By Martin Farrell — Wednesday, February 11th, 2015
This Tuesday at approximately 12:00 p.m. the Gazette received copies of three letters relating to a lease-use agreement of city facilities (the Senior Center) by a non-profit group, Fillmore Senior Center, Inc. (FSCI). I have not had time to review the letters nor details of the long-brewing dispute between the city and FSCI. The City has taken action to cancel the lease with FSCU. As an Oversight Board member of the Successor Agency to the Fillmore Redevelopment Agency, Patti Walker opposes the action. But, drawing from my year's experience covering some of the principal FSCI board members (when they occupied seats on the Fillmore City Council) it wouldn't surprise me learn that their complaints here are unfounded. Apparently there have been ongoing issues under FSCI management at the Center. Next week the Gazette will publish a more complete story. Essentially, the City has broken the lease with FSCI. Walker's departing comment at Tuesday's conclusion of the Council - "This is bullshit!" |
By Martin Farrell — Wednesday, February 4th, 2015
They say that crime sells newspapers. That may well be true but I do get sick of reporting it. That's why last night's school board meeting was such a refreshing change. It was standing room only to recognize our Ventura County Sheriff's Department Fillmore Explorers and the students and staff participating in the River Restoration Project. What a great group of young men and women! Thanks and congratulations to each of you for the great work you are doing, and for the sterling example you are providing for the younger boys and girls who will follow you. |
By Martin Farrell — Wednesday, January 21st, 2015
I really tried to pay attention to Obama's State of the Nation address last night, but failed in the effort. As I expected, it was just too unbelievable; the audience was given a peek into our president's make-believe world, that place where he is still the slick-talking, cool community organizer addressing his spellbound community. He is delusional. Obama is someone incapable of accepting even glaring reality, and the glaring reality facing him today is failure, the catastrophic failure of his wildly liberal-leftist policies. In his head the hussahs of past election victories resound and the band plays on. His speech enumerated what he sees as foreign and domestic achievements. His interpretations of his policy successes signify a psychological problem. Every presidential foreign policy directive has ended in serious defense damage to America. His domestic policy decisions damage us as well. Obama covers his incompetence and wrong-headed moves with blatant lies and obfuscation. Who was responsible for the extraordinary screw-up concerning Fast and Furious? How incredibly stupid and tragic. Was it his crooked Attorney General? What about the IRS scandal? Whose policy was that? What about all of those bloody incidents of "Workplace Violence"? Our federal defense institutions are forbidden to call it Islamic Terrorism? Who told the Benghazi rescue team to "stand down"? Who ruined the effective sanctions against Iran, facilitating the construction of the bomb? Who backtracked on the "red line" in Libya, failed to help in Crimea and Ukraine, and sides with Islamic terrorists against Israel, our only Middle Eastern friend? To watch Obama prattle on about his successes gave me a case of vertigo. And the crowd clapped enthusiastically. And, when I think of the folks he has appointed to run the show for him I'm surprised we haven't yet suffered another 9/11, or much worse. Al Sharpton, ex-dope dealer, Twana Brawley fraudster, tax cheat, and the country's biggest shakedown artist, a close personal friend of the president! Obama should go all the way and appoint the Reverend Al to the top drawer of his cabinet, Make him the Clown Czar in charge of race relations. For these reasons I couldn't get through the entire speech. |
By Martin Farrell — Wednesday, January 14th, 2015
Katzenjammer Redux. First on last night's city council agenda was the issue of renewing the lease of our Senior Center to the nonprofit Fillmore Senior Center, Inc. (FSCI). Among the officers and associates of the FSCI are former Fillmore City Council members Patti Walker and (volunteer) Gayle Washburn who addressed the Council. Neither is a resident of Fillmore. Walker and Washburn (both former tag team favorites for the now defunct "Katzenjammer" party) did not fail to entertain. They had been spoiling for another bout with the council which had replaced them; they wished to hold on to the Senior Center lease which they recently lost. The FSCI group's complaints included the City's English language session taking place in their space. The City wished to enhance the Center's programs. Washburn and Walker threatened a lawsuit over alleged violations of the Brown Act for making the lease decision in closed session. The city attorney responded that real estate issues must be discussed in closed session. It was shades of the old regime's tactics of confrontation and sour attitude; the last meeting headed by Washburn required the presence of three police officers. One person was ordered out of the meeting. Well, this meeting turned out to be a tempest in a teacup; Washburn and Walker lost, again, and everyone went home peacefully. But I'm sure the team of W &W will find some other group to control soon. I confess I miss (a little bit) the energy and entertainment provided by the old meetings. But, look how far the city has come (and overcome) in little more than a year under new management! *** Once again our clueless President Obama has embarrassed America by deliberately snubbing France by failing to send a high-level representative to the memorial march in Paris for the 17 citizens murdered by Islamic Jihadists. France has been our ally since the French and Indian War. Islam has been our enemy since the days of the Barbary pirates; and of course during WWI and WWII - and today, as well as the next several generations. There are no more excuses for the president's actions - he is a friend to our enemies and the enemy to our friends. He has betrayed our Constitution which he has twice sworn to defend. Congress should get to work on a few Constitutional amendments. One would give congress the power to remove from office any president whose words and actions clearly show, to the average reasonable person, that he or she is disloyal to the country by refusing to defend the Constitution, enforce the law, and/or is giving aid and comfort to the enemy. Barack Obama is that disloyal President. |
By Martin Farrell — Wednesday, January 7th, 2015
Islam has shown its murderous face again in Paris, killing 12 and wounding many others in an attack on a magazine publishing office. This was a highly professional hit by Muslim terrorists who witnesses said were shouting "We have avenged the Prophet Muhammad" and "God is Great" in Arabic ("Allahu Akbar"). French authorities, including President Francois Hollande, said it had been a terrorist attack "of exceptional barbarity". There is no doubt about this attack being barbaric. It was not, however, an attack of "exceptional" barbarity. This was just routine barbarity by a typical Islamic murder team. This is what they do, and have been doing since the year 632 a.d. This kind of sub-human activity is being carried out around the world by Muslims - not "radical" Muslims as usually described by the ignorant media, but by Muslims who believe in Sharia law as demanded by the Koran. These killers are not a minority in Islam, they are members of the vast majority, as has been clearly and conclusively proven. Those millions who maintain that their peaceful practice of Islam is a mainstream, majority fact, and that the Jihadists are a small minority, are wrong. The vast majority of Muslim true believers throughout the world believe in Sharia law and the strict understanding of the Koran, that is kill or convert. As Brigitte Gabriel has stated in her important book "They Must Be Stopped" those who practice Islam peacefully are simply "irrelevant" in the scheme of things; they are a very small segment of Islam, and mostly too afraid of the "True Believers" to condemn the violence in any meaningful way. Informed American authorities emphatically agree with Ms. Gabriel, including Steve Emerson, R. James Woolsey, Paul E. Vallely, Robert Spencer, and hundreds of others. These Islamic Jihadists will continue their butchery until militarily destroyed. |
By Martin Farrell — Tuesday, December 30th, 2014
Happy New Year to everyone! Butchy the Cat Butchy was found one dark, cold night under the big oak tree in front of our school district office. He had been crying for something to eat. Butchy was at that time a very skinny, bright orange tabby. He was given a can of cat food and quickly became a regular customer at the newspaper. He liked to follow along with the publisher and Pebbles the office mascot, on early morning walks down to A Street and back. Mostly, he lived in the rosemary hedge in front of the district office. Butchy often liked to sleep on top of the Gazette’s front desk. He grew to be big and fat, and happy. One day Butchy didn’t come out from the rosemary bush to join in the walk. His body was found half-way into the hedge as he had tried to escape an unfriendly dog which had ended his life. He died under mysterious circumstances just before the walk had ended. It is believed that a dog, which had been in an older, white pickup parked close to the hedge, had been released a few feet from Butchy’s front door. Butchy is greatly missed. The end. All rights reserved to Ms. Heather Furness, 2014. |
By Martin Farrell — Wednesday, December 24th, 2014
With the liberal Left on the attack against America's law enforcement officers across the country it's past time for all law-abiding citizens to join in the defense of our police forces. I'm sick of hearing the Al Sharpton race-baiting machine, the liberal media¸ our craven president and his crooked Attorney General heap lies and other abuse on the men and women in blue who keep us safe every day. If law enforcement were to pull out of Sharpton's neighborhoods total anarchy would be the immediate result. Each of the deceased black men Sharpton claims to champion were unlawfully resisting arrest, one attempting to take the officer's firearm. Every official inquiry found the police officers involved to be innocent of any wrongdoing. The mantra "Hands up, don't shoot" derives from a gross and proven lie. Crime statistics also prove that the black community suffers from a major cultural problem with deadly violence, mostly among members of that community. Chicago is a glaring example with its extraordinary black-on-black murder rate. God bless our cops for the work they do, risking their lives every day to keep the rest of us safe! Let's stand together in their defense! |
By Martin Farrell — Wednesday, December 17th, 2014
Probably no other part of my computer is more heavily used than DRUDGE. I'm on and off that site more than 10-hours a day. But as the months go by I'm more reluctant to open it up in the morning. DRUDGE is a snapshot of the world's social, political, and military condition. And, that's the problem; for me, visiting the site is like having a bucket of ice water tossed in my face. I anticipate that confrontation but it doesn't make it any more welcome. I'm talking about bad news, really bad news. More specifically, news demonstrating the accelerating state of our country's demise. Because, as I see it, I'm watching America undergo a spiritual, cultural, material, and military collapse at the hands of resurgent Leftist, communist, and other anti-Judeo-Christian factions. They have a death grip on our country and have invited every sort of anti-religious rot to infect the nation's institutions, beginning with the family. Ironically, most traditional Judeo-Christian organizations readily admit this; they see it all happening, but seem impotent to correct the situation. All of our defense and intelligence agencies (FBI, CIA, Joint Chiefs of Staff), sound the alarm, without effect. We are without leadership - we are asleep. Anyone paying attention to world affairs must recognize the growing power of our enemies (Russia, China, North Korea, Iran, Jihadist Islam) (which is a majority of Muslim believers - NOT a small minority which we are constantly led to believe, but an enormous majority in Islamic nations) see Ben Shapiro: Most Americans are blind to America's vulnerability. Our military is now too weak to withstand multiple attacks, even against our homeland. We have been betrayed by Obama's enemy-friendly "leadership". Nuclear commander lost job after being caught playing fake poker chips.... I believe America will soon suffer multiple, devastating attacks on our military, infrastructure, financial, communications, food and health sectors, which will "fundamentally change" us forever. A solution: pray - pray very hard and often. |
By Martin Farrell — Wednesday, December 10th, 2014
Many Fillmore residents were unhappy to find out that they could not attend the swearing-in ceremonies of both Fillmore City Council members and our new School Board. A strong effort was made to have the school board ceremony set for any day but December 9 because that was the city's regularly scheduled time to meet. A suggestion was made to have a joint swearing-in ceremony on the 9th, but that too was rejected by the School Board president, without explanation. That possibility would have given everyone an opportunity to witness, and take photos, of both ceremonies. It would also have been a nice token of cooperation between the city's two most important governing bodies. It's a shame both ceremonies were forced to take place on the same evening in two separate venues. The Gazette, of course, could not attend both, so we have no story of the District event, and, but for pictures provided by Todd Schieferle, we would also have no photos of the historical event. Thanks go out to Mr. Schieferle for his generosity. Two newly-elected Board members each tried to facilitate a solution to this simple problem, without success. I hope this childish lack of cooperation on the part of the School Board president doesn't point to a future of micro-management. Memo: It's a new beginning. Let's start out on the right foot. |
By Martin Farrell — Wednesday, December 3rd, 2014
I'm having a hard time settling down today; some good news (Thank you Lord for the rain) and some bad, as usual. For those of you who think I'm too preoccupied with military defense, I offer you this bit of news. At least this was news to me considering the mostly unreported facts. The story was first reported by Russian radio. Here's a link to the full story: What frightened the USS Donald Cook so much in the Black ... http://www.voltairenet.org/article185860.html In short, our most sophisticated destroyer, USS Donald Cook, was posted to the Black Sea to monitor Russia's aggression against the Ukraine, et al. The Cook has our most up-to-date electronic surveillance equipment. A Russian fighter-bomber approached the Cook, was warned off but ignored the warning. It then circled the Cook at very low altitude, causing all of the Cook's radar and other tracking equipment to go black. In the words of witnesses, the Cook was deaf and blind. This was due to the unarmed Russian plane's jamming equipment. If the Russians can do this, right now, how safe are our carrier battle groups? How safe are our land missiles? But wait! How secure are our Minuteman missiles? After a string of appalling reports of negligent maintenance, we hear about this: Nuclear commander lost job after being caught playing fake ... http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/11248777/Nucl... ... The Daily Telegraph Nov 23, 2014 - Vice-Admiral Timothy Giardina Photo: AP Photo/U.S. Navy "... known as Navy Tim, a heavy gambler who was accused of making his own $500 poker chips and eventually banned. ... America's nuclear weapons general sacked." And he was second-highest in command! Moving right along to domestic challenges, we're finally hearing from responsible black commentators, like Former NBA star Charles Barkley, award winning economist Thomas Sowell, Dr. Ben Carson http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ben_Carson and many other distinguished African-Americans about the Ferguson scandal. Barkley calls the rioters "scumbags". Each of them stands-up for officer Wilson and defend our police officers, which our President and Attorney General do not. The truth in this matter is that Brown was a felon and a thug and officer Wilson was a good cop doing his job by the numbers. Who thinks of his future after being completely slandered? He must now move from place to place for his safety. |
By Martin Farrell — Tuesday, November 25th, 2014
I've changed my mind about American cities and towns owning heavy military vehicles like armored HUMVES and MRAPs. That's because I've come to believe that lawless civilians like those we watched plan and methodically launch the riots in Ferguson, Missouri and other cities across the country, are a growing menace to our freedoms. I also believe rioters share the same mindset (and pose the same threat) to national security and defense as street gangs, motorcycle gangs, drug traffickers, ethnic gangs, etc. They are all terrorists bent on killing people and destroying property. They are all determined to gain power at the expense of law-abiding citizens. There are millions of these terrorists in country when you include unaligned common criminals. For example, The County and City of Los Angeles are the “gang capital” of the nation." The Federal Bureau of Investigation states: Some 33,000 violent street gangs, motorcycle gangs, and prison gangs with about 1.4 million members are criminally active in the U.S. today. As someone who has followed the problem for two decades, I believe our country is in imminent danger of possibly catastrophic attack by China, Russia, Iran, and/or North Korea. America's home grown terrorists will be a significant addition to the problem. Our nation's civil law enforcement will face the same enemy as our military. It will need this sort of equipment to overcome the enemy, especially at our borders. My only concern is to guarantee this heavy equipment, in vehicles and firearms, is never used against the law-abiding American citizen. This has already happened in a few instances. So, to meet the threat head-on, our police forces must now have modern, military equipment. If it happens that we the people begin to lose our freedom due to misuse of such equipment I believe a violent revolution will occur. This all sounds like fiction to some folks but our enemies take these issues very seriously. *** On a happier note, HAPPY THANKSGIVING! |
By Martin Farrell — Wednesday, November 19th, 2014
Congratulations and best wishes to Councilman Steve Conaway on retirement after 9 years of service to the City of Fillmore. He stood his ground and was right in his judgments. I'm proud to call him a friend as well. * * * Tomorrow Obama is supposed to announce his executive order on immigration. This will be an unconstitutional act amounting to an extreme abuse of power for which he should be impeached, tried, convicted and removed from office. No chance of this happening, however. Instead, we can expect to see this charlatan double-down on a series of destructive and unlawful executive orders for the remaining two years of his term in office. He is determined to cause as many crises as possible, a strategy straight out of his mentor's infamous handbook "Rules for Radicals". Saul Alinski was his main mentor, as he was also for Hillary Clinton. Here is Rule 8 of Alinski's 12 Rules for Radicals: “Keep the pressure on. Never let up. Keep trying new things to keep the opposition [conservatives] off balance. As the opposition masters one approach, hit them from the flank with something new. (Attack, attack, attack from all sides, never giving the reeling organization a chance to rest, regroup, recover and re-strategize.)" So the unconstitutional attacks will increase and escalate for the next two years, while America's strength diminishes in the face of our enemies. Those enemies will not be able to resist the opportunity to attack our nation while Obama renders us nearly defenseless. If illegal immigration is already bringing confusion and incapacity to our schools, medical facilities, tax system, welfare and defense systems, wait until you see the tsunami of illegal humanity which will quickly overwhelm our southern border. Shades of Alinski, "attack, attack, attack. Our domestic enemies are using the same Alinski strategy in Ferguson, Missouri. The police officer in that case is obviously innocent of any wrong. The young man who was killed was, again obviously, a strong-arm robber, drug user, who attacked the officer trying to get his gun. The president and his attorney general, and their crooked minions have greatly contributed to the expectation of violence after the grand jury returns its verdict because of their support for the perpetrator. This is all extraordinarily outrageous.http://www.cbsnews.com/ferguson-missouri-police-shooting-protests/ The president and his flying monkey air corps have so weakened America that our primary enemies will not resist the opportunity during the next two years to attack. Domestically, Alinski has given the order from his grave. All of our most determined and capable enemies, Russia, China, North Korea, Iran, are all nuclear capable and itching to go. |
By Martin Farrell — Wednesday, November 12th, 2014
I'm convinced that there will be no end to Obama's lethal, nation-endangering, buffoonery. When the Republicans take over congress a laundry list of critical changes await them, like the Keystone Pipeline, eliminating Obamacare, buttoning-up our borders, etc. But none are as urgent as rebuilding our defense capabilities. We are surrounded by a pack of lean and salivating wolves (Russia, China, Iran, North Korea and a score of their mongrel cousins like ISIS. America has never before faced such threatening odds to our freedom; at least not since the Revolutionary War when the whole idea of a United States of America was nearly snuffed-out in its infancy. We have survived many wars through our strength - moral and military. Our present deadly exposure is caused by the Leftist-liberal policies placed into our government by a gum-chewing man in purple pajamas now presenting himself as President of the United States of America to our arch-enemy, China. A short while back he was whispering sweet nothings to a leader of a different arch-enemy, Russia; "After I'm reelected I will have more flexibility" [to betray my country]. Then there's the recent revelation of "secret letters" to our most mentally unbalanced arch-enemy, Iran, facilitating its nuclear bomb program. As Obama chewed his way through the reception line his host was presenting their latest stealth fighter, the J-31, China's answer to the United States' F-35, which is nearly an exact copy - do to China's superb hacking capabilities. Meanwhile, Russian bombers will soon conduct regular patrols, ranging from the Arctic to the Gulf of Mexico. Can it be that the American government has become too stupid to recognize the obvious fact that our enemies plan to attack America, soon? How many failures have been reported concerning incompetence in our Air Force ICBM maintenance? But wait! We seem distracted instead by reports such as "Man pleads not guilty to lewd act with stuffed animal inside WALMART." Thanks to congressional and presidential stupidity, intransigence and incompetence, it is now more than plausible that we will suffer a nuclear attack - with all those arch-enemies joining in the fun. The new Republicans had damn well better get their priorities right! |
By Martin Farrell — Wednesday, November 5th, 2014
I could scarcely believe what I was seeing last night as the Obama political scaffolding began to crash to the ground. Republicans captured the Senate and picked-up perhaps as many as 12 new seats in the House. Church bells across America should be ringing; the wicked Obama administration is as good as dead. Nothing but good can come of this. In Utah "Congresswoman elect Mia Love celebrated her surprise victory... as the first black Republican woman to be elected to the House of Representatives." In her exuberant remarks after winning, she said: “I wasn't elected because of the color of my skin. I wasn't elected because of my gender, I was elected because of the solutions that I put at the table because I promised I would run a positive issues-oriented campaign and that's what resonated.” God bless Mia Love. And from Columbia, South Carolina: "South Carolina voters have sent Republican Tim Scott back to the U.S. Senate, making him the first black candidate to win a statewide race since just after the Civil War." Halleluiah! How sweet it is! This was a tsunami win for traditional conservatism. Now, perhaps, our nation can regain its strength, equilibrium and purpose. We have given ourselves a second chance to show the world that Obama has never spoken for true Americans, that the shameful weakness he shows in the face of the enemy is his alone, that America is still the strongest and freest nation on earth. This is also the long-awaited time for America to regroup, to restore our armed forces, create a new, fair, flat tax system that cannot morph into a fourth arm of government for any administration. It's time to secure our borders and crush our Islamic juhadist enemies wherever they may be. It's time to settle the score against the Orks, the ISIS baby killers who sell women into slavery and force young girls to convert to Islam and marry their captors. In short, this election mandates that America become strong and confident again to face our domestic problems with creativity, and defeat our enemies utterly with our traditional strength. It's also time to trash the disease of Political Correctness, to end Obama's apologies for American exceptionalism, and to thank God for making America exceptional among all the nations of the world. Lastly, this election was a rejection of Barack Obama, not a salute to Republicans. The Republican party needs to find the guts to do what must be done, to speak out forcefully and clearly about what they will do - then to DO it. If they fail in this they deserve to be wiped from America's political history never to be heard from again. It is no exaggeration to state that the survival of Western civilization hangs in the balance. |
By Martin Farrell — Wednesday, October 29th, 2014
We mourn with the men and women of the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office at the loss Deputy Eugene Kostiuchenko who was killed in the line of duty yesterday (October 28). An 11-year veteran of the department, he leaves his wife and two sons. May he rest in peace. God bless and console his family members. *** Only a few days remain for the American people to rescue their nation from further destruction by President Obama and his Leftist-Democrat agenda. Obama still has two years in which to complete his plan of undermining America's strength and freedom. We must re-build our armed forces, support Israel and the Kurds, and counter attack Islamic Jihadists everywhere. Snatching the US Senate back from radical Democratic hands is the only short-term action that will get the job done. I, especially urge our Evangelical patriots to vote on November 4. Every vote is critically important to the survival of our nation. Locally - I wholeheartedly endorse JEFF GORELL for Congress. |
By Martin Farrell — Wednesday, October 22nd, 2014
For what it's worth, I endorsed three school board candidates last week, and criticized one candidate, Tony Prado. I met with Tony this week to sort-out some issues. He clearly disagrees with my characterization of his behavior while a member of the board during the past several years. I don't want to rehash the disagreement but I do want to correct one comment I made. I just learned that the Gazette was sending its candidate questions to Mr. Prado's old email address. Therefore he did not receive them. He has also been on vacation for several weeks. That problem is now corrected. My only serious objection to Mr. Prado's candidacy pertains to his disrespectful behavior in addressing members of the public, especially during public comment times. I stand on this criticism, which is in no way meant to be personal. As I said last week, Tony Prado is a good man, just not the right man for the school board. * * * More about our City Council candidates next week, but I can strongly endorse Diane McCall and Carrie Broggie, both with impressive records. * * * Kudos to our new school Superintendent Adrian Palazuelos. He has taken over his job with energy and enthusiasm. He has also implemented a new digital program for our district. Now our agendas will be distributed digitally. Last but not least, he assured me that attention would be paid to the Rosemary hedge in front of the district office sign. Lack of irrigation is killing the hedge which is nearly as old as the building itself. I'm not much of a gardener but I would hate to see it die-off. As long as I'm on the subject of plant life I should mention that one of two large tree directly in front of the school district office, is dead due to lack of irrigation as well. It's an old tree with very heavy limbs which could fall in a wind storm. For safety sake it should be removed. The other tree is barely making it. * * * I wish I had the time to comment on Islamic terror around the world but I don't. Suffice it to say, contrary to our lying president, we are at war with Islam, at least with 25 percent of Islam, and always will be, according to the commands of their holy book. We should keep in mind, as Brigitte Gabriel notes emphatically, the 75 percent of peaceful Muslims "are irrelevant" and remain very quiet. We should address the 25 percent - nearly 300 million jihadists. I strongly recommend Ms. Gabriel's latest book "They Must Be Stopped". |
By Martin Farrell — Wednesday, October 15th, 2014
Running late, again, this week. I just have time to make a few short comments. First, it was difficult to adequately cover both the school board candidate forum and the city council candidate forum because both were scheduled to run consecutively on the same evening. This was an inconvenient format for those who wanted to attend both forums. Some had to leave early. That said, the forums were run very efficiently and professionally. Kudos to Scott Lee who moderated the first school district forum at the Middle School. Thanks also to Bill Herrera who moderated the second school board forum, sponsored by Fillmore City Council and One Step a la Vez. I want to note that I received a telephone call from school board candidate Lucy Rangel. Mrs. Rangel denies some of the (paraphrased) comments attributed to her in last week's Gazette. In particular, she denies stating "...trust more and question less." I wish the entire Forum were taped, but it was not. I must rely upon notes taken at the time by our reporter, and at the same time give notice of Mrs. Rangel's objections. *** Election Day is only a few weeks away. I attended both of our school board forums. With the exception of candidates Sean Morris and Mike Saviers, I've known the candidates for several years and observed their actions on the board many times. I have no serious problems with any of them, except for Tony Prado. Observing Mr. Prado's demeanor as a board member over the years I must, emphatically, decline to endorse him for another term on the Fillmore School District Board of Directors. Mr. Prado is a good man, but he completely lacks a sense of collegiality. He has a tendency to bully and browbeat others. His demanding (often angry) personality can be offensive to the point of being insulting. On more than one occasion, Mr. Prado has publically stated that he makes no apologies for his unfriendly behavior. Mr. Prado has never condescended to answer candidate forum questions in the local newspaper. He is the only candidate to complain about other candidates displaying election signs around town. However, Prado fliers are to be found on windshields in parking lots. In short, Prado is a disagreeable man who tends to destroy cooperation on the board. I warned against his candidacy the year he happened to win by a handful of votes, and I warn against his candidacy again this year for the same reasons. The Fillmore School District Board of Directors NEEDS NEW BLOOD. With the exception of Mr. Prado, I respect the service all present school board members have provided these past four years. But it's time for change, for new ideas and perspectives. Therefore I enthusiastically endorse and support three new candidates, Scott Beylik, Sean Morris and Mike Saviers. Each answered the forum questions clearly and with confidence. These candidates will create a thoughtful new balance on the board. *** Next week the candidates will be asked to answer a novel question which pertains to commitment. Our school library is hurting badly and lacks a librarian. School board members serve without compensation, except for medical coverage. According to District records, the Board is provided approximately $55,000 per year, or $10,934.10 per member, in health benefits. Question: Which board members (if any) would be willing to forego this insurance in order to donate the proceeds of $55,000 to the Fillmore Library? This will be one of next week's candidate questions. |
By Martin Farrell — Wednesday, October 8th, 2014
As I write these words, the Kurdish residents of the Syrian town of Kobane (population 44,821 in the Syrian census of 2004) are being overrun by ISIS Muslim cutthroats. The usual Islamic butchery will quickly follow: beheadings of children, crucifixions, impalements, etc. As acknowledged many times, America has only two friends in the Middle East, Israel and the Kurds. Both have been betrayed by a craven Obama administration. The Kurds, who have fought valiantly for the US, have not received the arms and ammunition promised by Obama to help defend against ISIS. Because of this betrayal they are now being overwhelmed by the ISIS enemy which they could otherwise defeat. Even the Kurdish women have taken-up arms against the ISIS aggressors who seek to rape, enslave, torture, and mutilate them. The Kurds are courageous and deserving of our help. The Turks, with their huge army 200 yards from the carnage in Kobane, do nothing - and they are members of NATO. Turkish President Erdogan (a long-time Brotherhood member) seeks to make Turkey the "real" caliphate. Turkey is no longer dependably secular. It is becoming a Sharia-law state. From a western perspective, Turkey's refusal to honor NATO requests for intervention in Kobane is shameful. Turkey is no longer a trustworthy NATO member. When their historical enemies, the Kurds, are defeated, Turkey will go after ISIS. All of this endless butchery by ISIS is, of course, the result of US presidential cowardice. Last night's extraordinary interview of Obama's former Defense Secretary, Leon Panetta, by TV commentator Bill O'Reilly, clearly revealed the facts. Obama is not a leader; he is fearful of leadership, rejects the most professional advice, clings to the advice of Valerie Jarred and his wife's, and remains an implacable far Left ideologue. Our nation, therefore, is in imminent jeopardy, the clear and present danger of our closet Muslim president who can see no evil, hear no evil, of Islam, the free world's greatest and most deadly enemy. "...and that what we [the US] stands for –-- liberty and democracy and conservation and fairness and justice -- those are the things that people around the world aspire to and seek, and they expect the United States to be on their side." (President O'Bama's recent speech). From his mouth, these words are an infamous joke. Pray for the Kurds of Kobane. They need help, not empty words. |
By Martin Farrell — Wednesday, October 1st, 2014
There was a slight mix-up in sending out questions for city council candidates to answer this week. Question #1 was sent to candidate Carrie Broggie as a dot/com instead of a dot/org, and she did not receive it. Answers from all candidates will appear online this week at fillmoregazette.com. * * * I regret I was unable to finish my column this week due to time restraints, not a lack of issues. I'll make up for it next week. |
By Martin Farrell — Wednesday, September 24th, 2014
Monday, I attended the most beautiful funeral in my memory. It was the day they laid to rest Jim Stehly, beloved spouse of Mary Stehly, father to eleven children, and farmer extraordinaire. It was a particularly beautiful day. Jim's family, relatives, and friends filled the church to capacity, flowing outside into the garden area. Fr. James Stehly, Jim's eldest son, said the Mass of Christian Burial. The music was inspiring and those in attendance were of one mind, to come together for the purpose of publically recognizing this special man and saying goodbye for the last time. In these chaotic times it refreshes the soul to find in the life of a man like Jim Stehly such peace, humility, and faithfulness. Among countless others, I feel blessed to have known Jim. |