Community Memorial Health System kicks off its 2009 seminar series with a seminar on vascular disease on Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2009 in the eighth-floor Nichols Auditorium at Community Memorial Hospital.

This free public education program, “Vascular Disease – A Guide to Assessing Your Risk,” will run from 6 to 8 p.m.

Naveen Sharma, M.D., who is board-certified in interventional cardiology, will lead the seminar. He will discuss the symptoms of vascular disease and ways to help reduce the chances of developing the disease. Dr. Sharma also will discuss the latest treatment options available and provide his candid opinions on the benefits and risks of the newest non-surgical procedures.

Dr. Sharma is a member of the American College of Cardiology, the American College of Physicians and the American Medical Association. He received his medical degree at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and completed his General and Interventional Cardiology training from Indiana University. He has completed training in Computed Tomography Angiography as well as fellowships in Peripheral Vascular and Interventional Cardiology. Dr. Sharma is a member of Ventura Cardiology Consultants and is on staff at Community Memorial Hospital.

Space is limited, so reservations are recommended. Call 805/652-5436, or register online at www.cmhshealth.org.

Community Memorial Hospital is located at 147 N. Brent St. in Ventura.

Conway Spitler

Name the five wealthiest people in the world. Name the last five Heisman Trophy winners. Name the last five winners of the Miss America contest. Name the people who have won the Nobel or Pulitzer Prize. Name the last half dozen academy award winners for best actor and actress. Name the last decade’s worth of World Series winners.

How did you do?

The point is none of us remember the headliners of yesterday. There are no secondrate achievers. They are the best in their fields. But the applause dies. Awards tarnish. Achievements are forgotten. Accolades and certificates are buried with their owners.

NOW...

1) List a few teachers who aided your journey through school. 2) Name three friends who have helped you through a difficult time. 3) Name five people who have taught you something worthwhile. 4) Think of a few people who have made you feel appreciated and special. 5) Name half a dozen heroes whose stories have inspired you.

THE LESSON: The people who make a difference in your life are not the ones with the most credentials, the most money, or the most awards. They are the ones that care. Charles Schultz

Soroptimist International of Fillmore, a volunteer organization for business and professional women, is calling for applicants to participate in our annual Women’s Opportunity Award. Soroptimist of Fillmore will present a $500.00 cash award to help an eligible Fillmore/Piru woman who is working to improve her economic situation through education and training. Do you know this woman? Does she need to be recognized for her efforts?
With the help of the Women’s Opportunity Award, many women have gotten the courage and determination to turn their lives around. If you know a woman who lives in the Fillmore/Piru area who has made incredible efforts to better her life please help and encourage her to apply for the Women’s Opportunity Award. Eligible applicants must be women who provide the primary financial support for their families, and who are enrolled in or have been accepted to a vocational/skills training program or an undergraduate degree program. If she wins, she will receive a cash award of $500.00 to help offset any costs associated with her efforts to attain higher education, including books, childcare and transportation. After winning our local award she may also win regionally and then nationally and possibly be one of three finalists which are awarded $10,000 each.
Applications are available from any Soroptimist member or from Kathy at Fillmore Mail Stop at 330 Central Ave. in Fillmore. To qualify, the application with all references must be received at Fillmore Mail Stop by January 30, 2009, before 5:00 p.m.

Soroptimist is an international volunteer organization for business and professional women who work to improve the lives of women and girls, in local communities and throughout the world. The Women’s Opportunity Awards program is one of our organization’s major service projects.

For more information about Soroptimist and to read stories about past Women’s Opportunity Award recipients please visit www.soroptimist.org.

Thank you for your consideration,
Soroptimist of Fillmore

Ventura County Sheriff's Department

Healthy Family Farms - 6780 Wheeler Canyon Road, Santa Paula, CA

Date & Time: December 18, 2008 / 1:00 pm Unit(s) Responsible: Sheriff’s Agricultural Crimes Unit / California Department of Food and Agriculture Milk and Dairy Food Safety Branch

(A)rrestees Address Age
Sharon Ann Palmer Santa Paula, CA 48

During the first week of December 2008, the Sheriff’s Department’s Agricultural Crimes Unit identified a subject suspected of operating an unlicensed milk processing plant. After further investigation, it was confirmed that the processing plant was operating while unlicensed, and using potentially unpasteurized milk to produce various milk products, including goat cheese and yogurt. The milk products produced at the plant were being packaged under the “Healthy Family Farms” label and sold to the public at various farmer’s markets in Ventura, Santa Barbara, and Los Angeles Counties.

On 12-18-2008, a detective from the Agricultural Crimes Unit and investigators from the California Department of Food and Agriculture Milk and Dairy Food Safety Branch, Ventura County Environmental Health Department, Ventura County Weights and Measures, and Ventura County Code Enforcement took part in an undercover operation focused on purchasing illegally produced, and potentially unsafe goat cheese being produced at the location and being sold at farmer’s markets.

Unpasteurized milk is raw milk that has not been heated enough to kill harmful bacteria including Listeria, Salmonella, E. Coli, Staphylococcus, and M. bovis (causes tuberculosis). Persons who become ill could suffer a miscarriage, illness to unborn babies, diarrhea, fever, stomach cramps, swollen neck glands, and blood stream infection.

Various containers of goat cheese and yogurt suspected of being produced using unpasteurized milk were purchased from the processing plant and a local farmer’s market during the operation. The food product containers purchased during the operation were seized by investigators from the California Department of Food and Agriculture and Ventura County Environmental Health Department, and submitted to the state laboratory for testing.

Sharon Palmer was arrested and charged with Food and Agricultural Code Sections 35283(a) – Processing Milk or Milk Products without Pasteurization, 35283(b) – and Processing for Resale Milk or Milk Products without a License. Palmer was booked into the Ventura County Pre-Trial Detention Facility. A background check of Palmer’s criminal history revealed a prior felony conviction for fraud.

The Humane Society of Ventura County is asking for the public’s help in order to continue housing and treating 37 severely neglected horses that were rescued from a Lockwood Valley ranch on Oct. 8.

“We are in a desperate situation right now,” said Jolene Hoffman, director of the Humane Society’s shelter in Ojai.

Hoffman said that the 20-stall portable barn that businessman David Murdock loaned to the Humane Society, following the October 8th rescue, was being dismantled and moved this week. “Although it was only for two months, we are very grateful for Mr. Murdock’s generosity in loaning us the barn” Hoffman said.

“What makes the Humane Society’s predicament most critical,” Hoffman added, “is that nine of the rescued mares are confirmed pregnant, and 11 more are possibly pregnant. The mares are due to foal between now and March, one any day. With temperatures in the 30s, we need to provide adequate shelter for these neglected mares and foals.”
Hoffman said the Humane Society is planning on purchasing a 20-stall permanent barn for the horses. Eventually this barn will be used for emergency evacuated animals in Ventura County during disasters. The cost for the new barn is approximately $47,000.

Donations may be sent to the Shelter at PO Box 297, Ojai, CA 93024. For more information, call 805 656-5031, or visit www.humansocietyvc.org.

Thank You to all of the following teams for coming out to this past weekend’s softball tournament and helping to raise over $1000.00 worth of toys for Toys 4 Tot’s:
Men’s:
1st place – 805 Fumunda, Adam Alonzo Time 2 Smash - Ernie Rodriguez
2nd place – Amigos, Frank Shenanigans - Johnny Valerio
5150 - Jorge Valenzuela Orion - Adrian
Split Your Wig - Charlie Williams Hard Times - Sam Norriega
Women’s:
1st Place – Blue Balls, Erika Huerta Simply Old School II - Denise Tobias
2nd Place – Les-Bat, Michelle Temple Swingers, Linda Mulberry
This was the 1st tournament, of hopefully, many more to come. Also Thank You to Fillmore Girls Softball, Jason Faulkner, for allowing me to use the equipment, to Annette and Bill Cardona and Debbie Boschee for running a great snack bar, and especially to Ventura County Fire Dept. Station 27 for coming out and picking up the toys for the toy drive. Hope everyone has a happy and safe holiday season,
Sincerely,
Jasmine Gongora

The Fillmore Citizen Patrol Free showing of "Madagascar 2" on Saturday, December 13, 2008, was a complete success. Both showings were popular with many compliments and thanks from the attendees. As the people were leaving the theatre, they were handed a candy cane and wished a Merry Christmas. The Citizen Patrol has been making these free showings available for many years. Our thanks to the "Gazette" newspaper for placing our ad in their Thursday, December 11, 2008 publication.
Helen M. Lidamore,
Secretary, Fillmore Citizen Patrol

Sat. Dec. 20th at 12noon
“Celebrate Christmas-Piru Style”
Parade Check-In at 9am
Corner of Center & Park St

Vendors check-In at 9am
Corner of Center & Piru Square

Horseshoe Tournament
Check-In at 10am
Piru Gazebo
Information/Rusty 521-1040

Schedule of Events At Piru Gazebo
12Noon Parade
1PM Horseshoe Tournament
1pm Vendors Open
1pm-5pm DJ Music
2pm Awards Ceremony
6pm-9pm Danny Torres &
Piru River Band

For more information call
ChaCha 521-0527/Catina 279-1758
Laura 521-1145/Irene 521-0752

For more information go to www.pirupress.com

Discover the rewards of foster parenting at a Foster Parenting Informational Meeting. Learn how you can provide the healing, support and guidance that can transform a child at risk into a self-assured, successful adult. More than 600 children are currently in foster homes in Ventura County, and every day, another child is removed from their home because they have been neglected, abused or abandoned. By being a foster parent, you have the opportunity to make the difference in a child's life. English only. For more information call Human Services Agency, County of Ventura, 805.654.3456 or go to vchsa.org/foster.

Bill Faith and Janine Rees, owners of The Scented Path.

For this season of giving, you are invited to become a Salvation Army “Angel” by picking up an “Angel Tag” at The Scented Path Apothecary located at 338 Central Avenue.
Each tag lists the name and age of a needy Ventura county child along with an age appropriate gift suggestion. After you purchase a gift, return it to The Scented Path in Fillmore or to The Salvation Army at 155 S. Oak Street, Ventura. Gifts will be then be sorted and made available for qualified families at A Toy and Joy Shop in Ventura. Food donations are also being accepted for the Salvation Army food drive. All donations should be received by December 17th, 2008.
For your convenience, The Scented Path has extended hours for the Christmas donating and buying season: Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sunday, 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. If you’re looking for something in the unusual or healthy- natural realm, The Scented Path is an excellent option. Proprietors Bill and Janine have almost thirty years of perfume blending experience and can custom design any fragrance body care product to suit your gift-giving needs. Call 524-4856 for more information and don’t forget to pick up your Angel gift card and bring in your food donation.

Conway Spitler

An innovative research project puts new focus on California’s 446 Billion-a-year Problem. An “average” high school graduate earns $290,000 more over a lifetime—and pays $100,00 more in federal, state and local taxes—than a high school dropout.

Between 26 percent and 35 percent of all teenagers in California today are high school dropouts.

One of every three students who dropped out of 10th grade in 2004 was doing nothing four years later—neither going to school nor working.

The problems costs the state’s taxpayers $6.4 billion annually (from UC Santa Barbara Today).

Where: North Fillmore Police Storefront
642 Lemon Way
When: Monday, December 22, 2008
3pm – 6pm
Free Polaroid Picture with Santa Claus
One Picture per Family
Toys Given to Children
Residents of Fillmore, Piru & Bardsdale only
Proof of Residency may be Required