On Sunday night at approximately 6:34 p.m., a 2006 Chrysler PT Cruiser driven by Carlos Pineda 37, Fillmore, was westbound on Old Telegraph Road when it made an unsafe turning movement leaving the roadway and colliding with a raised curb, a drainage culvert, and a tree. Pineda refused medical treatment at the scene. The passenger in Pineda’s vehicle, Olga Rodriguez 45, Fillmore, was transported to the Santa Paula Emergency Room for injuries sustained during to the collision.

Deputies from the Fillmore Police Department responded to the collision. Their investigation resulted in Pineda being arrest for Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol and Causing Injury. Pineda consented to a blood test and was later booked into the Ventura County Jail.

On Sunday evening at approximately 9:20 p.m., Carlos Perez 44, Los Angeles, was driving a 1982 Datsun 280ZX north on A Street when he failed to stop or slow for the stop signed intersection at First Street and he collided with the rear end of Martha Sandoval’s 49, Santa Paula, 2005 Honda Accord. Prior to the collision, Martha Sandoval was going north on A Street and she was accelerating away from the stop sign at First Street to continue north.

Perez’ Datsun sustained major front end damage from the collision and was no longer operable. He fled the crash scene on foot running south on A Street. Martha Sandoval’s Honda sustained moderate rear end damage, but was still drivable. She pursued Perez in her car while calling 9-1-1 for assistance. Responding deputies from the Fillmore Station captured Perez on Sespe Avenue east of A Street.

The investigation established that Perez had been driving while under the influence of alcohol. A passenger in Martha Sandoval’s Honda was injured as a result of the collision. Joanna Sandoval, 29, Santa Paula, 7 months pregnant, was admitted at the Ventura County Medical Center for observation. Perez was arrested and he completed a blood test. He was then booked at the Sheriff’s Pre Trial Detention Facility for Driving under the Influence of Alcohol Causing Injury and Hit and Run with Injury.

Some 20 lucky Fillmore Middle School boys, ages 12 to 14, will have an exciting adventure this summer at R.M. Pyles Boys Camp. Pyles Boys Camp offers the opportunity to build confidence, instill pride, the value of hard work, and respect for self and others. Many adult Fillmore and Piru men who participated in Pyles in their youth still speak enthusiastically about their own experiences and how they can vividly remember the wilderness, the team competitions, the campsite talks and jokes at night.

The wilderness camp experience provides leadership development opportunities and future college scholarship programs. It focuses on building self-confidence, goal setting, decision making and learning that success comes only through significant personal effort. The boys are exposed to a positive peer group environment as well as successful former campers who are now providing leadership in their community. Some activities include: horseback riding, hiking, camping, fishing, archery, ropes and confidence courses, team building, a 4-day backpacking trip in the wilderness and just plain fun! It can truly be a life changing experience.

A physical exam and forms signed by parents are required, but other than that the camp is free. There will be a Pyles Orientation in early June to answer all questions.

For applications to enroll a youth ages 12 to 14 contact: Norma Pérez-Sandford, FMS Counselor at 524-6074 or Fillmore School District School Resource Officer Leonardo Vázquez at 524-6000. Camp spots are filling up fast, so parents are urged to act now.

Scott Carol, Principal of Sespe Elementary, presents Sespe Cafeteria Supervisor Lou Hoover, also known as Grandma Lou, the Classified Employee of the Year.
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Migrant Parent of the Year Maria Ramirez, Ramirez was ill, but her daughter accepted the plaque in her honor.
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Migrant Student of the Year for FHS Senior Eduardo Gomez.
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Tuesday's Fillmore Unified School District (FUSD) Board Meeting was ceremonious with awards handed out to staff and students. Awards included: Migrant Student of the Year, Migrant Parent of the Year, Administrator of the Year, Classified Employee of the Year, Student of the Year, Student Representative Recognition and Celebration of Migrant Speech and Debate Students and Coaches.

FUSD Board Member David Wilde presented Migrant Student of the Year to Fillmore High School (FHS) Senior Eduardo Gomez for his community involvement and exceptional leadership. Gomez, who participates in numerous sports including football, soccer, basketball, track and swimming, is also a member of the Police Explorers. He volunteers during events such as the Speech and Debate Tournament along with participating in activities like Family Conference, Engineering, Science and Technology Conference and State College Day. He is active in his church and does all this while maintaining a high grade point average. He plans to enter college and study Criminology after he graduates.

Migrant Parent of the Year honors went to Maria Ramirez. Ramirez is a member of the Migrant Parent Advisory Committee and Vice President of EIAC along with being a member of the Sespe School Site Council. Ramirez volunteers in her daughter's classroom helping organize supplies and this year she was a judge for the Migrant Speech & Spelling Tournament. Ramirez was ill and could not be there to accept the award. Her daughter accepted the plaque for her.

Administrator of the Year honors went to District Office Director Carol Barringer. Barringer has worked with FUSD for over 33 years starting as a teacher at Piru Elementary for 20 years, then Piru Principal for six years and Principal at Mountain Vista Elementary for three years; and finally District Director for the last six years. Barringer who lives in Santa Paula also has a daughter who also works for FUSD.

Scott Carol, Principal of Sespe Elementary, presented Sespe Cafeteria Supervisor Lou Hoover, also known as Grandma Lou, the Classified Employee of the Year. Each school day Hoover prepares the meals for 550 students and was honored for her ability to get things done.

The outgoing Student CONTINUED »

The Bardsdale Cemetery will hold it Memorial Day Ceremony on Monday, May 27th at 11AM.

Featured speaker this year is Carlos Martinez of Fillmore. Carlos has lived in Fillmore since 2007. He has done 2 tours of Iraq and a tour of Afghanistan. He is a graduate of Santa Clara High School where he played football. He joined the Army in 2004.and is presently a Sergeant, E5, When he is not deployed Carlos volunteers with Boy Scout Troop 406 and has helped them place the flags at the Cemetery.

The Rev. Bob Hammond will give the Memorial Service, special music will be provided by the Bardsdale Methodist Church choir.

Also assisting in the ceremony will be VFW Post 9637, Boy Scout Troop 406, Cub Scout Troop 3400 and Bob Thompson. The Boy Scouts will put out the flags on Friday, May 24th and they will be picked up by the Bardsdale 4H on Tuesday, May 28st.

The Board of Trustees of the Cemetery District: Scott Lee, President, Lynda Edmonds, Secretary, Rita Rudkin, Gabriel Asenas and Dick Diaz would like to invite the community to this special event.

Stephen R. Stuart and Dave Burkhart discuss sewer bill payment options with council Tuesday night.

The Council is wasting little time in filling the vacant seat left by resigning Council Member Brian Sipes. They will be accepting applications for the City Council seat this week. The deadline to turn them in the application is May 29, 2013 at noon. A staff report will be written up and a decision by the Council will be made at a meeting on Friday, May 31, 2013.

There were less than 10 people in attendance at Tuesday's Fillmore City Council Meeting, a surprise considering an agenda item that could have a big impact on most City residents and businesses. That item was a workshop about placing future sewer service changes as an assessment on the tax roll for collection instead of being billed each month. The Sewer Ad Hoc Committee spent a significant amount of time on possible ways to cut costs and came up with a range of different ideas. The billing change was one idea proposed in an effort to help the City's cash flow and cut the drain on City staff, by eliminating monthly notices or water shut offs, which require City staff work hours. "The big issue," according to Stephen R. Stuart, Fillmore Building Official and Code Enforcement Officer, "is the unpaid service charges are a burden to the rest of the paying customers."

Former Mayor Roger Campbell CONTINUED »