![]() The 400-pound male black bear who had become a regular visitor to Fillmore in recent months was struck by a car and killed on Friday night, June 5th, 2026. The car received major damage, passengers were unhurt. Photo credit Angel Esquivel. Enlarge Photo By Gazette Staff Writers — Thursday, June 11th, 2026
At approximately 10 p.m. on Friday, June 5, the California Highway Patrol responded to calls of a bear struck by a vehicle on Highway 126 at Trestle Way, Fillmore. |
![]() On Thursday, June 4, at 7pm, Fillmore High School held its 2026 Graduation Ceremony at the FHS Football Stadium. Family and friends filled the bleachers to gather in celebration of this year’s graduates. Photo credit Crystal Gurrola. Enlarge Photo By Gazette Staff Writers — Thursday, June 11th, 2026
Fillmore High School’s graduating Class of 2026 entered the football field to Pomp and Circumstance (courtesy FHS Band led by Greg Godfrey) on Thursday night, June 4th, to the roar of a packed crowd of family and friends cheering them on. Arch Bearers were in place as they filed into the stadium and took their seats, marking the end of their 4-year journey, joining the ranks of Fillmore High School Alumni since June 1909. Alejandro Rangel thrilled the crowd with his Jimi Hendrix-style National Anthem, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance, led by ASB President Sabrina Galvez. FHS Principal Cinda Francis welcomed the crowd before three personal messages were delivered by Senior Class President Mia Garcia (“Who Will I Become?”), Valedictorian Christine Nguyen (“How to Grow”), and FHS teacher Salvador Lopez (“Today is the Day”). Seated on the dais were Board of Education members Scott Beylik, Tricia Gradias, Sean Morris, Lucy Rangel, and Olivia Palacio. Mariachi Los Rayos played a senior melody of fantastic, crowd stirring music before the Presentation of Awards by FHS Superintendent Christine Schieferle. Then the big moment came when Presentation of Diplomas was led by counselors Amalia Granados and Dena Wyand. The FHS Band played the school’s Alma Mater, ending with Salutatorian Cassandra Mendoza leading the Tassel Ceremony. The audience then exited the bleachers and spilled onto the field to congratulate and celebrate Fillmore High School’s Class of 2026!! |
![]() Fillmore Adult School Principal Blanca Mendieta said, “Fillmore Adult School proudly celebrated the achievements of the Class of 2026. It was an evening dedicated to recognizing the hard work, perseverance, and determination of our graduates. A special thank you to our Fillmore Unified School District leadership team, School Board members, staff, families, and community members who joined us in recognizing this important milestone. We would also like to extend our sincere appreciation to Dr. Charles Weis for serving as our guest speaker and sharing his words of encouragement and inspiration with our graduates. Congratulations Class of 2026! Your dedication and determination have brought you to this moment, and we look forward to seeing all that you accomplish in the future!” Enlarge Photo By Gazette Staff Writers — Thursday, June 11th, 2026
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![]() Sierra High School and Heritage Valley Independent Studies Principal Blanca Mendieta said, “Sierra High School and Heritage Valley Independent Studies proudly celebrated the graduation of their senior class surrounded by family, friends, staff, and community leaders. We were honored to have Superintendent Schieferle, Board President Palacios, trustees, and district leadership in attendance as we recognized our graduates. Congratulations Class of 2026!” Enlarge Photo By Gazette Staff Writers — Thursday, June 11th, 2026
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![]() On Wednesday, May 27, Fillmore High hosted the 38th Annual Senior Awards Night at the FHS Gym and awarded $363,000 in scholarships, Valedictorians and awards to deserving students. Enlarge Photo By Gazette Staff Writers — Thursday, June 11th, 2026
Martin Cruz, Fillmore High School College and Career Counselor said, “Fillmore High School celebrated its 38th annual Senior Awards Night on Wednesday, May 27, where students saw the fruits of their labor. Seniors begin applying to scholarships in the Fall semester all the way through the Spring semester, and eagerly wait for Senior Awards Night to find out whether they are recipients of awards and scholarships. This evening, the ceremony was attended by more than 32 community members who were awarded recognitions or scholarships to students. The awards and scholarships included: the VIP Scholarship, George Thompson “Diamond In The Rough”, Marine Corps High School Award, Association of Old Crows (AOC) Commander William J. Coffey Memorial Scholarship, Fillmore Athletic Booster Club, Southern California Wrestling Officials Association, Baldin/Scanlin Scholarship, Fillmore Rotary, Fillmore Unified Teachers’ Association Scholarship, Gaitan - Piru Scholarship, Henry Mayo Newhall Scholarship, P.E.O Women’s Education Award, Soroptimist International Club, Sespe Players Scholarship, Heritage Valley Blazers Scholarship, Fillmore High Alumni Association Scholarship, Fillmore Women’s Service Club Scholarship, Never Change Scholarship, Fillmore Lions Club, Rosie Torres for Future Teachers, Piru Petroleum Club Scholarship, James Jimenez Scholarship, Ventura County Community Foundation, Santa Clara Valley Wellness Foundation, 20th Century Onyx Club Scholarship, Elks National Foundation Scholarship, AMG Associates Inc. (Future Builders Scholarships), Hensel Phelps Construction Co., and the Edison Scholar. The four main educational awards included: the California Scholarship Federation, Seal of Biliteracy, Golden State Seal, and the Class of 2026 Valedictorians. At the end of the night, more than $363,200 in scholarships was awarded. A special thank you to The Candy Bar (balloons), La Flor Bonita (flowers), for adding their special touch to the evening, and to the photographer, Veronica Gonzalez (E.A.O.P. Coordinator at Fillmore High School).” |
![]() On Thursday, June 4, on the west end of the city, the Ventura County Fire Department, in conjunction with the Fillmore Fire Department, conducted a controlled burn grass fire in support of a weeklong wildland fire safety class. The class consisted of 32 hours of classroom and field experience. The intent of the class was to teach firefighters how to properly and safely introduce fire to assist in controlling an actual wildland fire. The class was attended by 30 students with a total of 80 personnel on-site for the live fire exercise. Photo credit Angel Esquivel. Enlarge Photo By Gazette Staff Writers — Thursday, June 11th, 2026
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By Gazette Staff Writers — Thursday, June 11th, 2026
THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. – The Ventura County Fire Department announced today that Truck 29 has officially been placed into service, enhancing fire protection and technical rescue capabilities for the Santa Clara River Valley and the entire county. |
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By Gazette Staff Writers — Thursday, June 4th, 2026
Each year the Fillmore Rotary Club presents Graduation Sashes to the seniors who will be going into the military. Rotary member Kelli Couse started this when she realized these students were not recognized at graduation. The students who received sashes this year are Michelle Setty who will be going into the Navy, and Sofia Ibarra who will be going into the Coast Guard. Not pictured is Alexander Ramirez who will be going into the Marines. Pictured right is FHS Principal Cinda Francesa with Michelle Setty and Sofia Ibarra. Photo credit Martha Richardson. |
![]() Courtesy Fillmore PD: “On Sunday, May 31, 2026, at approximately 11:45pm, patrol deputies were dispatched to a solo vehicle traffic accident at 1160 W. Ventura Street (O’Reilly Auto Parts). Deputies discovered a truck had left the roadway and collided with the building, causing minor damage. During the investigation, deputies determined the male driver and solo occupant, a resident of Acton, was under the influence of alcohol. The driver was arrested and transported by ambulance to a local hospital as a precaution. The driver was medically cleared at the hospital and booked at the Pre-Trial Detention Facility for violation of California Vehicle Code section 23152(a).” Photo credit Angel Esquivel. Enlarge Photo By Fillmore Police Department — Thursday, June 4th, 2026
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![]() On Saturday, May 30, 2025, the Sgt. Ron Helus Ride for the Blue event was held to honor all first responders. This year’s ride began at 8:00 a.m. at Simi Valley City Hall. They stopped at the following police stations in this order: Thousand Oaks, Moorpark, Camarillo, Port Hueneme, Oxnard, Ventura, and Santa Paula, before ending their ride at the Fillmore Police Station at 2:30pm. Photo credit Angel Esquivel. Enlarge Photo By Gazette Staff Writers — Thursday, June 4th, 2026
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![]() Fillmore Police Department: “Thank you to everyone who came out and joined us for our Bike Safety Rodeo this past Saturday! We hope everyone enjoyed our event along with the delicious food, sweet treats, coffee provided by our vendors, and McGruff the Crime Dog. We hope to see everyone out riding their bikes safely this summer. See you all next year!” Photo credit Angel Esquivel. See more photos online at www.FillmoreGazette.com. Enlarge Photo By Gazette Staff Writers — Thursday, June 4th, 2026
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By Gazette Staff Writers — Thursday, June 4th, 2026
Posted on 5/27/2026 3:34:00 PM, courtesy https://www.vcoe.org/news/ArticleID/10242/ |
![]() Above are this year’s scholarship winners. Student Ruby Bronsten, pictured front left, received a $1,500 scholarship. Christine Nguyen, Aideth Gonzalez, Anndee Bacerra, Lizbeth Mendez, Brayden Ibarra, Casey Spore and Diego Tapia received $500 scholarships. Enlarge Photo By Gazette Staff Writers — Thursday, June 4th, 2026
The Fillmore Lions Club would like to announce the students from Fillmore High School that were awarded scholarships for 2026. The scholarship award process is rigorous and requires students to submit an essay, community service log and high school transcript. A scholarship review committee is formed to review these requirements, and though all the students were highly qualified, only eight students were selected. |
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By Gazette Staff Writers — Thursday, June 4th, 2026
On Monday, May 25, 2026, at approximately 1:21pm, officers from the California High Patrol were in pursuit of a white Subaru in the area of Briggs Road and SR 126. The pursuit was headed toward the City of Fillmore and CHP requested our assistance, as the vehicle was registered to an address in the 500 block of Finch Court in Fillmore. The pursuit ended as the male driver arrived at his residence on Finch Court and was detained by deputies and CHP officers. No arrest was made. CHP handled the investigation. Photo credit Angel Esquivel. |
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By Ventura County Sheriff Department — Thursday, May 28th, 2026
On 05/21/2026, Daniel Robles was found to be in possession of a firearm and controlled substances. He was arrested for several felony weapons and drug related offenses. |
![]() One driver was arrested for Illegal Concealment of a Firearm during DUI Checkpoint. Photo credit Angel Esquivel. Enlarge Photo By Ventura County Sheriff Department — Thursday, May 28th, 2026
![]() On Friday, May 15, Fillmore Police Department held a Driver’s License & DUI Checkpoint on Central Avenue, north of Ventura Street from 6pm to 1am. A total of 293 vehicles passed through the checkpoint and 248 drivers were contacted. Above and below are some photos of the officers conducting sobriety tests on drivers. Photo credit Angel Esquivel. Enlarge Photo The Fillmore Police Department conducted a Driver’s License/DUI Checkpoint on May 15th, 2026, on Central Ave between Ventura Street and Santa Clara Street from 6:00 P.M. to 1:00 A.M., in the city of Fillmore. Ventura County Sheriff’s Office personnel were assisted by the Oxnard Police Department Motor Traffic Unit. A total of 293 vehicles passed through the checkpoint, with 248 drivers being contacted. |
![]() On Saturday, May 23, at approximately 4:14 a.m., the Fillmore Fire Department responded to a reported structure fire in the 900 block of Ortega Street. Upon arrival, firefighters discovered a fully involved bedroom fire that had been extinguished prior to fire personnel arriving on scene. Due to damage sustained to the residence, the home was yellow tagged. The American Red Cross was contacted to assist the displaced occupants. Photo credit Angel Esquivel. The cause of the fire remains under investigation. Enlarge Photo By Gazette Staff Writers — Thursday, May 28th, 2026
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![]() Pictured are members of Fillmore Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 9637 presenting arms during volly. Photo credit Gazette staff. Enlarge Photo By Gazette Staff Writers — Thursday, May 28th, 2026
![]() Pictured is Danny Golson reading the names of those who died in service of their country. Photo credit Gazette staff. Enlarge Photo ![]() Pictured is the Rt. Rev. Robert Hammond who gave the inspirational speech, including Psalms 23 and 65, and Isaiah 25:6-9. He ended with John 15:13, “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” Photo credit Gazette Staff. Enlarge Photo ![]() Above are Fillmore’s Boy Scout Troop 406 holding flags representing the five branches of the military. The troop, as well as Cub Scout Troop 3400, helped with the Pledge of Allegiance during the Memorial Day ceremony. Photo credit Gazette Staff. Enlarge Photo Monday, May 25, 2026, Bardsdale Cemetery held its annual Memorial Day Service. At 11am the public was invited to honor those who sacrificed their lives in service to our country. This year’s speaker was Jamie Arundell Latshaw. Also, the Rt. Rev. Bishop Ordinary Robert Hammond gave the inspirational message. Music was provided by local resident Greg Agostinelli. The local VFW Post 9637 and Boy Scout Troop 406 assisted with the program. Danny Golson read the names who died in service of their country. Taps was performed by board member Bill Morris. Water and cookies were provided after the service. |
![]() The Fillmore Unified School District (FUSD) recognized students and staff of year at the May 19th 2026 meeting of the governing board. FUSD Superintendent Christine Schieferle said, “I am honored to congratulate and thank our outstanding Students and Staff of the Year: Tracie Davis, Kindergarten Teacher at Mountain Vista Elementary School; Rupa Torres, Campus Supervisor at Fillmore High School; Christine McDaniels, Principal at Mountain Vista Elementary School; Emma Victor, Fillmore High School Student of the Year; and Natalie Rodriguez Valdez, Sierra High School Student of the Year. Each of these honorees represents the very best of the Fillmore Unified School District through their dedication, service, and commitment to excellence. We are grateful for the positive impact they make in our schools and community, and we celebrate their well-deserved recognition.” Enlarge Photo By Gazette Staff Writers — Thursday, May 28th, 2026
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![]() A beam signing celebration was held Tuesday, May 19 at the new Fillmore High Athletic Complex construction site. Fillmore Unified School District Superintendent Christine Schieferle said, “On behalf of Fillmore Unified School District, I extend my heartfelt gratitude to the Measure G Bond Committee Members, our School Board Members, Fillmore Unified and High School staff, and our entire Fillmore-Piru community for helping make the Fillmore High School Athletic Complex possible. This project represents what we can accomplish when we come together with a shared commitment to our students, schools, and community. The new athletic complex will provide generations of students, families, and community members with a facility that reflects our pride in ourselves, our schools, and our belief in creating opportunities for every student to thrive.” Enlarge Photo By Gazette Staff Writers — Thursday, May 28th, 2026
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