Erasmo Hurtado, 28 of Fillmore

At about 6 AM Monday, December 11th, an employee at the Fillmore Middle School (543 A St., Fillmore) saw a man walking away from a classroom and called the police. The man left the campus before police arrived to discover the classroom had been broken into and property had been taken.

Deputies checked the area and found a bag of stolen property at a nearby labor camp. Patrol deputies and detectives, working with physical evidence left at the scene and the description of the suspect, found (S-1) Erasmo Hurtado in the 900 block of Blaine Ave. and were able to determine he was responsible for the burglary. Hurtado, who was under the influence of a controlled substance and possessed a lock pick, was arrested for Penal Code Section 459 – Burglary (felony), Penal Code Section 466 – Possession of burglar’s tools (misdemeanor), and Health and Safety Code Section 11550(a) – Under the influence of a controlled substance. He was booked into the Pre-Trial Detention Facility, where he remains in custody with a bail of $40,000.

Prepared by: Detective Danielle Delpit
News Release Date: 12/12/2017
Approved by: Captain Dave Wareham

Former Mayor Pro-Tem Manuel Minjares was selected new Fillmore City Mayor at last night's City Council meeting, and Council Member Diane McCall was elevated to the position of Mayor Pro-Tem.

Former Mayor Carrie Broggie received warm recognition for the excellent job she did during her term as she returned to her seat on the City Council.

MEDICAL CANNABIS WAREHOUSING AND DELIVERY
A half-dozen residents commented on new consideration of medical marijuana delivery within the city and up to three medical cannabis delivery warehouses.

Opposition to this proposal by a half-dozen concerned residents was forcefully expressed to the Council. At issue is a decision to be taken between the possibility of multi-million dollar revenue streams and a perceived threat to community health and moral values. No action was taken by the Council.

"The City of Fillmore currently bans all cannabis businesses from operating within the City. However, in response to the request from several residents at its regular meeting on November 14,2017, the City Council requested that staff bring back the discussion of an ordinance to allow medical cannabis delivery within the City. Staff reviewed the City of Ojai’s ordinance pertaining to medical cannabis delivery as the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office provides police service to both Fillmore and Ojai."

A LICENSE AND SITE ACCESS for Hearthstone to construct entryway improvements during a two-year period was unanimously approved.

Proposed extension #6 to Tentative Tract map 5422, NLA COMMUNITY, LLC. NORTH FILLMORE SPECIFIC PLAN AREA was denied. The Plan has received 11 extensions to date.

An amendment to the City's Employment Agreement with David W. Rowlands was unanimously approved the Council.

Due to disruption caused by recent fires, City Council Reports, Recommendations, and Comments were deferred.

City resident Marie Wren asked Council if something could be done to increase public information during emergency situations, such as the recent Thomas Fire. Police Chief David Wareham explained the various methods used today, Channel 10, Twitter, etc., and that during periods of no change in the threat, statements to that effect should be sufficient. However, the matter will be taken under consideration. Wareham praised the extraordinary, effective cooperation between all public services (fire, police) in fighting this devastating wildfire. Special thanks to Cal-Fire and helicopter forces were acknowledged. Fire Chief Keith Gurolla was singled out by Wareham as indispensable to fire defense due to his exceptional knowledge of local terrain.

Cal-Fire Captain Dave Russell noted that 94,000 evacuations were undertaken, 504 homes destroyed, 33 helicopters, plus 2 night helicopters were deployed, and 8 air tankers were used to fight this Thomas Fire. These figures combined several local fire statistics. Fillmore was fortunate in suffering no loss of life, injuries, or structures.

Resident Art Sanford asked for assistance in restoring his father's house which burned to the ground 8 months ago. A resident for 40 years, he has met with substantial difficulty in being permitted to rebuild the house due to zoning. He is forbidden to rebuild without obtaining a code amendment costing $10,207.

Bob Crum

I spent a whole year helping y'all wean from silly phonetography to real photography. Resistance is futile you know. It's true, with each new generation of cell phones there is a semi-legitimate argument for not needing a “real camera”. Cell phones are lightweight and fit in your pockets, uncomplicated and easy to use and share images immediately online. But so many limitations!

Advantages of a “real camera” are: Interchangeable lenses from macro to zoom for greater options, superior image quality overall, the ability to take artistic control over the exposure, larger image file-size capacity, higher resolution images and more detailed photos, better dynamic range & color accuracy, the ability to create high depth-of-field, adjustable shutter speeds for shooting action or sports to name a few. Of course you've heard me extol those attributes all year. Just imagine becoming a “real” photographer!

'Tis the season you know so I expect that many of you have your photography list done for Santa. If not, the following are some ideas starting with point-and-shoot (P&S) cameras.

Buying an easy-to-use P&S digital camera but have a limited budget? here are a few great cameras for starters. First, a Canon Powershot SX610 HS. The SX610 HS features an 18x optical zoom lens, a 20-megapixel sensor and an improved grip plus built in Wi-Fi and NFC.

Another worthy P&S is the Sony Cyber-Shot DSC-WX220, a 10x optical zoom, 18.2MP Exmor R CMOS sensor, NFC, and Wi-Fi built-in.

For the Nikon enthusiasts, the Nikon COOLPIX S5300 features a 16Mp CMOS sensor, 8x optical zoom and up to 16x Dynamic Fine Zoom & built in Wi-Fi.

The Panasonic Lumix SZ10 has a tilting selfie screen, 12x optical zoom lens and built-in image stabilisation & built-in Wi-Fi. Another cool compact camera is the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-WX500 which has a wide focal range, flip-up LCD, Wi-Fi and image stabilization. For a rugged-and-waterproof camera, consider the Olympus Tough TG-5 which has lots of options for above and underwater photography.

If you think you need more than a P&S, dSLRs deliver a big step up in image quality from a compact camera or smartphone, offering far more manual control and the ability to change lenses to tackle a huge variety of projects. The following are a few entry-level dSLRs to consider: Nikon D3400 or D3300 or Canon EOS Rebel T7i or T6i. The Sony Alpha 6800 is another fine dSLR entry-level camera. The Rebel is awesome!

You may also want to consider a mirrorless camera as an alternative. Panasonic, Sony, and Olympus have excellent mirrorless cameras. For any camera considered, check the manufacturer's website for full specifications.

A few caveats…Excepting P&S cameras, consider a dSLR camera a “system”. When you buy a dSLR camera: Canon, Nikon, Sony, Panasonic or Pentax, think “system”. A vital component of a dDLR system is the “lens”. Look at the lens selection for a given camera brand. Also, 3rd party lens manufacturers like Sigma and Tamron, build lenses with Canon, Nikon and in some cases Sony mounts. Thus, I use a Canon 7D MKII. The lens selection by Canon, Tamron and Sigma is huge. Also consider the kit lens with the purchase of your first dSLR which are a great value! Lastly, to insure warranty service, buy from an authorized dealer. A gray market item may be cheaper but manufacturers don't have to honor products bought from unauthorized dealers.

Photo of the week is the wildfire on the hillside west of Fillmore Monday evening about 10:30 pm.

Happy photoing. As always, send your comments, suggestions and questions to bob@fillmoregazette.com

Ventura County Department of Public Health

California Department of Public Health (CDPH) Director and State Public Health Officer Dr. Karen Smith today advised residents where wildfires have been burning in Southern California, along with people in the smoke’s path, to stay indoors and reduce outdoor activity.

“Smoke from wildfires can cause eye and lung irritation. Breathing smoke can also make asthma symptoms worse. People with underlying lung or heart problems should limit their exposure by staying indoors,” said Dr. Smith. “Heavy smoke exposure can also cause more serious disorders, including reduced lung function and bronchitis.”

People who must be outdoors for long periods, in areas with heavy smoke, or where ash is disturbed, should wear an N95 respirator mask. Since wearing a respirator can make it harder to breathe, those with lung or heart problems should ask their doctor before using one. For more information on the use of particulate respirators (masks) to protect from wildfire smoke or ash, please visit CDPH’s website.

When it is safe for residents to return home, caution should be used during the clean-up process. Ash from trees burned in wildfires is relatively nontoxic and similar to ash that might be found in your fireplace. However, ash from burned homes and other items will likely contain metals, chemicals, and potentially asbestos, items that may be considered toxic if breathed in or touched with wet skin.

If ash is inhaled, it can be irritating to the nose, throat, and lungs. Exposure to airborne ash may trigger asthmatic attacks in people who already have the respiratory condition. In order to avoid possible health problems, the following steps are recommended for people in burned areas with ash:

• Do not allow children to play in ash or be in an area where ash-covered materials are being disturbed. Wash ash off toys before children play with them. Clean ash off pets.

• Wear a tight-fitting N95 or P100 respirator mask, gloves, long-sleeved shirts, and long pants when cleaning up ash. Avoid skin contact. If you do get ash on your skin, wash it off immediately. Some wet ash can cause chemical burns.

• Avoid getting ash into the air as much as possible, for example, by avoiding sweeping it up dry. Use water and wet cloth or a mop to clean items and surfaces. Do not use leaf blowers or take other actions that will put ash into the air.

• Shop vacuums and other common vacuum cleaners do not filter out small particles. They blow such particles out the exhaust into the air where they can be inhaled. The use of shop vacuums and other non-HEPA filter vacuums is not recommended. HEPA filter vacuums could be used, if available.

“Residents should seek medical care if they experience health issues such as chest pain, chest tightness or shortness of breath. It is especially important to monitor children and young adults as they may be more susceptible to the health and emotional effects of fire recovery,” said Dr. Smith.

www.cdph.ca.gov

District Attorney Gregory D. Totten announced today that a jury found Michael Bresnak (DOB 12/22/63), of Ventura, guilty of second-degree murder for killing Jeffrey Korber on March 22, 2011.

After murdering the victim, Bresnak kept his body hidden in a freezer at a storage unit for over two years. The case was initially investigated as a missing person but a tip to police from a confidential informant led to the discovery of the victim’s body in June 2013. Bresnak was first tried in early 2016, which resulted in an 11-1 hung jury in favor of guilt.

Jurors deliberated approximately two days before returning a guilty verdict on the sole count of second-degree murder. Bresnak faces the possibility of 18 years to life in prison. Sentencing is scheduled on February 7, 2018, at 9:00 a.m. in courtroom 25 of the Ventura Superior Court, County of Ventura.