John Silva, Sylmar

On 06/09/2017, Detectives from the Ventura County Sheriff’s West County Street Narcotics Team concluded a four month narcotic investigation into the methamphetamine trafficking activities of John Silva. On 6/09/17 at approximately 1030 hours, a traffic stop was conducted on Silva’s vehicle as he was driving in the city of Fillmore. Silva was arrested for being under the influence of a controlled substance and driving on a suspended driver’s license. A search of his vehicle revealed approximately two pounds of methamphetamine and a sum of US Currency. Later that day, the West County Street Team assisted by detectives from the Sheriff’s Special Crimes Unit, executed a search warrant at Silva’s residence in Sylmar. More narcotics, two firearms and evidence of methamphetamine sales were located.

Silva was booked at the Ventura County Main Jail on narcotic and weapons violations. He posted bail of $50,000 and is currently awaiting arraignment on his current charges.

The West County Street Narcotics Team is comprised of narcotic detectives from the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office and the Oxnard Police Department.

Prepared by: Sergeant Guy Moody
Approved by: Captain Robert Thomas

Ventura County Crime Stoppers will pay up to $1,000 reward for information, which leads to the arrest and criminal complaint against the person(s) responsible for this crime. The caller may remain anonymous. The call is not recorded. Call Crime Stoppers at 800-222-TIPS (8477).

Fillmore High School graduating senior, Alejandra Rodriguez is the recipient of the 2017 Rosie Torres Scholarship For Future Teachers. Torres, a retired Fillmore teacher and long-time school volunteer, recently presented the award at an on-campus ceremony.
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Alejandra Rodriguez, a graduating Fillmore High School senior, has been named the 2017 recipient of the Rosie Torres Scholarship for Future Teachers. Members of the Torres family were on hand to present Ramos with the $1,000 scholarship at a recent award ceremony held on campus.

“We congratulate Alejandra for her performance in the classroom and the dedication she has shown to supporting her peers through leadership positions in clubs and activities,” said Rosie Torres. “She has demonstrated a commitment to hard work, academic success and continuous improvement throughout her high school years. We wish her success as she embarks on her next goal to become part of the future generation of educational leaders.”

Now in its fourth year, the Rosie Torres Scholarship For Future Teachers was established to provide college financial assistance to Fillmore High School graduating seniors with plans to pursue a career in early childhood education, elementary education or secondary education and continue their studies at an accredited college or university.

Rosie Torres devoted nearly 30 years to teaching in the Fillmore Unified School District and touched the lives of hundreds of students throughout her career as an educator and community volunteer. Along with her family, she established the scholarship program to inspire the next generation of teachers and invest in Fillmore High School students who are committed to improving the lives of children.

Awards are determined based on academic performance, teacher recommendations and a written essay. Rodriguez’s future plans are to pursue a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and to become a high school math teacher.

At the Fillmore High School Awards Night, scholarships were present to Collin Farrar, Connie Quintana, Luke Myers, Michael Thompson, Alyssa Ramirez, Virginia Rodriguez, Kiara Del Villar, Sarah Stewart, Bryana Pribe, Marisol Gonzalez, Jaime Jose Gonzales, Janet Mendez, and Kevin Galvan Sifuentes.

Trade and Art Scholarships were presented to Diego Rodrigues, Cody Isaacs and Monterrat Ifante Torres.

Three scholarships were awarded to students, residents of Fillmore, Jessica Schott attending Villanova Preparatory School, Chloe Richardson attending Grace Brethren High School and Michael Groeneveld attending St. Bonnaventure High School.

Davin Banks received the Adult Woman's Scholarship.

The Scholarship Committee enjoyed meeting all the applicants, and were impressed with their accomplishments and their desire and enthusiasm to continue their education.

Need to Cool Off? Cooling Center Now Open.

The City of Fillmore has opened the Active Adult Center located at 533 Santa Clara Street in Fillmore as a “Cooling Center” from 1:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. The Cooling Center is opened Monday through Friday. The weather forecast is for extreme heat and the Cooling Center can be an oasis for seniors. The dates and hours can change depending on the weather but whenever the temperature reaches 90 or above the Cooling Center is opened. Fillmore residents are encouraged to use the center to remove themselves from the heat. Cold water and ice are provided.

If you have any questions please feel free to call City Hall at (805) 524-1500 or the Fillmore Active Adult Center at 524-3030.

The mere thought of ribs on the barbie generates torrents of drool. Moreover, the aroma of pork ribs wafting in the air creates excruciating taste bud sensitivity. The prescribed remedy: Consume all-you-can-eat gastroliscious ribs and a tall, cold brewski. When I finally arrived on the downtown scene, I could still smell the last of the ribs that were being taken to city hall, escorted by the Fillmore National Guard and on to the judges. You know, I could do that rib judging gig. For free!

Back to business and some shop talk... just between us. Just a little so don't run off. You've heard me mention about shooting in manual mode. Actually, most times it's in semi-manual mode. Meaning I mostly use either aperture priority or shutter priority while the camera's computer evaluates and adjusts exposure accordingly. Shooting the rib championship and the honey festival is an example of using both semi-manual modes depending on the circumstances and my intentions and/or desired results.

Photographing the judging in city hall, I used aperture priority. I was more interested in depth-of-field meaning foreground and background in focus. When shooting an 8-foot table from one end, with a food presenter at my end, I preferred to have all the people at the table in focus. But intentions don't always agree with circumstances. Though I would have liked to close the aperture to perhaps f/11 to increase depth-of-field (DOF), available light didn't allow for it. Therefore, I had to open the aperture enough for proper exposure. But that's not necessarily bad. Opening the aperture causes the background to blur somewhat because of decreased DOF. This however, directs the viewer's eyes to the subject in the foreground. Many times, directing the viewers eyes is intended. But not always. Blurry backgrounds is not my style... well, except after a couple strawberry margarrritas. But I digress...

After the BBQ shoot, I quickly boarded the Bennett Honey Farm Express so I could get a crowd shot. Here again I preferred everyone in focus. And because light was plentiful, I used f/11 (surprise!) to achieve the required depth of field (DOF). BTW, I use f/11 so much it should be my middle name. Anyway, everyone is in focus, from the first person in the line to the lady with the pink hat waaaaaaaay in the back. However, not sure if it was her hat or a strawberry margarita she was holding high.

The second the train began to move, I immediately switched to shutter priority and increased the shutter speed considerably. The Fillmore & Western highball to Piru might only go 10 mph but it's on a railbed laid in 1887! I know... I was there! Since than, super glue might have been added to the tracks here and there but it's still a bit of a rickety ride. Because I'm rocking to and fro like wild buckwheat in a Santa Ana breeze, I set a high shutter speed to hopefully prevent photo blur as mush...er... much (oh those strawberry margarritas) as possible. For the duration of the trip, I left the aperture on f/11. At the Honey Farm I had to again open the aperture to obtain a respectable exposure in less indoor light. Through the day, white balance and ISO were left on “auto”.

The more you understand the relationship between the trinity of aperture, shutter speed and ISO, the better you can apply the appropriate camera settings to achieve a desired result. Or compensate for any given situation. It's all about creativity! Provided, of course, you're a photographer... not a phonetographer. Just sayin'.

Happy photoing.

Email your comments, suggestions or questions to bob@fillmoregazette.com

The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) and California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) are reminding everyone to stay cool and hydrated as temperatures across the state continue to climb.

For the next several days, temperatures are expected to be 10–15 degrees above normal with many places topping 100 degrees.

“It’s going to be a hot week, and we would like everyone to protect themselves from the dangers of excessive heat,” said CDPH Director and State Health Officer Dr. Karen Smith. “It is important that everyone stay cool, stay hydrated, stay inside and take other precautions to prevent heat-related illness.”

Extreme heat poses a substantial health risk, especially for vulnerable populations including young children, the elderly, those with chronic diseases or disabilities, pregnant women and people who are socially isolated.

“Simple actions can avoid tragic situations when we know weather changes like these are in the forecast,” said Cal OES Director Mark Ghilarducci. “Err on the side of caution if you’re going to be outside these coming days.”

Heat-related illness includes: cramps, heat exhaustion, heat stroke and death. Warning signs of heat-related illnesses may include heavy sweating, muscle cramps, weakness, headache and nausea. Vomiting, paleness, tiredness and dizziness can also be indicators of heat-related illness.

In areas where air quality is poor, people with heart disease, asthma or other respiratory diseases should reduce or eliminate their outdoor activities. Summer schools and programs with children who have sensitive conditions, including heart disease, asthma and other respiratory diseases, should conduct activities indoors as much as possible.

CDPH offers the following tips to stay safe during this period of excessive heat:

• Never leave infants, children, elderly or pets in a parked car. It can take as little as 10 minutes for the temperature inside a car to rise to levels that can kill.

• Drink plenty of water or juice, even if you are not thirsty. Avoid alcohol.

• If you don’t have air conditioning, visit a cooling center or a public place with air conditioning (such as a shopping mall or library) to cool off for a few hours each day.

• Avoid outdoor physical exertion during the hottest parts of the day. Reduce exposure to the sun from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. when UV rays are strongest, and keep physical activities to a minimum during that time.

• Wear a wide-brimmed hat to cover the face and neck, wear loose-fitting clothing to keep cool and to protect your skin from the sun.

• Regularly check on any elderly relatives or friends who live alone. Many may be on medications which increase likelihood of dehydration.

• To prevent overheating, use cool compresses, misting, showers and baths. Get medical attention if you experience a rapid, strong pulse, you feel delirious or have a body temperature above 102 degrees.

Liberally apply sunscreen (at least SPF 15) 15 minutes before venturing outdoors and re-apply at least every two hours – sunscreen may reduce the risk of skin cancer, the number one cancer affecting Californians.

Visit CDPH’s website for more tips for preventing heat-related illness and tips for treating heat-related illness. You can also find more information about summer heat on Cal OES’ website.

https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/EPO/Pages/BI_Natural-Disasters_Extreme-...

https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/EPO/Pages/BI_Natural-Disasters_Extreme-...

www.cdph.ca.gov