization complies with the standards set forth in CSIET's Standards for International Educational Travel Programs.

Doty encourages families to contact the program immediately, as it will allow the proper time for the students and hosts to get to know one another before they actually meet for the first time.
Families interested in learning more about student exchange or arranging for a meeting with a community representative may call P.I.E., toll-free, at 1-866-546-1402. The agency also has travel/study program opportunities available for American high school students as well as possibilities for community volunteers to assist and work with area host families, students and schools.

Naval Base Ventura County, Calif. - The 43rd Naval Base Ventura County (NBVC) Air Show at Point Mugu is scheduled for Saturday, August 7 and Sunday, August 8. The gates will open at 8 a.m., with flight demonstrations scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. Admission and parking is free.

The air show will feature the Air Force Flight Demonstration team, the Thunderbirds flying the F-16 “Fighting Falcon.” The Thunderbirds are making their first air show appearance here since 2007.

Military flight demonstrations will include the FA-18C “Hornet,” from VFA-125 from NAS Lemoore, Ca, A-10A Thunderbolt II from 355th Wing based at Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz., C-17 Globemaster III assigned to the 60th Air Mobility Wing Travis AFB, Ca., and C-130J “Super Hercules” 146th Airlift Group from the Channel Islands Air National Guard.

This will be the first time a C-17 Globemaster III has flown in air show at Point Mugu. The C-17 will both fly and will be on static display.

Static displays include more than current military aircraft and civilian aircraft. Military displays include FA-18F Super Hornet, E-2C Hawkeye, C-130T Hercules, F-5 Tiger II, EA-6B Prowler and an EA-18G Growler.

Civilian static aircraft will include a DC-3 transport. The DC-3 helped to change the United States as civilian carrier of passengers with a reliable and massed produced aircraft.

Civilian air show performers include Rick Perkins and his colorful L-39 “Firecat,” Bill Cornick’s “Big Bad Green” S-2C, Franklin Airshows “Sons of Legends” Wing walker, Julie Clark’s Chevron T-34 Mentor, Greg Koontz in his Piper Cub, Red Bull BO-105 helicopter, Red Bull sky divers, Michael Wiskus and Lucas Oil Air Shows with his Pitts aircraft, Spencer Suderman’s Mentor Pitts and Matt Chapman’s Eagle-580 aircraft.

The air show will feature the latest in aviation simulators, current and vintage aircraft on display, food and beverage booths and great souvenirs. Open-air seating is available free of charge. Reserved seating is available for purchase for both shows. For ticket information contact Air Show Network at 800-367-5833 or visit airshownetwork.com

NBVC has heightened security measures in place. All vehicles and personnel entering the base are subject to search. Coolers, backpacks, bicycles, skateboards, glass containers and pets are prohibited. The base will not hold prohibited items for guests. The cooperation and patience is greatly appreciated. Carpooling is strongly encouraged to avoid traffic delays and ensure adequate parking.

Air Show guests may enter the base at the gates located on Las Posas and North Mugu roads. For handicapped parking guests will be directed to the reserved handicapped parking area. Handicapped seating will also be available. A map will be posted on the NBVC air show web site. Air show guests may exit off the Ventura 101 Freeway on Las Posas and enter at the Las Posas gate or turn right on Frontage road and enter at the main gate located on the corner of Frontage and North Mugu roads. Base personnel who either work or live here may enter at Gate-1. Visitors can tune into 1610 AM for base access information.

For updates on the air show please visit http://www.cnic.navy.mil/Ventura/Recreation/2010AirShow/index or visit Facebook page, NBVC Air Show at Point Mugu.

For more information call Vance Vasquez, Naval Base Ventura County Public Affairs Office at (805) 989-8095 or Teri Reid, Naval Base Ventura County Public Affairs Officer at (805) 989-9234.

A wary eye checks out the camera. He/she is one of eight in the litter owned by FFA member Craig Harvey.
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This little piggy was born July 11th at the Fillmore High School Farm. He/she has seven brothers and sisters!
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Good news from the school farm! A new litter of piglets were born on July 11th! FFA member Craig Harvey is the proud new owner of eight piglets. The piglets are part of Craig Harvey’s SAE breeding project. A Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE) is where students take what they have learned in the classroom and put it to work in real life. The FFA Motto is “Learning to do, Doing to learn, Earning to live, Living to serve”. A students’ SAE project puts the “doing to learn” into action. Craig’s SAE project has consisted of the breeding process, the pregnancy, and farrowing (delivery). He will now raise the piglets and sell them bringing his SAE project full circle. Congratulations Craig Harvey!

Other FFA members continue to work hard on their SAE animal projects. The heat has been an issue for many of the student’s animals. While walking their animals, the students have to be aware of signs that their animal may be overheating. This requires the students to feed and walk the animals early in the morning and later in the evening when it’s cooler.

Don’t forget the Barn Dinner and Dance is this Saturday! Tickets are still on sale if you haven’t bought yours. Hope to see you there!

Brooke Aguirre is the Fillmore FFA Chapter Reporter

The Channel Islands Marine Sanctuary is alive with an abundance of wild life including COMMON DOLPHINS, CALIFORNIA SEA LIONS, HARBOR SEALS, plus HUMPBACK AND BLUE WHALES! Island Packers is now offering north shore Anacapa Island Wildlife Cruises and all day Whale Watch Trips through the fall of 2010. According to Island Packers, the sightings of the blue whales have been outstanding this year. “On the last two whale watch trips, we saw 10 blues!” stated Cherryl Connally of Island Packers. “This is a great time to see these incredible mammals,” she added.

Visitors can discover the natural environment of the Channel Islands National Park on the north shore wildlife cruise without even going ashore! This three-½ hour tour includes a narrated cruise along the 300 foot high sea cliffs of the craggy shoreline of Anacapa or Santa Cruz Islands. Along the way, visitors will encounter excellent sightings of seabirds, harbor seals and sea lions in their island habitat. While crossing the channel, it is also possible to view sightings of whales, dolphins and porpoises. Boats depart at 9:30 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. The fare is $ 32.00 for adults, $ 28 for seniors (55+) and $ 23.00 per child.

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A year ago, Legislative Republicans joined the Governor in creating reforms to root out fraud in the In-Home Support Services (IHSS) program.

The measures that were negotiated into the final agreement of the 2009-10 budget - including background checks and fingerprinting for providers and recipients, unannounced home visits - were intended to eliminate rampant abuses of the system that had been documented through several county grand jury investigations.

As this Inland Valley Daily Bulletin article illustrates, these reforms have created the intended effect of better maximizing taxpayers’ dollars - preserving services for the needy, and ending them for the greedy.
New state screening procedures this year have led to thousands of people withdrawing as in-home care providers for the elderly and disabled, leading state officials to suspect that fraud and abuse has been rampant in the program.

The article also states that “last week, a state-county task force battling IHSS fraud arrested 14 people, charging them with theft of more than $500,000 in taxpayer-funded aid programs.
“In one case, a mother signed up as an ‘authorized representative’ to receive IHSS funds for her son, who has been in custody for more than four years for murder, prosecutors said.”

This week, the Fillmore FFA members have been hard at work preparing for future events. Early Wednesday morning, the officer’s team gathered at the school farm to plant pumpkin seeds. If all goes well, we hope to have beautiful orange pumpkins for the kindergarteners to harvest this coming fall. Many of our members are raising animals to exhibit in market and showmanship classes at the Ventura County Fair. This requires all lot of preparation and hard work. Every Thursday evening, the members meet for showmanship practice with our FFA advisor Mr. Joe Ricards. This practice is not only for the animal to get used to the show ring and walking, but Mr. Ricards also quizzes us on questions specific to the species we are showing. With only 4 weeks left until we leave for fair, students are weighing their animals frequently and adjusting feed to insure the right weight for fair. By the looks of it we have some fine hogs, steers and lambs being raised by our dedicated students. Remember, tickets for the Barn Dance fundraiser went on sale this past week, the prices are: $20 for adults and $15 for children 12 and under. We will be serving a tri-tip and chicken dinner from 6:30-8pm with root beer floats for desert and dancing to follow. We appreciate our communities support of all our activities!

Brooke Aguirre is the Fillmore FFA Chapter Reporter

A Fillmore & Western Railway train accidentally hit a parked car on Saturday just east of Hallock Drive, at approximately 1pm. The car was reportedly parked too close to the tracks in a parking area for a local soccer game. 126 people were on board the train at the time. No injuries were reported.

Edith Smith and her crew are proud to announce plans for an official “Grand Opening” of her downtown Piru restaurant with a menu full of specials and events for all ages on Saturday, July 24th. The day’s celebration kicks off at 8 am with incredible breakfast specials. In addition to their famous biscuits and gravy, the home style cooking will include a variety of tasty offerings throughout the day.

The menu then changes to lunch time meals including free hot dogs and lemonade for the kids. At noon they start serving bar-b-q specials hot off the grill. Shredded beef burritos and pulled pork sandwiches are just two of the other planned specials. The delicious summer desserts prepared fresh daily by colleague Joy Zavala will surely tempt your belly and will feature local produce, including fresh strawberry treats.

Beginning at 2 pm a local DJ will spin crowd favorites and live music for dancing under the stars will be to the tunes “Ice”, a popular local area band. Door prizes and other activities will be offered throughout the day. No alcohol will be sold.

This longtime Piru establishment, formerly home to the Blue Bird Tavern, is again a favorite destination for locals and visitors alike. Some of the regulars gather one or more days a week to catch up over a home-style breakfast and fresh brewed coffee. One day earlier this week I joined one such trio of locals --Jim, Frank and Norm. Asked to describe their impression of Railway Café, they called it “excellent” and “very homey with great food and service”.

Some of the daily menu items are centered around the comfort food of home-style cooking. Traditional breakfasts of meat and egg offerings, pancakes and combination plates, along with fresh seasonal specials. Lunch and dinner menu includes awesome burgers, sandwiches, and soups and salads. Weekly dinner specials range from tri-tip plates, taco combinations and steak dinners with the works.

Their summer hours are Sunday 8 am to 3 pm, closed Monday and Tuesday (off to market for the freshest ingredients), Wednesday to Friday 7 am to 2 pm and 6-10 pm. Saturday hours are 8 am to 7 pm. The phone number is (805) 398-5031. They are also available for special events and offer patio seating for private parties. The café is located at 3989 Center Street at Via Fustero in the town’s central business district and across from the Piru Depot and Gazebo Plaza Park.

Marie Wren is starting to collect stories from any former boy scout in the Fillmore-Piru area to include in a new book about the history of scouting in Fillmore the last 100 years. It will also include her memories of scouting with Troop 406 during her husband’s time of over 50 years with the troop. Any scout memories will be included in a special chapter, so former members of ANY Fillmore troop are encouraged to write their personal stories about boy scouting and send them to her at P.O. Box 333, Fillmore 93016. Anyone with special pictures that should be included may send the pictures to her also. This project is in the beginning stages and will be two years before publication, so watch the papers for progress and information. If you wish to contact her, call Marie Wren 805-524-4044 or E-mail: casapajaro@sbcglobal.net. All e-mail should be marked “scouting” so it does not go into the spam file.

(Ojai, California) Narcotic-free headache management will be the focus of a free seminar the Community Memorial Health System is holding on Saturday, July 31.

Robert Cowan, M.D., an Ojai neurologist, will lead the seminar from 9 to 10:30 a.m. in the Soule Park banquet room, located at 1033 East Ojai Avenue in Ojai.

Dr. Cowan will review literature and present in-patient, outpatient and emergency room-urgent care strategies for headache relief without resorting to narcotics. Strategies include:

 Identifying factors that affect headaches;
 Discussing lifestyle modifications that may contribute to the frequency of headaches;
 Proposing conventional and alternative therapies;
 Discussing new information available as well as ongoing headache research.

Dr. Cowan, who is on staff at Ojai Valley Community Hospital, received his medical degree from the University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine. He completed his residency in neurology at the USC Medical Center and is board-certified with the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology and the American Board of Pain Medicine. Dr. Cowan also holds a subspecialty certification in headache medicine.

This event is co-sponsored by the Rotary Club of Ojai.

Admission is free but space is limited, so reservations are suggested. Call 640-2355, or visit www.cmhshealth.org/rsvp.

Community Memorial Health System is a not-for-profit health system, which is comprised of Community Memorial Hospital, Ojai Valley Community Hospital, and nine family-practice health centers entitled Centers for Family Health. The health system is located in Ventura County, California.