The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) will accept written comments from the public until March 4 concerning a proposed safety enhancement project on State Route 126 in Ventura County.

Caltrans is formally initiating studies for the project to enhance safety along the highway corridor and reduce the potential for conflicting traffic movements.

The project is located on Highway 126 between Hallock Drive in the city of Santa Paula and E Street in the city of Fillmore. Highway 126 provides an east-west connection between US Highway 101 in Ventura County and Interstate 5 in Los Angeles County. The project length is approximately 7 miles.

Caltrans is considering options that include a concrete median barrier or a raised median island with visual markers. Possible features include roundabouts, wider road curves, an acceleration/deceleration lane at railroad crossings, retaining walls and improved highway access including driveways at various locations.

Caltrans is soliciting written comments from public agencies, private entities and interested individuals regarding any potential social, economic, community, traffic, safety and environmental issues related to this project.

Information about the project and the environmental process is available online at http://www.dot.ca.gov/dist07/travel/projects/126/

Caltrans held two public scoping meetings on the proposed project and the environmental process on Jan. 27 in Fillmore and Feb. 3 in Santa Paula. Both meetings were attended by members of the public, elected officials and agency representatives.

Caltrans is interested in hearing the point of view of all parties interested in the project, to ensure that all relevant factors are considered.

Comments, suggestions and inquiries can be submitted (postmarked by March 4) to Tami Podesta, Branch Chief; California Department of Transportation; Division of Environmental Planning (SR-126 Safety Enhancement Project); 100 South Main St., Suite 100, MS 16A; Los Angeles CA 90012.

After reading last week's Fillmore Gazette about a recent theft of softball equipment at Shiells Park a Local Rancher stepped up to the plate and donated $2000 to be used to replace the stolen softball equipment.

Donations like this greatly lift some of the heavy financial burden youth organizations struggle with each year; especially when they get unwanted surprises like the recent theft. The cost to equip and to run the leagues increase each year and much of the increase is passed on to the participants and their families. The generosity of this local rancher will not only help to replace all of the equipment that was stolen but it will allow the organization to purchase additional equipment for the kids. Sports is a sanctuary for many kids who have nothing else to do. Participation is important for the growth and development of young people. They learn teamwork, discipline, self-control, self-respect, and it teaches them how to interact with others and understand that their actions affect others around them. All of these are important in the development of young minds and bodies. The Fillmore Youth Softball program would like to thank the Local Ranch for their very generous donation.

The American Red Cross urges eligible donors to help ensure a sufficient blood supply for patients by giving blood this February.

During the winter months, inclement winter weather and seasonal illnesses can keep regular donors from giving blood. Healthy donors of all blood types are needed to help maintain an adequate blood supply for patients in their own communities as well as areas where donors were unable to give due to severe winter weather. Individuals with types O, AB, B negative and A negative blood are especially needed.

Donor Loretta Brandon knows how important it is to have a readily available blood supply. Her late husband required transfusions from generous strangers multiple times for health conditions. She gives blood as often as she can. “Every time I give blood, I am filled with a sense of gratitude for all I have and for the fact that I can share with others,” she said.

Make an appointment to help maintain an adequate blood supply for patients in need this winter by downloading the free Red Cross Blood Donor App, visiting redcrossblood.org or calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).

American Red Cross Woodland Hills Donation Center
6338 Variel Ave.
Woodland Hills, Calif. 91367

Monday and Tuesday: 12:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Friday: 7:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.
Saturday: 7:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.

Additional blood donation opportunities:
Oak Park
2/23/2016: 8:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m., Oak Park High School, 899 North Kanan Road

Oxnard
2/24/2016: 8:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m., Rio Mesa High School, 545 Central Ave

Simi Valley
2/20/2016: 9 a.m. - 3 p.m., Rancho Santa Suzanna Community Center, 5005-C Los Angeles Ave

Thousand Oaks
2/16/2016: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., California Lutheran University, 60 West Olsen Road
2/17/2016: 1 p.m. - 7 p.m., Thousand Oaks Inn, 75 W Thousand Oaks Blvd
2/22/2016: 1 p.m. - 7 p.m., Thousand Oaks Inn, 75 W Thousand Oaks Blvd
2/24/2016: 1 p.m. - 7 p.m., Thousand Oaks Inn, 75 W Thousand Oaks Blvd

Ventura
2/16/2016: 1 p.m. - 7 p.m., Ventura City Hall, 501 Poli Street

How to donate blood
Simply download the American Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit redcrossblood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) to make an appointment or for more information. All blood types are needed to ensure a reliable supply for patients. A blood donor card or driver’s license or two other forms of identification are required at check-in. Individuals who are 17 years of age (16 with parental consent in some states), weigh at least 110 pounds and are in generally good health may be eligible to donate blood. High school students and other donors 18 years of age and younger also have to meet certain height and weight requirements.

Blood donors can now save time at their next donation by using RapidPass to complete their pre-donation reading and health history questionnaire online, on the day of their donation, prior to arriving at the blood drive. To get started and learn more, visit redcrossblood.org/RapidPass and follow the instructions on the site.

About the American Red Cross
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies about 40 percent of the nation’s blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or visit us on Twitter at @RedCross.

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The Fillmore Chamber of Commerce would like to call for Nominations for the 2015 Citizen of The Year and Lifetime Achievement Citizen of The Year. Nominations may be as simple as a few paragraphs stating the reason you feel the individual should be selected as Citizen of the year and any community involvement and or accomplishments. The individual must be a resident of the City of Fillmore. The Deadline for submissions is March 1, 2016. Please email to fillmorechamberc@gmail.com or mail directly to Fillmore Chamber of Commerce P.O. BOX 815 Fillmore, Ca. 93016 or fax to (805)524-2555.

Suspect 1 - Hispanic Male, balding black hair, 5’5” - 5’8”, 180 - 200 lbs Late 40's
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Suspect 2 - Hispanic Female, shoulder length brown hair, 5’2” - 5’5”, 130 – 150 lbs 40's
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On July 3, 2015, a female victim and her family were having dinner at El Pescador Restaurant in the city of Fillmore. The victim hung her purse on the back rest of her chair and enjoyed her meal. After eating, the victim realized her purse was stolen.

Surveillance footage captured the below pictured subjects entering the restaurant. The female enters the restaurant with her cellphone to her ear and pretends to look for her party. The male subject enters shortly thereafter and walks by the victim. The male grabs the purse and covers it with his black jacket. The male immediately walks out of the restaurant, and the female follows a few seconds later.

Both subjects get into a silver or gray early 2000’s Acura MDX, driven by a third subject, and flee the area, west on Highway 126.

The same male subject stole a purse from a female victim shopping at Smart & Final, in the city of Camarillo. The victim placed her purse in the shopping cart. The victim became distracted and, when she returned to her cart, her purse was gone.

Surveillance footage captured the same male subject using his jacket to cover the victim’s purse as he took it from the cart and walked out of the store. In this case, the suspect was seen working with another unknown male subject who also entered the store and appeared to be the primary subject’s “look out.” Both suspects got into the same vehicle described in the Fillmore incident.

The Sheriff’s Office is asking for the public’s assistance in locating and/or identifying the suspects pictured below. If anyone has information or if you have been victimized, you are encouraged to contact Detective Javier Chavez at the Fillmore Police Station.

Nature of Incident: Organized Purse Thieves
Report Number: 15-14958
Location: 1305 W. Ventura St., Fillmore
Date & Time: July 3, 2015, at 9:15 PM
Unit(s) Responsible: Fillmore Investigations
(S)uspects, (V)ictims, (P)arty, (D)ecedent City of Residence
Suspect 1 - Hispanic Male, balding black hair, 5’5” - 5’8”, 180 -200 lbs Late 40's
Suspect 2 - Hispanic Female, shoulder length brown hair, 5’2” - 5’5”, 130 – 150 lbs 40's
Vehicle:
Silver / gray early 2000’s Acura MDX (SUV)
Prepared by: Detective Javier Chavez
Media Release Date: January 29, 2016
Follow-Up Contact: Detective Javier Chavez, 805-524-2233; Javier.chavez@ventura.org
Approved by: Captain Dave Wareham

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).

Lynda Miller

Tuesday's Fillmore Unified School District (FUSD) Board Meeting began with recognition of Lynda Miller, President and Founder of Support for the Kids. Miller has dedicated 20 years to charitable organization work helping children and families. Superintendent Dr. Adrian Palazuelos introduced Miller stating, "Lynda Miller has touched a lot of lives here in Fillmore." Fillmore Middle School Principal Scott Carroll referred to her as an angel saying, "She's been a model for giving." Other statements were equally praising Miller's dedication saying, "It is wonderful to know there's someone out there so giving and supportive to kids and families time and time again." Testimonies were given of the wide range of support and offerings Miller has given to the community such as stoves, beds, clothes and more for those in need.

Miller responded stating, "Thank you for the recognition. There is nothing greater than giving someone a helping hand." She continued stating that it would not have been possible without the support of her husband Gary Miller, "Without him nothing could have happened."

The first item discussed was a grant presented by Assistant Superintendent Andrea McNeill. FUSD received $287,513 in grant money which is part of the $500 million in one-time monies called the "Educator Effectiveness Block Grant. School districts may use the funding for specific professional development activities such as beginning teacher and administrator support, coaching, support for improvement, professional development, promoting teacher quality and effectiveness. $137,200 equates to $700 per teacher for preparedness for Common Core, Cooperative Learning, English Language Development and other needs, with the remaining $150,313 being used for Literacy Coaches.

The next item discussed was the AVID Program (Advancement Via Individual Determination) presented by Director Charice Guerra. AVID is a 501c3 nonprofit established in 1980 that provides strategies for encouraging and promoting a path to college for underrepresented students. Fillmore High School, with 122 students in the program, has had the program for a number of years and Fillmore Middle School, with 64 students in the program, recently reinstated it on its campus.

Fillmore High School senior Luis Landeros, who is part of the program, spoke of his future goals of studying engineering in college through grants and scholarships. Destiny Zavala, an 11th grader and also part of the program, spoke of her college goals majoring in either the medical field or journalism.

The last item discussed was Core/Basic Materials presented by Assistant Superintendent Martha Hernandez. The materials discussed was the need for new textbooks. "We are really very behind," Hernandez told the Board. There are a number of new AP classes that need new textbook and other classes that have outdated textbooks. For the new classes; AP Statistics will be issued "The Practice of Statistics," AP Environmental Science will be issued "Living in the Environment" and AP Psychology will be issued.

Other textbooks that are being replaced; AP US History will be issued (new) "American Pageant," AP European History will be issued "Western Civilization" and Native Speakers 2 will be issued "!Ven conmigo! Nuevas Vistas Curso Dos." The new textbooks will be on display for public viewing in the FUSD Boardroom for 30 days.

In final discussions Palazuelos informed everyone that there are presently three new math programs being piloted at Fillmore Middle School.

An action taken and approved was Board Members Sean Morris and Scott Beylik were appointed to the Long-Range Facilities Master Plan Steering Committee for a term of one year.

In a continuing effort to help women advance their education, the local Fillmore chapter of P.E.O. (Philanthropic Education Organization) will be offering financial awards this spring. To be eligible, you must be a woman who attends or has been accepted to an accredited undergraduate degree program or a vocational/skills training program, live within the 93015 Zip code area, and have at least a 3.5 grade point average. Anyone interested should contact the College and Career Center if you are a student at Fillmore or Sierra High School or contact Patricia Morris at morrisp905@gmail.com. The deadline for application is March 6, 2016.