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By Dick Diaz — Wednesday, January 13th, 2010
 U.S. Army Private Kenneth Fanning I received an email recently from the mother of a young man I have known for many years. She wrote, “I just wanted to let you know for your article that my son, Kenneth Fanning, has enlisted in the Army. He left November 16th for Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. He is in Echo Company, 787th Police Battalion, 14th Military Police Brigade. Today, (December 12, 2009) Kenney turned 20! It is the first time he's been away for his birthday.” Being away for a birthday for the first time in twenty years is one of those sacrifices our young men and women, and their families make for us when they serve their Country by enlisting in the military. There will also be Christmases, Thanksgiving and many other birthdays that will be missed! Although some may think this is a small sacrifice, or not a sacrifice at all, but to a mother it is a reality that can cause her pause. Kenneth Fanning, now a United States Army Private, graduated from Fillmore High School in 2008. All of his K-12 education was within the Fillmore Unified School District. He started Kindergarten at Sespe Elementary School then transferred to San Cayetano Elementary School until the family moved to Piru where he attended Piru Elementary School. Kenneth also attended Fillmore Middle School and Fillmore High School. Kenneth and his family were very active in the Ventura County 4-H program where he raised and showed steers at the Ventura County Fair. For the last few years he was a member and the youth leader of the Santa Clara Valley Grange. Private Kenneth Fanning is the son of CONTINUED » |
 (l-r) Dave Wright, Sandy Campbell and Alisha Tipton with Mayor Patti Walker are the good Samaritans who were recognized at Tuesday night council meeting for assisting in a condominium structure fire on November 22. Enlarge Photo By Wanda Castel de Oro — Wednesday, January 13th, 2010
 Ventura City Councilmember Carl Morehouse Being a good neighbor was celebrated with a proclamation at Tuesday’s City Council meeting. The night began with Mayor Patti Walker presenting the decree to three Fillmore citizens who assisted in a condominium structure fire on November 22, 2009 in the 200 block of Arundell Circle. The good Samaritans were Sandy Campbell, Dave Wright, and Alisha Tipton. The Proclamation, read by Mayor Walker, said in part, that the actions of the three individuals “reduced the impact of a lift-threatening” situation. Central to the evening’s agenda was the discussion of Senate Bill 375, a greenhouse gas initiative which builds upon AB32, California’s groundbreaking law to reduce greenhouse gas emissions caused by urban sprawl. Morehouse began his presentation with the qualifier, “Whatever I say now, don’t kill the messenger,” which drew a laugh from Council. He went on to explain the team effort of Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) with city councils and local government. SCAG is the nation’s largest metropolitan planning/policy organization, which represents six counties, 189 cities and more than 19 million residents. With a deadline of June 2012, Ventura County cities are CONTINUED » |
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By Anonymous — Wednesday, January 13th, 2010
 Over 175 motivated volunteers converged on the Fillmore High School campus last Saturday morning to work on a number of cleanup and beautification projects. Projects included rose pruning and fertilization, mulching, raking leaves, sweeping, weeding, shrub pruning, painting of lunch tables, library cleaning and straightening, and sidewalk gum removal. The event was co-hosted by Fillmore High School, the Big Brothers-Big Sisters Mentor Program, the Fillmore Lions Club and the Fillmore Morning Rotary Club. It was a great example of collaboration between school and community groups. Enlarge Photo  The event drew about 130 participants of the Walt Disney Corporation’s “Give a Day – Get a Day” community service campaign where preregistered participants can earn a Disneyland Pass for participating in community service at a predetermined service site. Many of the “Give a Day – Get a Day” participants were from out of town from as far away as Bakersfield, Thousand Oaks and Valencia. The remaining estimated 40 – 50 participants were local students and community members. January is also National Mentoring Month so the event fit perfectly with the Big Brothers- Big Sisters Mentoring Program. In fact, a number of mentors were observed working with their mentees at the event. Enlarge Photo  With the anticipated large turnout, preparation became the key to the success of the event. Norma Magana and Lynn Edmonds managed the registration of participants while Bill Dewey of the Fillmore Lions Club saw that there were plenty of worthwhile projects and the necessary equipment for the event. The Fillmore Lions Club donated 30 gum scrapers, plastic bags, gloves, and gardening tools, and fertilizer for the event. Gama Aguilar from the Fillmore Unified School District Maintenance Department also provide support by providing mounds of mulch, a roll off dumpster, gardening tools and a pressure washer. As a result of the outstanding service of the organizers and the volunteers, Fillmore High School students reported to a much more beautiful campus Monday morning. Enlarge Photo |
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By Anonymous — Wednesday, January 13th, 2010
Gerardo Rosales Villa was sentenced by Ventura County Superior Court Judge Patricia Murphy to 22 years in prison for driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs, and with gross negligence, which caused the deaths of Miguel Gallardo, Guillermo Aguiniga, Juan Gallardo, Raul Fletes, and Horacio Sanchez. The sentence was the maximum prison term possible for the crime. Villa was also found guilty of committing the crime after having been previously convicted of driving under the influence in 1999. The driving that led to the deaths of the five victims occurred during the early morning hours of September 13, 2008, on Guiberson Road , between Piru and Fillmore. While driving with approximately twice the legal limit of alcohol and with methamphetamine in his system, Villa drifted over the center line of the two-lane road and struck a utility pole. The pole tore through the vehicle, killing the five passengers instantly, while Villa survived virtually unharmed. The fatal collision was investigated by the California Highway Patrol. (Courtesy of Ventura County District Attorneys Office.) |
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By Anonymous — Wednesday, January 13th, 2010
 Saturday afternoon at approximately 4:30 p.m. a single vehicle accident occurred in Grimes Canyon near the mining entrance. According to witnesses, a woman heading north lost control of her car and ended sideways across both lanes. A male driver following that vehicle attempted to avoid a collision, swerved onto the narrow, unpaved side of the roadway, overcorrected and rolled his Mitsubishi SUV twice before coming to rest upright. He suffered minor injuries due to the use of his seatbelt. His vehicle suffered major damage. The woman admitted causing the accident. Her car was unharmed. There were no passengers in either vehicle. Enlarge Photo |
 Above are some of the guns and drug paraphenalia recovered in the Santa Paula raid conducted on January 5th, 2010. Enlarge Photo By Anonymous — Wednesday, January 6th, 2010
Shooting, street terrorism, drugs mar New Year
At 3:51AM Friday, January 1, 2010, Christian Cardoza, 25, of Fillmore, stated he was walking in the area of 4th Street, north Fillmore, when an unknown gang member, also on foot, shot him. Cardoza was transported to the Santa Paula Memorial Hospital emergency room with a single gunshot wound to the lower leg. He was reported in good condition. Fillmore Gang Unit had been on a gun seizure case all night in the same area and immediately responded. * * * Fillmore Deputies conducted a gang sweep on January 05, 2010. They had information that some Fillmore gang members were living in the 1000 Block of East Santa Paula Street in the City of Santa Paula. During the sweep the following two gang criminals were arrested with a stolen gun, drugs for sale and cash. 30 year old Frank Arias (Santa Paula) Felony Charges: 11378 H&S - Possession of meth for sale; 11370.1(a) H&S - Possession of a controlled substance with a firearm; 496(a) PC - Possession of stolen gun; 12021 PC - Possession of a firearm by a felon; 12021(d) PC - Unlawful firearm activity; 12020(a)(1) PC - Possession of a deadly weapon; and 12316(b)(1) PC - Possession of ammunition by felon. 18 year-old Rudy Damian Mora (Fillmore). Felony Charges: CONTINUED » |
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By Carol Wilson — Wednesday, January 6th, 2010
The Fillmore Unified School District is applying to take part in the State's “Race to the Top” grant program. The state application to the federal government will be submitted on January 19. In April the federal government is expected to announce the grant awards to the states which they select to participate. When that happens, participating districts would be given 90 days to develop their implementation plans. The MOU says districts can decide to “opt out” of the program, but only if the State agrees. “The district could get as much as $750,000 under the program, but funds will only be allowed to be used for very specific things,” said Sweeney. Board member Tony Prado said,”If the money is significant than we should pursue it.” The grant is based on school and student performance. First and CONTINUED » |
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By Anonymous — Wednesday, January 6th, 2010
 On Saturday, January 02, 2010, members of the Fillmore Police Department conducted a multi-agency sobriety and driver’s license checkpoint on Ventura Street (SR 126) at C Street. The checkpoint was conducted as part of a campaign called “Avoid the 14,” which is a cooperative agreement between the fourteen law enforcement agencies within Ventura County that are participating in a grant obtained by the Oxnard Police Department from the State of California’s Office of Traffic Safety. The checkpoint was held between 6 pm and 2 am with the assistance of personnel from Oxnard Police Department; Ventura Police Department; Simi Valley Police Department; Santa Paula Police Department, and Port Hueneme Police Department. 1087 motorists passed through the checkpoint and were contacted by law enforcement personnel. Two were found to be driving under the influence of alcohol, 1 was driving under the influence of drugs, and 16 were found to be driving without a license or on a suspended or revoked driver’s license. Eight vehicles were impounded/towed. Enlarge Photo |
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By Anonymous — Monday, January 4th, 2010
Report #: 09-31998 Suspect Arrested: Ivan Guzman 25 years Fillmore On 12/31/09, at approximately 3:45 P.M, the Fillmore Police Department Gang Unit conducted probation searches in Fillmore. The street gang unit focused on making the community safer by removing drugs and firearms in advance of the New Year’s holiday. During the operation, officers searched a residence in the 900 Block of Blaine Avenue in Fillmore. As a result, suspect Ivan Guzman was arrested for multiple felony counts including possession of stolen firearms and street terrorism. Both felony counts carry a bail of $105,000. In addition suspect, Jose Mariscal, was arrested in the same house for outstanding warrants for theft and drug charges. He was booked along with Guzman. His bail is set at $12,500. Officers took a dangerous criminal combination of a gang member, 5 guns, ammunition and drugs off the streets of Fillmore. |
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By Dick Diaz — Wednesday, December 30th, 2009
 Airforce Airman First Class Jacob Bailey 2007 Fillmore High School Graduate Jacob Bailey, 20 years old is stationed with the United States Air Force at Travis Air Force Base in Northern California. In addition to FHS Jacob attended Fillmore Middle School. Jacob was an avid soccer player and played with Fillmore’s Club Team “BIB”. He enjoyed many years in AYSO and was on the FHS soccer team all 4 years he attended. Jacob also had the privilege of being part of the 2005 FHS CIF championship soccer team. Airman First Class (A1C) Jacob Bailey is the son of Janell and Arthur Beach of Fillmore California and Brad and Toni Bailey of Salt Lake City, Utah. His siblings are Justin Beach 13 years of Fillmore and Aaron Bailey 14 years of of Salt Lake City, Utah. His maternal grandparents are Ted and Claudine Saxton of Woods Cross, Utah and paternal grandfather Tony Bailey of Salt Lake City, Utah. Jacob follows a long line of family having served in the United States Armed Forces. Jacob currently has two cousins in the military; Jeremy Horton a Lance Corporal in the United States Marine Corps who recently returned from Okinawa, Japan and William Platt a Private First Class serving in the United States Army Reserves currently deployed in Afghanistan. Jacob also has one uncle, Mark Saxton, a Master Sergeant currently in the United States Army Special Forces. Jacob’s step father, Arthur Beach, is a retired Senior Master Sergeant serving 21 years in the United States Air Force and was part of the inspiration for Jacob wanting to join the Air Force. Airman First Class Jacob Bailey enlisted in the United States Air CONTINUED » |